The point of sale (POS) system is one of the most critical aspects of your retail business. If you don’t get things right, you could miss out on profit and leave the customer feeling bemused. With that in mind, we wanted to publish an article that offers expert advice. So, we recently spoke to a retail business advisor who helped to set the record straight. He came up with three simple rules that should help all shop owners to improve their POS solutions. If you manage to follow the advice on this page, you should notice drastic improvements straight away. Of course, you might have to tailor some of the guidance based on your retail niche.
Ensure you place impulse purchase items near the checkout
Before you do anything else, you need to spend time working out which products you sell that could become impulse purchases. In most instances, they are some of the cheapest items in your store. For example, supermarkets will place chocolate bars near their checkout stations. If you own a shop selling arts and crafts accessories, you might like to put buttons and other small items near your till. You get the idea, right? You just need to choose things that could attract people while they’re standing in the queue. Just think about how many times you’ve picked up a chocolate bar you didn’t want just because it was there.
Accept all major credit and debit cards
Taking multiple payment methods is vital in the modern retail world. The number of customers who pay with cash has decreased significantly in recent times. That means you’re going to need a reliable credit card reader at the very least. You should also consider the use of alternative payment methods too. Perhaps you can allow people to pay using online money transfer services? In most situations, you’d just have to process the transaction using your computer. Platforms like PayPal enable customers to send money to your account without any input from yourself. So, maybe that’s something you’d like to consider?
Create bright and inviting graphics detailing offers and news
As we have already mentioned, your checkout is the most important area in your store. People spend a lot of time waiting in queues, and so they’re likely to look around. If they’re not making impulse purchases, you should encourage them to read information about your company. Maybe you’re starting a sale next week that offers incredible savings to customers? Perhaps you have a new line of products hitting the shelves next month? Either way, you should create beautiful posters that grab the attention of consumers. That will make them feel like that haven’t queued for as long, as it will inspire them to come back and spend more cash.
You should now have a good idea about the best ways to improve the POS experience for your customers. If you’re smart, you will increase turnover and keep everyone happy with that advice. At the end of the day, you need to look for ways to progress because you want your business to grow. While there are many ways of making that happen, we believe the one outlines today presents the least hassle. Good luck with everything! See you next time!
