Point-of-Sale (POS) Software and Systems

How point of sale software and a point of sale system can boost your business

Cash registers are kaput. Today even the smallest business rings up sales with POS software and point of sale systems that performs multiple tasks such as gathering customer and inventory information, scanning bar codes, reading credit cards, printing receipts and displaying messages to buyers.

The ability of point of sales systems to instantly update inventory after each sale is huge. Point of sale software and hardware can tell you -- by the day, week or month -- what items are selling, what items aren't, and what you need to order. Three things you need to know about point of sales systems:

1. Point of sale software and equipment can improve customer service by speeding checkout and instantly answering questions about product availability.
2. Initial point of sale systems setup can be a pain for existing businesses using older methods so you may want to pay a vendor for help installing your new store management software system. For new businesses, however, it's simple to start out with point of sale software and a dedicated point of sale system, including a POS cash register.
3. Point of sale systems include many components. Whether you need a retail POS cash register, restaurant point of sale, computer point of sale or wireless point of sale, you can start with the basics and add features as your business grows. There are also web-based point of sale systems that provide what you need online.

Get more free business tips at BizBest. 

 

Web-based point of sale solutions can do it all

Internet-based point of sale solutions and store management software applications offer a flexible, affordable alternative to the outright purchase of POS hardware and point of sale software. Great way to add electronic point of sale at multiple locations for minimal cost.
Try: Merchant OS and EffortlessE are two web-based POS services that can help retailers track and organize sales and inventory. The systems are simple and require no special training or software expertise. 

Let your QuickBooks be your POS cash register

If you already use QuickBooks to manage your finances, check out QuickBooks: Point of Sale 5.0. QuickBooks is bundling the POS software with hardware to create an all-in-one solution at substantial savings.
Try: Ring up sales on your PC rather than a POS cash register with QuickBooks: Point of Sale. 

Tap Microsoft's new small business point of sale software solution

Microsoft Point of Sale is a popular POS software solution for small business. You can bundle it with HP hardware, including touch screen display, receipt printer, POS cash register, card reader and keyboard.
Try: Microsoft Dynamics Point of Sale aims to make it easy for small, independent retailers to pull the plug on outdated electronic POS cash registers.

Consider Dell point of sale systems bundles

Dell offers several point-of-sale solutions for small business. The complete system combines all the POS hardware and point of sale retail software you need.
Try: Select a point of sale systems package or customize your own solution from Dell POS.

Select a long-time small business point of sale systems leader

Cam Commerce Solutions is one of the largest suppliers of point of sale systems and POS software to small and mid-sized businesses.
Try: Visit Cam Commercial Solutions.

Find hubs for your point of sale systems

POS Guys is an online point of sale systems "superstore" that offers a full line of equipment, store management POS software and well-done buyer's guides, including credit card terminals.
Try: Go to POSGuys.com to see all their offerings on point of sale retail software and hardware.

Bone up on point of sales systems basics

Resource Nation is an excellent place to comparison shop and request quotes on point of sale systems and to bone up on basics.
Try: Their detailed and objective Buyer's Guides on POS systems are super helpful.

 

• A customer display for your POS cash register, also called a "pole display," shows items, prices and other information to the customer, and can also be used to display ad messages.
• A hand-held terminal can wirelessly transmit sales back to the base station; especially handy for restaurants.
• Some point of sales systems are equipped with store POS software that will even produce purchase orders for items running low.

Copyright © 2011 Business.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

---