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Education
Equipment for thriving sophisticated ones not only assist with
calculating sales, but also provide detailed
businesses: a lucrative cost and profit analytics. The POS can
alert when inventory is low and help
track vendor payments, so the store owner
market doesn't overbuy or understock.
Customer loyalty: Loyalty programs, such
By Elie Y. Katz as discounted pricing on popular products
for loyal customers, and "buy X, get X free"
National Retail Solutions promotions are proven ways to attract and
retain customers. A sophisticated POS can
unning a business can be stressful, especially a small, help create and promote these programs.
independent business. Competition is fierce, and store Security: POS systems may store sensitive
owners need retail technology tools to help them succeed. information and can be vulnerable to a
R Leveraging a powerful POS system that's integrated with breach. Some systems process credit cards
reliable credit card processing can help store owners be more orga- within the POS; others integrate with a
nized, attract customers and increase revenue. separate, secure credit card and/or EBT
processing device. When choosing a POS,
Resellers do best when offering products and services that closely evaluate security. A POS that doesn't run
meet the needs of their customers in the following areas: on Windows is less vulnerable to hacking.
Sales and inventory tracking: It's common for a POS system Hardwired internet is more trustworthy
to track sales and inventory and provide reports. The more than Wi-Fi. Ideally, the POS shouldn't
store payment information. Setting user
permissions with limited access can also
help with security.
Remote store management: Running a
busy c-store while maintaining work-
life balance can take a toll on merchants.
Taking time off from the business can be
stressful. Being able to remotely check
on the business with an app or online is
invaluable. Checking on sales, inventory
and users with a remote app, and being
able to view, download and print inventory
reports can give a store owner much-
needed time away. Some POS remote-
access platforms even facilitate inventory
purchasing.
Customer tab: Technology has come a long
way in the independent retail arena. A POS
is far more than a simple cash register with
a cash-filled shoebox under the counter.
Today's POS systems help retailers issue
credit and maintain customer tabs.
Employee time clock: When paying
employees an hourly wage, having them
clock in and out keeps payment tracking
simple. With some POS systems, they can
"punch in and out." A POS employee time
clock saves time with payroll.
Tobacco scan data: If the POS has a tobacco
scan data feature, it can track tobacco sales
and transmit the information to tobacco
manufacturers so that the retailer gets buy-
downs. With tobacco scan data, a small or
midsize independent retailer benefits from
tobacco sales just like the big guys.
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