The Tax Barrier

Taxation has become increasingly more complex over the past few years. Market intelligence provider International Data Company (IDC) notes that technology providers are moving to provide solutions and leveraging the latest developments to simplify the tax process. AI is already being leveraged to automatically calculate taxation at the point of purchase across the U.S as well as easing the process for tax professionals to forecast and conduct risk analysis around tax issues.

Leveraging Data

Big data & analytics tools are also being used across the industry to provide professionals with insights and offer opportunities to optimize the tax decision process. IDC notes that big data and analytics will be a must have for tax software end users. Combining an existing tax software with deep dive analytics & a range of information around customer purchases.

Cloud Connectivity

The cloud will also be integral to tax trends in 2020, while tax compliance has been outpaced by other developments in cloud computing, IDC expects cloud tax software to be a critical part of business operations in the years to come. With current industry events, and the work of retailers to continue to pivot their business, brands need to be prepared for these changes by proactively investing in effective taxation solutions and utilizing a range of technologies at the point of purchase.

Modern Tax Automation for Unified Retail

Teamwork Commerce has partnered with Avalara, the leader in cloud-based compliance automation, to give you a sales tax solution that is robust and easy to configure. With a pre-built integration to Avalara, you can leverage the work we’ve completed to automate burdensome (and often error-prone) sales tax management, including calculations, certificate management and returns filing. And with over 700 integrations, you can have one tax solution across all of your retail channels and platforms. Avalara is also one of a handful of providers certified in the Streamlined Sales Tax (SST) program, meaning you may be able to qualify for free services in up to 25 states!

Find out if you are eligible for the SST program or to learn more about Avalara and how they can help your business manage the ever-changing sales tax landscape more efficiently.

What is EDI Electronic Data Interchange?

A paper based exchange of business documents has represented the way business has been run for many years. But, it also comes with significant limitations, postal mail takes several days, faxes several minutes and this paper approach is error prone. Electronic data interchange is the computer to computer exchange of business documents in a standard electronic format between internal or partner resources. This electronic approach enables increased flexibility, reduced cost, increased speed and improved communication between operators. This might seem like a lot of jargon, but EDI is essentially a succinct backend process that provides for the seamless relationship between systems.

Why Does EDI Matter For Retailers?

How many retailers want to continue to use manual processes? Or physically track orders? Or keep track of relationships with suppliers?

For retailers EDI can make a significant difference, eliminating the need for basic procedural elements in the retail transaction process. Transactions can be completed with greater speed & accuracy, vital for today’s fast-moving retail landscape. EDI also ensures that systems can work together, allowing systems to communicate effectively.

EDI assisted retailers, whenever you place an order with a supplier an electronic purchase order is created within your system, with an EDI solution behind the scenes an EDI purchase order is created and sent to the supplier. Even though the supplier uses a different system their order system will be able to translate and receive the information automatically, ensuring that systems are synchronized even as requirements or information are tweaked.

After the order is ready to ship, the supplier sends an advanced shipping notice & an invoice which matches the original order. The process is reconciled within a few keystrokes, the process is automated and orders are quickly matched to ensure accuracy, consistency and timeliness within the order.

Improving The Workflow

EDI is a foundational tool for automated order processing and backend workflows. The goal of this software is to streamline and improve the workflow while enhancing supply chain predictability. But, EDI also helps to reduce friction in the operations process:

Implementing Electronic Data Interchange

EDI can be outsourced or retailers can choose to invest in their own on premise systems. Both options have their benefits, but, for most retailers outsourced cloud-based EDI is more proficient.

Internal EDI has a high level of initial investment, requiring: Software installation, hardware installation, maintenance support, map development… with outsourced EDI all of these elements are managed externally with the benefits provided to retailers & customers at the endpoint. While creating an external system might seem like creating a silo, it actually helps to break down the walls between existing silos. Cloud based EDI tools allow intercommunication between e-commerce, ERP, WMS, accounting and Point of sale. This inter-communication of tools and software allows for complete visibility of business management and assists retailers in managing the complexities of operations.

