Grocery Store POS Advice | POS Software Advice

NGA Show
Come see the IT Retail booth at the NGA show Feb. 11 – 12 for a personal and friendly demonstration of cutting edge technology in the grocery POS industry! Our booth has a complete, functional, and comprehensive Point of Sale system for you test out. See you there!
Grocery Store Loyalty!
I recently cleaned out my wallet and I found about ten receipts from my local grocery store. At first I just brushed it off because they were just trash at the moment. But then I realized that I have ten receipts from the SAME grocery store! Not ten receipts from different stores, but ten from [...]
Social Media is Taking Over
When I cook I use all of my mom’s “secret” recipes, supposedly these recipes have been in our family since my great-great-great grandmother! But between us, I sometimes go online and look up recipes on how to make a certain dish (tell my mother I’ll deny it!). It’s not that I don’t enjoy my family’s [...]
No-Line Checkout Lanes?!
How many times have you caught yourself going to the grocery store for one or two items and you think to yourself, “Man, I’m glad this trip to the grocery store is only going to take me five minutes.” Then when you walk over to the cash registers and you see that there’s only one [...]
LiquiGlide Can Speed Up Your Ketchup!
I tend to write informative blogs, but today I thought I would change it up a little. So I’m going to write about something that I think is really interesting! Anyways, how many times have you guys had to pound the bottom of your ketchup bottle in order to get that last bit for your [...]
Fruit Drinks Have More Sugar Than Soda!
People are always trying to lose weight or live healthier lives by trying to remove anything that is unhealthy. They take away chips, sodas, cookies, and basically anything that tastes good! But what if I told you that most people are actually forgetting to remove one item from their diet that is worse than soda! [...]
The Cure to Obesity Could Be A Fat Tax!
There have been a lot of theories of how a country can beat the obesity problem that the world is facing. But I most recently heard a theory that I liked but at the same time I didn’t. A research facility in England believes that they found the cure to obesity…….a fat tax! Yeah you [...]

Choosing a POS System – What to look for !

Dec 292011

Often times POS systems are fairly difficult to find because there is a big variety to choose from. Most people get overwhelmed and frustrated and end up choosing a system that does not fulfill their needs. Here are some tips to help find the best POS system for you because the POS Software can have a dramatic affect on the efficiency and success of your business!

After reading the previous blog that gives us tips on what to avoid when choosing a POS system, now we need to know what we should look for in finding the right system.

We learned that buying a Retail POS System Based Solely on Price is not a great idea because even though the POS Software may seem to be a good choice because it fits your budget, unfortunately it may have hidden costs such as additional features, technical support,

User Friendly POS System

installation, and overall inefficiency that can eventually increase your total cost of ownership. When evaluating the system, you will want it to be a complete package. It should not only improve customer satisfaction, but also meet your needs as a retail business.

Here are important things to look for:

· Hardware
A complete POS system should include a PC or module, display, keyboard and mouse, high–quality cash drawer, barcode scanner, credit card reader, receipt printer and label printer.

· Inventory & Other Features
Whether it is software- or web-based, you want a system that will help track, organize and supply your inventory. Organization plays a major part in your employees’ ability to locate items in the system, which in turn speeds the checkout process. Many also provide built in options for layaways, multi-payment plans and gift certificates.

· Customer Tracking & Labels
For some businesses, it can be quite beneficial to be able to retain customer information for future transactions. Some software will also allow you to track customer’s lines of credit so that they can buy now and pay later. Stored customer information can also speed up shipping by having labels with a customer’s address all ready to go. Most POS Systems will print shipping labels, but only select systems will also do price tags, shelf tags and customized labels.

· Employees & Security
All the information on POS systems is important. You will want one that has multiple levels of security access and password protection. It is also convenient when you can use your point of sale system for clocking in and out, tracking commissions, tracking employee hours and similar benefits.

POS system for FastFood/Deli

The combination all of these features together gives you a solid POS system that will make your customers happy, help you manage your inventory and sales transactions, simplify your business and generally improve your speed and efficiency. The IT Retail POS System is the complete supermarket software package because it’s very user friendly and checks off all the important things we look for in the “perfect” system! The key here, is to find the one that best meets the needs of your company and will further your business!

