35th anniversary of retail bar code scanning
NCR Corporation first demonstrated its scanning system in 1974 to an overflow crowd that attended the Super Market Institute convention to view the then-revolutionary technology.
DULUTH, Georgia – “It’s the wave of the future, and I’m very upbeat on the system.” These were the words almost 35 years ago of Virginia Knauer, special assistant for consumer affairs to the President of the United States, when asked about the Universal Product Code (UPC) and the growing interest in retail bar code scanning.
Less than two months later, on June 26, 1974, history was made when a 10-pack of Wrigley’s chewing gum became the first product ever scanned in a retail store setting — with an NCR scanner in a checkout lane at a Marsh Supermarket in Troy, Ohio.
The new system helped revolutionise the world of retailing. Bar code scanning at the point of service soon brought faster checkout for shoppers and gave retailers more information and control over inventory and other areas of store operations. But the revolution didn’t stop there.
“That first transaction on an NCR bar code scanner launched a transformation that is still being felt throughout the world of retailing”
said Mike Webster, NCR vice president and general manager, Retail and Hospitality. “It’s a world where NCR has helped make shopping easier and faster for consumers with a stream of innovative solutions that we intend to drive well into the future.”
Today, retailers use the detailed transaction data collected by NCR RealPOS™ bar code scanners in ways only dreamed of 35 years ago. For example, consumer loyalty programs—like NCR Advanced Marketing Solution software—are linked to data that is generated when items are scanned at the point of sale.
In the years since 1974, NCR has introduced a steady stream of technology and software innovations that set the standard for scanning systems in retail stores and made the company today’s market leader in high performance scanners.
Innovation continues to simplify retailing processes and revolutionize the two things most people like least about shopping—waiting in line and paying.
For example:
SelfService Checkouts, can reduce checkout wait times up to 40 percent, greatly enhancing the shopping experience. and SelfServ kiosks, available with an integrated bar code scanners, support numerous retail self-service functions, including order placement, bill payment, promotional information, gift registries and more.
