Original Source: https://tympanus.net/codrops/2025/07/24/reform-collective-a-new-website-designed-to-be-seen/
Reform Collective’s new site strips away the noise in favor of clarity, performance, and structure—with the tech lead detailing how AI, GSAP, and CSS hacks brought it to life.
Original Source: https://tympanus.net/codrops/2025/07/25/designer-spotlight-ivor-jian/
A glimpse into the early work, process, and inspiration of Ivor Jian, a self-taught designer and developer blending precision with expressive web experiences.
Original Source: https://smashingmagazine.com/2025/07/why-non-native-content-designers-improve-global-ux/
A few years ago, I was in a design review at a fintech company, polishing the expense management flows. It was a routine session where we reviewed the logic behind content and design decisions.
While looking over the statuses for submitted expenses, I noticed a label saying ‘In approval’. I paused, re-read it again, and asked myself:
“Where is it? Are the results in? Where can I find them? Are they sending me to the app section called “Approval”?”
This tiny label made me question what was happening with my money, and this feeling of uncertainty was quite anxiety-inducing.
My team, all native English speakers, did not flinch, even for a second, and moved forward to discuss other parts of the flow. I was the only non-native speaker in the room, and while the label made perfect sense to them, it still felt off to me.
After a quick discussion, we landed on ‘Pending approval’ — the simplest and widely recognised option internationally. More importantly, this wording makes it clear that there’s an approval process, and it hasn’t taken place yet. There’s no need to go anywhere to do it.
Some might call it nitpicking, but that was exactly the moment I realised how invisible — yet powerful — the non-native speaker’s perspective can be.
In a reality where user testing budgets aren’t unlimited, designing with familiar language patterns from the start helps you prevent costly confusions in the user journey.
Those same confusions often lead to:
Higher rate of customer service queries,
Lower adoption rates,
Higher churn,
Distrust and confusion.
As A Native Speaker, You Don’t See The Whole Picture
Global products are often designed with English as their primary language. This seems logical, but here’s the catch:
Roughly 75% of English-speaking users are not native speakers, which means 3 out of every 4 users.
Native speakers often write on instinct, which works much like autopilot. This can often lead to overconfidence in content that, in reality, is too culturally specific, vague, or complex. And that content may not be understood by 3 in 4 people who read it.
If your team shares the same native language, content clarity remains assumed by default rather than proven through pressure testing.
The price for that is the accessibility of your product. A study by National Library of Medicine found that US adults who had proficiency in English but did not use it as their primary language were significantly less likely to be insured, even when provided with the same level of service as everyone else.
In other words, they did not finish the process of securing a healthcare provider — a process that’s vital to their well-being, in part, due to unclear or inaccessible communication.
If people abandon the process of getting something as vital as healthcare insurance, it’s easy to imagine them dropping out during checkout, account setup, or app onboarding.
Non-native content designers, by contrast, do not write on autopilot. Because of their experience learning English, they’re much more likely to tune into nuances, complexity, and cultural exclusions that natives often overlook. That’s the key to designing for everyone rather than 1 in 4.
Non-native Content Designers Make Your UX Global
Spotting The Clutter And Cognitive Load Issues
When a non-native speaker has to pause, re-read something, or question the meaning of what’s written, they quickly identify it as a friction point in the user experience.
Why it’s important: Every extra second users have to spend understanding your content makes them more likely to abandon the task. This is a high price that companies pay for not prioritising clarity.
Cognitive load is not just about complex sentences but also about the speed. There’s plenty of research confirming that non-native speakers read more slowly than native speakers. This is especially important when you work on the visibility of system status — time-sensitive content that the user needs to scan and understand quickly.
One example you can experience firsthand is an ATM displaying a number of updates and instructions. Even when they’re quite similar, it still overwhelms you when you realise that you missed one, not being able to finish reading.
This kind of rapid-fire updates can increase frustration and the chances of errors.
Always Advocating For Plain English
They tend to review and rewrite things more often to find the easiest way to communicate the message. What a native speaker may consider clear enough might be dense or difficult for a non-native to understand.
Why it’s important: Simple content better scales across countries, languages, and cultures.
Catching Culture-specific Assumptions And References
When things do not make sense, non-native speakers challenge them. Besides the idioms and other obvious traps, native speakers tend to fall into considering their life experience to be shared with most English-speaking users.
