Zebra Technologies to introduce Middle

In line with its vision to create “One Store, One Experience,” Zebra Technologies is introducing new products and solutions to help retailers in the Middle East optimise profitability and increase employee productivity, while improving the omnichannel shopping experience.

According to the company, internet, online shopping and mobile communications have turned traditional retail customers into connected customers who seek consistency and want to deal with ‘one store’ and have ‘one experience’. To keep shoppers satisfied and earn their loyalty, retailers need to provide consistent messaging, customer service, pricing and availability across every customer touch point – in-store, online and mobile.

Zebra also shares some insightful findings from the eighth (2015) annual installment of its Global Shopper Study that found shoppers to be very interested in Wi-Fi and location-based, in-store services such as mobile coupons (51%), shopping maps (45%) and associate assistance (41%).

These findings support Zebra’s One Store, One Experience campaign – focusing on brand experience, delivery and fulfillment, loyalty, big data and store mobility to transform the connected customer experience. With higher customer expectations, retailers acknowledge that the role of technology has never been greater. The study identified that more than one-third of shoppers (34%) believe they are better connected to real-time information than in-store associates. Meanwhile, 64% of shoppers would be willing to purchase more merchandise if they received better customer service and over one-half (52%) value retailers who use technology to make the shopping experience more efficient.

Expanding on the theme One Store, One Experience, Zebra is introducing new solutions to help retailers create this environment across digital and physical shopping spaces. The company is introducing two new desktop printers offering fixed, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity to help employees update product pricing, shelf labels and coupons in alignment with the store’s merchandising and pricing strategies. In addition, the recently announced, lightweight, ergonomic TC8000 enterprise mobile computer can help increase the productivity of warehouse workers by an average of 14% based on workflow.

Key facts about ZD410/ZD420 desktop printers

• Zebra has introduced the ultra-compact ZD410 2-inch direct thermal printer. Designed for the smallest of work spaces, the ZD410 can be placed conveniently wherever employees need to work and is ideal for printing high-quality labels, receipts and tags in applications including pharmacy prescription labels, shelf labeling, price markdowns and scale labels.

• Zebra is also introducing the ZD420, the first desktop thermal transfer printer with an easy-to-load ribbon cartridge that significantly reduces the time required to load a printer ribbon. The ZD420 – which will be available later this quarter – also provides helpful information to the user including type of ribbon and the amount of ribbon remaining in the cartridge.

• Both printers are Link-OS™-enabled making them easier for store workers to use and IT to manage. With new status icons, users can instantly identify and rectify printer issues while IT can remotely manage all printers through an easy-to-use web-based interface. The Virtual Devices application enables the simple replacement of non-Zebra printers.

• Zebra OneCare Services are available in three service levels to help maximise the availability and productivity of Zebra printers.

“Zebra is committed to offering innovative mobile solutions that are designed to provide seamless, consistent customer interactions, creating differentiation and competitive advantage for retailers who want a ‘One Store, One Experience’ environment,” says Mark Thomson, director, retail & hospitality EMEA, Zebra Technologies.

“With the introduction of the new ZD410/ZD420 printers and the rest of our broad portfolio, Zebra is helping retailers improve associate productivity while delivering the right prices on the right items at the right time – capturing customer interest at key decision-making moments, while protecting stores’ profitability,” he adds.