In September 2010, the Small Business Jobs and Credit Act of 2010 (H.R. 5297) was signed into law by the President of the United States. This bill extended bonus depreciation through the year’s end and facilitated small business lending. Recently, this act was extended through December 31, 2011. The bill includes an extension of the 50% bonus depreciation provision for all businesses, regardless of size, that is effective for qualifying assets purchased in 2011. The section 179 special depreciation allowance for software purchased in 2011 can increase your net income without having to increase revenue and creates a significant savings on software. It’s the perfect opportunity to purchase additional Point of Sale Software before year end at significant savings. You may also be able to take an additional first year special depreciation allowance for certain qualified property. This allowance is an additional 50% deduction of the property’s depreciable basis (after any section 179 deduction and before figuring your regular depreciation deduction). Don’t miss out on these tax savings for purchasing software! Contact RTE to learn more about the financial benefits of purchasing software before December 31, 2011. Retail Technology Experts is not responsible for any of the information contained in any of the publications referenced in this communication. RTE encourages you to consult your tax and legal advisors for specifics on how this bill might affect your business taxes in 2011. The contents of this document are for informational purposes only. Retail Technology Experts makes no guarantee, representations or warranties with regard to the enclosed information. All information contained herein is subject to change without notice.

Check  out the latest edition of the Retail Optimizer with special offers that allow you to get huge savings off of Retail Pro SA as well as a FREE subscription to Radiant System’s E-commerce system CPOnline.

Find Out more about our new offering by clicking here

Retail Technology Experts (RTE) today announced the addition of Radiant Systems’ CounterPoint retail point-of-sale solution to their suite of POS products.

For over 25 years, Radiant Systems has provided point-of-sale technology to retail and hospitality operators across the globe. Radiant’s user-friendly technology not only ensures that retailers have the right products at the right price; it reduces the complexity of retailers’ lives. This allows them to connect and engage with consumers in an open, innovative and secure way. Radiant’s flexible CounterPoint solution includes a robust inventory management system, touch screen POS ticket entry, integrated e-commerce, mobile alerting, built-in gift card and customer loyalty programs and e-mail marketing.

“CounterPoint’s integrated e-commerce, secure transaction processing and affordability make it an excellent solution for retailers of all sizes, and we are excited to add it to our portfolio of POS products,” said Mahendran Ramanathan, president of Retail Technology Experts. “Radiant’s commitment to service aligns with RTE’s mission of providing excellent support for our customers. We look forward to working with Radiant as we present the Counterpoint Solution to retailers across the country.”

“Retail business owners see tremendous value in the flexibility of CounterPoint and the ease in which they can use the system to engage consumers,” said Christian Nahas, vice president of the specialty retail division at Radiant Systems. “Retail Technology Experts is known for delivering outstanding customer service and support, and we are thrilled to add the company to our reseller base.”

by: Rick Segel

I saw a beautiful ad well laid out and obviously professionally done announcing a January clearance event. As an added bonus they said to go to their website to download a coupon. There was only one problem – their website had a message on it “future home of” and names the store. They spent a lot of money on a newspaper ad and sent many people to an a website that didn’t exist. When I shared this story with a friend of mine, her first comment was “oh it must be a new store and couldn’t coordinate everything.” Unfortunately the store was over 30 years old.

That’s bad business.

I was recently in Belks and I observed a woman coming up to the cash register with an item we both looked at on a clearance rack which said “the prices are already reduced 50% and until noon credit card holders can take an additional 25% off.” This woman went to the cashier with 4 or 5 items and I stood there as they were being processed.

Retail Technology Experts  recently announced its relocation to a new office location as of January 3^rd, 2011.  This move will allow RTE to better serve customers while allowing for future growth and expansion in an updated, green facility.  Being very close to a major highway, this location will allow for easy and convenient tri-county access. The new office space also furthers RTE’s commitment to the environment as the building was awarded the Energy Star Label for the past two years for its operating efficiency.

“We are excited to announce our move to a new facility in Miramar, FL,” stated Mahendran Ramanathan, President of Retail Technology Experts. “This change in location will give us added flexibility as well as convenient access for those customers needing to reach our offices. The upgraded facility will also allow us to provide service and support in a more efficient manner while minimizing our impact on the environment.”

 As of January 3, 2011, the contact information for Retail Technology Experts will be:

3601 SW 160th Avenue, Suite 110

Miramar, FL 33027

Toll Free: 800.513.5917

Local: 305.231.0000

Fax: 305.231.0010

Web: www.RetailTechnologyExperts.com

Businesses needing to send physical mail to Retail Technology Experts offices should update their records to reflect this change. The phone numbers for the office will remain the same.

