Toshiba Taps BlueStar to Expand POS Network

Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions says it’s extending the reach of its point-of-sale (POS) network.

The company on Tuesday (April 11) announced it is teaming with POS firm BlueStar to help make the expansion happen.

“The strategic partnership with BlueStar provides unique benefits to both organizations,” Bill Campbell, Toshiba head of global sales, said in a news release.

“Leveraging Toshiba’s industry-leading retail technology, BlueStar’s network of resellers is empowered to connect retailers with the innovative solutions they need to stay ahead of the competition and connect with consumers.”

Campbell added that the partnership will expand Toshiba’s network by tapping into BlueStar’s ecosystem of independent software vendors.

POS systems play a crucial role in a retailer’s physical store strategy and can guide the consumer experience, per the release. Toshiba’s POS offerings through BlueStar are curated to fit the unique needs of the retail, restaurant and hospitality sectors, the release adds.

The partnership is happening at a time when smaller merchants are faced with the choice of embracing digital payment features or risk losing customers.

Research by PYMNTS and Cybersource — based on surveys of more than 13,300 consumers and over 3,100 merchants across Brazil, India, Mexico, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States — found that shoppers aren’t finding the digital features they value when shopping small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs).

For example, even in two of the world’s biggest economies — the U.S. and the U.K. — around a quarter of SMBs say they have yet to embrace digital wallet acceptance despite the rising usage of this payment method by consumers.

“Where SMBs are focusing more attention and upgrades is contactless card payments, with 29% of SMBs planning to add contactless cards in the next three years, and 26% anticipating touchless checkout innovations,” PYMNTS wrote.

The research also found that 34% of SMB shoppers, “picked up their most recent purchases in-store in 2022. Just 22% of large merchant eCommerce customers picked up their most recent purchases in-store.”

To make the most of this, 27% of SMBs in the survey reported that they will add curbside or pickup options over the next three years, “and 23% plan to adopt in-store kiosks where eCommerce shoppers can acquire their purchases.”

By the same token, 26% of SMBs plan to adopt mobile capabilities that allow shoppers to verify whether the item they want is in stock before they make a visit to the brick-and-mortar store to purchase it.