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© 2018 - 2025 GK Software SE, Germany
CLOUD4RETAIL is GK's flexible, open commerce platform providing services for the operation of integrated unified commerce environments from in-store and online touchpoints through to mobile devices. The platform is enriched by innovative services such as AI-based dynamic pricing, personalization, fraud detection, and mobile applications. Now available with various cloud providers such as Azure, SAP Cloud and IBM, the extensive expansion and customization options of CLOUD4RETAIL services can be used on a wide range of devices.
MySize is the developer of a unique sensor-based measurement technology and the owner of several patented algorithms that capture and calculate measurements in different ways. The company’s technology is one of a kind in its agility, fitting its algorithm to different markets and verticals. MySize plug-in to GK CLOUD4RETAIL instore touch points, allows assistants to support consumers in real time, fetching the correct size in every item!
Reducing the number of garments consumers would need to try on, and increasing their time to shop for additional items and hence increasing consumer satisfaction, basket size and brand loyalty, whilst reducing returns.
“The partnership with GK allows us to offer consumer size information to staff and consumers at store, for the first time. The simple tooling provided by GK made this integration possible with very low effort and we are already looking at further implementations together across all segments” says Ronen Luzon, MySize CEO.
“We are glad to be able to offer our customers, leading retailers in over 65 countries, such a quick and simple way to improve consumer experience. With MySize measurement information available on assisted touchpoints, and store specific date available for consumer size recommendation, we allow retailers to take customer service at store to a new level” says Orit Bar-Ad, GK Software Portfolio Director and responsible for building the GK development hub Omnibasket.com.
In this series, we sit down with members of the GK Software team to learn more about their experience with the company.
I started my career right out of school, having graduated with a degree in electronics engineering. My first job after college was with a company called ICL Retail Systems, a UK-based company that introduced a revolutionary new POS solution, later acquired by Fujitsu. I spent the first couple of years implementing the solution in the field across Canada, visiting stores and speaking to store associates and managers.
After my time there I joined a company called Triversity. I traveled the world working with retailers and partners that included IBM and SAP to sell that solution and was quite successful. SAP then acquired Triversity and the POS solution became a part of the SAP portfolio.
I rejoined Fujitsu after seven years with SAP/Triversity and eventually became the director responsible for retail sales across Canada, working closely with Fujitsu hardware and software teams as well as their consulting organization.
In 2015, GK Software established a solution extension partner relationship with SAP and opened a North America office. I had a chance to look at the solutions that GK Software was providing to the industry and it was clear to me that it had superior technology to address the evolving need for omnichannel and frictionless customer engagement solutions. Furthermore, many of my previous colleagues worked for GK Software as well as SAP. The chance to help GK Software grow its presence in the Americas was very appealing to me. In 2016, I joined GK Software as a sales director and it felt like coming home again. Since then, the entire GK family has worked to establish GK Software USA as a leader in the industry.
My favorite parts of working for GK Software are the people and the solutions. The level of knowledge that exists at GK Software is staggering. This, combined with the passion of the employees to provide retailers with the highest quality solutions, make working here a pleasure.
I was recently involved in a sale to a large multi-national company with retail operations in the US. The company was very successful, however, the technology that was used in the retail locations was not meeting the demands of its client base, associates or the new realities around omnichannel retail. The SAP Omnichannel Point of Sale by GK solution allowed the company to meet its current demands as well as future requirements. It also provided the ability to completely leverage the investments it had made in SAP and e-commerce. The solution is in pilot, and the feedback has been tremendous - the store associates have commented on the speed and ease of use of the solution.
GK Software has a unique offering in that it is based on a very modern micro-service architecture, and although the solution is very modern it is also proven in the real world with many deployments globally. This has been recognized by leading analyst firms, including Gartner and IHL and Forrester. The GK architecture provides an unprecedented level of flexibility while simplifying the deployment and management of the solution. The other benefit is process orchestration which allows a retailer to leverage services that exist in other solutions and provide a seamless experience to customers and associates, regardless of channel.