Do you have any other important tips that helped you find the PERFECT POS System? Leave Comments below!

Choosing a POS System – Avoid Common Mistakes

Grocery Gadgets of the Future, Grocery Store Ideas, Grocery Store POS Advice, New technology for Grocers No Responses »

Dec 262011

Touch Screen Point of Sale (POS) System

Other than retailers worrying about their inventory selling, retailers are even more concerned in purchasing the right point of sale (POS) system for their store. The POS is where the transaction occurs and the POS software is used at checkouts as an electronic cash register. The importance of buying the right POS system is crucial because the decision will affect retailers for many years to come. Therefore, in order to save time and money, retailers must be fully aware of common mistakes that can be easily avoided in choosing the appropriate POS system. Some of the most common mistakes when purchasing a POS system are:

1. Not Understanding Your Needs

First off, your business will need to note every process that is made such as purchasing, receiving, transferring, sales, reporting, and so on. You will be able to quickly decide which company will accommodate to your needs when discussing in detail the process of your business with the POS company representative. The POS provider can demonstrate how the POS software works with your needs and wants in mind. Also if you are new to the POS technology, do not worry! Good POS companies offer consultants to guide you through it all at a relatively good price.

2. Buying on Price Only

POS software and hardware can range from free too extremely expensive. A free POS software and hardware cannot lead to anything good. However, low prices are enticing through their advertisements. Even though low prices are more appealing, save yourself the headache and spend a couple more dollars in a quality POS system. I am not saying the more expensive the POS system the better it will be. Rather, I am saying inexpensive hardware is more difficult for many to support because of the constant changes of the computer’s internal components. Find a POS system that fits your business’s process of sales, purchases, receiving, etc. The hope in saving money for a low priced POS system will end up costly more than you saved. The best way to go is to buy from a POS company that will supply software and provide a backup service as well.

3. Purchasing on Size Fits All System

Finding the perfect POS system is different and unique to every retailer and there is not just one that will fit all. Different types of retailers call for certain requirements in their system and one type of POS system would not work. There may be a time where the software almost meets perfectly to what you need. Also, the software is somewhat customizable to what your business may require without having too much modification. POS companies provide software to all types of retailers with different needs so there is no need to pay for the “one size fits all” system. In addition, make sure to stay on top of your software upgrades!

4. Insufficient Training

The right amount of training and knowledge of a POS system is extremely important and could possibly take the store out of business if not trained properly. Often retailers purchase what they believe is the best software and try to save money by not sufficiently training the staff. However, without the appropriate training could do more damage than you would save. The less training the staff is exposed to, the more of a risk you run in adequate inventories, frustrated customers, and discontented sales people. With that said, it is worth the time and money to sufficiently train your staff or possibly say good-bye to your business.

5. Choosing the Wrong Partner

The market of POS systems has been competitive but the few strong companies have managed to stay on top. You want to make sure the POS company you have chosen will be there for you for years to come, rather than running out of business and forcing you to replace your system. Pick from the few companies that are solely dedicated to POS systems because their knowledge and expertise will help your business further succeed. Some simple questions to ask a POS company before deciding your partner are: is POS the company’s primary business? Is the provider THE company or just a reseller of a product? What type on on-going support do they provide? Do they offer onsite technical assistance?

Don’t be hard on yourself! Choosing the right POS system is not the easiest task when there are possible mistakes you could overlook when purchasing. The price range on POS systems can be very low to highly expensive; especially for independently owned businesses when they want the best quality at the best price. However, with new technology independent business owners can now afford POS systems at a much lower cost and at the same quality as their competitors. So the next time you’re looking for the right POS system, keep in mind some of these avoidable mistakes in order for you to worry less about your technology investment and worry more about your inventory.

Have you run into any other common avoidable mistakes when choosing a POS system? Leave comments below. Thanks for reading!

The Grocers New Years Resolutions 2011

Grocery Store POS Advice No Responses »

Jan 092011

This is my attempt to create a list of New Year’s resolutions. The thing is, I’m tired of breaking my resolutions; year after year I fail always saying “next year is the year I’m going to get it right.” Even look at me now finishing up my new years resolutions 7 days after the New Year. So this year I decided to do something a little different to ensure that I get it right. I’m still creating a list, but this time the list isn’t for me anymore, it’s for you!

