Grocery Label Printer

POS Software : This Ingenious Point-Of-Sale System Enhances Transactions And Boosts Client Experience

History and Advancement of Clover Pos

Picture going back to the early 2010s, when point of sale systems were large, cumbersome, and frustratingly restricted. Organizations juggled cash signs up, standalone card readers, and different inventory tools-- never ever a smooth experience. Enter Clover Pos, a game-changer that redefined how merchants manage sales, inventory, and customer engagement. How did this change unfold over time?

At its core, the development of Clover Pos is a story of development meeting necessity. The early models, while revolutionary, weren't without their quirks. Users typically lamented:

  • Limited combination in between software and hardware
  • Clunky user interfaces that slowed down transactions
  • Fragmented reporting tools that made data analysis a headache

These difficulties stimulated a wave of advancement concentrated on developing an unified, user-friendly platform. Brilliant POS embraced this objective completely. Their method turns these stumbling blocks into stepping stones:

  1. Smooth integration: Software and hardware created to communicate effortlessly, producing a fluid user experience.
  2. Instinctive style: Interfaces that feel natural, reducing training time and improving speed at checkout.
  3. Robust analytics: Reporting tools that change raw information into actionable insights, empowering smarter decisions.

Think about the analogy of a master performing an orchestra. Each instrument-- hardware, software, analytics-- should harmonize perfectly. Brilliant POS functions as that maestro, orchestrating the whole environment so businesses no longer wrestle with disjointed systems but rather enjoy a symphony of efficiency.

Era Challenges Brilliant POS Solutions
Early 2010s Disconnected devices, slow workflows Unified platform with incorporated hardware/software
Mid 2010s Complex interfaces, poor user experience Streamlined, intuitive design
Late 2010s to Today Fragmented information, restricted insights Advanced analytics and seamless reporting

Isn't it remarkable how far innovation has come? The journey of Clover Pos from its humble starts to a powerhouse service advises us that development isn't just about including functions-- it's about resolving genuine problems with imagination and precision. Brilliant POS records this spirit, delivering not just tools, but transformative experiences for companies excited to thrive in a fast-paced marketplace.

Examining Clover POS Hardware Elements

Ever noticed how an apparently easy flicker on a touchscreen can bring a busy coffee shop to a grinding halt? The hardware elements of a POS system aren't just parts; they are the pulse of a company's transaction flow. The Clover POS setup intertwines sleek design with robust performance, ensuring every tap, swipe, and print occurs without a drawback. From the tactile feeling of the touchscreen to the crisp printing of invoices, these aspects should carry out in consistency.

Core Parts and Their Functions

  • Touchscreen Display: The frontline interface. Accuracy and responsiveness here dictate speed at the checkout counter.
  • Invoice Printer: More than simply ink on paper, it seals the deal. Peaceful yet fast printing reduces wait times.
  • Cash Drawer: Quiet and protected, it's the guardian of the day's profits, programmed to open just at the right moments.
  • Barcode Scanner: Swift acknowledgment of items prevents those uncomfortable price checks and keeps lines moving.
  • Card Reader: Security and speed wrapped into one, capable of dealing with several payment types effortlessly.

Why Hardware Reliability Matters

Photo this: the printer jams mid-rush or the card reader fails just as the lunch crowd surges. It's not just troublesome; it's a direct hit to income and client trust. Brilliant POS appreciates these moments where innovation can feel like a traffic jam, not a bridge. Their Clover POS systems are crafted with parts understood for resilience and quick replacement choices, lowering downtime drastically.

Specialist Tips for Optimizing Your Clover POS Hardware

  1. Frequently clean the touchscreen with lint-free cloths to ensure maximum level of sensitivity and avoid ghost touches.
  2. Keep the invoice printer stocked with premium thermal paper to avoid faded prints that frustrate consumers and staff alike.
  3. Test card readers regularly with various card types to catch firmware or hardware problems before they escalate.
  4. Make use of the built-in diagnostics tools available in the Clover system to identify potential hardware issues early.
  5. Tactically position barcode scanners for ergonomic ease-- small changes can shave seconds off every transaction.

Hardware Combination: A Symphony of Accuracy

Each element in the Clover POS hardware ensemble plays a part similar to an instrument in an orchestra. When synced completely, the outcome is a melody of efficiency and dependability. Brilliant POS leverages this philosophy by carefully vetting each hardware piece to deliver a seamless experience, turning what might be a logistical labyrinth into a streamlined dance.

Unpacking Software Application Characteristics and Integration

When a point of sale system pledges smooth integration, it's not simply lingo-- it's the foundation of functional fluency. Envision a dining establishment where the order slips never sync with the kitchen area display screen, or a retail outlet where inventory updates lag behind each sale. This fragmentation can thwart even the smoothest service, turning performance into aggravation. Organizations frequently grapple with how to mesh their payment processing with inventory, staff member management, and client commitment modules without developing digital mayhem.

Brilliant POS comprehends these complex demands (Brilliant POS). They don't just use software application; they craft a digital environment where each function communicates effortlessly. Their platform supports vibrant combination that adapts to a service's developing needs, whether it's syncing sales information for real-time analytics or relating to accounting software to simplify tax time

Professional Insights on Taking Full Advantage Of Clover POS Integration

Here are some specialist suggestions to elevate the combination game:

  1. Prioritize API compatibility: Not all systems speak the same language. Ensuring your Clover POS can quickly plug into third-party apps is crucial.
  2. Utilize cloud syncing: Real-time data synchronization across devices prevents disparities and simplifies reporting.
  3. Utilize modular add-ons: Personalizing your software application with targeted features avoids puffed up user interfaces and enhances user experience.
  4. Test workflows end-to-end: Running mock deals helps identify bottlenecks before they affect clients.

Why Combination is More Than Simply Convenience

Believe beyond benefit. Integration shapes how an organization reads its own heartbeat. When POS software application aggregates sales, stock, and customer patterns into a single control panel, decision-making transforms from uncertainty into precision. Brilliant POS's approach guarantees this data merging occurs without missteps, empowering operators to anticipate requirements and personalize marketing without drowning in spreadsheets.

Function Benefit Pro Idea
Stock Automation Reduces stockouts and overstock Set limit notifies for popular items to set off reorder instantly
Staff member Management Tracks hours and sales efficiency Usage shift data to optimize scheduling around peak hours
Client Loyalty Programs Increases repeat organization and engagement Incorporate with e-mail marketing to customize promos effectively

When innovation flows effortlessly, business rhythm quickens. Which's where the magic of a well-integrated Clover POS system really shines-- turning complexity into clarity, every deal at a time.

Guarding Your Deals: The Heart Beat of Clover POS Security

Imagine a busy café where every deal is a heart beat-- constant, reliable, yet susceptible to hidden risks. The true test lies not simply in processing payments but in securing sensitive data from spying eyes. Clover POS shines here, comprehending the elaborate dance between convenience and security. They know that merchants fear the unnoticeable fractures where data might slip through, risking track record and trust.

Encryption is more than lingo-- it's the fortress around your sales. Clover POS uses end-to-end file encryption, suggesting card data is protected the immediate it's swiped. This isn't almost compliance; it's a proactive guard. But what about when updates present? Clover POS's system is crafted to perfectly integrate PCI DSS requirements, ensuring every upgrade tightens the lock rather than leaving a window open.

