Kitestring opens neutral lab for retail POS testing
Kitestring has opened an Enterprise Retail Demonstration Lab in Bentonville, Arkansas, offering large retailers a vendor-neutral environment to evaluate point-of-sale (POS) and omnichannel systems through side-by-side, hands-on testing.
The consultancy said the Kitestring Innovation Lab enables retailers to use their own transaction data and store workflows, with sessions available in person or remotely. The lab addresses the risks and costs associated with long-term POS deployments, which often involve complex integrations across stores, digital channels, and foodservice operations.
"Point-of-sale selection is one of the largest projects anyone takes on in retail - it's risky, it's challenging, and it touches 100% of your customers," said Eugene Park, Chief Strategy Officer, Kitestring.
Side-by-Side Testing
Unlike brief demos at trade shows or vendor sites, the lab provides extended evaluations across multiple systems, including live integrations with adjacent technologies. Retailers can run custom scenarios that reflect operational realities rather than scripted flows.
"Typically, retailers see demos on pretested hardware with flows the vendor knows will work perfectly. But these types of technology decisions are very high stakes - people call them 'CIO Killers' because if it goes wrong, that can mean your job's on the line, so the lab provides an opportunity for retail CIOs to carefully evaluate how different systems handle their specific operational requirements and critical workflows, run customized scenarios across multiple platforms simultaneously, and get a direct performance comparison," said Lindsay Schwab, Account Executive, Kitestring.
Platforms and Integrations
The Bentonville lab currently includes POS systems from NCR, Toshiba, GK Software, Diebold Nixdorf, and ECRS, as well as integrated foodservice systems from Altaine and Perfect Company. Hardware comes from Fujitsu, Elo, MicroTouch, HP, and SATO, with plans to expand.
A key focus is on integrations using Altaine's Q-Jmp digital commerce orchestration layer, which connects mobile apps, kiosks, POS systems, and kitchen displays. Demonstrations show how first- and third-party ordering flows, loyalty programs, and in-store kiosks integrate seamlessly.
"That's something you can't get from a typical vendor demo or a PowerPoint presentation and that's exceptionally valuable for us at Altaine, because we can show how this technology seamlessly unifies every order channel into one intelligent flow." said Warren Tobin, CEO, Altaine.
Trade Show Pipeline and Future Plans
Kitestring debuted the lab concept at NRF 2026, linking event demonstrations with the permanent Bentonville environment. The lab allows retailers to continue exploring solutions after initial exposure, on-site or remotely.
The company plans to expand into additional technology categories, including smart carts, shrink prevention, RFID, inventory management, loyalty platforms, visual checkout solutions, and eventually AI applications in retail.