Retailers face a harried holiday shopping season this year, with just 27 days between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Every day counts, and certain devices like point-of-sale systems, self-service kiosks and online shopping platforms must work flawlessly — or else missed opportunities and lost revenue will result.
According to PwC’s Holiday Outlook 2024, 60% of holiday shoppers plan to make in-store purchases, and nearly a quarter of those are expected to venture out on Black Friday, marking the first increase in in-store Black Friday traffic since 2018. Today’s holiday shoppers are expected to take a hybrid shopping approach, with Millennial and Gen Z shoppers showing strong interest in buy online, pick up in-store (BOPIS) services.
Additionally, the report found 63% of frequent, in-store holiday shoppers prioritize self-checkout and mobile payment solutions with nearly one in two also saying “just-walk-out” technology is important.
No matter how the shopping is done, a seamless omnichannel retail experience requires supporting technology to just work. Receipt printers, credit card readers, Apple pay or other tap-to-pay terminals, inventory management software, and countless other forms of connected product technology all plays a role, which means a lot could go wrong.
It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Device Downtime
When retail technology malfunctions, disruptions cascade across the entire shopping experience — leading to lost sales, costly repairs and a tarnished brand reputation. These problems hurt shoppers and employees alike.
Imagine a store is running a doorbuster deal on Black Friday. Customers race to take advantage of the savings when disaster strikes: a self-checkout kiosk breaks. Customers risk delays, potentially missing out on limited time offers. Meanwhile, store employees must manage frustrated shoppers and juggle repairs.
In this case, diagnosing the problem is only the beginning. Software issues, internet connectivity problems or a peripheral device — like printers, scanners or payment terminals — in need of a reboot could all be the problem. Store employees likely won’t know where to begin, and in the midst of a busy store, the problem could fester for hours, costing lost sales all the way.
Have Yourself a Malfunction-Free Season
Identifying and addressing retail tech issues fast, before customers or employees even notice, can minimize disruptions.
Here, remote device management software can be the hidden holiday hero — by quickly detecting and even correcting connected product issues. This software works to monitor for problems and manage them when they arise, either through alerting technical support or by correcting the problem right away.
For example, if a bar code scanner’s battery is low, it can send a smart alert. Or if a peripheral camera is malfunctioning, it can perform a device reset. Using remote monitoring and management software to manage retail technology leads to faster resolution without wasting employee time.
Retailers must make the most of this holiday season — by making sure all their critical shopping technology works flawlessly.
Steve Latham is the CEO of Canopy.