Professional Tips for Optimizing Clover POS Security

  • Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) for all user logins, doubling the barrier against unapproved access.
  • Frequently audit user consents-- ensure that employees just access features important to their role.
  • Schedule software application updates throughout off-peak hours to decrease disturbances but never ever hold-up vital patches.
  • Utilize Clover's integrated fraud detection tools to flag suspicious activity in real time.

Compliance Beyond the Checklist

Numerous believe ticking compliance boxes is enough. Compliance is a living, breathing procedure, specifically in a world where cyber hazards progress daily. Clover POS accepts this vibrant by supplying transparent reporting tools, permitting entrepreneur to track and document compliance effortlessly. This empowerment changes compliance from a difficult task into a competitive benefit.

Security Feature Advantage Specialist Insight
End-to-End File encryption Protects card data throughout deals Decreases risk of data breaches by securing data at the point of entry
Two-Factor Authentication Improves user login security Avoids unapproved gain access to even if passwords are compromised
PCI DSS Compliance Fulfills industry security requirements Guarantees legal and functional readiness for audits

Security isn't static, and neither are the options Clover POS supplies. In a period where information breaches make headings, their dedication to evolving security practices guarantees your business can rest simple. After all, isn't peace of mind the supreme currency in commerce?

Exploring Clover POS Solutions in North Carolina

North Carolina is a lively state understood for its varied landscapes, from the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains to the beautiful Atlantic coastlines. With a population of over 10 million, it boasts an abundant cultural heritage and a strong economy driven by innovation, financing, and farming. Popular activities include going to historic websites, taking pleasure in outdoor experiences, and experiencing a growing food and arts scene. The state's business-friendly environment makes it an attractive area for innovative retail and service markets.

They provide important Clover POS options tailored to satisfy the needs of businesses in this vibrant area. Brilliant POS. For those thinking about boosting their point-of-sale systems, Brilliant POS can provide a free consultation and professional suggestions to help navigate the finest options available