Cultural differences might even exist within one globally shared language. Have you tried saying ‘soccer’ instead of ‘football’ in a conversation with someone from the UK? These details may not only cause confusion but also upset people.
Why it’s important: Making sure your product is free from culture-specific references makes your product more inclusive and safeguards you from alienating your users.
They Have Another Level Of Empathy For The Global Audience
Being a non-native speaker themselves, they have experience with products that do not speak clearly to them. They’ve been in the global user’s shoes and know how it impacts the experience.
Why it’s important: Empathy is a key driver towards design decisions that take into account the diverse cultural and linguistic background of the users.
How Non-native Content Design Can Shape Your Approach To Design
Your product won’t become better overnight simply because you read an inspiring article telling you that you need to have a more diverse team. I get it. So here are concrete changes that you can make in your design workflows and hiring routines to make sure your content is accessible globally.
Run Copy Reviews With Non-native Readers
When you launch a new feature or product, it’s a standard practice to run QA sessions to review visuals and interactions. When your team does not include the non-native perspective, the content is usually overlooked and considered fine as long as it’s grammatically correct.
I know, having a dedicated localisation team to pressure-test your content for clarity is a privilege, but you can always start small.
At one of my previous companies, we established a ‘clarity heroes council’ — a small team of non-native English speakers with diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds. During our reviews, they often asked questions that surprised us and highlighted where clarity was missing:
What’s a “grace period”?
What will happen when I tap “settle the payment”?
These questions flag potential problems and help you save both money and reputation by avoiding thousands of customer service tickets.
Review Existing Flows For Clarity
Even if your product does not have major releases regularly, it accumulates small changes over time. They’re often plugged in as fixes or small improvements, and can be easily overlooked from a QA perspective.
A good start will be a regular look at the flows that are critical to your business metrics: onboarding, checkout, and so on. Fence off some time for your team quarterly or even annually, depending on your product size, to come together and check whether your key content pieces serve the global audience well.
Usually, a proper review is conducted by a team: a product designer, a content designer, an engineer, a product manager, and a researcher. The idea is to go over the flows, research insights, and customer feedback together. For that, having a non-native speaker on the audit task force will be essential.
If you’ve never done an audit before, try this template as it covers everything you need to start.
Make Sure Your Content Guidelines Are Global-ready
If you haven’t done it already, make sure your voice & tone documentation includes details about the level of English your company is catering to.
This might mean working with the brand team to find ways to make sure your brand voice comes through to all users without sacrificing clarity and comprehension. Use examples and showcase the difference between sounding smart or playful vs sounding clear.
Leaning too much towards brand personality is where cultural differences usually shine through. As a user, you might’ve seen it many times. Here’s a banking app that wanted to seem relaxed and relatable by introducing ‘Dang it’ as the only call-to-action on the screen.
However, users with different linguistic backgrounds might not be familiar with this expression. Worse, they might see it as an action, leaving them unsure of what will actually happen after tapping it.
Considering how much content is generated with AI today, your guidelines have to account for both tone and clarity. This way, when you feed these requirements to the AI, you’ll see the output that will not just be grammatically correct but also easy to understand.
Incorporate Global English Heuristics Into Your Definition Of Success
Basic heuristic principles are often documented as a part of overarching guidelines to help UX teams do a better job. The Nielsen Norman Group usability heuristics cover the essential ones, but it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t introduce your own. To complement this list, add this principle:
Aim for global understanding: Content and design should communicate clearly to any user regardless of cultural or language background.
You can suggest criteria to ensure it’s clear how to evaluate this:
Action transparency: Is it clear what happens next when the user proceeds to the next screen or page?
Minimal ambiguity: Is the content open to multiple interpretations?
International clarity: Does this content work in a non-Western context?
Bring A Non-native Perspective To Your Research, Too
This one is often overlooked, but collaboration between the research team and non-native speaking writers is super helpful. If your research involves a survey or interview, they can help you double-check whether there is complex or ambiguous language used in the questions unintentionally.
In a study by the Journal of Usability Studies, 37% of non-native speakers did not manage to answer the question that included a word they did not recognise or could not recall the meaning of. The question was whether they found the system to be “cumbersome to use”, and the consequences of getting unreliable data and measurements on this would have a negative impact on the UX of your product.
Another study by UX Journal of User Experience highlights how important clarity is in surveys. While most people in their study interpreted the question “How do you feel about … ?” as “What’s your opinion on …?”, some took it literally and proceeded to describe their emotions instead.