The laser focus on innovation is another unique aspect of GK. We have one micro-services-based solution for self-service, BYOD self-service, mobile POS, self-scanning, fuel and hospitality. We are also investing heavily in AI via the GK Software AIR (Artificial Intelligence for Retail) solution, allowing personalization and dynamic pricing among other benefits. Innovation in payments and the ability to leverage retailer investments in payment terminals to provide enhanced consumer services is also unique to GK Software.
My number one focus is my wonderful family. My fantastic wife and three children are very active and we love to explore nature and travel extensively. Personally, I love to mountain bike, kayak, and play hockey and volleyball. I also enjoy hobbies like home renovation and photography.
Both customers have signed long-term SaaS contracts and will be introducing CLOUD4RETAIL. The total contract value (minimum order volume over the minimum term of contract) amounts to a figure well into the double-digit million range, relating overall to some 10,000 installations and the provision and operation of the necessary background systems.
The nature of the SaaS business means that these new clients will have very little influence on the result of the current fiscal year. However, they underline the ongoing shift in demand towards cloud solutions and considerably improve the visibility of the medium-term forecast. The Management Board therefore stands by its forecasts for 2021 and the medium term.
The acceleration of digital transformation paired with evolving customer expectations has led retailers to blend their store formats, improving service and fostering loyalty.
Hy-Vee is an example of a retailer that is no stranger to in-store innovation – and GK Software is helping the company achieve its goal of a seamless customer journey.
According to Supermarket News, Hy-Vee once again has "pushed the envelope of what a supermarket can be" with its newly launched prototype store in Grimes, Iowa. The store hosts amenities that include a:
Beyond supermarkets and grocery stores, convenience store retailers are also feeling the pressure to add additional services to compete – including prepared foods, frictionless checkout and fuel.
Fuel offerings in particular can be especially challenging, as they are siloed between the forecourt and in-store payments, and must be EMV compliant. Yet unified service here is critical, as convenience stores sell approximately 80% of the motor fuels purchased in the U.S.
Similar to innovating within its supermarkets, Hy-Vee has recognized the need for innovation in its convenience stores. We were recently thrilled to announce the company has completed a full deployment of the GK OmniPOS, TransAction+ Payments and GK Drive forecourt solutions in all its convenience stores.
The deployment enables Hy-Vee to deliver the same flexible and scalable services to its customers at the pump and in the store. Hy-Vee uses the integrated platform to support a variety of customer touchpoints, including traditional point of sale, self-checkout, fuel, payments, curbside pickup and more.
According to Luke Tingley, chief innovation officer and senior vice president at Hy-Vee, "We're always looking for ways to provide convenient, cutting-edge customer service on the forefront of such a competitive and evolving retail landscape. Our goal is to implement a flexible and agile platform in store and at the pump to make our locations the most convenient destination for customers."
Today's customers expect convenience at every turn, so it's up to retailers to implement technology that creates a cohesive, seamless journey at all touchpoints. For example, any interaction at the pump should also be tied to the in-store experience, and vice versa.
Read more about how Hy-Vee is building loyalty with our flexible and scalable services at the pump and in the store.
GK Software, a global leader in omnichannel retail, today announced that Hy-Vee, an employee-owned grocery and convenience retailer operating more than 280 stores in eight Midwestern states, has completed a full deployment of the GK OmniPOS, TransAction+ Payments and GK Drive forecourt solutions in all its convenience stores. The deployment enables Hy-Vee to deliver the same flexible and scalable services to its customers at the pump and in the store.
Evolving customer expectations are putting significant pressure on convenience retailers to emphasize services such as prepared foods, frictionless checkout and fuel as retail segments converge and digital transformation accelerates. However, fuel operations are often still siloed, especially between the forecourt and in-store payments. Hy-Vee has established itself as a leader in omnichannel integration of solutions that bring ease to payments, mobile and personalization services to customers. With the GK OmniPOS, TransAction+ Payments and GK Drive solutions, Hy-Vee is able to use an integrated platform to support a variety of customer touchpoints, including traditional point of sale, self-checkout, fuel, payments, curbside pickup and more.
