XPLACE GMBH

XPLACE is the leading IT platform for self-service applications in the European retail sector. Some 5,000 of its touchscreen terminals have been installed to date, providing customers with information and helping them select the desired product at the point of sale (POS). XPLACE systems serve as a decision-making aid while improving the depth of product information and helping store staff provide customer advice. Functioning as comprehensive digital signage systems, they boost sales by displaying high-impact ads for current promotions. Although highly standardized, XPLACE offers various ways of individualizing terminals, for example department-specific settings. The system is used by retail companies of all sizes and has been installed nationwide by Real, Media Markt and Saturn, as well as by Karstadt, MediMax, Thalia, Metro, Globus, Famila and Staples, not to mention numerous bookstores.

The software solution underlying XPLACE systems is a proprietary development which provides a stable platform for the wide range of serverbased information applications that can be used to feed the terminal devices. As a partner of the METRO GROUP Future Store Initiative, XPLACE provides consumers with a virtual experience of the product before buying it. The company intends to leverage the expertise gained in the initiative to further enhance its digital information solutions, with particular focus on improving their promotional potential.

Launched in 2003, the kiosk solution "xplace Entertainment" combines digitized product information with in-store product presentation. It was specifically designed for CDs, DVDs, games and audio books, allowing consumers to check out samples, trailers, images and summaries before purchasing the product. The system can store up to 300,000 titles, which customers access by using the integrated barcode scanner or making a selection on the easy-to-use touchscreens. Store-specific details on product availability, media recommendations and the latest music charts round off the comprehensive information offer. Consistent operation is assured by frequent updates and a proven technology already deployed in some 5,000 terminals across Europe.

Digital signage systems offer far greater flexibility than posters and classical signage and are more responsive to changing needs. XPLACE in-store TV provides emotive communication geared to promoting sales in every store department. Its video content is centrally controlled. Adscreens from XPLACE can be used to show advertisements that target key customer needs. The large plasma screens play trailers for the latest video games and movies – or the video clips corresponding to CD tracks selected with a barcode scanner. With their enormous entertainment potential, large digital screens make perfect sense in waiting areas and near store checkouts.

Florian Brinkmann
CEO
Phone: +49 551 488 8930
E-mail:  brinkmann@xplace.de
 www.xplace.de