This means that even familiar terms can be misinterpreted. To get precise research results, it’s worth defining key terms and concepts to ensure common understanding with participants.
Globalise Your Glossary
At Klarna, we often ran into a challenge of inconsistent translation for key terms. A well-defined English term could end up having from three to five different versions in Italian or German. Sometimes, even the same features or app sections could be referred to differently depending on the market — this led to user confusion.
To address this, we introduced a shared term base — a controlled vocabulary that included:
English term,
Definition,
Approved translations for all markets,
Approved and forbidden synonyms.
Importantly, the term selection was dictated by user research, not by assumption or personal preferences of the team.
If you’re unsure where to begin, use this product content vocabulary template for Notion. Duplicate it for free and start adding your terms.
We used a similar setup. Our new glossary was shared internally across teams, from product to customer service. Results? Reducing the support tickets related to unclear language used in UI (or directions in the user journey) by 18%. This included tasks like finding instructions on how to make a payment (especially with the least popular payment methods like bank transfer), where the late fee details are located, or whether it’s possible to postpone the payment. And yes, all of these features were available, and the team believed they were quite easy to find.
A glossary like this can live as an add-on to your guidelines. This way, you will be able to quickly get up to speed new joiners, keep product copy ready for localisation, and defend your decisions with stakeholders.
Approach Your Team Growth With An Open Mind
‘Looking for a native speaker’ still remains a part of the job listing for UX Writers and content designers. There’s no point in assuming it’s intentional discrimination. It’s just a misunderstanding that stems from not fully accepting that our job is more about building the user experience than writing texts that are grammatically correct.
Here are a few tips to make sure you hire the best talent and treat your applicants fairly:
Remove the ‘native speaker’ and ‘fluency’ requirement.
Instead, focus on the core part of our job: add ‘clear communicator’, ‘ability to simplify’, or ‘experience writing for a global audience’.
Judge the work, not the accent.
Over the years, there have been plenty of studies confirming that the accent bias is real — people having an unusual or foreign accent are considered less hirable. While some may argue that it can have an impact on the efficiency of internal communications, it’s not enough to justify the reason to overlook the good work of the applicant.
My personal experience with the accent is that it mostly depends on the situation you’re in. When I’m in a friendly environment and do not feel anxiety, my English flows much better as I do not overthink how I sound. Ironically, sometimes when I’m in a room with my team full of British native speakers, I sometimes default to my Slavic accent. The question is: does it make my content design expertise or writing any worse? Not in the slightest.
Therefore, make sure you judge the portfolios, the ideas behind the interview answers, and whiteboard challenge presentations, instead of focusing on whether the candidate’s accent implies that they might not be good writers.
Good Global Products Need Great Non-native Content Design
Non-native content designers do not have a negative impact on your team’s writing. They sharpen it by helping you look at your content through the lens of your real user base. In the globalised world, linguistic purity no longer benefits your product’s user experience.
Try these practical steps and leverage the non-native speaking lens of your content designers to design better international products.
Original Source: https://smashingmagazine.com/2025/07/handling-javascript-event-listeners-parameters/
JavaScript event listeners are very important, as they exist in almost every web application that requires interactivity. As common as they are, it is also essential for them to be managed properly. Improperly managed event listeners can lead to memory leaks and can sometimes cause performance issues in extreme cases.
Here’s the real problem: JavaScript event listeners are often not removed after they are added. And when they are added, they do not require parameters most of the time — except in rare cases, which makes them a little trickier to handle.
A common scenario where you may need to use parameters with event handlers is when you have a dynamic list of tasks, where each task in the list has a “Delete” button attached to an event handler that uses the task’s ID as a parameter to remove the task. In a situation like this, it is a good idea to remove the event listener once the task has been completed to ensure that the deleted element can be successfully cleaned up, a process known as garbage collection.
A Common Mistake When Adding Event Listeners
A very common mistake when adding parameters to event handlers is calling the function with its parameters inside the addEventListener() method. This is what I mean:
button.addEventListener(‘click’, myFunction(param1, param2));
The browser responds to this line by immediately calling the function, irrespective of whether or not the click event has happened. In other words, the function is invoked right away instead of being deferred, so it never fires when the click event actually occurs.