Retail Technology Experts strives to continually provide improved customer support and services to retailers in South Florida and throughout the nation. RTE looks forward to meeting with customers, prospects, and partners at their new location next year.

Retail Pro has released a new version of the Software Assurance website for customers with active Software Assurance. Located at http://softwareassurance.retailpro.com, the site features:

Retail Pro TV: a collection of training videos designed to provide customers with on-demand training and information about the rich feature-set of Retail Pro software. Our Training Department will continually add videos to Retail Pro TV.

Knowledge Base: an overhaul of the Knowledge Base providing an improved, easier-to-use interface with articles of greater relevance to the customer. Our Technical Support department will continually add articles to the new Knowledge Base.

Improved Search: The new Search tool provides improvements as it indexes PDF and MS Office documents, allowing search capabilities within these document types stored in the Documentation Portal and Knowledge Base. This will lead to better search results for Retail Pro customers.

Existing functionality will remain, including Discussion Forums, the Documentation Portal, and information on Training and Support options. Retail Pro customers will continue to login with their email address and current password. This change will be transparent, except for the additional functionality discussed above.

If you have any questions regarding these excellent changes to the Retail Pro Software Assurance website, please contact your Account Manager at 800.513.5917.

Number of Shoppers Who Will Use Smartphones for Cyber Monday Shopping Doubles

Released by the National Retail Federation

Washington, November 28, 2010 – Looking to get the biggest bang for their buck this holiday season, a record number of Americas will hit retailers’ websites this Cyber Monday to take advantage of one-day only deals, percentages off websites, and free shipping offers. According to a survey conducted for Shop.org by BIGresearch, 106.9 million Americans, plan to shop on Cyber Monday this year, up significantly from the estimated 96.5 million who shopped on Cyber Monday last year. A survey released last week found that nearly nine in ten (88.2%) retailers will have a special promotion for Cyber Monday, growing each year since 2007, when 72.2 percent planned promotions.

“As the official kick-off to the online holiday shopping season, Cyber Monday shoppers will scour the internet looking for holiday gifts from a variety of retailers, making sure to take note of specific prices and deals which offer them holiday savings,” said Joan Broughton, Interim Executive Director of Shop.org. “Hundreds of retailers have already announced special Cyber Monday promotions ranging from free shipping offers to flash sales lasting only an hour or two. When it comes to Cyber Monday deals, shoppers know they can’t lose this year.”

Finding holiday deals has never been easier, especially with retailers investing in websites and applications. While the majority of Cyber Monday shoppers will shop from their home computer (89.5%, or 96 million people), a growing number of people this year say they will shop via their smartphone on Cyber Monday. More than seven million people (6.9%) will use a mobile device for Cyber Monday shopping, nearly double the estimated 4 million who shopped that way last year (3.8%). Additionally, slightly fewer people will shop on Cyber Monday from work this year (12.1% vs. 13.5% last year). A Shop.org survey released last week estimated that 70 million Americans would shop from work at some point during the holiday season.

“Mobile shopping gives parents the opportunity to keep their children’s and family members’ wandering eyes away from the computer screen as they search for the perfect holiday gift,” said Phil Rist, Executive Vice President, Strategic Initiatives, BIGresearch. “When deciding which Cyber Monday deals to take advantage of, many shoppers will use their mobile device to comparison shop, find the best prices, or read customer reviews to help them make their final purchase.”

While many retailers expect to see sales and traffic spike over lunch hours, Cyber Monday shoppers plan to go online throughout the day. According to the survey, 44.2 percent of Cyber Monday shoppers plan to hit the web early in the morning, with more than one-third of (37.5%) planning to shop in the late morning. Additionally, over one-fourth of Cyber Monday shoppers (28.5%) will shop in the early evening.

Make sure to read through the latest issue of the Retail Optimizer including POS tips, retail articles, and our Support Hours for the upcoming Thanksgiving Holiday and Black Friday. Click here to read.

By Kevin Baker
Ah, the holidays. That wonderful time of year when families gather ‘round the fireplace to drink a little eggnog, trim the tree, and experience the joy of being together.

For most of us, the holidays are also a very hectic time of year. Especially the 12 days leading up to Christmas. And that’s true even if you don’t happen to celebrate Christmas, because it still sets a very short deadline to get the word out about your shop’s holiday promotions via a marketing campaign, and for getting business done in general since most of the business world seems to come to a stop from December 25 until around January 3.