A Flexible Solution: Teamwork Commerce + SPS Commerce

SPS commerce can help retailers to integrate with most retail software’s, allowing businesses to achieve multi-system integration through EDI producing a seamless exchange of data across systems. SPS works to connect all retail systems, from legacy to eCommerce their EDI solution can help businesses to create a focused, and efficient backend process that supports retail operations.
www.spscommerce.com

The renowned experience in its new location at Rockefeller Plaza was conceptualized by FAO Schwarz to be fully interactive, rooted in both nostalgia and forward-thinking applications. The new store embraces modern mobile technology from Apple and Teamwork Retail to create an interactive experience for customers, and to empower and enable associates.

For all these reasons, FAO Schwarz chose Apple as the best fit for its business. Throughout the store, guests and Team members interact with iPad and iPhone to power experiences like the RC Raceway, where guests design their own race car using iPad and build it with mechanics onsite. In the Baby Doll Adoption experience, nurses and doctors interview potential new parents using an iPad on a clipboard. To speed guests through checkout, team members are on hand throughout the store with iPhone and iPad, allowing customers to pay instantly and securely with Apple Pay. Apple TV 4K displays product videos throughout the store, and there is a Mac mini behind the scenes serving media content server and as security access control.

FAO Schwarz offers customers mobile checkout and powers its other store operations on iOS cloud commerce provider, Teamwork Retail. Teamwork’s mission for over a decade has been to remove the friction from retail, and we recognized the need to help retailers constantly evolve. In response, Teamwork built an agile platform exclusively on iOS — because Apple makes the best products and ground-breaking features, providing immense value in the retail enterprise.

Michael Mauerer, CEO of Teamwork Retail said “Apple provides the quintessential mobile platform for Teamwork to achieve its mission of frictionless commerce. We are extremely excited and proud to be an Apple mobility partner, and most of all to help our customers, like FAO Schwarz, achieve retail perfection.”

The most engaging and successful retailers today stay close with their customer, strive to remain engaging and interesting, and to keep the shopper feeling valued and coming back. This is where Teamwork Retail comes in. With our solution, retailers are able to accomplish seamless, engaging commerce that is ready to evolve with changing trends.

The key to successful brick and mortar stores today is delighting customers and staying current with the technology landscape. A store is the perfect place to focus completely on and entertain the customer so they can enjoy themselves. It’s a place for a brand to make an impression that keeps customers coming back and wanting more.

FAO Schwarz has made this a priority and its triumphant return, with their magnificent customer experience, is a showcase for the evolution of retail.

For more information about FAO Schwarz and Teamwork Retail, please contact Amber Hovious at ahovious@teamworkretail.com

Increased Security

The chip on a contactless card communicates with the POS device through short-range wireless technology by virtue of an embedded antenna. Upon tapping a contactless card, a cryptographic code is created unique to this transaction. Ensuring that merchants can track payments and minimize the risk of fraudulent transactions.

But, this comes with additional hardware requirements at the point of sale. Many card processing tools do not process both EMV and NFC so retailers have to ensure that the selected terminal technology is suitable for brand relevant customer requirements. If a lot of customers pay from mobile apps, NFC could be more relevant.

EMV has been so effective in reducing fraud that even credit card companies who typically bear the higher costs of producing contactless cards, aren’t hesitant to support the technology given the reduction in fraud risk.

Speed

What can be faster than a simple tap on a card processing device. On the customer side, the contactless experience is seamless: Customers can simply place their card on the payment tool and in seconds the transaction is complete. But, for retailers this process can be more complex, with additional security driving increased processing times. Leveraging hardware that is designed to handle the complexities of contactless payments is critical, 17 seconds is very different from 70 seconds.

Customers need speedy transaction times, this has only become increasingly relevant in the last 6 months, as retailers across the globe have scrambled to take payments at the curbside, or find contactless solutions to reduce the high touch requirements of traditional tools. For retailers, contactless payments reduce a key pain point in the shopping process. Rather than waiting for a customer to enter a pin, or swipe their card, retailers can have their customers quickly tap a card to complete the purchase.

While this is only available on lower priced purchases this flexibility at the point of payment helps to quickly filter through customers that prioritize the convenience of brick-and-mortar. Experience focused customers are also supported in this process, retail staff are able to focus more on these customers, providing them attention and support as needed.

