Shopping online for clothes is convenient, but sometimes you just want to try something on and look in the mirror before getting your wallet out. When Intel approached frog to think of a new retail point-of-sale (POS) concept, the company was hoping to show what the convergence of the online and real world of shopping could look like. The result is a rich, multimedia, and interactive experience that might get customers away from their computer screens and back into stores.
The volume of information available online is part of the reason e-commerce sales continue to steal market share from brick-and-mortar stores, even during the economic downturn. But Intel and frog have taken the bold step of combining the sensory richness of retail shopping with the convenience of online shopping. The result is an in-store experience for the future that rivals what consumers have grown to love about shopping online: better access to information and features such as reviews or personalized recommendations.
“The frog team…came up with the idea of allowing shoppers to search inventory directly or with a sales person in real time, and to enter and peruse customer reviews from the store, in essence matching the online shopping experience in a cool kiosk,” wrote Reena Jana for BusinessWeek.
The concept’s provocative industrial design and touch-screen user interface also showcases the capabilities of Intel’s low-energy, high-performance chips, which conserve over 70 percent more power usage than previous chips used in retail PoS terminals.
For retailers, the lower energy consumption of the Intel CPU and remote management features offered by the Intel Processor, coupled with the adaptability and upgradability of the hardware design, means operational savings and a reduction in total cost of ownership. The modular architecture allows each retailer to configure the system’s features and styling to its needs. The employee-customer interaction and dynamic user interface enable retailers to reach their customers at more touch points, building loyalty through enhanced customer experiences. The design also provides opportunities to increase revenue through digital signage, intelligent cross-selling tools, and targeted ads.
What customers get in return are heightened and personalized shopping experiences tailored to their needs, whether they are interested in product reviews and recommendations, store information, or sales. From high-touch social interactions to self-sufficient explorations and intelligent suggestions, the system delivers real-world levels of service previously possible only online.
In merging the unique benefits of online and in-store shopping, frog created an informed, efficient, and streamlined shopping experience. When it debuted at the National Retail Federation Conference in early 2009, it was considered a harbinger of new innovative technology in retail and called “absolutely the coolest thing here” by one enthusiastic attendee.
Intel commissioned frog to create the next generation point-of-sale device for retailers. The result is a kiosk that provides information on previous purchases, reviews, and inventories, and allows you to make purchases with an easy to use touch-screen display.
“The frog team…came up with the idea of allowing shoppers to search inventory directly or with a sales person in real time, and to enter and peruse customer reviews from the store, in essence matching the online shopping experience in a cool kiosk.”
— Reena Jana, BusinessWeek.
Intel Retail POS (with video)
New York Times Review
ABC News “Tech Bytes” Video Review