You may also receive the following console error in some cases:
This error makes sense because the second parameter of the addEventListener method can only accept a JavaScript function, an object with a handleEvent() method, or simply null. A quick and easy way to avoid this error is by changing the second parameter of the addEventListener method to an arrow or anonymous function.
button.addEventListener(‘click’, (event) => {
myFunction(event, param1, param2); // Runs on click
});
The only hiccup with using arrow and anonymous functions is that they cannot be removed with the traditional removeEventListener() method; you will have to make use of AbortController, which may be overkill for simple cases. AbortController shines when you have multiple event listeners to remove at once.
For simple cases where you have just one or two event listeners to remove, the removeEventListener() method still proves useful. However, in order to make use of it, you’ll need to store your function as a reference to the listener.
Using Parameters With Event Handlers
There are several ways to include parameters with event handlers. However, for the purpose of this demonstration, we are going to constrain our focus to the following two:
Option 1: Arrow And Anonymous Functions
Using arrow and anonymous functions is the fastest and easiest way to get the job done.
To add an event handler with parameters using arrow and anonymous functions, we’ll first need to call the function we’re going to create inside the arrow function attached to the event listener:
const button = document.querySelector(“#myButton”);
button.addEventListener(“click”, (event) => {
handleClick(event, “hello”, “world”);
});
After that, we can create the function with parameters:
function handleClick(event, param1, param2) {
console.log(param1, param2, event.type, event.target);
}
Note that with this method, removing the event listener requires the AbortController. To remove the event listener, we create a new AbortController object and then retrieve the AbortSignal object from it:
const controller = new AbortController();
const { signal } = controller;
Next, we can pass the signal from the controller as an option in the removeEventListener() method:
button.addEventListener(“click”, (event) => {
handleClick(event, “hello”, “world”);
}, { signal });
Now we can remove the event listener by calling AbortController.abort():
controller.abort()
Option 2: Closures
Closures in JavaScript are another feature that can help us with event handlers. Remember the mistake that produced a type error? That mistake can also be corrected with closures. Specifically, with closures, a function can access variables from its outer scope.
In other words, we can access the parameters we need in the event handler from the outer function:
function createHandler(message, number) {
// Event handler
return function (event) {
console.log(${message} ${number} – Clicked element:, event.target);
};
}
const button = document.querySelector(“#myButton”);
button.addEventListener(“click”, createHandler(“Hello, world!”, 1));
}
This establishes a function that returns another function. The function that is created is then called as the second parameter in the addEventListener() method so that the inner function is returned as the event handler. And with the power of closures, the parameters from the outer function will be made available for use in the inner function.
Notice how the event object is made available to the inner function. This is because the inner function is what is being attached as the event handler. The event object is passed to the function automatically because it’s the event handler.
To remove the event listener, we can use the AbortController like we did before. However, this time, let’s see how we can do that using the removeEventListener() method instead.
In order for the removeEventListener method to work, a reference to the createHandler function needs to be stored and used in the addEventListener method:
function createHandler(message, number) {
return function (event) {
console.log(${message} ${number} – Clicked element:, event.target);
};
}
const handler = createHandler(“Hello, world!”, 1);
button.addEventListener(“click”, handler);
Now, the event listener can be removed like this:
button.removeEventListener(“click”, handler);
Conclusion
It is good practice to always remove event listeners whenever they are no longer needed to prevent memory leaks. Most times, event handlers do not require parameters; however, in rare cases, they do. Using JavaScript features like closures, AbortController, and removeEventListener, handling parameters with event handlers is both possible and well-supported.
Original Source: https://tympanus.net/codrops/2025/07/22/interactive-text-destruction-with-three-js-webgpu-and-tsl/
Learn how to create an interactive 3D text effect where letters explode into dynamic shapes using Three.js, WebGPU, and Three Shader Language (TSL).
Original Source: https://ecommerce-platforms.com/articles/spoton-pos-review
SpotOn is a powerful, cloud-based POS (point-of-sale) system built to serve restaurants, cafes, salons, and retail stores — especially those with both in-store and online sales.
With advanced tools for inventory management, customer engagement, and online ordering, SpotOn has gained serious ground as a flexible and scalable alternative to Square, Toast, or Clover.
I’ve tested SpotOn and compared it to other POS systems.
In this review, I’ll walk through its pricing, features, and real business performance so you can decide if it’s right for your store or restaurant.
Why You Can Trust This Review
This review is based on hundreds of hours of product research, hands-on testing, and real user feedback. I’ve reviewed dozens of POS platforms and interviewed business owners who actively use SpotOn in the US.