  • Pos Systems: These particular systems optimize transactions and manage sales data. These are essential for modern retail and hospitality businesses, enhancing efficiency and customer service.
  • Point Of Sale: A POS is the place where a buyer processes a payment for products or offerings, generally in a store. It's a vital part for retail businesses, allowing transaction processing and stock control.
  • Retail: Businesses rely on point-of-sale technology to handle transactions and inventory. These systems simplify operations and improve customer experiences.
  • Transaction: The Transaction is a basic process involving the trade of goods or services for payment. It's the core function driving retail point-of-sale environments by documenting sales and managing inventory.
  • Payment Processing: Payment Processing enables businesses to take various transaction types from customers. It's essential for retail POS setups, facilitating smooth payments and effective sales management.
  • Inventory Management: Inventory control tracks stock quantities to streamline buying decisions and prevent deficiencies. It's vital for sales platforms to ensure items are in stock when buyers buy them.
  • Sales Data: Sales data fuels retail activities by offering insights into customer behavior and product performance. This information is critical for optimizing inventory, customizing marketing, and improving point-of-sale efficiency.
  • Customer Relationship Management: Customer Relationship Management boosts sales by organizing client data and interactions. This integration allows businesses to personalize services and marketing according to purchase history from their point-of-sale terminals.
  • Reporting And Analytics: Reporting And Analytics provide vital insights into revenue trends, consumer behavior, and inventory management. This data enables businesses using point-of-sale solutions to make data-driven decisions, streamline operations, and improve profitability.
  • Hardware: Hardware is the foundation of retail sale processing, allowing efficient and secure sales. Reliable tools like barcode scanners and receipt printers are crucial for smooth customer experiences at the point of sale.
  • Software: Software is the base of modern retail operations, handling sales and inventory. It simplifies the payment procedure and offers useful data insights for companies.
  • Barcode Scanner: Barcode Scanners quickly scan item numbers, making sure of fast and precise transactions at the point of sale. They are key for efficient checkouts and inventory management in retail environments.
  • Receipt Printer: Receipt Printers create paper records of transactions for clients. They are essential parts in retail and service settings for recording sales.
  • Cash Drawer: The Cash Drawer is a secure container for money in retail settings. It works with sales terminals to unlock instantly upon transaction completion, aiding cash management.
  • Credit Card Reader: Credit Card Reader are key devices that allow businesses to take card payments from customers. They smoothly integrate with retail setups to ease transactions and streamline the checkout procedure.
  • Touchscreen Monitor: Touchscreen Monitor enable intuitive interaction for retail and service transactions. Such displays simplify checkout processes and improve efficiency at points of sale.
  • Payment Gateway: The Payment Gateway securely transmits transaction data from a point-of-sale terminal and the payment processor. This enables businesses take different payment methods at their checkout.
  • Cloud Based Pos: Cloud Based Pos solutions give companies flexibility and reachability by keeping data and software on distant servers. This new approach enhances business effectiveness for retail and service sectors by streamlining transactions and management tasks.
  • Mobile Pos: Mobile Point of Sale (mPOS) lets businesses to take payments and execute sales transactions anywhere with a transportable device. It provides adaptability and convenience, expanding the reach of retail operations.
  • E Commerce Integration: E-commerce integration merges online stores with in-store sales platforms, allowing for streamlined operations and inventory control. This connection allows businesses to offer customers a flawless shopping experience across all channels.
  • Restaurant Pos: Restaurant point-of-sale system processes orders, transactions, and food preparation area communication. It is a core component of retail transaction management infrastructure.
  • Retail Pos: Retail Pos is the spot where a consumer finishes a deal. It encompasses the hardware and software that enable companies to manage sales and control shopper relations at the time of buying.
  • Hospitality: Hospitality boosts customer journeys, fostering loyalty through personalized service. Efficient transaction management tools are crucial for seamless operations in the industry.
  • Point Of Sale System: The Point Of Sale System handles transactions and sales data. This is a vital component for merchandise businesses to process payments and observe inventory.
  • Data Security: Safeguarding sensitive payment and customer information is vital for businesses using electronic retail transaction terminals. Powerful Data Security measures assure customer trust and prevent financial losses from breaches.
  • Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard: Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard certifies secure management of cardholder data. This shields pay terminals and related setups from infractions.
  • Pos System: It is a vital part of retail and hospitality, supporting sales transactions and handling inventory. These Pos System optimize operations, boost customer service, and offer valuable data insights.
  • Credit Card: Credit Cards enable customers to make payments electronically at the point of sale. They simplify transactions and offer businesses a secure way to accept payments.
  • Debit Card: Debit Cards allow customers to create payments directly from their bank accounts at retail checkout. They simplify transactions and provide a convenient option to cash for in-store purchases.
  • Cash Register: The Cash Register is a core component for handling transactions in retail settings. It documents sales, figures totals, and manages cash, playing a vital role in a business's point-of-sale activities.
  • Receipt: Proof of purchase document sales, providing customers with a record of purchase. These records is important for sales terminals, inventory control, and accounting purposes.
  • Reporting: Sales tracking provides valuable insights into business performance. These analytics help streamline inventory and improve customer service at the point of sale.
  • Cloud Computing: Cloud Computing offers adaptable infrastructure to support retail transaction processing. This allows businesses to handle sales data, inventory, and customer information efficiently via web-based platforms.
  • E Commerce: E-commerce boosts retail transactions by integrating online sales with in-store operations. This connectivity streamlines inventory control and customer data across all sales channels, improving the point of purchase experience.
  • Merchant Account: An Merchant Account allows companies to take electronic transactions from shoppers. This is critical for modern retail setups, letting easy payments via card readers and other point-of-sale equipment.
  • Security: Safeguarding financial exchanges and shopper data is vital for retail payment terminals. Robust Security measures establish trust and prevent fraud in checkout environments.
  • Data Encryption: Data Encryption secures sensitive monetary transactions at retail checkout terminals, safeguarding customer information and stopping fraud. This procedure is vital for maintaining trust and complying with data security rules in point-of-sale settings.
  • Customer Service: Superb Customer Service improves the retail interaction, promoting loyalty and positive brand image. Integrated point-of-sale technology empowers businesses to deliver personalized and efficient support, ultimately driving customer satisfaction.
  • Loyalty Program: Customer loyalty programs integrated with point-of-sale technology increase customer retention and generate repeat business via personalized rewards. They monitor purchases and engagement, allowing businesses to offer tailored incentives that encourage brand loyalty.
  • Sales: Sales data powers important understanding for businesses, informing inventory control and customer behavior evaluation. Point-of-purchase technology streamlines these exchanges, improving efficiency and precision in tracking Sales performance.
  • Supply Chain: Supply chain management guarantees the seamless movement of goods from production to the sales point. Efficient supply chains are essential for retail transaction handling to meet customer demand and maintain inventory.
  • Data Analytics: Data Analytics alters transaction data from retail checkout spots into usable insights. This enables companies to improve inventory, customize customer interactions, and improve sales strategies.
  • Loss Prevention: Loss Prevention strategies combined with point-of-sale technology help retailers minimize theft and errors. Such combined systems provide tools for tracking transactions and identifying suspicious activity, protecting revenue.
  • Pricing: Pricing strategies are essential for increasing profitability inside retail locations. Electronic point-of-sale systems optimize price management, discounts, and promotions, guaranteeing accurate transactions and inventory control.
  • Marketing: Marketing fuels customer engagement and brand recognition, which is vital for improving sales through point-of-sale technology. It aids businesses draw in and retain customers, eventually increasing the potential of their transaction platforms.
  • Mobile Point Of Sale: Mobile Point Of Sale lets businesses to handle transactions and accept payments from anywhere using mobile devices. It is an increasingly important component of today's retail and service industry checkout solutions.
  • Retail Technology: Retail Technology boosts customer engagements and optimizes processes. These advancements transform payment processes and stock management for firms.
  • Self Checkout: Self Checkout kiosks permit customers to scan and pay for items independently, improving the retail process. This technology works with retail transaction processing systems, boosting efficiency and decreasing wait times.
  • Enterprise Resource Planning: Enterprise Resource Planning integrates main business procedures, streamlining operations and data management. It improves retail checkout solutions by delivering real-time stock, customer, and sales data for data-driven decision-making.
  • Accounting: Bookkeeping monitors financial data, providing insights into business results. This is essential for retail businesses using point-of-sale technology to manage deals and inventory.
  • Transaction Processing: Transaction Processing ensures that sales and payments are precisely logged and managed. It's vital for retail checkout system to process purchases, returns, and other financial interactions.
  • Accounting Software: Accounting Software connects with retail sales platforms to optimize financial data. This integration computerizes bookkeeping tasks related to sales and inventory.
  • Payment Terminal: Payment terminals aid electronic payment processing at the purchase. They are key for firms to accept different payment methods and complete transactions.
  • Magnetic Stripe Reader: Magnetic stripe readers decode data from credit and debit cards for processing transactions. They are regularly used at registers to facilitate payments.
  • Emv Chip: EMV chips improve payment security by encoding transaction data. These are vital for contemporary retail checkout terminals, minimizing fraud.
  • Near Field Communication: Near Field Communication (NFC) allows contactless payments by allowing customers to simply tap their credit cards or devices at compatible checkout systems. This method streamlines transactions and enhances the customer experience at the checkout.
  • Restaurant: Eateries utilize computerized checkout tech to streamline order taking, payment handling, and inventory control. These systems help make better how well something works and accuracy in Restaurant operations.
  • Transaction Log: Transaction log files document every action in a retailer's sales system, ensuring data integrity. They permit auditing, recovery from failures, and monitoring sales trends.
