EMV Cards

If you are interested in new pinpads please think about purchasing them with the option to accept EMV cards.  Even though the new cards will also have a magnetic stripe on them and should work with your current pinpads, now is the time to think about your next pinpad upgrade.
 

Support for EMV is not currently required, but the processors in the US will be required to support processing in April of this year, and you could see some benefits as early as October of this year.  American Express has stated that “Beginning October 2013, merchants will be eligible to receive relief from PCI Data Security Standard (DSS) reporting requirements if the merchants’ POS acceptance locations, where 75% of their transactions occur, are enabled to process American Express EMV chip-based contact and contactless transactions.”

The credit card processors will be implementing a liability shift for domestic and cross-border counterfeit POS transactions effective Oct. 15, 2015.  For more information on EMV, what it is, how it works and what dates are relevant:  http://www.smartcardalliance.org/pages/slideshows-20120409?template=slides

To check if your current pinpads are approved or need to be replaced or upgraded take a look at this website.  http://usa.visa.com/download/merchants/retirement-of-pre-pci-attended-pos-pin-entry-devices.pdf

Protect Your Investment With A UPS

There is a very important device needed to protect your technology investment; it is called a UPS or uninterrupted power supply.  The purpose of the UPS is to prevent a sudden loss of power and to allow for a controlled shutdown, they also offer surge protection. Computer equipment is very susceptible to damage from power surges which may not be covered by your maintenance agreement.  It is highly recommended to plug all mission critical devices (store controllers, servers, network switches, registers, etc.) into a UPS.

In the event of a power loss the devices plugged into the battery backup side of the UPS will be supplied battery power for a limited amount of time.  This will allow you to finish up any transactions or functions you may be doing, so you can then perform a controlled shutdown until power is re-established.  Battery backup time can vary depending on the model and voltage of the equipment plugged into the UPS.  While providing battery support the UPS beeps to alert you of the condition, so if needed, corrective action can be taken.  The UPS will also beep when it is nearing the end of its battery life.  It is a good idea to periodically test to ensure it is in good working condition.

Associated Supermarket - Knickerbocker Ave in Brooklyn, NY

Associated Supermarket on Knickerbocker Avenue in the Bushwick neighborhood of Brooklyn, NY is ready for growth!  The store has just undergone an amazing renovation.  As you walk inside you are taken back to Colonial Europe; arches, stucco and murals transport the visitor to a European market.  The concept was conceived by the designer’s recent trip to Europe and provides a very inclusive atmosphere for this very mixed neighborhood.

 

The renovations started with the structure; new roof, new ceilings, and additional refrigeration.  The store has expanded many of their departments to take advantage of the changing demographics.  The focus is on offering fresh and healthy products.  The Produce Department was overhauled.  The Deli increased from a 12’ case to 50’ of cases, with a full kitchen and a steam table.  In response to the changing neighborhood there is also a large selection of micro brewed beers and refillable growlers, as well as a large selection of artisan cheeses and breads.  Spring will see the addition of a natural Juice Bar, as well as inside and outside seating.

 

Owners Martin, William, and Nelson took this opportunity to evaluate their retail system.  After looking at various systems as well as the option of upgrading their current system, they decided on STCR’s SMS (Store Management Suite).  They liked SMS’ ability to do inventory, promotions, access history and extensive reporting capabilities in a single-platform all-in-one solution that they can grow with.  With a number of their family and friends as STCR’s customers, they were confident in STCR’s service and support.

Practices To Improve Your Security System

Data security threats continued to grow in the retail industry especially as the move toward mobile POS system continues to grow.  For the past two years, the retail industry has ranked second in the
percentage of incidents of data breach.  Although large scale breaches are less common, every day smaller retailers all around the country fall victim to data breaches of smaller scales.  They range from malicious card swipes at gas stations and self-checkout terminals to random hacks.  Sometimes all it takes is an employee accidentally clicking on a malicious email attachment to open the door for a data breach.  Smaller retailers are particularly vulnerable due to the lack of security standards implemented and followed.  There are a few practices that are simple to implement.

First, do not use default passwords.  Instead, use “strong” passwords that include capital letters, numbers and even symbols.  This simple practice to change the default password of any system will dramatically reduce the chance of random hackers getting into your system.

Second, have a Firewall that protects your internal network.  A firewall is an essential part of any network setup nowadays; it is a must have for any POS system.  Once again, do not use the default password on this critical security system for your network.

 

Third, implement PCI recommended wireless security standards.  Most retailers today have wireless devices, which are another entry point to your network; having strong enough encryption standards are essential.

 

Last, avoid using non-essential applications on your POS systems.  As mentioned above, it is easy for a user to click on a malicious email attachment that would deploy spyware, malware, key-logger or other malicious app on your POS systems.

 

The fight to keep user data secure is never ending.  As criminals continues to seek vulnerability and new ways to steal data combined with the increase of mobile POS system deployment, it is more critical than ever for retailers of all sizes to treat system security as the top priority and to implement all possible measures to combat the threat of attack.

STCR Supports Local CHOW Food Bank

CHOW (Community Hunger Outreach Warehouse) is a local food bank in the Southern Tier of New York that STCR supports every year with food drives and donations.  CHOW helps our community by distributing almost 2 million pounds of food annually within Broome County!

Recently, STCR employees sold tickets for the chance to win an iPad mini, with 100% of the proceeds going to CHOW.  Through the hard work of our staff and the generosity of our friends, family, neighbors and community members we raised over $4300!  This money will help CHOW provide over 500,000 meals to our neighbors in need.

 

As with any small business we recognize the importance of being involved in our community to encourage its growth and success.  With hard work and a desire to help others, we at STCR continue to support local charities such as CHOW as they help our community.