News & Media From Ben Wheeler
The kiosk shift, part 3: From USB chaos to smarter kiosk architecture
by Ben Wheeler — Dir. of Business Dev. - Automated Retail, T-ROC
Modular kiosk design separates customer interfaces, payments and mechanical controls, helping operators diagnose faults, replace components and standardize…
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The kiosk shift, part 2: Beyond USB — how Android is rethinking kiosk I/O
by Ben Wheeler — Dir. of Business Dev. - Automated Retail, T-ROC
Android and ARM are changing kiosk design by enabling modular systems that connect and manage complex peripherals without relying on traditional Windows PCs.
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Inside the 2026 NACS Show: Self-checkout, smart vending, and the rise of the autonomous convenience hub
by Ben Wheeler — Dir. of Business Dev. - Automated Retail, T-ROC
The 2026 NACS Show highlighted the growing convergence of convenience retail, vending and self-service technology. From AI-powered checkout and smart coolers…
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The kiosk shift: Why Android and ARM are gaining ground in automated retail
by Ben Wheeler — Dir. of Business Dev. - Automated Retail, T-ROC
As Android and ARM-based hardware gain ground in automated retail, Windows faces growing competition. T-ROC's Ben Wheeler examines how licensing, energy…
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LTL vs. dedicated trucking: What really gets a kiosk to revenue faster?
by Ben Wheeler — Dir. of Business Dev. - Automated Retail, T-ROC
Less-than-truckload, or LTL, shipping gives operators the ability to move individual kiosks or smaller groups without waiting to fill an entire truck.
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Purpose-built automated retail: Designing for payment security and resilience
by Ben Wheeler — Dir. of Business Dev. - Automated Retail, T-ROC
A common mistake is designing every function of the kiosk around one shared connection and assuming that connection will always be available.
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Automated retail is never "ship and forget"
by Ben Wheeler — Dir. of Business Dev. - Automated Retail, T-ROC
A kiosk should never be treated as a product that gets shipped to a location and forgotten. It should be treated as one endpoint in a larger operating network.
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Leaner automated retail, part 2: Give the hardware a second life
by Ben Wheeler — Dir. of Business Dev. - Automated Retail, T-ROC
For operators managing large fleets, one of the most practical sustainability strategies may be extending the useful life of equipment already on the balance…
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Leaner automated retail, part 1: Cutting energy and unnecessary service miles
by Ben Wheeler — Dir. of Business Dev. - Automated Retail, T-ROC
The sustainability conversation in automated retail should start somewhere practical: How can we operate the network with less waste?
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The fresh food frontier, part 3: The cold chain becomes a data problem
by Ben Wheeler — Dir. of Business Dev. - Automated Retail, T-ROC
Fresh automated retail creates an unusual challenge. The store may be unattended, but the food cannot be unmanaged.
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The fresh food frontier, part 2: Fresh vs. frozen is an operating decision
by Ben Wheeler — Dir. of Business Dev. - Automated Retail, T-ROC
Once an operator decides to offer meals through automated retail, another question appears quickly: Fresh or frozen?
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The fresh food frontier, part 1: Compliance before deployment
by Ben Wheeler — Dir. of Business Dev. - Automated Retail, T-ROC
Consumers increasingly expect better food choices in workplaces, hospitals, campuses, residential properties, transportation locations, and other places where…
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The autonomous pivot: What independent retailers should know before going cashierless
by Ben Wheeler — Dir. of Business Dev. - Automated Retail, T-ROC
Computer vision, smart access, sensor-based product tracking, cloud software, and digital payments have made autonomous retail more accessible across…
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The battle for the breakroom: Which automated retail model wins?
by Ben Wheeler — Dir. of Business Dev. - Automated Retail, T-ROC
Micro-markets, smart coolers, connected vending machines and specialty food systems are giving employers and property managers far more choices when providing…
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Beyond surge pricing: A smarter model for automated retail
by Ben Wheeler — Dir. of Business Dev. - Automated Retail, T-ROC
Should prices inside an automated retail environment change based on current conditions? The technical answer is yes. The more important business answer is…
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An operations guide to shrink mitigation in unattended retail
by Ben Wheeler — Dir. of Business Dev. - Automated Retail, T-ROC
Unattended retail offers customers speed, convenience, and around-the-clock access. For operators, it can open new revenue channels while reducing the need for…
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