Security Receipt Paper Rolls Stop Counterfeiters in Their Tracks

According to The National Retail Federation’s (NRF) annual fraud survey, return fraud cost retailers an estimated $13.95 billion last year, up from $9.59 billion in 2009. In addition, the NRF states that 52.4% of all retail return fraud is from counterfeit receipts. With today’s sophisticated technologies, criminals are now creating counterfeit receipts to obtain refunds for stolen merchandise. Retailers are faced with a growing problem as scams become more sophisticated.

Security receipt paper rolls are a simple and affordable addition to loss prevention programs. Industries that will benefit from security solutions include retailers, casinos, gaming, lottery and other point of sale receipt applications. Use of the following security features on a point of sale paper roll will help businesses fight back against receipt fraud:

• Ultra-violet Inks – A clear ink applied to the rolls face or back in a specified location and pattern. An image appears when placed under a black light (UV) light source.
• Thermo Chromic Inks – When rubbed an image changes color momentarily or disappears momentarily and then reappears.
• Coin Reactive Inks – A clear ink applied to the back (non-thermal side) of the roll in a specified location and pattern. An image will appear when rubbed with a coin.
• Scratch Inks - Unique ink offers overt and covert security options for POS rolls. Ink permanently changes color when scratched and cannot be duplicated.
• Front to Back Print Registration of Images – Builds security into the design of the receipt.
• Void Pantographs – The word VOID appears when an attempt is made to copy a document.

Finally, retailers need to train their employees on how to handle returns and what to look for. Establishing clear procedures and checking the returned item to be sure it is the right product is just another way to help prevent fraudulent returns. While retail fraud is not easy to combat, a strong commitment to fraud prevention will pay off in the long run.

POS Supply offers the highest level of security for your paper roll receipts. In addition, we have a complete line of Custom Printed Roll Paper and Fraud and Loss Prevention solutions. Customers can maximize their loss prevention programs with counterfeit detectors featuring a UV light that instantly locates security stripes or symbols that are imbedded in currencies, credit cards, traveler's checks and other legal documents. Magnifiers, UV markers, and Mini UV Lights are just a few other theft-deterrent products that make up POS Supply’s fraud & loss prevention product offerings.

What other fraud and/or loss prevention solutions do you find helpful? Please give us your feedback.

What is Two Sided Thermal Roll Paper?

Two sided thermal roll paper utilizes technology in which two thermal print heads print simultaneously on both the front and the back sides of a receipt. The two print heads are contained within a single thermal printer. NCR developed and patented this two sided thermal technology and has branded it 2ST (Two-Sided Thermal). There are pros and cons to this technology depending on who you talk to. In this post, I will try to break it down for you.

What Are the Benefits?

According to NCR, two sided thermal printing offers the following advantages:

Reduce Your Total Cost of Ownership

• Less paper leads to lower overall consumables investment
• Reduced labor costs by simplifying or eliminating processes
• Lower inventory and reduced freight
• Less waste / obsolescence with pre-printed media

Improve Operational Efficiencies

• Two print heads increase printer speed and overall throughput. (this is disputed by IBM – see below)
• Up to 50% fewer paper roll changes mean reduced customer wait times
• Receipts are shorter, more manageable

Targeted Marketing Message

• Variable print on-demand for the ultimate in affordable personalization
• Enhance your profitability by eliminating costly preprinted media

Environmental Benefits

• Reduced paper consumption
• Reduced fuel and energy use
• Reduced waste production and water requirements
• Reduced use of landfill space

What Are the Negatives?

According to an IBM white paper published in October of 2010, two sided thermal printing offers the following disadvantages:

High Up Front Cost

• Printer equipment is costly to purchase
• Two sided paper can cost up to 2 1/2 times more than single sided thermal

Increased Printing Time

• Transaction time can be as much as 33% longer due to the slower print speed of two sided thermal printers

Reliability

• Due to the new technology, the supporting electronics have been found to be problematic
• Because it requires two thermal print heads instead of one, the printer is more costly to repair

Greater Environmental Impact

• 2-sided media can require up to 30% more energy to produce
• Less sustainable packaging

In addition, black printing on the front and back may be over looked by customers. Color printing has been found to be more effective when trying to grab the consumer’s attention.

Who is Buying In?

The following thermal printer OEM’s are in different stages of committing to this technology:

• NCR
• Zebra
• Toshiba TEC
• Hengstler-HECON
• SNBC
• Sato

At this time, other major thermal printer manufacturers including IBM, Epson, Star Micronics, Citizen, Bixilon and Seiko have not made a commitment.

Who is Making the Paper?

The following paper coaters are manufacturing the two sided thermal paper.

