| Euro retailers ring up Windows XP Embedded |
Mar. 10, 2004
Microsoft announced today that major retailers in the Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) market are adopting or have adopted its Windows XP Embedded operating system as the software platform for point-of-sale (POS) terminals. According to Microsoft, retailers are choosing Windows XP Embedded because of its retail-hardened reliability, Windows application and driver compatibility, and flexible deployment, management, and servicing options.
"Most of the point-of-sale business was slated to be Linux, but most retail wins have been secured by Microsoft," commented analyst Rob Enderle, CEO of The Enderle Group. "Two years ago, many expected to see the retail market to go to Linux, but the market seems to have defaulted on Microsoft."
According to Microsoft, E.Leclerc has deployed 2,000 POS systems based on Windows XP Embedded in its stores, and plans to deploy an additional 12,000 such systems over the next five years. "Infomil recommended [E.Leclerc's] change from a UNIX-based system and deployed flexible color touch screens for use throughout the stores," said Infomil VP said M. Pointeau. "Infomil has been able to put this touch screen device together in a reduced timeframe by making use of the Windows Embedded Ecosystem which allows us to work with other Windows Embedded Partners," Pointeau added.
McDonald's Restaurants Ltd. development manager Rashpal Kullar says Windows XP Embedded provided McDonald's with rapid "time to benefit," enabling the development and successful pilot of an entirely new POS platform in less than six months. "We wanted to deploy our POS application on a platform that was robust, compact and had a long-term life," Kullar said. "Having discovered that Windows XP Embedded was available, it was an easy decision."
Silvester Macho, manager of the Customer Centric Systems division at METRO Group Information Technology (MGI), reports that scalability was the key factor in METRO Group's decision to use Windows XP Embedded. "We wanted to be sure that we could use the chosen OS on future hardware," Macho said. "Microsoft has guaranteed its partner Wincor Nixdorf long term support for the joint POS solutions, and Microsoft supports customers with tailored pricing and licensing," he added.
"IT technicians were once required on-site for every new hardware installation, but Windows XP Embedded gives us plug-and-play functionality for a range of peripheral devices," explained Ian Child, Director of IT, JD Group, a leading furniture and appliance retailer with 1,000 stores in South Africa, Poland, and the UK. "In-store staff can now undertake installations themselves, resulting in reduced overheads," Child noted.
Peter Ostling, European IT Director at H&M, said: "We have seen many benefits to our business already, which include increased efficiency, reliability of service and seamless integration between back office and front of store. This results in our goal to give quality and fashion at the best price to our customers!" H&M has already deployed Windows 2000 Professional in half of its 950 stores worldwide.
"We are constantly listening to what our retail customers are telling us they need for their POS devices and we strive to integrate this feedback into the product to ensure we are supplying them with the best tools available," commented Karen Carter, Group Product Manager of Microsoft's Embedded Devices Group at Microsoft.
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