This week’s weekly round up focuses on two security news articles, retail pricing considerations and new high tech grocery stores in Connecticut. Grab a cup of coffee and enjoy the weekly top stories for point of sale and retail news.
1. Hackers Test Limits of Credit Card Security Standards – This is an excellent article by the Washington Post talking about the current security issues in the retail point of sale environment. The article explains PCI standards and the issues that retailers have with them. Do you keep credit card data? If you don’t you could lose money when it comes to chargeback’s and disputes. If you do you are required to keep that data encrypted and that does not always keep the thieves away. Read more to learn about the latest security issues that involve the retail industry.
2. PIN Crackers Nab Holy Grail of Bank Card Security – Another great retail security article by Wired.com. It seems PIN thieves have found a way to breach PIN numbers with new technology. Just when you thought it was safe to encrypted PIN numbers in blocks these hackers have found a way to breech the most secure PINs. Stated in the 2009 Data Breach Investigations report these PIN hacks have resulted in..
“more targeted, cutting-edge, complex, and clever cybercrime attacks than seen in previous years.”
The article goes on to tell about the different ways hackers’ access PIN Numbers and statistics of growing popularity among cons.
3. Buying a POS System: 5 Lessons From Businesses Like Yours – This is a short, but informative article from the BuyersZone blog. I found it extremely interesting and full of statistics about POS systems. The article gives the top 5 requested POS input devices and types of businesses that need a point of sale system. The debate of POS service contracts and buying new versus used point of sale systems is discussed. Can you guess what the top requested input device is? Read more to find out.
4. Pricing and Small Retailers: Questions to Consider – You will need some time to read this extensive five page article on retail pricing. Grab a piece of paper to take some notes and find some great tips on product pricing. Did you know there are five different segments of consumers and there is a difference in fair pricing? Do you plan for stock shortages or use price lining? Find sound business advice from business owner and consumer point of view in this fantastic retail article.
5. High-Tech Grocery Shopping Touts Savings, But Hasn’t Hooked Customers – Can you picture grocery shopping with a handheld scanner, scanning each item as it goes into your cart and using the scanner to check out at the end of your trip? That is what some stores in Hartford Connecticut are doing.
Modiv Media Inc. developed Scan It! a handheld scanner that allows shoppers to scan and bag their groceries as they shop. It doesn’t stop there, if a customer scans an item that has a manufacturers “offer” or coupon it is automatically given to the customer. When they are ready to check out, the shopper simply scans the device at the check out and boom you’re done.
The scanner has had mixed reviews with shoppers, but it looks like the high tech Grocery store may catch on.