Topics covered in this article:

• What is a point of sale system?
• Why do you need a POS system for your store?
• Best Retail POS Software Features
• Retail POS System Hardware Accessories
• Best Retail POS Systems for 2019
• Retail POS System Pricing

This article will introduce you to the top ten retail POS systems available to you, as well as clarify which POS software hardware features and tools are the most essential in the retail world.

What is a point of sale system?

A point of sale or POS system helps a store sell to customers. Records the number and amount of sales, while keeping track of your inventory and letting you know when to replenish. It also serves as the backbone for all your daily store tasks – it can help you schedule employees, track actionable data, and launch new marketing campaigns.

Why do you need a POS system for your store?

A POS doesn’t just help you accept cards (although it definitely should). The ultimate goal of any point of sale is to help a store reduce costs while increasing sales. It should help you accept cash, credit and cardless payments, as well as keep your products in stock and all your employees aware of the latest changes and modifications in your store. The POS system is a combination of software, often cloud-based and offered by a provider through a monthly subscription, and hardware.

Finding the right outlet for your business will pay for itself. It will propel your business to another level of success.

Best Retail POS Software Features

Certain core POS competencies are essential for retail POS software. However, some additional features are quite useful and can take your store to the next level. Here is a list of the software skills that the average retailer will find most useful.

• Sales Management:  A point of sale should make the checkout process fast, with every transaction recorded down to the penny.
• Inventory Management –  ​​This maintains a detailed inventory that is updated after each sale and can send email or text notifications to managers when an item starts to run out.
• Employee Management –  ​​The right feature will create schedules, allow employees to log in and out, and track employee performance.
• Reports and Analysis:  Data collection allows you to create and save reports. Once a manager has enough information, trends and patterns will become clear, allowing managers to make more informed judgments on everything from which items to promote to which employees sell the fastest.
• Loyalty Programs –  This feature allows you to offer discounts to returning customers or create a gift card program that works.
• Marketing Integrations –  Some POS software will collect email addresses and create a list that can be used for future marketing promotions or events.

The best POS software services can run temporarily offline, have a helpful support team, and have intuitive interfaces that users can understand without a huge learning curve.

Point of Sale System for Retail Trade: Hardware Accessories

The need for hardware options depends on the type of POS system your business needs. If it’s a smaller location, an iPad tablet or two and a handheld card reading device may be all you need. If you’re a large operation or an entire franchise, you’ll likely need multiple dedicated monitors, routers, stand-alone card readers, and receipt printers. Here’s a quick rundown of possible hardware to consider.

• Tablet:  An iPad or Android tablet may be just about all you need.
• Monitor:  But if you want an over-the-counter touch screen, go for a larger monitor.
• iPad Card Readers: You  can plug a quarter-size card reader into an iPad connector, and some POS software services build them into their service plans.
• Receipt Printer –  Many iPad POS software options will email a receipt, making this a less essential piece of hardware.
• iPad Stands and Docks:  If you’re not charging your iPad, you’ll want a stand, usually one that swivels to allow customers to sign.
• Self Service Kiosk –  To allow customers to check themselves in, you will need a large stand, monitor, receipt printer, and counter card reader. It’s expensive, but it can save you money in the long run.

Routers are also recommended for larger operations; They will keep your internet connection secure and stable.

The best sales POS systems for Retail in 2019

Point of sale systems can be designed for a wide variety of industries, although the top two best served are retail and restaurants. Here we examine the best retail POS brands, ranked by overall quality and listed along with their top features that can make a difference to your store operations and profits.

Our pick for the top ten retail POS systems available:

• Square POS
• light speed
• Shopify
• sold
• shopkeep

• Erply
• SalesVu
• reveal
• clover
• Eps Now

Below is a description of our ranking with the details and important criteria when evaluating the best POS for your store.

1.Square POS

Best of all
Editor Rating: 5 stars
Price: $60/mo
Square is known for its free iPad POS software, which manages sales and inventory, tracks customer purchases, and email receipts . However, Square POS also offers a retail-specific system for larger operations, which starts at $60/month (plus a 2.5% + 10¢ fee for each sale) and includes hardware: a square stand and reader. of Square cards. The retail system price includes technical support: email support is available 24/7, with phone support 12/7.

