As Criminal Gangs Target New York’s Bodegas, NRS Partners with BSBG to Offer Stores Free Panic Alarm Service

NEWARK, N.J., May 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- National Retail Solutions (NRS), operator of the leading point-of-sale (POS) platform for independent retailers, today announced a partnership with the Bodega and Small Business Group (BSBG) to help safeguard New York City’s bodegas amid a continuing series of robberies and assaults on these stores.

The BSBG is a coalition of Hispanic bodega and other independent retail store owners in the New York metropolitan area, many of which serve predominantly immigrant communities in high-crime, low-income neighborhoods underserved by large retail brands. BSBG requested that NRS help its members to protect their stores with a panic alarm service.

Through the partnership, NRS will provide any BSBG member store that utilizes its point of sale (POS) terminal and enrolls for the alarm service on or before May 31, 2023 with six free months of Panic Alarm Button service.

The NRS alarm button is cleverly disguised within the NRS POS’s merchant-facing interface, enabling the cashier to summon local police silently and inconspicuously while a robbery or other emergency is in progress.

“Our bodegas are targeted by gangs and other violent criminals,” said Francisco Marte, president of BSBG. “We asked NRS to help our merchants because their panic alarm button is an essential safety service that enables our stores to safely alert the NYPD in an emergency.”

NRS operates the largest POS network for independent bodegas and retailers in the United States, comprising over 23,000 active POS terminals operating in stores nationwide. Over 10% of these stores are located in New York City.

“Our POS silent Panic Button Alarm service assists stores in emergency situations and helps deter crime,” said Elie Y. Katz, CEO of NRS. “It also makes owners and employees - as well as their customers - feel more secure, and in some instances, it can reduce the store’s insurance premiums. We offer support to store owners who try our system – training the staff so that they’ll know how to safely use the alarm in an emergency. Francisco and I encourage every BSBG member and every bodega and neighborhood c-store owner in New York to take advantage of this offer.”

To learn more about the NRS POS Panic Alarm Button premium feature or to request it for your store, please call (888) 755-9838 or visit nrsplus.com/panicalarm.

In New York City, the NRS POS Panic Alarm Button service is offered through NRS’ partnership with Top Security Alarms, a leading alarm company in the region for over 40 years (NYS License # 12000292736). Top Security Alarms also provides video surveillance and other security-related services.

About National Retail Solutions (NRS):

National Retail Solutions operates the leading point-of-sale (POS) terminal-based platform and NRS Pay credit card processing for independent retailers and bodega owners nationwide. Retailers utilize NRS offerings to process transactions and manage operations more effectively, enabling them to successfully compete against large retail chains. Advertisers access the terminal’s digital display network to reach these retailers’ massive, predominantly urban customer bases. Consumer packaged goods (CPG) suppliers leverage the NRS platform to provision promotions, coupons, and special offers to independent retailers. NRS is a subsidiary of IDT Corporation (NYSE: IDT).

About The Bodega and Small Business Group

The Bodega and Small Business Group (BSBG) is an organization of Hispanic entrepreneurs that own and operate independent bodegas and small stores in New York. The Group was founded by its President, Francisco Marte, who is himself a bodeguero, or bodega owner.

Many BSBG bodegueros opened their stores to serve under-served, low-income, Hispanic communities that are struggling economically.

Bodegueros play an essential role in their communities throughout New York and their stores are vital parts of daily life in their local communities.

All statements above that are not purely about historical facts, including, but not limited to, those in which we use the words “believe,” “anticipate,” “expect,” “plan,” “intend,” “estimate,” “target” and similar expressions, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. While these forward-looking statements represent our current judgment of what may happen in the future, actual results may differ materially from the results expressed or implied by these statements due to numerous important factors. Our filings with the SEC provide detailed information on such statements and risks, and should be consulted along with this release. To the extent permitted under applicable law, IDT assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements.

NRS and Retailer Contact:
Elie Y. Katz
ekatz@nrsplus.com

IDT Corporation Media and Investor Contact:
Bill Ulrey
william.ulrey@idt.net

# # #