Comfort & Convenience

Much of the merchant payment processing experience for customers is all about speed, how quickly and easily they can pay and get out. Customers do not want to wait in line, and they also do not want to wait to pay. Retailers and credit card processors have spent years refining their point of sale experience, ensuring that customers feel comfortable and can easily purchase their products. Simply tapping one’s card on the payment tool and then leaving the retail environment is about as simple as the process can be.

Customer experience has also shifted in 2020, consumers now demand comfort in a different format. Customers want to feel safe in the retail environment, accessing all the precautions needed to ensure their safety and continued health. Even the World Health organization has stepped out in favor of contactless payment tools. Many central banks have resorted to quarantining physical bills, or burning banknotes to reduce the risk of passively spreading the virus.

29% of consumers are “extremely” or “very worried” about catching Coronavirus from physical money and so are primarily using card payments. Consumers are also concerned about catching the virus from a card payment, through a retail staff member physically touching the card. This is reflected in the data too, 30% of consumers have started using contactless payment methods since the outbreak started. It is highly likely that this shift will be permanent, customers now understand the value of contactless payments as well as the reduction in health risks as a result.

Teamwork Commerce + Global Payments Integrated

Global Payments Integrated is part of the Teamwork Commerce integration ecosystem, enabling retailers to create an optimal customer experience all the way through to the payment process. With a range of payment tools for retailers of all types Global Payments Integrated is the ideal hardware provider for physical retail transactions. With Genius, retailers can accept a myriad of payments, speed up checkout and boost customer engagement at the point of sale. From gateway to acquiring, Global Payments Integrated is a key partner in the Teamwork Commerce retail ecosystem.

Here are some of the reasons we partner with Socket Mobile:

Socket Mobile’s goal is to provide customers the convenience and performance in a barcode scanner that other data capture manufacturers don’t offer. With certification for an ergonomic design, colorful signature, antimicrobial materials, as well as worldwide leading reputation in Bluetooth, Socket Mobile puts its best foot forward when it comes to its products. Socket Mobile has 25 years of a sound status in mobile scanning, and is continuously pushing for improvement.

Introducing, the SocketScan series of Bluetooth barcode scanners – standing out in a crowd, not only because their color options (blue, green, red, yellow and white), but because of user-friendly attributes and diverse capabilities. Users can work longer hours with comfortable ergonomics and a long-lasting battery. SocketScan was built for a versatile world with 1D, 2D and laser scanning options. It was built with user-friendly icons and notifications to make the user’s job easier. Socket Mobile’s data capture devices were built to work for the user.

Socket Mobile continues to provide compatible, reliable, customizable, data capture products designed for people. Socket Mobile works hard, so users don’t have to.

The Loop Solution

Loop is a company that has developed a payment solution for your keychain, the Loop Fob, and a companion application, LoopWallet. There’s a 90 percent chance that this keychain payment system will work with your existing point of sale system. The LoopWallet app is is PIN protected, and all the servers are fully encrypted, and the Fob can be set up to be unusable if it’s lost or stolen. You can configure it to various levels of security to be used either just like a credit card, or with one of two higher levels of security that require a connection to your phone.

You can load all of your credit cards, debit cards, and membership cards onto a single device that stores them all and can switch between them on the go. You can set it up by plugging the fob into an iPhone and swiping in new cards. The app later helps you select which card to pay with. It’s easy to use and works just about anywhere. Instead of swiping like a typical card, you hold it above the area on a point of sale system where you would swipe a card. The fob then uses Magnet Secure Transmission technology to emit a burst of data that tricks the POS system into believing the card has been swiped, passing along identical data.

The only drawback is that, since the technology is new, you have to explain how it works to every single cashier you check out with.

Moving Toward the Future of Retail

The Loop device is just one of the many ways that retail is moving toward a more technologically advanced future. Even if you haven’t encountered such a card-free payment device yet, there are other modern retail solutions that you probably have encountered, such as the increasingly prominent iPad POS system. iPad POS systems provide a more mobile and flexible retail experience for your customers. A cloud-based iPad POS also streamlines your behind the scenes operations, giving you more time to concentrate on what really matters.

If you’re interested in moving your retail business closer to the future of retail, it might be time to upgrade to an iPad point of sale system. Contact Teamwork Commerce today to find out just how easy this new system is to implement and learn.