In addition to improving end-to-end enterprise integration, the GK solutions offer retailers:
"We’re always looking for ways to provide convenient, cutting-edge customer service on the forefront of such a competitive and evolving retail landscape,” said Luke Tingley, chief information officer and senior vice president at Hy-Vee. “Our goal is to implement a flexible and agile platform in store and at the pump to make our locations the most convenient destination for customers.”
“In today’s age of converging retail formats, customers expect convenience around every turn. Any interaction at the pump should also be tied to the in-store experience, and vice versa to create a frictionless shopper journey,” said Michael Jaszczyk, CEO, GK Software USA. “By rounding out the OmniPOS solution suite with TransAction+ Payments and GK Drive, Hy-Vee is able to create a cohesive, seamless journey for shoppers at every touchpoint, furthering convenience and loyalty with customers.”
The pandemic upended the routines of many, including changing the way we travel, both for work and leisure. Despite these major shifts, consumers are still making a habit of visiting c-stores regularly. In fact, 65% shop at a c-store once a week or more, according to Convenience Store News’ 2021 Realities of the Aisle Study.
As consumer habits continue to evolve, the c-store remains an important source of fuel, snacks, on-the-go items and last-minute groceries. We dug into the latest consumer trends and behaviors reported by Convenience Store News and identified how c-store retailers can adapt their in-store offerings to meet these new shopping habits.
With ongoing inflation and high consumer prices, consumers are sensitive to prices when determining where to shop. Convenience Store News’ study found that 54% of shoppers say price is the number one factor for a positive shopping experience.
Yet for larger retailers that have many stores, ensuring their prices are competitive yet profitable can be difficult to do manually.
An AI-driven dynamic pricing solution enables retailers to react to internal and external factors to quickly and effectively establish optimized prices. Automated processes are key to making real-time, in-store pricing updates.
For example, as lunchtime approaches and breakfast items are still on the counter, setting a lower price can motivate a sale. Or if a specific beverage doesn’t sell as frequently as it usually does, dynamic pricing can signal the need for a promotion to compete against other c-stores.
The Convenience Store News report also found that a quarter of shoppers note that a loyalty program can influence their visit to a convenience store. Retailers can respond to this shopping preference by offering loyalty programs that provide benefits, including coupons and targeted promotions to ensure shoppers return. This might look like a rewards-based loyalty program that offers the purchase of a ninth breakfast sandwich for free.
With a loyalty program, retailers can access data with insights on shopper behaviors to further provide a personalized experience. As well, retailers gain a better understanding of top-selling inventory, which helps them manage assortment and ensure those items are always in stock. In fact, 45% of consumers cite having the specific products they want as a critical factor to shopping with a retailer.
It’s not only essential to personalize a customer experience with targeted promotions and a relevant recommended product assortment, but it’s also beneficial to use aggregated customer insights to tailor these offers. For example, the most consumers shop is between 4-7 p.m. At this time, consumers are more likely to be filling up on fuel or alcoholic beverages, rather than a morning commuter looking for coffee – and retailers should adjust their offers accordingly.
Instead of the overall experience, more c-store shoppers today are placing an emphasis on the convenience that these stores provide. Converging retail formats – such as grocerants – have heightened the importance of convenience and the speed of service a retailer gives. For instance, more and more shoppers are finding they can buy the same products at convenience stores with more speed and efficiency, as opposed to waiting in long checkout lines at supermarkets to get their groceries.
Mobile devices can also help c-store retailers capitalize on the speed in which orders are processed, from pre-ordering, to checkout to contactless payments. And consumers are open to these shopping methods, with Convenience Store News finding that 15% of consumers seek out contactless shopping, and 14% want to be able to use a mobile app.
