Small Kiosks...Big Business?

As the cost of doing business increases, a new trend in mini kiosks placed at the point of display (POD) promises to be an effective way for retailers to maximize valuable floor space and capture potential sales. Mini kiosks are the perfect choice for applications such as shelf-edge information displays, price checkers, payment terminals, shopping assistants, digital photo stations and gift registries. Elo's 1247L and 1229L 12" LCD touchmonitors, and Elo's space-saving 1525L 15" LCD all-in-one touchcomputer are ideally suited to complement this rise in POD kiosks.

Put Your Kiosk Where Your Product Is

Traditionally, a kiosk has been a bulky, floor-standing enclosure that contains a monitor and peripherals. Today, however, due to the cost of valuable retail space, traditional kiosks have been slimming down. Many retailers are using small displays-such as 12.1-for applications where their POD location may not have the space necessary for a full-sized kiosk. This enables them to place the selling tool at the point where the product is displayed. - Mike Sigona, Market Manager, Elo TouchSystems

According to Sigona, retailers using mini kiosks retain the advantages of a full-sized kiosk - a self-service, easy-to-use multilingual expert system and touch interface -- with the added advantage of maximizing their selling space. "Sometimes the traditional kiosks are placed in the back of the store because that's the only space available," Sigona comments. "Mini kiosks are often one-quarter to one-half the footprint and cost of a traditional full-sized kiosk and can be incorporated into existing retail layouts, including pole- or shelf-mounts. This smaller footprint and reduced cost make the mini kiosk a valuable option not only for large retailers, but also for smaller locations where both of these criteria can be especially restrictive."

Elo's Mini Kiosk Touch Solutions

Elo has three products that are ideally suited for driving mini kiosks: the 1247L and 1229L 12" LCD touchmonitors, and the space-saving 1525L 15" LCD all-in-one touchcomputer.

Elo's 1247L is an open-frame touchmonitor that fits within a mini enclosure designed by the customer and retains branding and signage. "The 1247L offers higher brightness, better contrast and a wider viewing angle than most 12" LCDs (300 cd/m², 300:1, 120° x 90°)," explains Sigona. "Its long-lasting product cycle is ensured because the enclosure is controlled by Elo specifications, and panel upgrades to the model are possible in the future without external changes. An integrated precision minibezel provides a watertight seal. Furthermore, the 1247L can be left unsupervised," Sigona adds.

Elo's 1229L is a desktop touchmonitor that can be located on a countertop and left semi-supervised. "The 1229L is more than a typical desktop monitor," Sigona notes. "It has been designed for touch." Elo's 1229L has features important for use in public applications: a very stable base that can be bolted down; lockable controls located on the side, not the front of the monitor; unobtrusive cabling that is hidden from the user's view; a watertight seal; and attractive styling. "The 1229L is a mobile, portable, low-cost touchmonitor that is reusable and can be relocated throughout the store as needs change, just like a regular monitor," adds Sigona. "It is also available with integrated multifunction options such as a magnetic stripe reader (MSR), rear-facing customer display and biometric fingerprint recognition." Unlike some passive POD systems that use a monitor and looping video, Elo's 1247L and 1229L will drive touch-based mini kiosks that are fully interactive.

Elo's 1525L 15" all-in-one touchcomputer combines a touchmonitor with a computer in the space of a standard monitor. "The sleek, space-saving 1525L touchcomputer has the footprint of a standard 15" display," says Sigona, "so the need for a desktop or tower case is eliminated by having everything built into the silent, fanless LCD enclosure." The versatile 1525L touchcomputer includes a choice of integrated options such as a three-track magnetic stripe reader (MSR) and a rear-facing customer display. Operating systems include Windows CE .NET, Windows XP or Windows 2000. Elo's 1525L touchcomputer is available as a solid-state embedded system or with an integrated hard drive. "Unlike some passive POD systems that use a monitor and looping video," Sigona adds, "Elo's 1247L and 1229L touchmonitors, and 1525L touchcomputer will drive touch-based mini kiosks that are fully interactive."

According to several independent studies, Elo's IntelliTouch surface-wave technology is the preferred choice for kiosk applications. The 1247L and 1229L touchmonitors, and the 1525L all-in-one touchcomputer use IntelliTouch technology to provide a crisp, colorful image that is scratch- and dirt-resistant, and a stable, drift-free response with a clean touch interface. 

Made to Order

Elo can also provide custom solutions for those occasions when a customer's requirement falls outside of its standard product range. For example, Elo's custom design group is currently working with a major European retailer on an 8.4" LCD touchmonitor. In addition, Elo provides over 100 tips on kiosk planning, design, implementation and rollout.