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Recapping NRF 2025: Imagining the Future of Retail
Last week, the retail world gathered in New York City for NRF 2025, welcoming over 40,000 professionals from around the globe to explore the...
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The BlueStar DifferenceTEConnect Retail made its debut this year with a clear mission: to bring together the best in hardware and software for the retail industry. Hosted in Spain, the event was designed around a simple but powerful idea—solutions matter more than standalone products, and that synergy is only possible through deep collaboration between vendors and ISVs.
The choice of Spain as the launchpad for TEConnect Retail was strategic. With the evolving needs of the European retail landscape—and new regulations like Spain's anti-fraud Verifactu law on the horizon—the timing was right to create a platform where partners could align on innovation, compliance, and value creation.
“TEConnect Retail has been inspired by the need in the market to combine hardware with software solutions. That’s why working closely with ISVs is more important than ever,” said the event coordinator.
The event kicked off with a lively panel discussion led by Francisco (Paco) Antona, featuring four ISVs: Fiskaly, Deneva, Seidor, Codinfos (Mshop) and Keoon. Rather than formal presentations, this session was designed as an open conversation—and it turned out to be a crowd favorite.
Key takeaways included:
Fiskaly’s breakdown of the upcoming Verifactu API, which is central to Spain’s new anti-fraud compliance law. Notably, the compliance dates are January 1, 2026 for Corporation Tax payers and July 1, 2026 for all other companies and self-employed professionals.
The rising importance of RFID and digital signage in modern retail, presented by Codinfos and Keonn.
A series of real-world case studies that showed how these ISV solutions are already creating measurable impact.
The audience was actively engaged, with many attendees requesting direct contact with the panelists for further conversations—clear evidence that the dialogue hit home.
Following the panel, resellers explored several solution stations where vendors teamed up with ISVs to demonstrate integrated technologies in action. While there was no formal roundtable setup, the format was hands-on and flexible—encouraging open, solution-driven conversations.
Some of the highlights included:
Deneva and ELO’s digital signage partnership drew strong interest, especially for retailers looking to modernize the in-store experience.
M-SHOP’s solution combined with Zebra’s Personal Shopper offered a compelling look into personalized retail.
In hospitality, Brother and ISV iflares showcased innovative traceability and labeling technologies.
Resellers appreciated the opportunity to interact directly with both vendors and ISVs, describing the experience as both useful and practical. Unsurprisingly, the Verifactu law continued to generate questions and discussions throughout the solution showcase sessions.
Midday, attendees gathered for a networking lunch—one of the most valuable components of the day. “The lunch was very beneficial for building relationships between vendors, ISVs, and resellers,” noted the organizer.
To round out the event, the group took a guided tour of Museo del Traje, Madrid’s Costume Museum. Chosen for its subtle link to retail through the evolution of fashion, the visit added a cultural dimension to an otherwise industry-focused day—and gave attendees a relaxed space to connect informally.
As a first-time event, TEConnect Retail struck the right chord. The ISV panel discussion was especially well received, and the clear appetite for hands-on, collaborative solution-building confirmed that the format works. Moving forward, the team plans to focus even more on vendor-ISV partnerships and deeper panel-style conversations.
What´s next? TEConnect Retail will return to Spain in 2026, but other countries will be joining later on, being the UK the first to continue the series very focused in the PoS technology. If this year´s debut is any indication, it´s on track to become a must-attend event for those building the future of retail technology.
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Last week, the retail world gathered in New York City for NRF 2025, welcoming over 40,000 professionals from around the globe to explore the...
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