HP has announced it is launching a dedicated line of EPoS hardware. The move - a collaboration with technology partners Microsoft and Intel - aims to offer retailers a one-stop EPoS system based on established mainstream technology.

One of the main features of the system, dubbed the rp5000, is its support for Microsoft’s .Net infrastructure. Executives at HP believe this is exactly what retailers want, because many companies - especially those that use generic PCs or ‘white boxes’ (computers that are constructed in-house from components) - are moving to dedicated tills running systems such as .Net.

HP has had a toehold in the EPoS market for about three years, with retailers using generic HP commercial PCs and adapting them to function as EPoS boxes. However, this is the first time HP has targeted retailers with hardware designed specifically for the till point.

‘We wanted retailers to experience the best in class computing, including all the manageability and reliability you should get with a dedicated piece of equipment,’ said HP UK category manager for commercial desktop PCs Dominic Webb.

‘When there are third parties involved in putting it all together, this brings in difficulty and doubt. This launch makes for a more robust and dependable product,’ he added.

The company is selling the product with a five-year life expectancy, which is impressive for a desktop PC, but short-lived compared with many of the dedicated EPoS systems on the high street at the moment.

However, Webb conceded that the product would not suit everyone. He said that interest in the rp5000 was coming from retailers with 3,000 to 10,000 PoS units.

‘We aren’t seeing much interest from the supermarket segment, because supermarkets tend to go for more bespoke solutions,’ said Webb.

The EPoS market is already fairly mature, with a number of established players dominating the sector.

According to Retail Knowledge Bank, the three largest EPoS hardware vendors are IBM, Wincor-Nixdorf and Fujitsu, which together make up almost 50 per cent of the market.

However, Webb is convinced that HP can carve out a niche for itself. ‘The established players are looking at specialised solutions,’ he said.

‘We’ve seen indications that retailers are moving away from heavily tailored projects to mainstream operating systems.’

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