SpotOn POS at a Glance
SpotOn POS
Best for restaurants and retail businesses that sell in-store and online
Rating: 4.6 out of 5
FeaturesSummaryIndustries ServedRestaurants, retail stores, service-based businessesHardwareAndroid-based POS terminals, handhelds, and kitchen displaysEcommerce CapabilitiesBuilt-in online ordering and product syncPrice Range (Software)$25–$195/month (based on features)Price Range (Hardware)$0–$1,200 (one-time or bundled)Payment ProcessingCustom rates (typically 1.89% + $0.10 per transaction)Support24/7 support + on-site setup in many areas
Pros 👍
Cons 👎
Pros 👍
Excellent for managing both in-person and online sales
Built-in tools for loyalty, CRM, and promotions
Offline mode for uninterrupted transactions
Real-time inventory tracking and detailed analytics
Strong customer support and onboarding
Cons 👎
No public pricing – you’ll need a quote
Interface isn’t as slick as Square or Clover
Some onboarding can be time-consuming
Not ideal for ecommerce-only businesses
Go to the top
My Experience Setting Up SpotOn
When I signed up for SpotOn, I was assigned a dedicated rep who walked me through the onboarding steps. Unlike other systems, SpotOn offers in-person installation in most metro areas, which is a big help for businesses transitioning from older systems.
What the onboarding looked like:
I chose my business type (restaurant vs retail)
SpotOn pre-configured the POS with the appropriate tools
I imported my menu or product catalog
A SpotOn installer handled device setup, training, and testing
Most businesses are fully up and running within 1–2 weeks depending on their needs.
This isn’t a plug-and-play solution like Square — it’s more tailored to businesses ready to scale or upgrade from basic setups.
Go to the top
Features Breakdown
SpotOn offers a wide range of features out of the box, without forcing you into a messy app ecosystem.
Sales & Checkout
Accepts all major payment types, including tap, mobile wallets, EMV, and online prepay
Tip settings, receipt options, and customer-facing displays
Offline mode: Continue selling even if WiFi drops
SpotOn’s checkout experience is fast and customizable. You can tailor the flow to match your business type — for example, quick-serve restaurants can skip certain steps to reduce order times, while retail stores can offer flexible tipping and receipt delivery via email or SMS.
The interface is clean and functional, with minimal training required for staff.
Another standout is SpotOn’s ability to handle split payments and partial refunds without jumping through hoops. Whether a customer wants to split a bill between cash and card, or needs a refund on one item in a multi-item order, the process is quick and accurate.
For businesses that process high volumes during peak hours, SpotOn’s robust hardware (like the handheld SpotOn Terminal) lets staff take orders and payments on the move — helping reduce wait times and keep lines short.
Inventory Management
Track stock in real time across multiple locations
Set reorder alerts and sync items with online menus/stores
Categorize items by tags, vendors, and product types
SpotOn’s inventory system is powerful yet user-friendly. You can create categories for items, set up modifiers (great for food service), and bulk import your existing product database.
Everything updates automatically across your POS devices and your online store, so there’s less risk of overselling or stock mismatches.
The platform also lets you track cost of goods sold (COGS), margins, and vendor data. This is particularly helpful for retail businesses managing dozens (or hundreds) of SKUs from different suppliers.
You can even generate reorder reports to restock fast-selling items.
SpotOn is also ideal for managing combos or bundles — whether you’re selling meal packages or retail gift sets. You can build custom kits with dynamic pricing and real-time inventory deduction for each item inside the bundle.
CRM & Loyalty Tools
Capture customer data at checkout (name, email, preferences)
Built-in loyalty programs that reward repeat visits automatically
Customizable offers and email marketing tools
SpotOn’s CRM capabilities let you build a database of repeat customers and track their spending behavior. This makes it easy to identify VIP customers, high-lifetime-value shoppers, or lapsed buyers who might be ready for a win-back campaign.
Loyalty programs are integrated — not bolted on. Customers can automatically earn points based on purchases, and redeem rewards via email, text, or in-person.
You can run seasonal offers, birthday rewards, or flash promotions without needing third-party software.
For email and text marketing, SpotOn includes a drag-and-drop campaign builder with list segmentation. You can trigger campaigns based on visit history, average spend, or visit frequency.
And the best part? It’s all connected to your POS, so performance tracking is seamless.
Ecommerce & Online Ordering
Branded online store or menu with item syncing
Custom checkout, delivery zones, and curbside options
Orders flow directly into your POS dashboard
SpotOn makes it easy for restaurants and retailers to launch a web presence.