• Oji Japan, Kanzan and Kanzaki
• Appleton Paper
• Mitsubishi HiTec
• Koehler

Our Conclusion:

While this could be a revolutionary product, it is still early in the game to know for sure. As you can see, there are differences in opinion depending on who you talk to. Two color thermal paper had potential some years back but in the end, the paper was too expensive so the volume never came to drive down the raw material costs. Many printer OEM’s still advertise that their printers can print in 2 colors, but people are hard pressed to find the paper to run it.

Once again no matter which way you lean, we will be able to support your supply needs and offer the following 2-sided thermal roll paper:

1. NCR (2ST) Two Sided Thermal Paper, 3 1/8" x 273' Thermal Roll Paper, Black/Black, 50 rolls/case
2. NCR (2ST) Two Sided Thermal Paper, 3 1/8" x 273' Thermal Roll Paper, Black/Blue, 50 rolls/case
3. NCR (2ST) Two Sided Thermal Paper, 3 1/8" x 273' Thermal Roll Paper, Black/Black, 25 rolls/case

What is your opinion of two sided thermal paper? We'd love to hear your feedback.

BPA in Receipt Paper: Cause for Worry….Or Not?

Over the last year I have read numerous articles about BPA and its possible toxic connections to cancer, learning disabilities and infertility. POS Supply Solutions has been following the news on BPA’s effects on human health since 2006 and we have even written two other posts on BPA in Thermal Paper and Identifying BPA Free Paper in the last year. With all the blog posts, independent studies and government reports to sift through, it’s hard not to get confused and overwhelmed by all the information. Here’s the latest news that I have read regarding BPA recently:


Last month on the 23rd, the Environmental Health Research Foundation (a nonprofit research foundation specializing in Health and Environmental Science) stated “Despite the prevalence of recent media articles and blogs about Bisphenol A (BPA), there has been no change in US regulatory policy”, “The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) position on BPA remains unchanged, noting the lack of any creditable evidence of risk to human health”. In addition, the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) has stated that further regulation on BPA would require more scientific findings than are currently available.

On June 8th, the state of Connecticut House of Representatives approved a bill banning BPA in store receipts after a lengthy debate. This bill would take effect beginning July 1, 2015 unless the EPA issues a mandate before then. The state decided to delay the ban until the middle of 2015 to prevent a burden on businesses that may already be under excessive regulations, giving them time to develop alternatives. Maybe they don’t realize that business owners already have alternatives today? We at POS Supply Solutions have been offering BPA free receipt paper rolls for over 5 years.

What are your feelings are on the subject? Do you think that BPA should be banned in all receipt paper? We’d love to hear your take on this controversial topic!

Less is Not Always More: 3 Reasons Larger Point of Sale Paper Rolls Save Time and Money

In an effort to save money, a large number of customers are now ordering smaller point of sale paper rolls. While it may appear to be a cost savings to order a smaller roll, the cost per foot is actually higher than larger rolls. Most standalone POS thermal printers can hold a 3 1/8” x 301’ paper roll, however we are seeing an increase in sales of 200', 220’, or even smaller rolls. Credit card terminals normally hold a 2 ¼” x 110’ paper roll but people are often buying the 80’, 85’ or even smaller. Simply put, ordering the largest roll your terminal or printer can handle is the wisest choice. Here's why:

1. Larger Rolls reduce your shipping, handling and warehousing costs. Purchasing larger paper rolls means a reduction in your shipping and handling because you have to order less often. 
2. Less roll changes and register downtime save valuable time and money. Changing rolls less frequently equates to lower personnel costs and an increase in customer satisfaction. The time you save can be better spent servicing customers! 
3. Larger rolls offer a lower cost per foot of paper. While there is a higher up front cost, the larger paper roll is actually less expensive and lasts longer.

Smaller Rolls Just Don't Measure Up
Check out our roll comparison sheet below to see the yield differences:

If you purchase a 2 1/4" X 110' Roll:

Original Roll Size	Increased Yield   with 110' Roll
2 1/4" X 80'	38%
2 1/4" X 85'	29%

If you purchase a 3 1/8" X 301' Roll:

Original Roll Size	Increased Yield  with 301' Roll
3 1/8" X 200'	51%
3 1/8" X 220'	37%
3 1/8" X 230'	31%
3 1/8" X 273'	10%

Our paper roll products are designed to deliver high performance and compatibility in all common transaction printers while minimizing the user's total cost of ownership. Our paper rolls are used in a wide range of applications including Point-of-Sale, Cash Register, Credit Card Terminal, Kiosk, Fax, Pay-at-the-Pump, Medical, Casino/Gaming, Self-Check-out, Mobile Printers and many others.  