  • Transaction Fee: Transaction Fees are costs levied on companies for handling payments, impacting profitability. Such costs are crucial to consider when evaluating payment solutions for processing payments for retail point-of-sale setups.
  • Transaction Authorization: Transaction Authorization confirms adequate funds or credit for buys at point-of-sale devices. It assures payment security and stops dishonest transactions throughout retail transactions.
  • Transaction Settlement: Transaction Settlement finalizes remittances from customers to a company. It's crucial for sellers using digital sales systems to reconcile everyday deals and get funds.
  • Credit Card Processing: Credit Card Processing permits businesses to accept card payments from customers. It is vital for modern retail checkout systems, simplifying transactions and improving customer convenience.
  • Debit Card Processing: Debit Card Processing permits companies to take money directly from customers' bank accounts. This feature is critical for today's store payment solutions allowing for smooth transactions.
  • Emv Chip Card: Emv Chip Card improve payment security by using a microchip to encode transaction data. They are crucial for modern retail checkout terminals, reducing fraud and improving data protection.
  • Contactless Payment: Contactless Payment enable customers to rapidly and safely pay by tapping their card or device. This method streamlines transactions at the point of sale, improving the shopping experience.
  • Mobile Payment: Mobile Payment allows customers to make transactions with mobile phones or other devices. This technology streamlines checkout at points of purchase, enhancing speed and convenience.
  • Online Payment: Online Payment processing permits businesses to accept digital transactions. This incorporation is crucial for contemporary retail checkout systems, expediting sales and enhancing customer experience.
  • Fraud Detection: Fraud Detection analyzes transaction data to detect and stop fraudulent activities at point of sale. This protects firms and shoppers from monetary losses and maintains faith in payment systems.
  • Pci Dss Compliance: Pci Dss Compliance assures secure management of cardholder data for companies using point-of-sale systems. Complying with these guidelines protects customer information and deters data leaks during transactions.
  • Chargeback: Reversals occur when customers dispute a transaction, requiring merchants to reimburse the payment if the dispute is valid. These disputes affect companies that use point-of-sale technology by possibly reducing revenue and incurring fees.
  • Payment Processor: Payment processors are vital for companies as they securely handle transactions between customers and sellers. They authorize and move money during purchases at the time of sale.
  • Interchange Fee: Interchange Fees are charges imposed by banks for processing electronic payments. These costs impact the cost merchants pay when customers use cards at POS terminals.
  • Payment Security: Payment security is crucial for protecting customer data and stopping fraud throughout transactions. Secure payment handling is essential for businesses using point-of-sale technology to maintain trust and prevent financial losses.
  • Tokenization: Tokenization replaces private data with non-sensitive substitutes, protecting customer data. This procedure is vital for safeguarding credit card details within point of sale point of sale environments.
  • Encryption: Encoding safeguards sensitive payment data throughout transactions at retail checkout terminals. It ensures the safety of financial information, protecting customers and businesses from scams.
  • Card Reader: Card Readers are vital tools that allow businesses to take digital payments from customers. They have a vital role in store environments and POS setups, expediting transactions.
  • Merchant Services: Business solutions permit businesses to accept different payment methods. They are crucial for modern retail configurations, assuring smooth transactions at the point of sale.
  • Ach Transfer: ACH transfers allow businesses to directly charge customer accounts for purchases. This payment option offers a secure and efficient alternative to credit cards within retail payment solutions.
  • Payment Solutions: Payment Solutions are essential for businesses to effectively handle transactions. They are integral elements in retail point-of-sale systems, allowing seamless and secure payment acceptance.
  • Point Of Sale Systems: Such solutions simplify transactions and manage sales data. They are vital components of retail and hospitality operations, improving efficiency and customer experience at the Point Of Sale Systems checkout.
  • Stock Control: Stock Control ensures businesses keep ideal inventory levels, preventing stockouts and excess inventory. It works with retail point-of-sale systems to automatically update inventory with each sale, providing real-time visibility and data for informed decisions.
  • Supply Chain Management: Supply Chain Management ensures the effective flow of goods from suppliers to retailers. It improves inventory and distribution for point-of-sale operations, enhancing customer experiences.
  • Demand Forecasting: Demand Forecasting projects future customer needs, allowing retail establishments to optimize inventory and staffing. This guarantees smooth transaction processing at the point of sale and boosts customer satisfaction.
  • Economic Order Quantity: EOQ streamlines inventory purchasing to minimize costs. When integrated with point-of-sale transaction management systems, it ensures items are in stock while reducing holding expenses.
  • Just In Time Inventory: Just In Time Inventory lowers storage costs by obtaining goods only when required. This lean approach optimizes stock levels tracked by retail sales systems.
  • Warehouse Management: Warehouse Management ensures efficient storage and movement of goods. It is crucial for retail point of sale systems to precisely monitor stock and fulfill customer orders.
  • Inventory Optimization: Inventory Optimization guarantees companies have the correct products in stock, reducing spoilage and maximizing sales. This is vital for retail sales environments, enhancing efficiency and customer service.
  • Retail Management: Retail Management oversees all aspects of store activities, assuring efficient procedures and customer fulfillment. This covers managing the electronic POS, improving inventory, and instructing staff to offer effortless transactions.
  • Inventory Turnover: Inventory Turnover measures how efficiently a business uses its stock, impacting profitability. Retail point-of-sale technology aids optimize inventory management by tracking sales and stock levels in real time.
  • Perpetual Inventory: Perpetual Inventory continually tracks stock levels, providing current data on obtainable items. This allows businesses utilizing electronic point-of-sale solutions to make informed decisions about inventory management and avoid stockouts or overstocking.
  • Periodic Inventory: Periodic Inventory entails manually counting stock at specific intervals to revise inventory logs. This method helps retail operations reconcile actual stock with recorded data, aiding in loss prevention and guiding restocking decisions for sales settings.
  • Inventory Valuation: Inventory Valuation figures the cost of goods on available, affecting profitability and tax obligations. Precise assessment is vital for retail point-of-sale setups to track stock levels and improve buying choices.
  • Inventory Auditing: Inventory Auditing involves verifying physical stock versus documented data to find differences and guarantee precision. This process is crucial for businesses using retail point-of-sale systems, as it helps keep correct inventory amounts and prevent losses.
  • Barcodes: Barcodes speed up checkout procedures by enabling fast and precise product recognition. This tech is vital for today's retail businesses to control stock and sales effectively at the time of sale.
  • Weighted Average Cost: Weighted Average Cost calculates inventory worth based on the average cost of goods, essential for precise financial reporting. Retail point-of-sale setups benefit from this method by keeping accurate stock valuation and profitability monitoring.
  • Inventory Shrinkage: Inventory Shrinkage, including losses from stealing, harm, and errors, straightforwardly impacts earnings for businesses. POS setups play a crucial role in tracking inventory and identifying discrepancies that contribute to shrinkage.
  • Reorder Point: Reorder Point assists companies avoid out of stock situations by triggering restocking when stock levels drop to a predetermined level. This ensures smooth transactions processes at the transaction point and customer happiness.
  • Safety Stock: Safety Stock is extra inventory held to protect against uncertainties in demand and supply. This ensures retail operations can satisfy customer orders even when unforeseen fluctuations happen at the point of sale.
  • Lead Time: Lead Time is the delay between order placing and when the items are ready for sale. Reduced lead times can improve inventory management and customer satisfaction at the checkout.
  • Abc Analysis: Abc Analysis categorizes inventory to prioritize resources based on worth, identifying high-impact items for focused management. This is critical for retail checkout solutions to optimize stock levels and ensure availability of key products.
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  • Greensboro: Greensboro is a lively city in North Carolina known for its rich history and artistic attractions. It serves as a key hub for education, business, and transportation in the Piedmont Triad region.
  • Durham: Durham is a vibrant city in North Carolina known for its deep history, multicultural culture, and robust academic presence, including Duke University. It is a center for technology, healthcare, and research, contributing significantly to the region's economy.
  • Winston-Salem: Winston-Salem is a town in North Carolina known for its deep history in the tobacco industry and lively arts scene. It serves as a cultural and financial hub in the Piedmont Triad region.
  • Fayetteville: Fayetteville is a town in North Carolina known for its rich military history and closeness to Fort Bragg, one of the largest military installations in the world. It features a vibrant downtown area with cultural attractions, parks, and historic sites.
  • Cary: Cary is a flourishing town in North Carolina known for its high quality of life and robust community spirit. It features a blend of residential and urban amenities, with excellent schools, parks, and a growing technology sector.
  • Wilmington: Wilmington is a venerable port city positioned in southeastern North Carolina, known for its captivating riverfront and vibrant cultural scene. It presents a combination of beautiful beaches, venerable architecture, and a growing film industry.
  • High Point: High Point is a city in North Carolina famous for its leading furniture manufacturing sector and annual High Point Market, the largest home furnishings fair in the world. It is part of the Piedmont Triad metropolitan area and offers a mix of cultural amenities and historic locations.
  • Concord: Concord is a city in North Carolina known for its rich history and thriving community. It is home to the Charlotte Motor Speedway and offers a combination of artistic attractions and al fresco activities.
  • Asheville: Asheville is a dynamic city in North Carolina known for its historic architecture and thriving arts scene. Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains, it offers breathtaking natural beauty and a diverse cultural experience.
  • Greenville: Greenville is a vibrant city in North Carolina known for its rich history and cultural variety. It serves as a key hub for academics, health services, and trade, featuring East Carolina University and a developing downtown area.
  • Jacksonville: Jacksonville is a city located in Onslow County, North Carolina, known for its nearby location to Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune. It features a mix of military heritage and Southern charm, adding to its special community atmosphere.
  • Huntersville: Huntersville is a residential town in North Carolina known for its family-friendly community and nearness to Lake Norman. It offers a blend of modern amenities, parks, and a historic downtown area.