The built-in online store is branded to match your business and automatically pulls in items from your POS, saving you hours of manual work.
Menu changes update in real time, which is crucial for businesses with changing inventories or daily specials.
You can define delivery zones, set curbside pickup instructions, and add tipping or promotional codes — all from one dashboard.
It’s mobile-optimized by default, meaning your customers get a clean checkout experience whether they’re browsing on desktop or phone.
Though it doesn’t offer full control like Shopify or WooCommerce, the simplicity is the point. You can start taking online orders without having to manage a separate ecommerce platform.
And for food service businesses, the integration with kitchen displays and order printers ensures nothing gets missed.
Reporting & Analytics
Daily sales summaries and shift reports
Labor and productivity tracking
Multi-location rollup reports
Export to QuickBooks or Excel
The reporting dashboard in SpotOn is one of its strongest features. It delivers actionable insights right from your homepage — including best-selling items, top employees by sales, busiest times of day, and overall store performance.
You can drill down by day, week, or month.
Labor tracking shows how each team member performs across shifts, helping managers schedule smarter and recognize top earners. You can even compare locations side-by-side and spot trends or inconsistencies quickly.
Custom reports are easy to generate, and you can schedule automatic email reports to be sent daily or weekly to store managers or accountants.
If you use QuickBooks, the export integration ensures your books stay clean and reconciled without extra effort.
Table: SpotOn Feature Availability by Business Type
FeatureRestaurantRetailServiceOnline ordering✅✅❌Loyalty programs✅✅✅Appointment scheduling❌❌✅Inventory management✅✅❌Multi-location support✅✅✅
Go to the top
Pricing Breakdown
SpotOn doesn’t list its pricing publicly, so I gathered quotes from businesses and sales reps to give you an accurate idea.
Plan TypeEstimated Cost (USD)Core software$25–$195/month per locationHardware bundles$0–$1,200 (one-time or lease)Payment fees1.89% + $0.10 per transaction (average)Add-onsLoyalty, marketing, KDS included in higher plans
Quick Notes on Pricing:
SpotOn can bundle hardware and software into one monthly fee
Payment processing rates improve with volume
Most plans are 12–36 months (read the fine print)
One big benefit is SpotOn’s ability to build a custom quote based on your actual needs. You’re not stuck in a cookie-cutter plan. That said, some users find the negotiation process a little tiring, especially compared to Square’s simple pricing page.
SpotOn also offers zero upfront hardware for some qualifying businesses — as long as you sign a longer-term contract. This is great if you’re short on capital but need modern gear to run your store efficiently.
While SpotOn may not be the cheapest POS on the market, it often ends up saving money over time, thanks to included tools (like loyalty and email marketing) that would otherwise cost extra through third-party platforms.
Go to the top
Real Customer Feedback
What Users Love
“We cut checkout time by 20% and saw fewer errors from staff.”
“Support actually picks up the phone and sends someone to help.”
“The loyalty program boosted repeat visits by 30% in 3 months.”
SpotOn users often highlight the level of personal support they receive. Whether it’s an on-site setup, scheduled training calls, or quick issue resolution, the support team gets consistent praise across review sites like G2 and Capterra.
Another common thread in positive reviews is how centralized the system feels. Businesses don’t need separate tools for gift cards, online orders, loyalty, and email — it’s all managed in one dashboard, which saves time and reduces tech fatigue.
Multiple business owners also mentioned improvements in employee productivity and customer retention within the first few months of using SpotOn, largely thanks to detailed reporting and smarter marketing tools.
Common Complaints
“Inventory syncing with our online store took a while to get right.”
“I wish they’d just post the pricing online.”
“Interface isn’t as modern as Square, but it works well.”
Some users feel that SpotOn’s learning curve is a bit steep during onboarding — especially if migrating from another POS. Certain restaurant-specific setups (like complex menu modifiers or split checks) require more upfront configuration.
The lack of transparent pricing also frustrates some potential users, who don’t want to speak to a sales rep just to get a ballpark estimate. That said, those who do engage often find SpotOn more competitively priced than expected.
Lastly, the user interface gets mixed reviews. It’s functional and gets the job done, but it doesn’t feel quite as polished or intuitive as newer platforms like Square or Lightspeed.