KEY FEATURES:
Unlimited staff permissions
Customer profiles
Reports and analytics

EXTRAS:
Free
trial 24/7 support Works
for all business sizes

Bottom Line:
One of the biggest brands in POS, Square’s service, features, and price are hard to beat. They offer intuitive software, and the set of hardware they offer is also cost-effective (which is not the case for many competitors). Square POS is a good fit for everyone, and tops our list of retail point of sale systems.

2.Lightspeed POS

Best for complex inventories.
Editor rating: 5 stars
Price: $99/month

Lightspeed’s inventory management options allow managers to import items or order from preloaded catalogs, group items by type, or add granular details including style, size, and color. Lightspeed’s most popular retail POS plan starts at $99/month and includes one sign-on with up to five employee accounts, easy integration features, basic analytics, and 24/7 support. It can run on iPad or desktop, and Lightspeed’s hardware packages include scanners, receipt printers, iPad mounts, and cash drawers.

KEY FEATURES:
Inventory management
Library integration
Free webinars

EXTRAS:
Free
trial 24/7 support
Serves all business sizes

Bottom Line:
This is a good fit for everyone, and a great one for managers with complicated inventory to manage, though it may be overkill for those small businesses like mall kiosks with just a handful of products to track. The other features, support team, and price are also good, though $99/month is on the higher end of the industry average for a single signup.

3.Shopify POS

Best for eCommerce integrations.
Editor rating: 5 stars
Price: $29/month

An eCommerce company itself, Shopify offers a retail POS system with great eCommerce integrations. All POS users will get their own branded online store and options for online sales channels like social media. Items can be purchased online and picked up in store. The feature set also includes sales, inventory and employee management, analytics, discount codes, and a mobile app.

KEY FEATURES:
Online Store
Discount Codes Mobile
App

EXTRAS:
Free
trial 24/7 support
Serves all business sizes

CONCLUSION:
Shopify is a great option for businesses that are exploring selling both online and directly to their customers in real life. The support team is another selling point: with 24/7 support via email, live chat, and phone, it couldn’t be better. Starting at $29/mo, the price is great, though growing businesses may want to go for the $79/mo for access to advanced reporting features.

4. Sell POS

Best for third-party integrations.
Editor rating: 5 stars
Price: $59/month

Vend’s third-party integrations allow users to locate and add features beyond those covered by Vend alone. The integrations also cover payment processing, which Vend doesn’t do itself, but can be supported through Square, Shopify, or PayPal. Other top features offered by the retail point of sale include sales and inventory, customer profiles, split payments, gift cards, contactless payments, and e-commerce integration that enables stores to sell seamlessly across physical, digital, and digital channels. mobiles.

KEY FEATURES:
E-commerce features
Offline mode
Works on iPad, Mac and PC

EXTRAS:
Free
trial 24/7 support
Serves all business sizes

Bottom Line:
Vend’s third-party plugins, combined with the versatility of its interface, which can work just as easily on Macs and iPads as it does on PCs, make it one of the most flexible POS services around. It’s a good choice for business owners who enjoy playing around with apps to find the perfect setup.

5. Shopkeep POS

Best for Mobile App Users
Editor Rating: 5 Stars
Price: $69/month

ShopKeep’s POS software covers the core functions needed for retail outlets and wraps them in a clean interface that works great on mobile devices. Employees can use the iPad app to track sales and inventory, while managers can keep up with daily reports while on the go. Their customer service tools are also a highlight, with customer loyalty and gift card integrations available. Support options are good, with 24/7 live support via phone, email, and chat.

KEY FEATURES:
Intuitive interface Mobile
app
Customer marketing tools

EXTRAS:
Free
trial 24/7 support
Serves all business sizes

CONCLUSION:
In an increasingly mobile world, having a point of sale that works on the go is essential, and Shopkeep is more than useful. Their service plans will likely start at $69/mo, though they don’t have a starting price at present, instead recommending that businesses shop around for a budget.

6. Erply POS

Best for small franchises.
Editor Rating: 4.5 stars
Price: $69/month

Erply sells three sales-focused POS systems: a basic retail program, a business retail POS, and a retail franchise POS. The last option allows franchise owners to set security permissions to determine how much access each manager can access. Other features include barcode scanning, employee management tools, and sales and inventory features.

