Busting Lines and Boosting Sales

 
 
Everyone hates standing in line, whether at the DMV or a big-box store. It’s a frustrating time-waste. I remember waiting for at least eight minutes at a well-known retail chain; the clerk rang up an item incorrectly, but couldn’t fix it at her station. I had to go to the back of another long line for “customer service.” I haven’t been back to that store since.

That experience convinced me that retailers could keep customers happier by making sure checkout lines are short. The idea of moving cash-wrap stations to where they’re needed most made sense, so Anthro decided to design a line of mobile POS carts.

Go where the money is
Susan Druckman, business development specialist at Travelex Currency Services, had a problem: Most travelers waited until they were overseas to exchange currency, rather than take care of it at a U.S. airport. How could she encourage them to exchange domestically?

Once airline passengers pass through security, it’s a hassle to return to the airport’s main retail area. “So you have 200 people sitting there waiting for their plane,” Druckman says. “We wondered, ‘Why not bring our product to them?’”

First they tried sending out a guy with a backpack full of money to exchange; you can imagine the looks. Later they tried sending him out with a desk and a small sign that read, “Mexican Pesos.” That approach didn’t work, either.

Then they hit upon the idea of using mobile POS stands to pick up extra transactions in gate areas. “Airlines don’t want to lose seating space with fixtures,” Druckman says, “so we take our product — which is money – put it on a cart and roll it right out onto the concourse.”

The program has been extremely successful; Travelex’s sales are up, customers love it and it’s making money for the landlords.

Managing ebbs and flows
Charlie Rutt, director of the university store at the University of Central Missouri, struggled with customer rushes that rapidly accelerate and decelerate during book sale and book buy-back periods.

“On a daily basis we don’t need more cash registers, but during fall and spring rush periods we do,” he says. “We may fluctuate from 700 to 2,700 students daily during the semester.”

When Rutt replaced fixed casework cash-wrap stations with mobile POS stands, he increased his capacity by 30 percent. Always chasing new revenue streams, he uses the carts for special events on campus – book signings, football games, sidewalk sales and alumni weekends.

“We’re the transaction specialists,” he says, “so we’ll team up with other departments. We’re here to serve our campus.”

Stations that stay put
Extra POS stations are also a great way to test a market without having to make much of an upfront investment.

The Adidas Employee Store in Portland, Ore., became a surprise hit when it opened in July 2008. “The original plan was for three or four registers,” says store manager Jonny Do. “They didn’t know we’d do so well.”

When sales took off, they were able to quickly add another register by wheeling an Anthro Shop About cash-wrap station next to the case goods registers. “It’s there as an extra station when it’s needed — which is all the time,” he says.

More cash-wrap “real estate” is an added bonus of the Shop Abouts. For instance, flip-up shelves add extra space for bagging, and then flip down to make the most of your retail floor.

Here are the key features to look for in a mobile POS cart:
• Durability. Store fixtures should last 10 to 20 years.

• Mobility. Insist on big, rugged casters.

• Ergonomics. Look for ADA accessibility and adjustable-height shelves.

• Branding. Can you customize it for a reasonable cost?

• Assembly. Pre-assembled is best, as they’ll arrive “ready to roll.”

From big boxes to college bookstores to mom-and-pop shops, retailers can bust lines and boost sales with mobile POS carts.