What is a POS system?
It is always better to have knowledge of a product before buying it. We are going to look into some details for the best POS system for a clothing store. A POS system or in other words a point of sale system is the fusion of software and hardware appliances that allows customers to purchase a product. A Point of sale (POS) system is a modern yet successful replacement of the classic cash register. This system is developed for various platforms such as Microsoft Windows, Linux, and iOS etc.
All you need to know about a POS system
Why is there a need for POS?
As a business grows, managing and running it can become an issue. You need the right equipment to help you make day to day tasks easier. You need a system that will allow you to monitor your business at your fingertips. Keeping track of your daily sales, profits, employees, and costs can become a hassle with the use of the traditional cash register and/or entering your data manually. The POS system will not only help you track your daily sales and profits, but it will aid you in helping your business grow with projected numbers. The POS system will keep track of all purchases and employees.
In a clothing store, it is important to keep track of your inventory. Controlling an inventory without a POS system can result in confusion and also losses to your business. Having a state-of-the-art POS system can help you control your inventory which prevents theft of items from inside or outside people. This POS system can also be customized to help with billing of items through an online website and help you get orders from customers that cannot be physically present in the shop.
With a modern POS system, managing your business has never been easier.
Features offered by a POS system
- Cloud based business
With the innovation of technology, POS systems offer cloud storage services. A cloud storage service does not require to buy any extra hard disk rather it is a storage space offered by the POS system itself which allows you to access your business from anywhere in the world. Data is securely kept in the cloud storage system. This data holds everything you need to know from your daily sales to checking your inventory.
- Data security
All data stored on the POS system is secured. This data contains all details of your business. The profits, the details of the customers and employees as well. For this reason, the Point of Sale system offers very heavily secured data storage. The data is stored in the cloud system for you to access anytime and anywhere.
- Customer Experience
Running a clothing store or any business for that matter is to satisfy your customers’ needs and make their experience great. The POS system will ensure your customers get the best experience during their time at your store. The POS system will allow you to give customers loyalty benefits. A POS system can also be customized to serve each customer’s needs for example a directory can be set up which makes it easier for any customer to look up the store inventory and choose their favorite item of clothing.
- Inventory Management
Managing a store inventory and keeping of track of every item is nearly impossible for store employees to do on a daily basis. With the help of a POS system, your employees and you can monitor the store’s inventory and keep track of all sales being made. The inventory management feature also allows you to serve customers quickly and efficiently without wasting time looking for a product.
- Elimination of Miscalculation
The POS system enters daily sales and calculates the profits and costs for you. Entering sales manually can result in human error which thus affects the final profits and sales which can mislead you. With the POS system, all calculations are accurate and up to date. You can access your costs and profits at any time. Most POS systems will also calculate your future profits and predict the outcome; this feature helps businessowners make decisions based off of those predicted numbers.
- Employee Management
The POS system helps business owners to manage all their employees through the system. The POS system will keep track of when your employees come into work and when they leave. The POS system will also ensure that employees do not mess with the sales of the store. With the help of a POS system, you can keep track of your employees and make sure everything runs smoothly in your store.
Things to look for while selecting a POS system
- Customer Support
The number one thing to keep in mind is the services offered by the company the software belongs to. When running a clothing store, you need to ensure that your POS system is always working, and customers do not face any issues during their billing. If for reason there is some problem with the POS system, the company that you bought the system from should provide solutions immediately. A 24/7 contact service should be a must when looking for a POS system.
- Cost for set-up
A POS system only works with a hardware system. Most POS systems work with your computers and tablets, but some may require a different hardware. It is important to make sure that the initial cost for the POS system is not too high.
- An easy to use interface
Most people that will be using the POS system might not be familiar with the software, so it is important to keep in mind that the system has a user-friendly interface.
- Cloud storage
It is important that the POS system comes with ample cloud storage so that you can have all your business details and daily sales uploaded on the cloud server and can check them anywhere at any time.
- Reporting
The POS system should come with reporting features. This will generate real time reports of your sales and the system will analyze these sales to determine profits and give a perspective on what decisions to be made in the future to boost profits.
POS systems available in the market
- Shopify POS
Shopify is a mobile based Point of Sale system also known as POS. Shopify has a very low startup cost and due to it being a mobile POS, it makes easier for many business owners to get this software.
Shopify POS offers a website builder which helps set up an online shop. For clothing stores this is an important feature for them to approach customers online.
Shopify also features inventory management, reporting, data analysis and employee management. It offers customer management which helps to serve them better.
| Pros | Cons |
| User friendly interface | Add-ons are costly |
| Initial cost is very low | Unreliable customer support |
| Easy to create catalogs | Functions are limited |
| Great for drop shipping | Inventory records not more than 3 months |
| Multiple support options | Transaction fee 0.5%-2% |
- Lightspeed POS
Lightspeed if a cloud-based POS that is for the apple iOS device, the iPad.
Lightspeed POS allows customers to keep track of their inventory and store analytics. This POS system provides both in-store and online services to customers.
Hardware investment is very little when it comes to Lightspeed POS. It provides paperless transactions between the store and customers.
Lightspeed POS also provides a reporting feature that allows you to keep an eye on sales and profits alongside the inventory.
Lightspeed POS also features a matrix system that allows users to create product variations and appoint serial numbers to products.
| Pros | Cons |
| Great customer service | Connectivity to e-commerce platforms |
| Cloud-bases improvements regularly | Can get slow at times |
| Reporting feature | More features than needed |
| Good inventory interface | Updates made without notice |
| Tracking of employee hours | Large inventory adjustments cannot be made |
- Clover POS
Clover POS is an integrated POS system with hardware that is specifically designed for its use. The system offers web-based and server-based services with an additional mobile POS.
Transactions and inventory are managed through this POS system. Clover POS replaces the tradition cash register and also allows customers to pay through other ways if cash is not available; such as credit cards, Apple pay etc.
| Pros | Cons |
| Set up is easy | High initial cost |
| Large variety of integration and add-ons | POS can’t be separated from payment process |
| Accepts multiple payment methods | Reports are nominal |
| Easy to track transactions | Inventory not accurate |
| Creative appeal | Slows down over time |
- Shopkeep POS
Shopkeep POS is an iPad-based Point of Sale system.
A built-in register is offered which keeps track of payments. Tracks employee working hours and manages booking and registrations.
Barcodes can be scanned to add items to the shopping cart.
| Pros | Cons |
| It has a reasonable price | Limitation in the inventory |
| Good customer service | Inventory management too basic |
| Easy to use | Has bugs occasionally |
| More information on numbers | Same price for second register as first |
| Vigorous back office features | Labelling system not useful |