KEY FEATURES:
Franchise features
Versatile interface
Sales and inventory

EXTRAS:
Free
trial 24/7 support
Serves all business sizes

Bottom Line:
This is a solid POS offering, even if its name sounds like someone tried to type “reply” too quickly. With the franchise retail POS system, a franchise owner can decide how to centralize their inventory, customers, or other sensitive information. While the plan with inventory starts at $69/month, a $39/month inventory-free system is available for small businesses.

7. SalesVu

Best for a Small Point of Sale
Editor Rating: 4.5 Stars
Price: $75/mo

SalesVu offers a suite of apps, each addressing different POS concerns, including transactions, inventory, and employees, as well as loyalty, gift card, and billing programs. While all the apps are technically free, any user must pay $75/month/location to access the control panel that makes all the apps easily accessible through one central interface. Support options include 24/7 live chat and an online help center with video tutorials.

KEY FEATURES:
Loyalty
App Gift Card
App Invoice App

EXTRAS:
Free
trial 24/7 support
Serves all business sizes

CONCLUSION:
A business with only a few necessities can count on two or three free SalesVu apps to run their smallest business. So if the business continues to grow, they can eventually move to the paid plan.

8.Reveal POS

The best for customer relations.
Editor Rating: 4.5 stars
Price: $79/month

Revel Retail Point of Sale includes robust customer relationship management tools, allowing businesses to keep track of their returning customers along with their favorite items. All the most essential features are also included: sales, inventory and employee management, and analytics. Pricing starts at $79/month, but custom quotes are also available.

KEY FEATURES:
Intuitive interface
Customer engagement tools
Insights app

EXTRAS:
Free
trial 24/7 support
Serves all business sizes

BOTTOM LINE:
A solid option for companies investing in growing their customer relationships. It’s easy to use on the go: A mobile app, Revel Insights, allows managers to learn relevant insights in real time, even when not at a desk. The lack of a free trial, rare for POS systems, can give you some pause, although a free demo is available.

9.Clover POS

Best for Online Orders
Editor Rating: 4 Stars
Price: Varies

Clover Retail Point of Sale offers online integrations for businesses that need to support online ordering or in-person delivery. Security features and customizable customer profiles are also a highlight. Hardware offerings include a countertop POS station, a mini version of the station, and a contactless payment center.

KEY FEATURES:
Customer profiles
Security
features Online sales features

EXTRAS:
Free
trial 24/7 support
Serves all business sizes

BOTTOM LINE:
Clover POS is a solid option for businesses that need to integrate their online presence with a physical store, but don’t need to be as hands-on as with Shopify – Clover users won’t be given their website, and they need Leverage your pre-existing online Brand.

10.Epos Now POS

The best for a fast learning curve.
Editor rating: 4 stars
Price: $39/month

A simple interface and quick learning curve are selling points for this UK outlet. Retailers can use their current equipment, as the POS supports any barcode scanner or receipt printer, and employees will quickly pick up the software. The discount features are also a highlight: promotions can be customized to run during set hours of the day, days of the week, or in certain locations. 24/7 phone support is available depending on the plan. The initial service plan only includes email support.

KEY FEATURES:
Intuitive interface
Loyalty features
Flexible hardware integrations

EXTRAS:
Free
trial 24/7 support (depends on plan)
Serves all business sizes

BOTTOM LINE:
The Epos Now name isn’t just wishful thinking: According to the site, employees using the software’s intuitive interface “can be up and running in just 15 minutes,” making this retail point-of-sale system one of a kind. a good option for companies that cannot afford long training sessions. Starting at $39/mo, with each additional signup $24/mo, it’s a cost-effective way to take a business from zero to sixty.

Retail POS System Pricing

Costs vary, but the size of your business will affect you the most. The size of your inventory will affect the POS features you’ll need and the level of service plan you’ll select, and the number of employees and locations will affect how much you’ll be charged, as most POS providers charge per sign-up per record month.

A small business should expect to pay between $50 and $100 per month for a single registration. A large franchise can pay anywhere from $100 to $300 per location, per month, with additional single hardware costing somewhere north of $2,500 per location.

In either case, you’ll probably want to obtain and compare quotes from your chosen POS providers before signing on the dotted line. For a quick way to collect quotes from top providers, try Tech.Co’s handy form.