Digital future

The development of IT systems holds many possibilities for retail chains. Modern, self-service technologies are rarely used in our region yet. But changes are coming. We asked Romulus Steinbinder about what we can expect.
– What are the latest innovations in price tagging?
Electronic price scanners are used in all hyper markets. Such devices can be built into shopping carts and used to provide detailed, multimedia information about products using a radio link to the data bases of the store. Such information can even be personalised, when a customer card is used.
– What do you think about the chance of electronic price tags appearing here?
– I think it will be a long time before these will be introduced, because of the high costs involved. Such devices need local networks to operate and are used in certain departments of supermarkets, hyper markets and petrol stations. Electronic price tags serve to make keeping up with price changes easier. Paper tags need a lot of time and work to change, while using shelf tags is obligatory in retail trade. Electronic price tags can be altered for all purposes from a central terminal, which is great advantage for retailers.
– I assume, this IT solutions also help to make warehousing easier.
– Further development of warehousing systems is expected from the introduction of RFID systems, because these can store and communicate complex data in a very effectively by means of radio frequency. These are only beginning to appear even in the most developed markets.
– A new phrase, „Point Of Service” is coming into use. What does it mean?
– The „Point of Service” concept is a derivative of the point of sale. There are many stores which do not follow the hyper market principle, there is not a constant line in front of cashiers, cash registers are only used 10-15 per cent of the time. This allows sophisticated cash registers to be used for other purposes with the right software. The existing infrastructure of cash registers can handle customer card or other loyalty point systems. Deliveries and complaints can also be handled.