Mobile Printers are Everywhere

The use of mobile printers has been steadily growing over the last few years. While these devices were originally designed mainly for small label applications, they are now being integrated into a wide variety of markets including public safety for accident reports and citations and hospitality for remote ordering and cashing out. Other industries include healthcare, retail, field services and manufacturing.

Flexibility and quick response time are a vital part of day-to-day business operations. The evolution of the mobile printer enables businesses to print on demand, instead of where they can access a desktop printer. Mobile printers offer great efficiencies such as real-time inventory control, customer communications and even invoices. They enable the user to print out high quality documents with crisp graphics and sharp text, wherever they are. The more popular mobile printers on the market include Zebra, O’Neil, Printek, Epson, Star, Seiko, Intermec, Radix, Casio, Brother/Pentax, Citizen and Extech to name a few.

Businesses can now print receipts, tickets, tags and barcode labels with relative ease. Paper options include bond or an array of thermal papers to fit a specific applications and environmental condition. We carry stock blank or custom printed mobile printer paper to increase company awareness and build brand loyalty.

If your company is looking for ways to increase productivity, accuracy and customer response time, mobile printers may be the solution for you. To find out more about our mobile paper offerings, please visit http://www.possupply.com/Mobile-Printer-Paper-Rolls.

Identifying BPA Free Thermal Receipt Paper Just Got a Little Easier

How do you know if the receipt paper you are handling is BPA-Free or not? Up until recently, it has been virtually impossible because all BPA-Free thermal receipt paper looked exactly the same as non-BPA-Free. As we discussed in our December post, a study conducted by the Environmental Working Group in July of 2010 indicated that 40% of the receipts sampled from major retailers contained BPA. While the health effects are still unclear, this study has aroused concerns among consumers as well as retailers. We are pleased to announce that the market is changing.

In November Appleton, North America’s largest producer of direct thermal media announced the addition of easy-to-see red fibers to its most common POS receipt paper grade “Alpha 400-2.1”. Appleton designed its 'red fiber' BPA-free paper to help consumers and retail workers quickly identify the kind of thermal receipt paper they are handling. It is important to note that all Appleton thermal paper is BPA-free, but only the most common receipt grade contains the red fibers.

At this time, offshore supplier Koehler also has BPA-free receipt paper; their grade "KT48FA". Koehler is a large supplier of thermal paper to the US. This simply means that your thermal receipt paper may be BPA-Free even if it doesn't have red fibers.

If you purchase thermal receipt paper and are concerned about the effects of BPA, ask your supplier about the BPA-free options available to you. You can visit http://www.possupply.com/BPA-Free-Thermal-Paper-Rolls for a complete list of the products that we offer.

How to Select the Best Thermal Paper for Your Application

Selecting the right thermal paper for your printing application is very important. Most documents look fine when they come out of the printer, but the true test is how they will hold up over their expected life span. When printed data is unreadable, problems with returns, service, warranties and compliance can arise.

The following key considerations should be examined before choosing a paper: Potential exposure to extreme heat or moisture, durability requirements, and intended lifespan. Examining the following areas will ensure documents remain intact and readable during their useful life.

Heat

If exposure to extreme heat is a concern, choose a material that is heat resistant. Documents left in vehicles, for example, where temperatures can climb over 150° F (66° C) in the summer can turn black and unreadable due to the chemicals in the paper reacting. To avoid this problem, some thermal materials are specially formulated to withstand higher temperatures.

Moisture

If your document will be subjected to moisture, either because it will be exposed to the elements or stored in a wet or humid area, a paper with additional moisture resistance or a synthetic material will protect the document from degrading and becoming unreadable.

Thickness (Durability)

Thicker materials tend to be more durable and are perceived by customers as higher quality. However, the thicker the material, the less paper per roll, resulting in fewer documents that can be printed before the roll needs to be changed.

Archivability (Intended Lifespan)

The longer documents need to be referenced and stored, the more durable they need to be, and the more protection they require from heat, moisture and other environmental factors. Storage is an important and often overlooked factor in a document's lifespan. Make sure the material you choose is rated to meet your archival requirements.

Topcoating

All thermal papers have a basecoat and a thermal coat, but not all have a topcoat. A topcoat provides an extra layer of protection against specific environmental exposure. Non-topcoated materials are acceptable for applications requiring limited resistance properties.

In our next post we will provide a detailed comparison chart of the papers we offer to help you choose the best thermal paper for your unique application. In the meantime, please contact us if you have further questions about thermal paper. Whether your application calls for heat or moisture resistance, archivability, extra durability, topcoating or a standard POS grade, POS Supply Solutions has the thermal paper roll solution for you.