IBM is launching AnyPlace Checkout, a
self-checkout solution that retailers can place almost anywhere in a store.
"Our consumer service technology strategy is focused on three words: attract, interact and transact," said Juhi Jotwani, director of marketing strategy for retail store solutions for IBM. "The goal is to help retailers attract the right customer, have a good interaction whether through the Web, kiosk or store, and ensure [that] the transaction is very robust."
Designed primarily for small to midsize retailers, as well as larger retailers who are outside the United States or have small store footprints, Jotwani said IBM AnyPlace Checkout, announced May 6, features the ultracompact footprint of the IBM AnyPlace kiosk with the transactional capabilities of IBM self-checkout software.
Our take:Despite the fact that we have no formal sales agreement in place with IBM, we recommend the IBM Anyplace kiosk for virtually all the indoor kiosk projects that we do these days. It has the right balance of price, performance, reliability and long-term availability for the self-service world, and consequently seems like a logical choice for the basis of a smaller, self-contained self-checkout unit. While self-checkout lanes have received both praise and scorn from consumer advocate groups, it's clear that the trend towards using them continues to rise, even as retailers struggle to ensure that the efficient devices don't sap impulse buys or have other negative effects on the bottom line.
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