Where to Buy Point of Sale Systems

So you’re looking to set your business up and need a point of sale system. Or perhaps you’re in the market for an upgrade. You take out your phone and search “buy POS system online” and you’re bombarded with adverts and an overload of information. Where do you look and how do you find the best one to suit your needs?

Choosing a system that will become the foundation of your business is no small decision. But once you know what you’ll need from it you can begin to research with greater purpose and can find the setup to suit those needs.

Questions to ask when buying a POS system

There are a lot of questions that need answering to find a POS to take your business to the next level. The first ones are questions you need to ask yourself about your business as the answers may send you in very different directions.

What do you need from your POS?

With so many different kinds of businesses all relying on POS technology, there are specialised setups that will work wonders for one kind of business, but could be a nightmare for others.

The hospitality sector requires multiple printers for chefs, with complicated, liquid stock management, booking systems, and more. Restaurants want mPOS devices to help them provide table service. Very little of that applies to retail but there are so many businesses that go beyond these categories and each business has its own needs.

This is why flexibility is so valuable with POS systems. Not only is catering to specific needs difficult but as small business owners look to expand into new markets those needs evolve. A POS needs to be ready to adapt with a business, so anticipating your business's future needs is also important.

Here is a selection of possible questions you ought to consider:

• What are your business's sales channels? Do you currently or do you plan to make sales online and/or on multiple sites? Do you deliver your products or are all sales made in house?
• Do you require card payment processing or do you have existing devices you wish to integrate to your new POS? Are you looking for a payments deal?
• Do you require accessories like swipe card readers, gift cards, a kitchen display screen or label printers?
• Which processes are you intending to use your POS for beyond transactions? Will you be doing stock control? How about staff management or accounting? How do you like to perform back-office tasks?

The answers to each of these questions may influence where you ought to be looking for your POS.

What is your budget for your POS system?

Unsurprisingly, this is an important question and will determine how much freedom you have to select the perfect products to match your business needs. There are some providers that may not have any options within your price range and others that offer themselves to a wider market.

There are two main elements of your budget to consider: how much you’re willing to spend upfront and how much per month.

Epos Now have a standard package that comes with a terminal, printer and cash drawer for $999 (and also offer this to be paid in $49 instalments)*. There are software packages available that provide POS software without hardware for as little as $49PM and have no upfront costs whatsoever. This provides businesses with the flexibility to find a package deal that addresses requirements while staying within a budget.

Having a look around the market to get a grip on industry-standard prices and seeing how that matches with what you’re prepared to pay is a good way of deciding where to buy a POS.

Comparing and choosing the right systems for you

There are endless articles out there making comparisons between POS companies. The various providers have some key differences between them that may make one provider a better choice for you based on the needs you have.

For direct comparisons between Epos Now and competitors, you may find the below articles useful:

Epos Now vs. Clover

Epos Now vs. Square

These articles and others like them ask specific questions about the capabilities of the technology to see which ones offer which advantages.

For instance, Clover provides a very wide range of subscription options, but they limit the back office potential of the cheapest packages. Clover has much more limited card payment integration options and fewer partnerships, limiting you in ways that could impact growth.

Square has a similar subscription arrangement where many features will not be accessible to those on lower rate packages.

Epos Now’s user-friendly Back Office comes with every variety of subscription package in an unlimited form. There are hundreds of choosable apps, both free and chargeable, that provide more specific functionality and integration capabilities with a long list of big-name partners.

Having the right conversations

If you are unsure of precisely what you are looking for or of how to get your questions answered, the best thing is to begin speaking directly with providers. Epos Now representatives are easily contactable and are equipped to answer all of your questions.

It is normal to have more than one conversation with those companies you’re interested in to provide different perspectives and to allow you to compare offers and find your best buy POS system.

While many businesses scour company websites and make purchases this way, this often requires experience using POS that allows you to know what to look for. 

For example, the Epos Now website is broken down into pages not only for retail and hospitality but often for specific kinds of businesses, from vape stores to bakeries. There are also pages for POS hardware and software depending on your need. This makes it easy to know where to buy POS systems specific to you.

Aftercare

It’s perfectly reasonable to be concerned about what takes place after you take the plunge and invest in your new POS. Taking big decisions in business can be stressful and once delivery is made and your face to face with your new system, you may also be a little confused.

For this reason, Epos Now have an implementation team that will assign you a team member to guide you through the first few weeks and help train you up on the system. The company also provides you with guides to explain how everything works which you’ll always be free to refer to.

Once you’re up and running, our support team is always on hand to provide expert advice and ensure you get the most out of your system.

If you’re interested in learning more about what Epos Now offers, contact the sales team on +64 9801 5908 or submit your information on the form below to have a representative reach out to you at a later date.

*Prices subject to change. Accurate as of 22/3/22. Discounted price requires a payments, care and support subscription at $49