But don’t worry, I’m not going to check up on you and make sure that you kept them, so please don’t go clicking away. Below I have a compilation of 5 easy to keep resolutions for you grocers, a little present for the New Year.

1. Streamline your marketing strategy: Think of your marketing strategy as a funnel. At the tip of the funnel are the customers that become aware that your store exists through some form of marketing. This is where most of your marketing spending goes, so analyze which marketing strategies are best at bringing your customers all the way through the funnel. The goal is not just to get noticed or considered the goal is to bring the customer all the way through the funnel to the point of advocacy (as seen on the right.) Work out which strategies are working and which are not in relation to their cost. Know your target market, your current customer base, and your marketing plan inside out.

2. Evolve with your competitors: I am sure that you have already started to implement organic food into your store. But just because you added some organic items does not mean that you can sit back and wait until the next big shift. Analyze the market leaders such as WholeFoods, Ralphs, and Ranch 99. These companies are constantly trying out new things. You should follow this example and implement your own strategies to meet this competition. Implementing a grocery pos system at your store will help with this.

3. Identify your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT): This may seem vague so I will try to refine the broad subtitle. Know your best selling products, your worst selling products, your favorite customers, you most infrequent customers, your best employees, your worst employees, your best location and your worst location. It’s time to cut your losses, by patching up those wholes and optimizing your business. The diagram below will help you:

4. Become More Energy Efficient: Change out your light-bulbs to LED lights, re-adjust isle temperatures/ product temperatures. Unused computers should be turned off, bathroom lights, break room lights and storage areas should be turned off whenever no one is in them. On top of this any other office equipment such as vending machines should be turned off at night. You should also be focusing on maintenance and tune-ups in your store. Don’t wait for it to break! Regular maintenance will save you money.

5. Look to improve the technical side of your store: Familiarize yourself with the latest and greatest grocery technology. Items such as LaneHawk, Self Checkout, Grocery POS systems, Datalogic’s Line Busting Solution, and iPhone checkout. See if you could stop some of those leakages in your marketing funnel by implementing some of these tools.

Some of these are much more manageable than others. But each offers a specific value that no other resolution point does. Pick and choose, select them all, its up to you. May this next year be a successful year.

The spike in sales during the holiday season in comparison to previous years was encouraging. The stock market has stabilized, and with that consumer confidence is on the rise. It seems that 2011 will be a successful business year for all of us. Please add some of your New Years Resolutions, I would love to hear what you are resolving to do.

Beware when purchasing POS Systems

Grocery Store POS Advice No Responses »

Dec 152010

So, you’re in the market for a new grocery POS system, tired of that old rickety, half alive thing you call a POS. Or maybe you just want to see what advice there is to be given. Or maybe you accidentally stumbled upon this page, and have idea what a POS system is, well then for your betterment I suggest that you finish this post.

First things first when choosing a Grocery POS Software system for your grocery store, what operating system do you want to use: Windows, Linux, DOS, Java, .NET, OSX. Windows is by far the most used operating platform, thus there are hundreds of POS solutions to choose from if you would like to use windows. Other platforms do have some great POS solutions, but with Windows you have such a wide variety, so if you are willing to do the research you will be able to find a POS solution that fits your company perfectly. And even if you are not willing to do the research, you can hire a consultant to do the research for you.

After choosing the operating system that you would like to use, you will need to determine what you are looking for in your POS software. Where you would like to go. What you would like to do. Things that your POS system must have. Develop a list of 5-10 items, ordering them from most important to least important. (examples: price, web reporting, 24/7 support, easy to use, warranty, Data mining, Gift cards etc.). The complete solutions allow customers to get a better deal on hardware, unless you already have hardware.

Now that you have your list filter through the list of Point of Sale software and find the software that best meets your needs. Surprisingly eBay has a very helpful Point of Sale software buying guide. Narrow your list down to around 3 companies. From there you should initiate contact with each of these companies and ask them to give you a demo of their software.

This is the final decision making stage. Here you want to increase the items on your list, and weigh the cons and the benefits of these three software companies against each other. Find out which one is willing to give you the best deal financially, which company is innovative, which company will provide you with exactly what you want?

Good Luck

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