  • Apex: Apex is a lively town located in Wake County, North Carolina, known for its historic downtown and robust community spirit. It offers a mix of suburban living with access to parks, schools, and local events.
  • Burlington: Burlington is a town in North Carolina known for its rich history and lively community. It serves as a key center for business, culture, and learning in the Piedmont Triad area.
  • Gastonia: Gastonia is a municipality in North Carolina renowned for its rich history in the textile industry. It offers a mix of urban and suburban areas with parks, cultural sites, and a developing economy.
  • Chapel Hill: Chapel Hill is a dynamic town in North Carolina known for its prestigious University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. It features a thriving cultural scene, historic landmarks, and a tight-knit sense of community.
  • Rocky Mount: Rocky Mount is a town in North Carolina renowned for its rich history and lively arts scene. It serves as a regional hub for business and arts in the coastal plains region.
  • Kannapolis: Kannapolis is a town in North Carolina famous for its rich history in textile manufacturing. It has developed into a thriving community with a focus on education, healthcare, and biotechnology.
  • Wake Forest: Wake Forest is a delightful town in North Carolina known for its heritage-rich downtown and thriving community. It offers a combination of cozy atmosphere and modern amenities, making it a well-liked place to live and visit.
  • Hickory: Hickory is a city in North Carolina renowned for its deep history in furniture production and vibrant cultural scene. It offers a combination of historic architecture and up-to-date amenities, creating a charming environment for residents and visitors.
  • Goldsboro: Goldsboro is a city in Wayne County, North Carolina, known for its rich history and vibrant community. It serves as a regional hub with cultural attractions, schools and colleges, and military significance due to its proximity to Seymour Johnson Air Force Base.
  • Salisbury: Salisbury is a historic city in North Carolina known for its carefully preserved downtown section and deep cultural tradition. It serves as the county seat of Rowan County and provides a combination of small-town charm and modern conveniences.
  • Indian Trail: Indian Trail is a rapidly growing area in North Carolina known for its family-friendly atmosphere and strong community spirit. It offers a mix of suburban living with quick access to Charlotte's urban amenities.
  • Monroe: Monroe is a town in Union County, North Carolina, known for its historic downtown and thriving community events. It serves as a focal point for business and arts in the surrounding area.
  • New Bern: New Bern is a ancient city in North Carolina known for its charming waterfront and deep colonial heritage. It acts as the county seat of Craven County and offers a combination of cultural attractions and natural beauty.
  • Mooresville: Mooresville is a lively town in North Carolina known for its strong motorsports heritage and nearness to Lake Norman. It offers a mix of small-town charm and modern amenities, appealing to residents and visitors alike.
  • Garner: Garner is a town located in Wake County, North Carolina, known for its welcoming atmosphere and growing community. It offers a combination of suburban living with convenient access to the nearby city of Raleigh.
  • Sanford: Sanford is a city located in Lee County, North Carolina, known for its historic downtown and thriving community. It serves as a local hub for commerce, learning, and health services in the central part of the state.
  1. Biltmore Estate: The Biltmore Estate in North Carolina is a heritage mansion built by George Washington Vanderbilt II, featuring two hundred fifty rooms and spectacular architecture. It is surrounded by lovely gardens and offers visitors a peek into the Gilded Age lifestyle.
  2. Great Smoky Mountains National Park: The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is renowned for its diverse plant and animal life, old mountains, and foggy landscapes. It offers numerous hiking trails, historic buildings, and scenic vistas along the border of North Carolina and Tennessee.
  3. Outer Banks: The Outer Banks is a group of barrier islands off the coast of North Carolina known for its stunning beaches, deep history, and distinctive wildlife. It offers well-liked activities such as fishing, water sports, and exploring historical sites like the Wright Brothers National Memorial.
  4. Wright Brothers National Memorial: Wright Brothers National Memorial in North Carolina honors the first pioneering powered flights by Orville and Wilbur Wright in 1903. The site features a visitor center, reproduction of the original Flyer, and exhibits highlighting the history of aviation.
  5. Battleship North Carolina: The Battleship North Carolina is a historic World War II battleship permanently docked in Wilmington, North Carolina. It serves as a museum, giving visitors a opportunity to visit its decks and learn about naval history.
  6. Chimney Rock State Park: Chimney Rock State Park in North Carolina boasts a majestic 315-foot granite monolith offering spectacular views of the surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains. The park also contains hiking trails, waterfalls, and diverse wildlife, attracting outdoor enthusiasts.
  7. Grandfather Mountain: Grandfather Mountain in North Carolina is a rough peak known for its picturesque hiking trails, varied wildlife, and the Mile High Swinging Bridge. It offers stunning panoramic views and is a well-liked destination for outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers.
  8. Cape Hatteras National Seashore: Cape Hatteras National Seashore in North Carolina boasts pristine beaches, varied wildlife, and heritage lighthouses. It is a popular destination for fishing, surfing, and discovering natural coastal beauty.
  9. North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences: The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences is a prestigious institution showcasing wide-ranging exhibits on the natural world, including hands-on displays and live animals. It offers learning programs and engaging experiences that showcase the biodiversity and science of the region.
  10. North Carolina Zoo: The North Carolina Zoo is one of the biggest natural habitat zoos in the world, showcasing over 1,600 animals representing more than 250 species. It boasts large exhibits that recreate African and North American environments, providing a distinctive and immersive wildlife experience.
  11. International Civil Rights Center & Museum: The International Civil Rights Center & Museum in North Carolina commemorates the 1960 Greensboro sit-ins, a pivotal event in the Civil Rights Movement. It features exhibits and educational programs that showcase the struggle for racial equality and social justice.
  12. Fort Raleigh National Historic Site: Fort Raleigh National Historic Site maintains the location of the earliest English settlement in America, known as the Lost Colony. It offers visitors a glimpse into early-stage colonial history through open-air exhibits and living history programs.
  13. Jockey's Ridge State Park: Jockey's Ridge State Park features the tallest natural sand dune system in the Eastern United States, offering stunning views of the nearby landscape. Visitors can take part in activities such as hiking, hang gliding, and kite flying in this unique coastal environment.
  14. Tryon Palace: Tryon Palace is a historic site in New Bern, North Carolina, featuring the restored 18th-century governor's mansion and beautiful gardens. It offers a insight into colonial life with museum exhibits, guided tours, and special events.
  15. Uwharrie National Forest: Uwharrie National Forest in North Carolina features diverse outdoor recreational options including hiking, camping, and off-road vehicle trails. It features scenic landscapes with old mountains, dense forests, and sparkling lakes, perfect for nature enthusiasts.
  16. Mount Mitchell State Park: Mount Mitchell State Park in North Carolina features the tallest peak east of the Mississippi River, offering stunning panoramic views and varied hiking trails. The park is well-known for its special flora and fauna, making it a popular destination for nature lovers and outdoor adventurers.
  17. Merchants Millpond State Park: Merchants Millpond State Park in North Carolina offers a peaceful millpond encircled by cypress swamps and rich wildlife, providing opportunities for kayaking, fishing, and hiking. The park protects historic structures and provides a calm natural retreat for outdoor enthusiasts.
  18. Old Salem Museums & Gardens: Old Salem Museums & Gardens in North Carolina presents a peek into the rich history and culture of the Moravian settlers through preserved buildings, gardens, and interactive exhibits. Visitors can experience 18th and 19th-century architecture, traditional crafts, and well-kept gardens.
  19. Linville Gorge Wilderness: Linville Gorge Wilderness in North Carolina is a rough and scenic area known for its profound canyon and varied wildlife. It offers tough hiking trails, stunning overlooks, and chances for rock climbing and fishing.
  20. Blue Ridge Parkway: The Blue Ridge Parkway is a beautiful highway that meanders through the Appalachian Mountains, offering breathtaking views of the natural landscape. It is renowned for its scenic overlooks, hiking trails, and colorful fall foliage, making it a favored destination for outdoor enthusiasts.
  21. Graveyard Fields: Graveyard Fields is a picturesque area in North Carolina's Blue Ridge Mountains famous for its breathtaking waterfalls and lively wildflower meadows. It offers well-known hiking trails with breathtaking views and rich natural beauty.
  22. Sliding Rock: Sliding Rock is a genuine waterfall in Pisgah National Forest, North Carolina, where visitors can slide down a polished, 60-foot-long rock into a refreshing mountain pool. It offers a unique and exhilarating outdoor experience well-liked with families and adventure seekers.
  23. Looking Glass Falls: Looking Glass Falls is a stunning 60-foot waterfall located in the Pisgah National Forest of North Carolina. Conveniently located and surrounded by lush greenery, it is a favorite destination for visitors looking for natural beauty and photography chances.
  24. Lake Lure: Lake Lure is a scenic reservoir located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in North Carolina, famous for its spectacular views and recreational activities. It offers opportunities for boating, fishing, and hiking, drawing visitors seeking natural beauty and outdoor adventure.
  25. Tweetsie Railroad: Tweetsie Railroad is a Old West-themed amusement park in North Carolina featuring a classic steam locomotive ride through beautiful mountain terrain. It offers family-friendly attractions, live entertainment, and special events celebrating the region's railroad heritage.
  26. Emerald Isle: Emerald Isle is a beautiful coastal town in North Carolina known for its clean beaches and family-friendly atmosphere. It offers wonderful opportunities for fishing, boating, and relaxing by the Atlantic Ocean.
  27. High Point Furniture Market: High Point Furniture Market in North Carolina is the most extensive home furnishings industry trade show in the world, drawing buyers and exhibitors worldwide. It features a extensive array of furniture types and designs, acting as a major hub for industry networking and innovation.
  28. NASCAR Hall of Fame: The NASCAR Hall of Fame in North Carolina commemorates the history and heritage of NASCAR, showcasing renowned drivers, classic cars, and noteworthy moments. It includes interactive exhibits and memorabilia, making it a must-visit destination for racing fans.
  29. Discovery Place Science: Discovery Place Science in North Carolina is a interactive scientific museum featuring interactive exhibits, an aquarium, and live demonstrations. It offers instructional experiences for all ages focused on tech, life science, and physics.
  30. Morehead Planetarium and Science Center: Morehead Planetarium and Science Center in North Carolina provides engaging exhibits and immersive astronomy shows that inspire wonder about the universe. It serves as a focal point for science education and public engagement, showcasing cutting-edge technology and research programs.

