Retails businesses from different industries have to identify their point of sale to makes sales effective and efficient.
Some retailers traditionally allow customers to order at the cash counter, while some take orders on the table or have automated customer-operated point of sale solutions.
It is important to know where to install a POS software for retail business, as that can smoothen or complicate your order processing.
Businesses can understand their customer profile and identify the kind of POS software that will work for them to generate maximum revenue.
Placement of POS
Factors that determine POS location
- Cash counter: You can traditionally place your POS at cash counters, where customers can take the products they are interested in purchasing and pay to complete the order.
Customer motivation to purchase independently: How much motivation or convincing is required to get your customers on board determines if you need a sales person assisting them in completing the order or if they can be left independent to complete purchases on their own.
- Order counters: Fast-food restaurants, coffee shops, bakeries, etc. allow customers to place orders at the point of sale. In this case, products are displayed at the order counter itself, and the sales person has a lot of control over execution of sales, up-selling, etc. Order counters are usually used in retail stores where product needs to be prepared or packed before handling.
Customer tech savvy-ness: If your customers are tech savvy, then you can install self-operated check-out counters. In such cases, customers themselves enter their contact information, select or scan their purchased items and pay for them using net banking, mobile wallets or cards. This is often used in fast-food restaurants, convenience stores, etc.
- At table/In Room: In this case, there are staff or customer-operated POS devices. Staff operated POS devices are used to enter orders from each table, rooms, etc. in the system. The orders are mapped to tables/rooms and customers. In case of customer-operated POS software, customers can enter their details in the system, and can place orders from their respective tables, rooms, etc.
Product handling: In case of sensitive products like cakes, coffee, etc., where products can’t easily be handled by customers or need preparation or packing before handling, POS is placed at the order counter. If the products are not delicate, need no preparation or packing before handling, then customers may be allowed self-checkout or checkout at the till.
- Self-checkout: Self-checkout counters are placed in a lot of retail stores. These allow customers to scan products they wish to purchase and pay for them through various payment modes.
- Online: Many retailers allow customers to place orders online. Products are either home delivered or are picked from retail outlets by customers.
Your POS software for retail businesses can be installed easily at any point of order completion, as long as it ensures maximization of revenue and efficiency in order completion.