From mobile POS, customer loyalty, store merchandise management, dynamic pricing, AI-enabled personalization and so much more, GK Software’s CLOUD4RETAIL platform offers a full range of technology that keeps convenience store retailers in control of the shopper experience.
We’ll be at NACS October 5-8, at booth 6889. If you’re attending, feel free to visit us, or reach out to learn more about our solutions.
GK Software today announced it has partnered with Flexa, the leading pure-digital payments network, to enable merchants using TransAction+, GK’s leading payment processing application, to seamlessly accept dozens of different digital currencies in a fast and completely fraud-proof way.
Today’s customers are demanding retailers accept digital currencies as a method of payment, with 57% of consumers saying they would choose where to shop based in part on whether they have the right mix of digital payment options. That’s why GK Software has joined forces with Flexa to help merchants meet this rise in demand and adapt quickly to the future of payments.
Merchants already integrated on TransAction+ will be able to easily accept digital currency payments using the Flexa network. Together, the collaboration will allow merchants to:
“Digital currency is growing in popularity, which is why the most advanced retailers are offering digital payments for their shoppers,” said Todd Barstow, VP of Payments Solutions, GK Software USA. “Our unique partnership with Flexa will allow merchants using TransAction+ to easily accept cryptocurrency payments, enriching the shopping experience and driving customer loyalty as we embark on this exciting new chapter in the world of payments.”
“As the fastest, most fraud-proof payments network in the world, Flexa is committed to helping merchants give their customers the freedom to pay how they want,” said Trevor Filter, co-founder, Flexa. “Merchants who connect to Flexa through our integration with GK Software will benefit from unlocking contactless digital currency as a payment option in an innovative and cost-effective way.”
At Paris Retail Week, taking place at the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles from 28-30 September 2021, GK Software will showcase a number of key innovations for the retail industry: For example, the latest version of the CLOUD4RETAIL unified software platform meets the requirements of every retail format, whether grocery, convenience, fuel, hospitality or fashion. Retailers can now operate very different sales formats with one integrated solution. The flexible, open platform provides a limitless modern retail experience, from hypermarkets to petrol stations to retail gastronomy.
Using GK Software's all-in-one platform eliminates the need to operate different solutions for individual retail formats, enabling faster innovation. As a headless commerce solution, CLOUD4RETAIL offers a unified platform that can quickly adapt to changes across all retail segments.
The focus of the trade fair stand in Paris is to show that the entire GK software portfolio is also available as a native cloud solution and is offered as software-as-a-service. Remote installations and updates for the in-store systems are commissioned by the customers in the cloud and carried out by GK Software. As a genuine enterprise cloud solution, CLOUD4RETAIL offers retailers numerous advantages: Individual customisations and further enhancements are just as possible as major retail customers were previously accustomed to when using the classic GK Software on-premises solutions. With the new product retailers can map out their enhancements and specifications at any time via the cloud to enhance their competitiveness.
In addition, GK Software will present its new developer portal Omnibasket.com in Paris. This enables developers in retail companies as well as start-ups to very quickly and easily integrate innovations such as unattended goods registration or innovative kiosk systems into the GK Software’s CLOUD4RETAIL platform, which is used by leading retailers worldwide.
It's no secret that Amazon is becoming increasingly prominent in the retail landscape, particularly within the grocery sector. The retailer recently announced the use of its new Just Walk Out technology, which is poised to innovate and further automate the grocery experience.
While we already discussed the pros and cons of this advanced technology, GK Software USA CEO Michael Jaszczyk made a trip to an Amazon Fresh store to take a closer look. After experiencing the technology that had 76% of shoppers wanting to return, Michael provided key takeaways for retailers based on his experience.
Let's dive into what differentiates Amazon Fresh, the advantages customers gain with an automated store and the investments other grocers should embrace to best compete with the retail giant.