How do you reconcile the high-pressure needs of your small retail business with your family’s desire to roast chestnuts on the open fire? Having a virtual phone service can help. Toward that end, we offer up these 12 small retail business phone tips ‘til Christmas. Hope they help make your season a little brighter..

Tip 1: Use smart call forwarding to carve out a little time for yourself. A small retailer’s time is not his/her own anytime during the year. But during the holidays it’s especially precious. With smart call forwarding you can sneak out to do a little extended shopping of their own, trim the tree with the family, or a holiday lunch without losing touch. Simply forward your calls to your mobile, home or other number and you can answer just as though you’re in the shop to answer any customer’s questions..

Tip 2: Record informational messages that answer repetitive questions. Rather than taking time to answer the same questions about what days you’ll be working over the holidays or what time the shop is open, pre-record a message and make it an option on your virtual receptionist. This tip is extra helpful for shops whose hours will be varying greatly during the holidays. Retailers can also use these messages to post updates on the status of hot holiday items..

In September, the Small Business Jobs and Credit Act of 2010 (H.R. 5297) was signed into law by the President of the United States. This bill would extend bonus depreciation through 2010 and facilitate small business lending, paid for with a handful of tax revenue offsets. The bill includes an extension of the 50% bonus depreciation provision for all businesses, regardless of size, that is effective for qualifying assets purchased in 2010.The section 179 special depreciation allowance for software purchased in 2010 can increase your net income without having to increase revenue and creates a significant savings on software.  It’s the perfect opportunity to purchase additional Point of Sale Software before year end at significant savings.  You may also be able to take an additional first year special depreciation allowance for certain qualified property. This allowance is an additional 50% deduction of the property’s depreciable basis (after any section 179 deduction and before figuring your regular depreciation deduction).  Don’t miss out on these tax savings for purchasing software before December 31st!  Contact RTE Now to get started.  Read more about this deduction here or visit the IRS website for more information.  Retail Technology Experts is not responsible for any of the information contained in any of the publications referenced in this communication.  RTE encourages you to consult your tax and legal advisors for specifics on how this bill might affect your business taxes in 2010. The contents of this document are for informational purposes only. Retail Technology Experts makes no guarantee, representations or warranties with regard to the enclosed information. All information contained herein is subject to change without notice.

 published by the National Retail Federation

Though Americans are still operating with the recession in the back of their minds and many have fundamentally changed their shop­ping habits, some findings from NRF’s first holiday survey imply consumers won’t only be focusing on low prices and basic necessi­ties this year. According to NRF’s 2010 Holiday Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey, conducted by BIGresearch, U.S. consum­ers plan to spend an average of $688.87 on holiday-related shopping, a slight rise from last year’s $681.83*.

 As in years past, most holiday gift-givers will spend the largest portion of their budget buying gifts for fam­ily ($393.55) and friends ($71.45), though they’ll still carve out room in their budget for small tokens of appre­ciation for both co-workers ($18.26) and others ($34.82). Total spending on gifts ($518.08) is expected to rise 2.1 percent from last year, which is in line with NRF’s 2010 holiday forecast. Ameri­cans will also spend an average of $41.51 on decorations, $26.10 on greeting cards and postage, $86.32 on candy and food, and $16.86 on flowers.

 “Consumers will still shop with the economy in the back of their minds, but we’re start­ing to see shoppers take baby steps toward a new normal,” said NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay. “As Americans open up their wallets for more discretionary gifts like jewelry or take advantage of sales to buy for themselves, retailers will begin to truly believe that the worst may be behind them.”

Ecommerce Summit October 26, 2010 Miami, Florida

Over 50% of retail sales start online. What does successful ecommerce look like and how do you achieve it? Learn how to use Key Performance Indicators to measure success and understand operational costs as your online business grows.      Come and get the know-how and decision making power you need just in time for holiday shopping!

