Collaboration to Provide Shopping Experience and Build Smart Retail Environment

Intel Korea and Korea Microsoft announced that they will collaborate with Shinsegae Corporation (www.shinsegae.com) to implement a new concept of customer-responsive department store based on IoT, and have introduced Intel-based Windows tablets as next-generation mobile POS (Point of Sale) systems as their first project.

Shinsegae has made efforts to improve infrastructure by introducing big data analytics technology and reorganizing CRM (Customer Relationship Management) systems to implement an omnichannel strategy that provides consistent customer experience across various channels in line with the rapidly changing retail market.

In particular, Shinsegae determined that conventional POS systems focusing solely on simple payment functions have difficulty meeting diverse demands of smartphone-using customers and cannot easily expand into IoT-linked services, leading to the decision to replace them with next-generation mobile POS based on Intel processors running Windows operating systems. The replacement scale encompasses two types of tablets—10.1-inch and 4.7-inch models—totaling approximately 8,000 units.

Shinsegae stated that it selected Intel processor-based Windows tablets considering user convenience, stability to optimally handle current functions and information, and expandability for future features. This next-generation mobile POS, leveraging the powerful performance of Intel processors, enables not only fast payment processing but also real-time processing of numerous in-store customer tasks such as benefit verification by customer and return processing, while facilitating smooth communication between staff and systems.

Additionally, it provides a familiar UX based on Windows, ensuring convenience and compatibility as well as stable future upgrades. It enables the realization of a "One Windows" strategy that supports various types of devices on a Windows.NET foundation with a single source code, and once the universal app concept is applied in the future, it can be used directly in higher versions of operating systems without modification.

The next-generation mobile POS leverages these advantages to provide customers with more diverse and convenient customized shopping experiences. Store staff can now provide customers with discount coupons or promotional benefits through mobile POS linked to customer shopping data during customer service, and assist shopping by displaying model-wearing photos.

Shinsegae expects that by implementing new shopping experiences from rapid customer response to customized customer service through the next-generation mobile POS, it will strengthen competitiveness and enable transformation into a new concept of responsive store. Additionally, leveraging this project as an opportunity, Shinsegae plans to introduce new solutions that can be linked with next-generation mobile POS in the future to provide new IoT-based services.

Ryu Je-hee, Executive Managing Director and Chief Information Officer (CIO) of Shinsegae, stated, "Shinsegae decided to introduce Intel-based Windows tablets as next-generation mobile POS to effectively induce continuous customer visits and purchases in response to the omnichannel era where diverse services are being launched rapidly," and continued, "Going forward, we will strengthen competitiveness by communicating with employees, customers, and partners at the field level centered on next-generation mobile POS, and we will create a smart retail environment through continued collaboration with Intel and Microsoft."

Park Seok-keun, Executive Managing Director of Intel Korea Business Development, stated, "Intel and Shinsegae have been pursuing IoT technology collaboration to realize a customer-responsive department store that provides a new dimension of user experience," and further noted, "The retail industry, such as department stores, is one of the key sectors for implementing the Internet of Things, and Intel has secured end-to-end solutions spanning devices, servers, and cloud to cooperate with various global retail companies. Going forward, Intel will continue to develop technology and expand cooperation so that retail customers can benefit from diverse Intel IoT solutions."

A Korea Microsoft official stated, "Windows has the distinctive characteristic of supporting various devices and scenarios through a single platform, unlike competitors," and added, "Beginning with this Shinsegae department store case, we will work to expand the market in various industry sectors."