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Rick Kohlbeck

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Aaron, is absolutely amazing and does a wonderful job with answering all of our questions! We have the POS System and the Clover Flex that he has helped us get. It has done amazing things for our business and has helped us to thrive even … More

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Jason Bell is SUPERMAN!! He explained everything I needed to know to make an informed decision to purchase The Clover. His expertise, availabilty, and friendliness helped me feel at ease in setting up my small self-wellness business point … More

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Stogies Downtown

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We are most pleased with the relationship we’ve had in working with Brilliant POS and their rep Kiana. They worked closely and diligently to help migrate data from a 10 yr old POS system to our current platform. Many bumps along the road … More

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Welcome to the future of

Point of sale done right

Embrace unlimited potential for your business.

Streamline your business. Make smarter decisions.

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Simple-to-use, eliminate wasted time

Our POS system was created with simplicity in mind for the user experience, while providing the array of features sets you need to efficiently grow your business to it’s greatest potential.

Utilize powerful tools to maximize revenue

Insight is everything, you need to know what you don’t already know to make educated decisions. Our in-depth reporting, extensive inventory control, and customer tracking will provide you with that much needed knowledge.

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We're Here For You

Our business is your business. Brilliant POS is 100% customer experience driven. We are into building relationships and growing with your business as it reaches new levels of success.

Brilliant POS is customer experience driven

Exceptional Support

Our outstanding support begins with ensuring you are set up correctly from the start. If you ever happen to need it, we have 24/7/365 US-based support ready to assist. We have you covered; days, nights, weekends, and holidays.

All the features you need, and then some

Payment Processing 4x

Payment Processing

Customers want to use the payment type they prefer; offer them Apple Pay, EMV, PIN Debit, and all the credit card brand options.

Online Transactions 4x

Offline Transactions

If your internet goes down, no need to worry with Brilliant POS. Our POS systems will continue to run flawlessly without internet.

Point of Sale 4x

Point of Sale

Make transactions a breeze; we have simplified the transaction process to keep your customers happy and wanting to come back.

Hardware 4x

Hardware

We provide only the best name-­brand POS hardware in the industry. And of course, all of our hardware is warrantied.

Gift Cards 4x

Gift Cards

Gift cards are a no­-brainer, if you look at the stats they more than pay for themselves. We offer custom and standard designs.

E commerce@4x

E-commerce

Take your business online to capture a broader audience. We’ll integrate the online store with your brick and mortar. Making it simple to add products and fulfill orders.

Beads Inc.

Working with Brilliant POS has been the best choice we could have made for Beads, Inc. Their attention to detail, service and customer satisfaction was fantastic and made the process easy. Almost 2 years later, and we cannot recommend Brilliant POS enough to other small businesses.

Christine White

Owner

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Point of sale

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about checkout technology. For managed care, see point of service plan.
Points of sale at a Target retail store
Marketing
Management
Key concepts
Account-based marketing · Activation · Annoyance factor · Attribution · Distribution · Brand licensing · Brand management · Cannibalization · Co-creation · Communications · Consumer behaviour · Consumer culture · Digital marketing · Dominance · Effectiveness · Ethics · Horizontal integration · Influencer marketing · Mix · Pricing · Product marketing · Promotion · Retail · Segmentation · Service · Social marketing · Strategy · Vertical integration
Promotional content
Advertising · Ambush marketing · Branding · Corporate anniversary · Direct marketing · Franchising · Gender in advertising · Label · Loyalty marketing · Mobile marketing · On-hold messaging · Personal selling · Premiums · Prizes · Product placement · Propaganda · Publicity · Sales promotion · Sex in advertising · Underwriting spot
Promotional media
Behavioral targeting · Brand ambassador · Counter display unit · Display advertising · Display stand · Drip marketing · Endcap · Gondola · In-game advertising · Mobile advertising · Native advertising · New media · Online advertising · Out-of-home advertising · Point of sale · Product demonstration · Promotional merchandise (merchandising) · Promotional representative · Visual merchandising · Web banner · Word-of-mouth
Research
Market research · Marketing research · Mystery shopping · Consumer research

The point of sale (POS) or point of purchase (POP) is the time and place at which a retail transaction is completed. At the point of sale, the merchant calculates the amount owed by the customer, indicates that amount, may prepare an invoice for the customer (which may be a cash register printout), and indicates the options for the customer to make payment. It is also the point at which a customer makes a payment to the merchant in exchange for goods or after provision of a service. After receiving payment, the merchant may issue a receipt, as proof of transaction, which is usually printed but can also be dispensed with or sent electronically.[1][2][3]

To calculate the amount owed by a customer, the merchant may use various devices such as weighing scales, barcode scanners, and cash registers (or the more advanced "POS cash registers", which are sometimes also called "POS systems"[4][5]). To make a payment, payment terminals, touch screens, and other hardware and software options are available.