Go to the top
SpotOn vs Competitors
Here’s how SpotOn stacks up against major POS systems:
FeatureSpotOnSquareToastCloverBest forHybrid bizNew sellersRestaurantsRetail & QSROnline orderingIncludedAdd-onIncludedPlugin neededHardware typeAndroidiPadProprietaryAndroidLoyalty programsBuilt-inAdd-onAdd-onAdd-onTransparent pricing❌ No✅ Yes❌ No✅ YesOffline mode✅ Yes✅ Yes✅ Yes✅ Yes
While Square is ideal for solo entrepreneurs and new businesses, it can start to feel limited as you grow — especially when you need real-time inventory tracking or better CRM tools.
SpotOn, on the other hand, offers more scalability and support.
Toast is very strong in full-service restaurants but lacks the retail tools that make SpotOn a better all-in-one option for hybrid businesses.
And while Clover has decent customization, its app-based approach can feel fragmented unless you’re tech-savvy.
Go to the top
Selling Online with SpotOn
If you’re a restaurant or retail store that needs to sell online, SpotOn gives you a streamlined, no-fuss solution.
The online ordering platform is integrated into your POS, so every menu or product update flows instantly to your website. This removes the need for double entry or syncing headaches — a huge time-saver.
You can choose whether you want to offer pickup, delivery, or curbside options. Delivery zones are customizable by ZIP code or distance, and pricing can be adjusted based on location or order size.
Businesses can also control lead times, so your kitchen or staff never gets overwhelmed during rush hours.
From a customer perspective, the experience is fast and frictionless. The checkout process is mobile-optimized, supports tipping, and lets customers save payment info for future orders.
You can also offer promo codes, upsell items at checkout, or let customers reorder favorites with one click. This helps increase average order value and repeat sales, especially for restaurants and cafés.
Another bonus is that SpotOn includes basic SEO controls like meta tags and clean URLs for your online store.
It’s not a full-featured ecommerce CMS, but for hybrid businesses, it covers the essentials. If online ordering is an add-on to your physical operation — not your core — SpotOn’s ecommerce features are exactly what you need.
Go to the top
Security & Compliance
SpotOn follows all industry standards to protect your business, customer data, and payment information.
Every transaction is PCI DSS compliant, and sensitive information is encrypted both in transit and at rest. Whether you’re processing a mobile tap or taking a payment from a web order, it’s secured with modern encryption protocols.
One key advantage is local offline storage. If your internet goes down, SpotOn can still run transactions securely and sync them once you’re back online.
This ensures business continuity even in the middle of a Wi-Fi outage — something many cloud-only systems struggle with.
SpotOn also offers role-based user permissions, so you can control who sees what. For example, cashiers can be restricted from accessing reports, while managers can review sales and labor performance.
This helps protect against internal misuse and simplifies team management.
The platform is hosted on secure, redundant infrastructure, and SpotOn performs routine security audits to identify vulnerabilities before they become issues.
As a business owner, you can feel confident that SpotOn is handling the heavy lifting on compliance — letting you focus on running your store.
Go to the top
Customer Support
One of SpotOn’s strongest selling points is its direct, human-first approach to support.
Unlike many POS providers that funnel you into chatbots or forums, SpotOn gives you 24/7 access to real support — whether that’s via phone, live chat, or your dedicated account manager.
During onboarding, many users are assigned a specialist who walks them through the setup process, helps import menus or inventory, and trains staff.
This level of service is rare in the POS industry unless you’re paying for enterprise-level support. SpotOn includes it for most businesses — especially restaurants and multi-location operations.
There’s also an extensive online help center, packed with video tutorials, step-by-step guides, and quick-start walkthroughs. You’ll find topics ranging from setting up delivery zones to creating custom promotions and exporting financial reports.
Beyond technical support, SpotOn offers ongoing optimization help. Account managers often check in after launch to recommend ways to improve usage — like enabling loyalty features or running local promotions.
If you’re used to being left on your own after setup, this will be a welcome change.
Go to the top
Final Verdict: Should You Use SpotOn POS?
SpotOn is ideal for growing businesses that need more than just a basic cash register. If you’re running a restaurant, retail shop, or hybrid operation that combines in-person and online sales, SpotOn delivers the tools you need without forcing you to piece everything together through third-party apps.
The system is flexible enough to support single-location stores and scalable enough for multi-site businesses. Features like loyalty tracking, real-time analytics, and ecommerce order syncing make day-to-day operations more efficient and customer engagement easier to manage.
It’s also one of the few POS systems where customer support is genuinely a standout feature, not an afterthought.
