How to Choose a Point of Sale (POS) System

Our Pledge to You

• We have been there and won’t just sell you a product, we want to provide you with a solution and be your business partner.
• We want to be honest with you about what you will need to do and how to implement a system that will work for you.
• We want to help you with timing, as well as inputting the right data so you can get information out that will help you make good business decisions.
• We want to listen to your suggestions for improving our product.
• Read more about us here

We wish we could tell you it was free and effortless. We wish it was magical, but it's not. However, the return on your initial investment and attention to proper setup will be tremendous.

How much could you save?

On average a computerized POS system will save you 4% of your gross. If you are doing $100,000 a year in business, you could save as much as $4000 on theft and shrinkage alone. If you do $500,000 a year, you could save as much as $20,000 from theft and shrinkage. Overall, a store owner could expect to reap 10% savings from all areas as a result of computerization. That’s $50,000 each year from a $500,000 store!

How much should you spend?

On average it is recommended that a retailer spend between 1% and 3% of their annual gross income annually to computerize a store. This covers hardware, software, annual support, system backups, internet fees, technical expertise, upgrades and repairs. For a store averaging $500,000 a year, this adds up to between $5,000 and $15,000 annually.

Choose Wisely – Things to Think About Before you Buy

We all know that using technology correctly in a business is one of the foundational elements in growing your business. Many business owners and managers are simply overwhelmed by the implementation of a new system, let alone the technology investment and maintenance that the hardware and software require. Our experience has shown us that by carefully considering the items below, ahead of time, it will be easier to make the best choice for your business. View RetailWare OnLine™ demo.

1. Reduce your risk. Are you taking all of the risks upfront or is your vendor sharing the risk of implementation with you? Do you need to become a computer expert?
2. Consider value versus cost. It’s not more expensive if you get more for your money. Shopping on price only is not the wisest thing to do.
3. Consider the total cost over time – not just the initial investment. Costs include time, effort, training, down time, hardware compatibility, outside vendors, etc.
4. Your time is valuable. With the right POS, most companies do not have to add employees when they grow. This is money you don’t have to spend later.
5. Start early. Plan carefully. Consider the time needed to properly input the data necessary to set up the system. Remember you can’t sell it if it isn’t in the system.
6. Proper setup is key. The more time you put into setting it up properly, the better reporting it will give you down the road. Think about what you want to get out of it, what kind of reporting you need and set it up correctly.
7. Understand ahead of time what is included in a price. How are upgrades, updates, and support covered? How about daily backups? Replacement of servers?
8. Know your vendor: Will the vendor be in business in a year? What kind of service do they provide after you’ve written the check? What kind of experience do they have in this industry.
9. Get the fastest hardware with the most memory available for your budget. Purchase good reliable hardware from a reputable dealer. Again, cheaper is not always better.
10. Don’t be afraid to be on the leading edge. The sooner you adopt new technology the longer you have to reap the benefits. Read more about Software as a Service here.
11. Do you need multi-store functionality? Many packages lead you to believe that they are multi-store capable, but are they really functional? How do they accomplish this? It is not as easy as “they” might say.

Proper use of technology
is worth every penny and every minute of planning.

Let us help you get started or restarted today.
Contact us at info@bleupelikan.com or +1(916) 671-1666.