Retailers and shoppers alike benefit from mobile point-of-sale (mPOS): It allows associates to sell from anywhere buying decisions are made — from the sales floor to the outdoor market, the parking lot or even the customer’s home. An mPOS solution also modernizes the shopping experience while reducing the time customers spend checking out. This is increasingly important today, given that waiting in line is three times more common in retail than visiting a pharmacy, restaurant or bank.
The number of people using mPOS payment is forecast to reach 1.94 billion users by 2027. As a result, more retailers are investing in the technology, with the mPOS terminals market growing by 11% through 2030. Deploying mPOS technology also offers consumers a more engaging, convenient and personalized buying experience. If you haven’t made the shift to mPOS yet, here’s some advice to help you get started so you, too, can capitalize on the benefits.
Finding the right device for retail
When deciding to implement mPOS in retail, it’s important to choose the right mobile device. Rugged devices like the Samsung Galaxy Tab Active5 are tough enough for all retail environments — from superstores with concrete floors to outdoor places like garden centers and buy online, pickup at curb (BOPAC) locations.
Retail has its hazards — like drops, dust and spilled liquids — that can affect device performance and lifespan. But the Tab Active5 is up to the challenge with its rugged design, long-lasting battery power and flexible software compatibility. It’s a secure, business-ready device that looks and feels like the consumer devices associates already carry.
Here are six reasons the rugged device is ready for all your retail needs:
1. It’s mobile payment–ready
Say hello to mobile checkouts, thanks to the Galaxy Tab Active5 built-in support for near-field communications (NFC). This allows retailers to offer the ultimate in payment convenience and speed without having to invest in additional hardware, such as card readers.
2. It’s designed to handle critical retail tasks
By using mobile devices instead of desktop computers, retail associates can carry their POS station anywhere they go. The Tab Active5 was designed to thrive in varied conditions and is backward compatible with other Tab Active accessories. Its lightweight, portable, apron-friendly design lets workers take it wherever they need.
Associates can get customer sign-off on the go using the included S Pen. And with Knox Capture, workers can seamlessly capture barcodes with the camera’s enterprise-grade scanning, or create shortcuts to other apps using a programmable key.
When employees need more of a PC-like experience, wireless Samsung DeX lets employees cast their content onto a laptop or TV screen, giving them more ways to get things done.
3. It offers connectivity anywhere
The Tab Active5 features a faster, more reliable connection to keep your team working at the speed of business. This includes support for 5G and Wi-Fi 6 wireless data networks, so transactions keep flowing and customers keep moving — even when an associate is in the parking lot or on the go.
Given the need for increased privacy and security, meanwhile, the Tab Active5 also supports Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS). That means retailers can run their devices on private networks and be assured employees will always stay safely connected to the apps, data and processing services that are critical to business operations and customers’ satisfaction.
4. It’s rugged and reliable
The Tab Active5 meets the MIL-STD-810G standard for military-grade toughness, and it’s IP68 certified, meaning it can stand up to water, dust and debris. Inevitably, the device will get dropped onto a concrete floor, sprayed with water, dusted with powder from a damaged carton of detergent or cocoa — but it won’t be deterred.
It’s just as useful on cold days in the snow because associates can effortlessly use the Tab Active5 — and any other Samsung rugged devices — with gloves on, thanks to its responsive touchscreen and enhanced wet and touch capabilities. It can even be sanitized.
The device features a robust battery that supports fast charging and runs for up to 11 hours, so it can work continuously through a full-day shift without a battery swap. If it needs to go out for a double shift, though, the Galaxy Tab Active5’s battery is field-replaceable. And for kiosk deployments, No Battery mode enables all-day operation without the headaches of battery management.
5. It keeps your data secure
The Tab Active5 is built on the Samsung Knox platform, providing multilayered, government-grade security from the chip up. Your sensitive data — and that of your customers — is protected with advanced, comprehensive security around the clock, even if the device gets lost or stolen.
You can also use Samsung’s Knox Configure to provision and customize a large number of devices, remotely push out security patches, and deploy application updates.
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6. It’s easy to manage
Samsung also offers a suite of mobile device management (MDM) services, which make it easy to bulk enroll, configure and manage all your mPOS devices at once. You can bulk enroll devices using Knox Mobile Enrollment (KME), for example, then manage them throughout the life cycle using Knox Manage, and update your devices’ firmware remotely using Knox E-FOTA. Better yet, all of these solutions are included in the Tab Active5 Enterprise Edition for one year, along with a five-year security maintenance release. Already have an MDM? KME works with all the biggest names in device management, so you can get your entire fleet of devices up and running in your existing MDM in no time.
Standing up to retail wear and tear
Retail environments are more rough-and-tumble than they might look — even in luxurious designer stores, they often have concrete floors and dust generated by clothing. Rugged devices like the Tab Active series are purpose-built to stand up to wear and tear, making them ideal mPOS platforms for any work environment. Together with enhanced retail-friendly features like NFC, remote management, Samsung Knox, and Knox Capture, the Tab Active5 can help you satisfy customers’ growing demand for mPOS — and drive revenue in the process.
See how Walmart transformed the retail associate experience by providing 740,000 rugged Samsung devices to their employees. Are you making the most of mobile devices in your store? See where you stand in our free three-minute assessment.
