Nowadays, POS systems are vital in all industries. They are used everywhere in the world and roughly every transaction we make when we buy a good or pay for a service involves a POS system.
What does POS mean?
POS stands for Point of Sale and consists in a combination of software and hardware. The point of sale system centralizes all operations in a business.
POS systems can either be placed in physical stores (for instance cash registers, card readers, barcode scanners) or they can be virtual, when we are talking about online shopping and Internet transactions.
POS systems are used in every industry, from restaurants, supermarkets, casinos, medical clinics, beauty salons, hotels and so on. They make everything so much easier and smoothly running for business owners.
There are countless benefits of using POS systems:
- They help you with payment processing
- They are useful for inventory management
- They are great for customer relationship management (CRM)
- They increase revenues in a business
- They help you reduce labor hours
Aspects to consider when choosing a POS system
The first thing you have to consider is your budget and needs. Not every industry has the same needs and not every business has the same available budget. You can set a limit on how much you can afford to spend and what your exact needs are, depending on your type and size of business.
After you decide on what you want to get, especially in terms of hardware, start considering the software options. Internet-based software for your POS is the best way to go in our opinion. POS software has evolved a lot over time and it is now secure and reliable. You have to pay a monthly subscription but you enjoy all the benefits, including top-notch security and tech support any time you need it.
See other aspects you should consider when choosing the best POS system for your needs.
ShopKeep – Is it a good option to consider?
ShopKeep is a very popular cloud-based iPad POS system. It is a very useful and user-friendly piece of software tailored for smaller businesses, especially those related to catering, such as small restaurants, fast-foods, quick-food mobile services and others like these.
The company is based in New York and was founded in 2008. It is rated with an A+ by the Better Business Bureau (BBB).
As you’ve probably figured it out, ShopKeep only works with iPads, which might be a deal breaker for some.
What are the pricing options for ShopKeep?
Up until recently, ShopKeep charged $69/month per register. If you needed more than a register, you had to pay $69 for any additional registers. If you bought more than 3, the price dropped at $29.
ShopKeep doesn’t display its prices anymore and you have to contact them or fill in a form on their website. When you contact them or they contact you, you will explain to them your exact needs and you will get a personalized quote.
What does the ShopKeep POS system include?
The complete ShopKeep POS system includes:
- a quick register
- real time analytics
- unlimited users and unlimited inventory items
- staff management tools
- inventory management
- free 24/7/365 customer support
ShopKeep’s software requires iOS 9.3.5 or higher and it is very straightforward. All the buttons have sound effects (but you can disable them if you don’t like them) and the interface is quite animated. You’re guided through the entire setup process.
ShopKeep works with iPads, iPad mini and some Clover devices. In terms of hardware, you can either shop it from ShopKeep’s online shop or elsewhere, as long as you get only what’s compatible with their software.
If you go with ShopKeep’s offer, a starter kit with a cash drawer, card swipe, receipt printer and an iPad stand, will cost you around $1000.
Features
There are a lot of useful features included:
- You can calculate the weekly or monthly payroll of your employees
- You can track their working hours
- You can set up stock alerts and keep track of product quantities
- You get reporting features, including sales by customer reporting, average cost reporting
- You can set default tax rates and special tax rates
- You get customer management (with gift cards integrations)
- You get multi-locations, so if you have more than one store, you can view them all together or individually
- There is also a Pocket App available and it is compatible with iOS and Android devices
In terms of available integrations, ShopKeep integrates with MailChimp, BigCommerce, AppCard, QuickBooks Online and more.
ShopKeep’s customer support is available on a 24/7 basis and you can reach them via live chat, email and text. Their website is also rich in video tutorials and articles that help you understand and learn the software better. There is also a blog.
When it comes to payment options, you can either use ShopKeep Payments, their own payment processor or you can choose between other available card processors. You can also keep your old processor if you want.