Pan-Oston, a leader in smart retail counter and checkout solutions for over four decades, introduces the first ever Cash for Clunkers trade-in program for self-checkout lanes.

The Utopia Cash for Clunkers program is designed to help the many retailers with self-checkout lanes that have been recently identified as "end-of-life." There are approximately 20 models from IBM, NCR and Fujitsu that have been identified as "end-of-life," placing the retailers using these models in a tough situation with respect to hardware and software maintenance, as well as troubleshooting.

"This is a no-hidden-clauses-or-lots-of-small-print offer," said Jim Vance, president of Pan-Oston. "If you have a working IBM, NCR or Fujitsu lane identified on our 'end-of-life' list and [you] replace it with a new lane from Utopia's Innovation or Modular family of self-checkout lanes, you automatically receive a trade-in of up to $2,000 per lane."

In addition to the $2,000 trade-in, Pan-Oston will also remove and dispose of the units at no cost, saving retailers substantial dollars and positively impacting their carbon footprints and environmental programs.
• Utopia self-checkout works seamlessly with 99 percent of POS systems including IBM SA, IBM ACE, ISS45, ScanMaster, IT Retail, LOC SMS and others
• Utopia is the only self-checkout solution developed to work with any .NET or Linux back office system
• Utopia self-checkout efficiently transacts small purchases or those greatly in excess of the weekly average grocery ticket
• Utopia self-checkout has flawlessly transacted millions of dollars in sales
• Utopia is the only self-checkout that currently includes Bank Note Recycling, allowing you to reduce your operating cash by thousands of dollars
• Utopia has cashier intervention rates 90 percent lower than IBM, NCR or Fujitsu
• Utopia self-checkout gives you 100 percent control over your system and works with any peripherals
• Utopia has the largest family of self-checkout products with many models in each family

"It's remarkable how simple, user-friendly yet technologically advanced Pan-Oston's Utopia self-checkout solution is," said Phil Lempert, The Supermarket Guru® and Gourmet Retailer columnist. "And now with the industry's first ever trade-in program, there is no better time to see for yourself why many people consider Utopia the best self-checkout in the world."

Pan-Oston, a division of Houchens Industries, Inc., one of the largest employee-owned ("ESOP") companies in the United Sates, has been an industry leader in the design and manufacture of retail checkout products, as well as a broad range of retail fixtures and fittings for over 40 years.

For more information, contact Tara Ohning at 270-783-3932, e-mail tohning@panoston.com or visit www.panoston.com.