What every retailer needs, first and foremost, is an effective POS (Point Of Sale) system. It is the core of the business and has numerous functions such as inventory management, sales, and employee report, customer management, and many more.
But keep in mind that there is more than one type of POS and they all serve different purposes. Therefore, it is essential to choose the right POS for your business. This article acts as your guide to 4 main types of POS systems for retail that are accessible nowadays.
Desktop POS system
This kind of system operates on a computer/laptop, either on an app, a browser, or an on-premises system. It is connected to a cash drawer, a barcode scanner, a card swiper, so it performs just like a normal cash register.
Desktop Point of Sale systems are ideal for businesses that experience high volumes of transactions. They excel in industries like restaurants, grocery stores, fashion retailers, bookstores, salons, and spas. By efficiently managing sales and inventory, they enhance overall customer experiences and boost revenues.
For instance, restaurants can use Desktop POS to manage tableside orders, thus reducing wait times, while grocery stores can expedite checkout during peak hours. Furthermore, fashion stores benefit from inventory tracking, allowing for improved restocking practices and better customer satisfaction. Bookstores can monitor best-selling titles as well as manage special orders.
Salons and spas can utilize these systems to manage customer appointments, staff schedules, and inventory of products. This helps provide tailored experiences to clients while alleviating the burden of manual appointment handling.
Mobile POS system
A mobile POS, in contrast to a desktop POS, is much smaller in size but just as helpful. It mainly consists of a phone app that attaches to a card reader. That being so, all you have to do is turn on the POS software and start selling. Other accessories like barcode scanners and receipt printers are optional.
A mobile POS is a compact, space-saving solution that offers significant advantages for those who need flexibility in managing transactions. With its portability, it allows the user to complete sales transactions instantly, without the need for a dedicated counter space or lengthy setup. This feature is particularly beneficial for small-scale businesses such as street vendors, fair and event vendors, and freelance workers who require on-the-go payment processing.
In addition to its compact size, mobile POS systems are generally user-friendly, ensuring both customers and merchants can understand and navigate transactions with ease. For example, some mobile POS systems feature intuitive touchscreens and simplified menus to make the process smoother.
Tablet POS systems
A tablet POS works just about the same as a mobile POS, both are installed on the devices with any optional attachments (card swiper/receipt printer). The only difference is that tablets are usually much bigger, their screens are larger so that images are displayed more sharply with more vivid colors. These types of POS systems for retail should come in handy for businesses with larger inventory. It makes ordering and purchasing tasks easier for both your staff and customers.
The popularity of tablet POS systems is on the rise, especially among small businesses with limited resources. For instance, coffee shops, gift shops, and art galleries are some prime examples of businesses that can benefit from these user-friendly systems.
By opting for a tablet POS, these establishments can save on costs and space while enjoying increased flexibility and mobility. For example, they can quickly adjust to customer demands, introduce new products, or modify prices with ease.
Self-service kiosk POS systems
Types of self-service POS allow customers to make purchases by themselves without having the need for any employee. The main purpose of this system is to make operations more efficient while saving on manpower for businesses. A self-service kiosk POS setup is usually similar to a desktop POS, but with additional security functions, in this way all transactions are one-ended and risks are prevented.
One of the most popular technologies used for self-service POS systems is the advanced Progressive Web App (PWA). PWA is a website-turn-app that requires little to nothing space on your devices, doesn’t need downloading, and is very low-cost. At ConnectPOS, we have been using PWA technology to build the ConnectPOS PWA Consumer App, Leading Magento 2 POS for Omnichannel Retail.
Self-service POS is typically used for ticket sales, parking, patient check-in, etc. For example, self-service POS offered in movie theatres could help customers to schedule and purchase tickets on one’s own. Another example would be grocery stores, where customers are able to check the price of a product and checkout on their own.
Conclusion
In the end, a smart thing to do when it comes to retail businesses to succeed is choosing the appropriate POS system. Do consider what types of POS system is the right fit for your business with the help of the guide above.
If you are searching for a system that could run on multiple devices (mobile, tablet…), you could take a look at ConnectPOS, a POS system that offers cutting-edge technology and 24/7 support.
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