Dial it in. Small increases mean big $. Ecommerce Summit October 26 th 9:30am-4:00pm Retail Technology Experts Miami, Florida This full-day event will feature Jacqueline Segura, Director of Merchant Solutions, UniteU Connected Commerce as the keynote and main presenter at the Ecommerce Summit. She’ll bring more than 20 years of retail merchandising experience together with her role as a e-business strategist and consultant, to help the Summit attendees position themselves for success as e-tailers. Click here for details, directions and registration for this education Ecommerce Summit. Plus register for the $1000 Site Analysis RAFFLE. Space is limited so sign-up today! Why multi-channel merchants are in a prime position for success 1. Opportunities as well as the challenges retailers face when moving up online 2. The role of ecommerce in a retailers overall business plan 3. The relative positioning of the online presence in terms of store sales and growth for our merchants How multi-channel merchants can leverage their existing data in their online endeavors: 1. Products and catalogs 2. Shoppers 3. Other “integration points” What a successful online business plan and growth strategy looks like including key performance indicators Attracting new shoppers – SEO, Shopping engines, online marketplaces Convincing browsers to buy – How to dramatically improve your conversion rate Converting orders to sales – leveraging current operation Engaging existing customers to build brand loyalty

Read the all new Retail Optimzier September 2010 Edition.  This issue includes an exclusive offer for a new webstore, an article highlighting the new “Rules of Retail” and a highlight on gift card use with your pos sytem.

As part of our commitment to you, Retail Technology Experts has been continually providing important information regarding the numerous regulations and requirements established by the Payment Card Industry (PCI) known as PCI-DSS. We strive to help you understand these requirements and achieve compliance for your retail business.

As of July 1, 2010 all retailers are required to comply with PCI standards for both software applications and PED (Pin Entry Devices) hardware. Software applications that allow the acceptance of credit cards for payments will be required to be certified. This deadline makes retailers responsible for their operation’s compliance.

Am I at risk?

Any retailer not compliant with the PCI standards for the safe handling and storage of card data is at particularly high risk. For example, retailers using older, Non-PCI compliant, POS systems may be storing prohibited card data. Likewise, those who are not following best practices for maintaining a secure network, even if they are using a PCI compliant POS system, are also at increased risk.

The Microsoft Dynamics RMS Special  Offer which allows you to reinstate your Software Assurance without costly late fees is expiring in only 2 days! Call your Account Manager at 800-513-5917 to take advantage of this special offer.

On July 1, 2010 all retailers will be required to comply with PCI standards for both software applications and PED (Pin Entry Devices) hardware. Software applications that allow the acceptance of credit cards for payments will be required to PA-DSS certified. Applica­tion software certification can be verified on the PCI Security Council’s web site at www.pcisecuritystandards.org. The latest versions of both Retail Pro and Microsoft Dynamics RMS are certified.

The next part of the deadline targets non-compliant pin pads and signature capture de­vices. These are commonly referred to as PED (Pin Entry Devices) hardware and allow cus­tomers to enter their secret pin number into a keypad when making a payment by debit card. The PCI Security Council now requires these devices to be Triple DES encrypted. Older encryption technology such as Master Session or DUKPT has been compromised and necessitated the need for the new standard. All PED hardware currently used by retailers must adhere to these standards by July 1st.

What happened in Retail Sales during the month of April? Find out in the May edition of the Retail Optimizer. Also included are Retail Pro and Microsoft Dynamics RMS tips as well as a new Add-On section that will aid you in customizing your POS system. To read the latest Retail Optimizer, please click here.

Stuck in an old version of Retail Pro? Worried about being PCI Compliant?In an ever-changing retail environment, retailers must be prepared to suceed with updated systems that not only keep up with their business needs but also ensure their data security. Renewing your Software Assurance and will allow you to have an efficient, updated system as well as ensure that you are PCI Compliant.From now until May 31, 2010, take advantage of a limited time promotion which will allow you to renew your Retail Pro Software Assurance for three years with no late fees.* In addition, receive one of the following when you reinstate your Software Assurance: 10 Free Product Training Credits for Retail Pro University valued at $1,000. 10% Off of your next license order.** With this special promotion, you can get a fresh start and begin maximizing the value of your solution, protecting your investment, and improving employee productivity. Renew for three full years of service and benefits, including: Product updates and upgrades. Upgrade to the latest software with Retail Pro Version 8.6. PCI compliance. Ensure compliance with all new security features included in this latest release. Retail Pro Customer Portal. Access an exclusive online portal with valuable resources.

Don’t miss this opportunity. Contact George Hipp at 800.513.5917 to take advantage of this exclusive offer or request a call back here.

*Offer good only for reenrollment of your Retail Pro Software Assurance Plan. Promotion not valid in the following locations: Middle East, Africa, India, Southeast Asia.** This offer valid through September 30th, 2010, and may not be combined with any other discount or promotion.

Check out a new video posted to Our You Tube Account featuring Microsoft Dynamics RMS at NRF.