Notebooks and calculators in the seller’s workplace are less common. Instead, even in small shops, we can increasingly see a cashier working with a POS terminal and merchandise accounting software. In this article, we will consider how such products help to establish a transparent and controlled system of inventory.
POS system: what it is and where it is used?
A POS system is a collection of different devices that interact with each other, each of which performs its own specific role. Modern POS systems fully comply with all the requirements of the current legislation, for example, sending data on all cash transactions performed by the OFD, generating fiscal documents, creating an electronic version of a check, and sending it to the client’s phone number or e-mail. At the same time, such systems have qualities that standard KKM or smart terminals do not have. For example, they can provide continuous operation under heavy load conditions for 24 hours.
The main function of the device is to make non-cash payments. The POS terminal reads the information from the bank card and transmits it to the bank via the Internet. The bank withdraws funds from the buyer and transfers them to the seller’s account. This process is called trade acquiring. There are other features. Through the terminal on the Android platform, you can scan barcodes and QR-codes, set discounts, use built-in applications.
For the terminal to work, it must be connected to electricity and the Internet – via SIM card, Wi-Fi, or wire. Although there are models on batteries. For example, mobile mini-terminals are tied to a phone or tablet.
There are also modular POS terminals. They have a touch screen and several USB ports so you can connect a cash register, scanner, or scales for products. Different models of terminals can accept cards with magnetic stripe, chip, and NFC tags for contactless payments.
POS system benefits
The functionality of POS terminals directly depends on the software used. The cash register program must support all trade processes: operations for accepting money, returning, canceling, various types of payment, etc. The possibility of introducing marketing programs is also very important at the present time: discounts, bonuses, holding promotions, etc.
Main advantages:
- Compactness;
- Possibility of mounting in confined spaces;
- Ensuring work with all possible systems (EGAIS, “Mercury”, etc.);
- Profitability (purchasing all devices separately will be much more expensive than purchasing a POS system);
- Interchangeability – if any of the devices connected to the system breaks down, it can be easily replaced with a new one without disassembling the entire POS terminal.
How to choose a good POS?
When choosing a certain POS, you need to pay attention to the following points:
- The scale of your business. This is the main criterion for selection. After all, the larger your store, the more powerful, functional, and reliable equipment is needed to automate the cash line. And, of course, the higher the requirements, the higher the price and complexity of implementation.
- Store format. For most retail outlets operating in the format of self-service or countertrade, the optimal solution will be a classic POS system with a specialized. This keyboard has a large number of required function keys that allow you to easily control the system and call the necessary functions.
- Functionality. POS systems can be customized to meet specific business needs: restaurants can include all of their menu items and restaurant locations, retailers can quickly find sales prices and running costs for all products, and hotels can easily link restaurant bills to pay-per-view numbers.