Gumballs

When it comes to going to the store the odds are good that you do not think much about the technology that makes your shopping possible, but it is there, quietly making your life easier and change the way you deal with the stores around you. That is why today we are going to look at three different types of technology that are changing the face of retail shops in the United States, when they are put in place en mass.

Changing Retail: Touch Screens

The use of touch screens in places such as self check out registers, automatic tag makers and other devices are unheard of right now, but that is only the tip of the ice berg. Touch screens may be showing up more than you may expect in the near future. Screens that allow users to find the locations of items in a store, allow shoppers to keep a digital inventory of the items in their cart in order to speed up their check out and keep a running tally on their budget or just help consumers to make the best nutritional comparisons are all being looked at by retail chains right now. A version of this was put out by Light Touch that allows any flat surface to become a touch screen. 

Changing Retail: Printed Electronics

The idea of printed electronic is a lot like the model of printing books on demand used by companies such as Amazon. By allowing for printable packaging, such as stickers that tell you how ripe your banana really is, may be in the future. It could also allow for temperature sensors and other critical supplies to be added to the food in order to ensure that it is kept in the best position possible. It also has potential in terms of using eInk for marketing and dynamic packaging purposes. After all eInk has already been used, in limited applications, in places such as the magazine industry. After all Esquire already got to do it.

Changing Retail: RFID Chips and Wireless Payment

The use of wireless payment technology, such as RFID and other wireless payment technology, will allow for speedier checkouts, though it will come with some unique security challenges. Of course this may also show up in the style of an Apple Store, where workers each have a mobile register on their hip. Burberryis already leading the way on this one, with RFIDs in clothing. 

Don't be surprised that you may see many of these technologies popping up with frequency in many of the stores around you. Just do not be surprised that if it is national chains that lead the way.