Christmas has always been the most wonderful time of year for retailers. And that’s true not just in the UK, but all over Europe, where the centuries old tradition of festive markets brings eager shoppers out in their droves to eat, drink and pick up some last minute seasonal gifts. There are huge opportunities then for retailers and hospitality business owners to meet this exceptional demand and drive up profits. But challenges remain for those using traditional POS machines ill-suited to life on the road.
In short, those business owners who want to maximise sales and offer the best customer experience possible this Christmas shopping season need to look into the next generation of mPOS technology spearheaded by Miura Systems
A seasonal treat
From Bath to Bruges, Chester to Cologne and Bristol to Budapest, Christmas markets have become big business. Although the tradition might date back in some cases to the Middle Ages, it’s only over the past few years that the trend has really taken off. The sheer variety and volume of events on offer across the region is mind-boggling. From moose burgers and mulled wine in Trondheim to hand-blown glass and ceramics in Vienna, there’s something for everyone. The UK’s retail and hospitality business owners have spotted their potential too, turning town squares and city parks across the country into pop-up festive markets.
But there are challenges associated with these highly seasonal events; limited opening hours and a finite lifespan lasting rarely longer than a few weeks makes minimising queue waiting times vital to avoid lost sales. Card payments should be the preferred method, being more secure, and favoured by the majority of customers. But historically the bulky, expensive and power-hungry POS machines on offer to business owners have led many to go back to basics and accept cash only.
Miura: powering Christmas
It doesn’t need to be like that today. The mPOS market is jam-packed with slick, highly portable and consistently reliable card machines designed specifically with events like the pop-up Christmas market in mind. The Miura M010 offers chip and PIN wherever your business needs it, connecting to a smartphone or tablet for hassle-free, contact and contactless secure mobile payments. Our Shuttle device, meanwhile, is one of the most successful mPOS chip and PIN device in the world – connecting to tablets and smartphones to offer micro-merchants and business people on the move the ability to accept card payments.
Here are just a few more reasons to choose mPOS to power your business this Christmas market season:
Maximise revenue – not everyone carries enough cash these days; more are likely to carry a card or a smartphone and statistics show that people are more likely to spend more when paying electronically.
Happier customers – allowing consumers to pay the way they want will create a pleasant shopping experience, making them more likely to return
Minimise drop-outs – keep the queue moving with faster ‘tap and pay’ contactless payments
Stay secure – minimise the amount of cash you’re handling at external events
Go mobile – Miura devices support Apple Pay, giving your customers even more ways to pay
Empower staff – mPOS allows staff to take customer payments out of the queue if necessary, further enhancing the customer experience.
Minimise downtime – Miura Systems devices are simple to set-up and use, allowing you to concentrate on growing your business