If having a real human on the phone matters to you — especially during a launch, system change, or busy holiday rush — SpotOn’s team will give you peace of mind.
While it’s not the best fit for pure ecommerce brands or DIYers looking for a drag-and-drop setup, SpotOn is a smart choice if you’re focused on improving operational efficiency, increasing repeat business, and unifying your digital + physical presence.
The post SpotOn POS Review: The Best POS System for Restaurants and Retail? appeared first on Ecommerce-Platforms.com.
Original Source: https://www.creativebloq.com/ai/adobe-claims-its-ai-tools-are-commercially-safe-but-its-latest-move-says-otherwise
I’m getting confused, and I don’t think I’m alone.
Original Source: https://abduzeedo.com/barrel-riot-crafting-wine-branding-and-visual-identity
Barrel Riot: Crafting a Wine Branding and Visual Identity
abduzeedo
07/15 — 2025
Explore how MiresBall crafted Barrel Riot’s unique visual identity, blending tradition with a rule-breaking spirit. Discover innovative branding.
Hey creative peers! Let’s dive into a case study that really pops: the branding for Barrel Riot. This isn’t your typical wine brand. It’s about an unconventional approach to winemaking, using spirit-barrel aging to create an intense, complex character. The team at MiresBall really nailed the visual identity for this one.
The Spark: A Name Born from Process
MiresBall understood that this wine needed a name and look that screamed “rule-breaker.” Their inspiration? The spirit barrel-making process itself. That’s how “Barrel Riot” came to be. It’s a name that instantly communicates the brand’s adventurous spirit.
Visual Identity: Scorched Cork and Bold Colors
The visual elements are key to Barrel Riot’s identity. Take the scorched cork emblem. It’s a smart piece of design. It signals a wine bursting with flavor, but also acts as a consistent identifier across all product variations. You can see this emblem clearly on the corks themselves (Image 1, page 2; Image 2, page 3). It’s a subtle yet powerful detail.
The labels use strong color reads to identify wine varietals. This also amplifies taste appeal. Look at the lineup of bottles (Image 3, page 4). Each color instantly tells you something about the wine inside. For instance, the Bourbon Barrel-Aged Red Wine Blend uses a vibrant red (Image 4, page 5), while the Rum Barrel-Aged Grenache features a deep purple (Image 5, page 6). The Tequila Barrel-Aged Orange Muscat gets a rich gold (Image 6, page 7). This system is flexible, ready to grow as Barrel Riot introduces new wine and spirit barrel combinations.
The Story: A Triumph Over Typical
The brand story is just as compelling as the visuals. It celebrates an adventurous, “try-anything” attitude. The back of the bottle reads, “A triumph over typical. We love a great-tasting wine as much as anybody. Maybe even more. But a well-worn spirit barrel should never go to waste when it’s got so much flavor left to give. That’s why our wines finish their journey inside one of these wooden wonders—just soaking it all in to create a unique, complex character that puts a cork in tradition. So take a sip, but take it slow. And savor the aged-in aromas of this one-of-a-kind liquid celebration.”
Dan Lipsky, owner of Barrel Riot, sums it up perfectly: “Our brand is defined by the dramatic difference between us and other wines. MiresBall understood our message and infused it into a name, logo, and image that set us apart from the competition. I couldn’t be happier.” This partnership highlights the power of a design studio truly understanding a client’s vision.
This project is a fantastic example of how strong branding and visual identity can elevate a product. MiresBall didn’t just design labels; they crafted a whole personality for Barrel Riot. It shows that even in traditional industries, there’s always room to break the mold with smart, impactful design.
Want to see more of their work? Check out MiresBall’s portfolio: https://miresball.com/work/barrel-riot/
Branding and visual identity artifacts
Original Source: https://webdesignerdepot.com/exciting-new-tools-for-designers-july-2025/
Summer is here, and designers are buzzing about the upcoming Apple release, design changes, and trends that are coming with it. The biggest being a glass effect. You’ll see some new tools for designers in this roundup that reflect that as well as some new AI tools and a few fun design kits. Here’s what’s […]
Original Source: https://www.sitepoint.com/memory-page-sizes-on-arm64/?utm_source=rss
Optimize ARM64 performance with larger memory page sizes. Learn when 64K pages benefit databases, AI, and I/O workloads plus Linux configuration steps.
Continue reading
Understanding Memory Page Sizes on Arm64
on SitePoint.
