BlueStar Retail & Hospitality Newsletter Q2.25

Bridging the Gap:

How BlueStar Helps Partners Thrive with Self-Service

by Emma Edwards

Over the last couple of years, we’ve benefitted from the huge upsurge in demand for Self-Service technology in the retail and hospitality sector, successfully delivering the solutions with our partners in this space.

However, given that Self Service is becoming such a widely adopted and accepted technology in an increasing number of verticals, we’re passionate to impart our specialist knowledge to our Auto ID partner base as well. Our aim is to equip them with the right skills and confidence to add a Self Service offering into their end customers in verticals such as Healthcare, Transport & Logistics and Public Sector. It’s a logical way to help them expand their offering and grow their business with their existing customer base.

In the same way, a significant amount of our Auto ID partners already has strong relationships with retailers but shy away from offering a Self-Service solution due to lack of knowledge or Software partnerships, thus leaving business on the table.

In both these scenarios, that’s where Bluestar steps in – we have a comprehensive support stack to assist our partners in familiarizing themselves with Self Service from demo unit provision to local sales specialists and software recommendations.

If you want to learn more about how we can transform you into a Self Service Guru, please get in touch with us here or look out for our team at an ISS event near you.

Exploring Retail Innovation with a Dash of Culinary Creativity

by Morten Kruse

A Unique Take on NRF Highlights

Every year, the NRF show in New York sets the stage for the latest and greatest in retail technology. As the world’s largest retail tech event, it’s where innovation meets opportunity, and where many of our trusted vendors unveil their newest solutions. But instead of just bringing back brochures and buzzwords, we decided to do something different.

This year, we hosted a series of relaxed, hands-on events across the Nordics to share the NRF highlights with our reseller community. These gatherings weren’t just about tech—they were about connection, collaboration, and cooking. In Copenhagen, we kicked things off in Vladimir’s kitchen, diving into the art of Italian grilling. While Rick Hardman from APG might want to stick to cash drawers, the team spirit was high and the food surprisingly good! In Stockholm, we took over the stunning Eataly—an old theatre turned Italian food haven—where we learned the delicate craft of pasta-making and savored a full Italian menu featuring our own handmade pasta and tiramisu. Finally, in Oslo, the Kulinarisk Akademi challenged us with a fast-paced cooking competition, where teams had just 20 minutes to create a dish using new techniques and seasoning skills. Luckily, for most of us we were served a well cooked menu with wine pairing, what a treat!

 

A Glimpse at the Latest Tech

Of course, the real stars of the show were the new products. Ergonomic Solutions impressed with their upgraded modular kiosk system, offering flexibility and sleek design. APG showcased their SmartTill technology, sparking plenty of interest. Landi introduced their stylish C20POS and M20 payment devices, crafted in aluminum with a modern aesthetic. Sunmi brought a refreshed lineup, including the V3 and T3—feature-rich devices with a more refined look and less of the signature orange. These innovations weren’t just eye-catching—they’re ready to shape the future of retail.

The Rise of SoftPOS and Self-Service

Self-service and SoftPOS were hot topics, with several vendors showcasing how these technologies are converging. Ergonomic Solutions presented a versatile kiosk system available in floorstand, desktop, and wall-mounted versions—perfectly paired with MicroTouch’s MACH AIO screens, now available in sizes from 10” to 27”. Star’s mC-Print3 and Epson’s TM-m30III printers added the finishing touches, enabling affordable, modular kiosk setups.

Adding a modern twist, Tap to Pay and NFC capabilities were front and center. Sunmi’s new K2 kiosk supports SoftPOS, while their V3 and T3 handhelds also feature built-in NFC. Oona impressed with their AIO devices ranging from 10” to 22”, and Landi’s C20 and M20 models came fully equipped for contactless payments. Together, these solutions highlight the shift toward seamless, self-service retail experiences. Right now, a big thing in the Nordic region. Bon Appetit!

From Storefront to Screen: Powering the Digital Retail & Hospitality Journey

Evexi Delivers Seamless QSR Self-Service with Smart Kiosks & Square Integration

Digital Signage CMS “Evexi’s” QSR focused solution showcases a comprehensive Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) module for self-ordering kiosks. Integrated directly into the Square Payments POS solution, Evexi enhances operational efficiency, customer experience, and profitability. Key features include smart category management with time-based menus, dynamic product variants and modifiers, and real-time order tracking through a Barista App and Collections Board. The system supports intuitive upselling, hassle-free payment integration, and personalized dining options like Dine-In or Take-Out with table tracking.

Additionally, there are resources available to simplify the selling process such as BlueStar’s “Kiosk in a Box” proposition, offering various mounting options—wall, counter, and floor-standing kiosks—each bundled with Square terminal support and an annual Evexi subscription.

Revolutionising Self-Service in Hospitality with Sodaclick

Sodaclick is at the forefront of transforming self-service experiences through its cutting-edge kiosk and conversational voice AI solutions. Designed specifically for hospitality and retail environments, Sodaclick’s platform enables businesses to deploy digital signage and omnichannel (touch and voice) ordering systems that streamline operations and elevate customer engagement. Whether it’s a quick-service restaurant, hotel check-in, or retail self-checkout, Sodaclick’s modular kiosks and AI-driven interfaces deliver seamless, intuitive interactions that reduce wait times and enhance service efficiency.

For resellers, Sodaclick presents a compelling opportunity. Its cloud-based platform is easy to integrate and scale, offering multilingual support and real-time data insights through the Sephona dashboard that help businesses personalise customer experiences and drive upsell opportunities. The technology is not only future-proof but also designed with flexibility in mind, making it ideal for a wide range of deployment scenarios. By partnering with Sodaclick, resellers gain access to a rapidly growing market segment with a solution that’s proven to boost operational performance, improve accessibility and increase customer satisfaction in hospitality settings.

Smarter Retailing: Cloudshelf Brings the Full Store to Every Screen

The Retail market is moving towards more presence in the city centre, with smaller stores, where retailers can showcase their flagship product in a more experiential journey for their customers. But the drawback is that they can now only display a smaller part of their product range and so they're losing sales.

Cloudshelf allows retailers to promote and sell, on digital interactive screens, products that are not available physically in their brick & mortar stores. It can be used as a self-service solution by the customers to discover all the product range of the retailers, select the product they like, create a basket and pay (through QR code, NFC or payment terminal).

Cloudshelf synchronizes all product content (images, text, pricing, stock info) from the retailer ecommerce platform (or other IT component) and then automatically creates a digital catalogue and digital signage experience.

As a Saas solution, our partner can then deploy the solution on a large scale without Software setup cost and without the need of maintenance for the software and the product content. The business model with partners is a revenue sharing of our monthly licence fees.

Want to learn more? Contact your local BlueStar Business Development Manager for more information.

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