The point of sale is often referred to as the point of service because it is not just a point of sale but also a point of return or customer order. POS terminal software may also include features for additional functionality, such as inventory management, CRM, financials, or warehousing.

Businesses are increasingly adopting POS systems, and one of the most obvious and compelling reasons is that a POS system eliminates the need for price tags. Selling prices are linked to the product code of an item when adding stock, so the cashier merely scans this code to process a sale. If there is a price change, this can also be easily done through the inventory window. Other advantages include the ability to implement various types of discounts, a loyalty scheme for customers, and more efficient stock control. These features are typical of almost all modern ePOS systems.

Terminology

[edit]
The counter of a café at the new Centrum department store in Tampere, Finland in 1961

Retailers and marketers will often refer to the area around the checkout instead as the point of purchase (POP) when they are discussing it from the customer's perspective. This is particularly the case when planning and designing the area as well as when considering a marketing strategy and offers.

Some point of sale vendors refer to their POS system as "retail management system" which is a more appropriate term, since this software is not just for processing sales but comes with many other capabilities, such as inventory management, membership systems, supplier records, bookkeeping, issuing of purchase orders, quotations and stock transfers, hide barcode label creation, sale reporting and in some cases remote outlet networking or linkage, to name some major ones.

Nevertheless, it is the term POS system rather than retail management system that is in vogue among both end-users and vendors.

The basic, fundamental definition of a POS System is a system which allows the processing and recording of transactions between a company and its consumers, at the time in which goods and/or services are purchased.

History

[edit]

Software before the 1990s

[edit]
McDonald's POS device by Brobeck

Early electronic cash registers (ECR) were controlled with proprietary software and were limited in function and communication capability. In August 1973, IBM released the IBM 3650 and 3660 store systems that were, in essence, a mainframe computer used as a store controller that could control up to 128 IBM 3653/3663 point of sale registers. This system was the first commercial use of client-server technology, peer-to-peer communications, local area network (LAN) simultaneous backup, and remote initialization. By mid-1974, it was installed in Pathmark stores in New Jersey and Dillard's department stores.

One of the first microprocessor-controlled cash register systems was built by William Brobeck and Associates in 1974, for McDonald's Restaurants.[6] It used the Intel 8008, an early microprocessor (forerunner to the Intel 8088 processor used in the original IBM Personal Computer). Each station in the restaurant had its own device which displayed the entire order for a customer — for example, [2] Vanilla Shake, [1] Large Fries, [3] Big Mac — using numeric keys and a button for every menu item. By pressing the [Grill] button, a second or third order could be worked on while the first transaction was in progress. When the customer was ready to pay, the [Total] button would calculate the bill, including sales tax for almost any jurisdiction in the United States. This made it accurate for McDonald's and very convenient for the servers and provided the restaurant owner with a check on the amount that should be in the cash drawers. Up to eight devices were connected to one of two interconnected computers so that printed reports, prices, and taxes could be handled from any desired device by putting it into Manager Mode. In addition to the error-correcting memory, accuracy was enhanced by having three copies of all important data with many numbers stored only as multiples of 3. Should one computer fail, the other could handle the entire store.

In 1986, Gene Mosher introduced the first graphical point of sale software

In 1986, Gene Mosher introduced the first graphical point of sale software[7] featuring a touchscreen interface under the ViewTouch[8] trademark on the 16-bit Atari 520ST color computer.[9] It featured a color touchscreen widget-driven interface that allowed configuration of widgets representing menu items without low level programming.[10] The ViewTouch point of sale software was first demonstrated in public at Fall Comdex, 1986,[11] in Las Vegas, Nevada, to large crowds visiting the Atari Computer booth. This was the first commercially available POS system with a widget-driven color graphic touch screen interface and was installed in several restaurants in the US and Canada.

In 1986, IBM introduced its 468x series of POS equipment based on Digital Research's Concurrent DOS 286 and FlexOS 1.xx, a modular real-time multi-tasking multi-user operating system.

Modern software (post-1990s)

[edit]

A wide range of POS applications have been developed on platforms such as Windows and Unix. The availability of local processing power, local data storage, networking, and graphical user interface made it possible to develop flexible and highly functional POS systems. Cost of such systems has also declined, as all the components can now be purchased off-the-shelf.

In 1993, IBM adopted FlexOS 2.32 as the basis of their IBM 4690 OS in their 469x series of POS terminals. This was developed up to 2014 when it was sold to Toshiba, who continued to support it up to at least 2017.

With increased options for commodity hardware and a more competitive market, the 1990s saw increased attention paid to the user interaction between store employees and POS systems. Touchscreens and larger displays became widely available in the 1990s, offering an alternative to limited displays like two-line VFDs used in the IBM 4683. The performance of the employees using the POS devices, a controllable cost for the business, depends upon the ease of learning, ease of use, and level of employee experience with it. Although experienced employees work more quickly with mechanically keyed entry,[12] some systems favoured adopting GUI technology for ease of learning or for ergonomic factors.[13]

The key requirements that must be met by modern POS systems include high and consistent operating speed, reliability, ease of use, remote supportability, low cost, and rich functionality. Retailers can reasonably expect to acquire such systems (including hardware) for about $4000 US (as of 2009) per checkout lane.

Reliability depends not wholly on the developer but at times on the compatibility between a database and an OS version. For example, the widely used Microsoft Access database system had a compatibility issue when Windows XP machines were updated to a newer version of Windows. Microsoft offered no immediate solution. Some businesses were severely disrupted in the process, and many downgraded back to Windows XP for a quick resolution. Other companies utilized community support, for a registry tweak solution has been found for this.[14][unreliable source]

POS systems are one of the most complex software systems available because of the features that are required by different end users. Many POS systems are software suites that include sale, inventory, stock counting, vendor ordering, customer loyalty and reporting modules. Sometimes purchase ordering, stock transferring, quotation issuing, barcode creating, bookkeeping or even accounting capabilities are included. Each of these modules is interlinked if they are to serve their practical purpose and maximize their usability.