The Amazon Fresh store is bigger than you might expect, according to Michael. The full-sized supermarket is designed to automate the normal experience, so all a shopper has to worry about is grabbing the items they want to buy. The shopping cart is equipped with four cameras and a display facing the consumer. Upon entering, Michael was asked by an associate to log into the Amazon app, then link it to the cart via a barcode scanner. This identifies the shopper and locks them in with the cart. Next, the shopper goes about their regular grocery shopping journey, adding items to the cart as they browse. In doing so, the cameras identify the items and put them in their virtual shopping basket, charging for items through the Amazon account once the shopper leave the store.
Other than the smart cart, Amazon Fresh resembles the average grocery store with a few notable exceptions, the first being that Amazon Fresh functions primarily as a fulfillment center. For every shopper in the store, Michael observed about five or six Amazon employees picking orders for customers who preferred a delivery order.
Another key difference is the shelving strategy. Traditional retailers often steer clear of half-empty shelves as it can turn customers away and decrease sales. On the contrary, Michael explained that many of the shelves appeared understocked.
Despite challenges of working with experimental technology, the unique store brings new benefits to consumers. For instance, the Amazon Fresh shopper journey can start at home, where shoppers can build a grocery list from their personal device, then see it displayed in the cart via the app. With an automated list and no need for a checkout line, the speed of the experience is up to the consumer.
Once in the store, the primary benefits are speed, convenience and a lack of friction. The entire shopper journey can be done alone, without associate help, cashier lines or any other point of physical contact, leading to a safe, contactless trip.
Every retailer is looking for ways to compete with Amazon today, and for many, a first glance at the costs associated with innovations at Amazon Fresh may seem intimidating. Michael explained that Amazon's current model is very expensive to set up and maintain. With hundreds of cameras covering every angle of the store in the Amazon Go concept and each cart holding thousands of dollars of technology in the amazon fresh stores, a single broken element could cost the retailer significantly.
For traditional grocers, innovations such as intelligent tap and go, smart shelf labels, or mobile scanners are more technically and financially stable. They also still provide the needed innovation customers are looking for today. Additionally, there are options that incorporate apps, like the sign-in required at Amazon Fresh, and options that can be used on a mobile device without the need to download an app, eliminating potential barriers of usage for customers.
Solutions like GK's Mobile POS can create efficiencies by turning employee tablets and smartphones into modern point-of-sale devices with innovative clienteling concepts. That way, customers can check out where and when it's most convenient. Similar to how Amazon Fresh incorporated digital shopping lists into the experience, GK Omni-Channel Personalization can create custom-made shopping lists for customers using targeted data and analytics.
For stores with a wider breadth of services that include quick-service restaurants or fuel pumps, CLOUD4RETAIL OmniPOS 5.19 can offer innovations to add customer value. These are just a few ways to create a fast, convenient, and frictionless experience without elevating the operational costs beyond their value.
Interested in learning more? Reach out to us today to see how cost-effective and easy-to-implement solutions from GK Software can help your store stand up to Amazon and offer the same benefits to customers with less hassle.
Compared with the previous year's figure (EUR 56.16 million), sales rose by 14.6 percent to EUR 64.36 million. This put EBITDA (excluding non-recurring effects) at EUR 12.88 million, more than doubling the previous year's figure of EUR 6.24 million. EBIT calculated on the same basis now amounts to EUR 9.04 million for the first half of 2021 (H1 2020 = EUR 1.96 million), resulting in an EBIT margin of 14.04 percent.
The increase in sales was driven by Deutsche Fiskal's cloud sales and the decision of several new customers in favour of CLOUD4RETAIL, among them a major international retailer and a European petroleum company.
Proceeds from the sale of AWEK microdata GmbH also boosted first-half earnings by a further EUR 2.75 million.
In light of these developments and the existing sales outlook for the second half of the year, the Management Board has confirmed its forecast for 2021 as well as the medium-term forecast up to 2023.
Publication of the H1 Interim Report is scheduled for 26 August 2021.
The Retail Innovators