A PoS Solution is a till system which is usually electronic, in that it offers point of sale functionality tied in with the ability to increment and decrement a stock system, read barcodes, display on screen and control an electronic till.
A PoS Solution is more commonly referred to as an EPoS System in the UK (Electronic Point of Sale) as this more accurately describes the functionality of these systems.
PoS solutions make running an independant retail business much easier as the centrallised stock control system can be fed from multiple sales channels, allowing the use of one interface to receive all orders. This in turn means that no duplicate sales can be made on products, which allows the retailer to stock less, thus cutting tied up stock costs.
Components of a typical PoS Solution
Typically a PoS Solution will have the following components:
- A computer which runs the PoS software
- A barcode scanner to scan product information from pre-printed barcodes
- A barcode printer to print receipts and barcodes for products
- A receipt printer for larger receipts
- A touch screen monitor which allows interface to the till system
- An electronic till drawer, usually connected with USB to the computer
With the hardware above, the PoS solution allows maintenance of stock, selling of stock usually via shop till and multiple online channels and of course on really sophisticated systems integration with SAGE or other accounting software.