For instance, the sale window is immediately updated on a new member entry through the membership window because of this interlinking. Similarly, when a sale transaction is made, any purchase by a member is on record for the membership window to report providing information like payment type, goods purchased, date of purchase and points accumulated. Comprehensive analysis performed by a POS machine may need to process several qualities about a single product, like selling price, balance, average cost, quantity sold, description and department. Highly complex programming is involved (and possibly considerable computer resources) to generate such extensive analyses.

POS systems are designed not only to serve the retail, wholesale and hospitality industries as historically is the case. Currently POS systems are also used in goods and property leasing businesses, equipment repair shops, healthcare management, ticketing offices such as cinemas and sports facilities and many other operations where capabilities such as the following are required: processing monetary transactions, allocation and scheduling of facilities, keeping record and scheduling services rendered to customers, tracking of goods and processes (repair or manufacture), invoicing and tracking of debts and outstanding payments.

Different customers have different expectations within each trade. The reporting functionality alone is subject to so many demands, especially from those in the retail/wholesale industry. To cite special requirements, some business's goods may include perishables and hence the inventory system must be capable of prompting the admin and cashier on expiring or expired products. Some retail businesses require the system to store credit for their customers, credit which can be used subsequently to pay for goods. A few companies expect the POS system to behave like a full-fledged inventory management system, including the ability to provide FIFO (First In First Out) and LIFO (Last In First Out), reports of their goods for accounting and tax purposes.

In the hospitality industry, POS system capabilities can also diverge significantly. For instance, a restaurant is typically concerned about how the sale window functions: whether it has functionality such as creating item buttons, various discounts, adding a service charge, holding of receipts, queuing, table service as well as takeaways, merging and splitting of a receipt. These capabilities may be insufficient for a spa or slimming center which would require, in addition, a scheduling window with historical records of customers' attendance and their special requirements.

A POS system can be made to serve different purposes to different end users depending on their business processes. Often an off-the-shelf POS system is inadequate for customers. Some customization is required, and this is why a POS system can become very complex. The complexity of a mature POS system extends to remote networking or interlinking between remote outlets and the HQ such that updating both ways is possible. Some POS systems offer the linking of web-based orders to their sale window. Even when local networking is only required (as in the case of a high-traffic supermarket), there is the ever-present challenge for the developer to keep most if not all of their POS stations running. This puts high demand not just on software coding but also designing the whole system covering how individual stations and the network work together, and special consideration for the performance capability and usage of databases. Due to such complexity, bugs and errors encountered in POS systems are frequent.[15]

With regard to databases, POS systems are very demanding on their performance because of numerous submissions and retrievals of data - required for correct sequencing the receipt number, checking various discounts, membership, calculating subtotal, so forth - just to process a single sale transaction. The immediacy required of the system on the sale window such as may be observed at a checkout counter in a supermarket cannot be compromised. This places much stress on individual enterprise databases if there are just several tens of thousands of sale records in the database. Enterprise database Microsoft SQL Server, for example, has been known to freeze up (including the OS) entirely for many minutes under such conditions showing a "Timeout Expired" error message. Even a lighter database like Microsoft Access will slow to a crawl over time if the problem of database bloating is not foreseen and managed by the system automatically. Therefore, the need to do extensive testing, debugging and improvisation of solutions to preempt failure of a database before commercial implementation complicates the development.

POS system accuracy is demanding, given that monetary transactions are involved continuously not only via the sale window but also at the back end through the receiving and inputting of goods into the inventory. Calculations required are not always straightforward. There may be many discounts and deals that are unique to specific products, and the POS machine must quickly process the differences and the effect on pricing. There is much complexity in the programming of such operations, especially when no error in calculation can be allowed.

Other requirements include that the system must have functionality for membership discount and points accumulation/usage, quantity and promotional discounts, mix and match offers, cash rounding up, invoice/delivery-order issuance with outstanding amount. It should enable a user to adjust the inventory of each product based on physical count, track expiry of perishable goods, change pricing, provide audit trail when modification of inventory records is performed, be capable of multiple outlet functionality, control of stocks from HQ, doubling as an invoicing system, just to name some.

It is clear that POS system is a term that implies a wide range of capabilities depending on the end-user requirements. POS system review websites cannot be expected to cover most let alone all the features. Unless one is a developer, it is unrealistic to expect the reviewer to know all the aspects of a POS system. For instance, a POS system might work smoothly on a test database during the review but not when the database grows significantly in size over months of usage. And this is only one among many hidden critical functionality issues of a POS system.

Hardware interface standardization (post-1980s)

[edit]

Vendors and retailers are working to standardize development of computerized POS systems and simplify interconnecting POS devices. Two such initiatives were OPOS and JavaPOS, both of which conform to the UnifiedPOS standard led by The National Retail Foundation.

OPOS (OLE for POS) was the first commonly adopted standard and was created by Microsoft, NCR Corporation, Epson and Fujitsu-ICL. OPOS is a COM-based interface compatible with all COM-enabled programming languages for Microsoft Windows. OPOS was first released in 1996. JavaPOS was developed by Sun Microsystems, IBM, and NCR Corporation in 1997 and first released in 1999. JavaPOS is for Java what OPOS is for Windows, and thus largely platform independent.

There are nearly as many proprietary protocols as there are companies making POS peripherals. Most POS peripherals, such as displays and printers, support several of these command protocols to work with many different brands of POS terminals and computers.

User interface design

[edit]

The design of the sale window is the most important one for the user. This user interface is highly critical when compared to those in other software packages such as word editors or spreadsheet programs where the speed of navigation is not so crucial for business performance.

For businesses at prime locations where real estate is at a premium, it can be common to see a queue of customers. The faster a sale is completed the shorter the queue time which improves customer satisfaction, the less space it takes, which benefits shoppers and staff. High-traffic operations such as grocery outlets and cafes need to process sales quickly at the sales counter so the UI flow is often designed with as few popups or other interruptions to ensure the operator isn't distracted and the transaction can be processed as quickly as possible.

Although improving the ergonomics is possible, a clean, fast-paced look may come at the expense of sacrificing functions that are often wanted by end-users such as discounts, access to commission earned screens, membership and loyalty schemes can involve looking at a different function of the POS to ensure the point of sale screen contains only what a cashier needs at their disposal to serve customers.

Cloud-based (post-2000s)

[edit]

The advent of cloud computing has given birth to the possibility of electronic point of sale (EPOS) systems[16] to be deployed as software as a service, which can be accessed directly from the Internet using a web browser. Using the previous advances in the communication protocols for POS's control of hardware, cloud-based POS systems are independent from platform and operating system limitations. EPOS systems based in the cloud (most small-business POS today) are generally subscription-based, which includes ongoing customer support.[17]

Compared to regular cash registers (which tend to be significantly cheaper but only process sales and prints receipts), POS systems include automatic updating of the inventory library stock levels when selling products, real-time reports accessible from a remote computer, staff timesheets and a customer library with loyalty features.[18][clarification needed][clarification needed]

Cloud-based POS systems are also created to be compatible with a wide range of POS hardware and sometimes tablets such as Apple's iPad. Thus cloud-based POS also helped expand POS systems to mobile devices, such as tablet computers or smartphones.[19]

These devices can also act as barcode readers using a built-in camera and as payment terminals using built-in NFC technology or an external payment card reader. A number of POS companies built their software specifically to be cloud-based. Other businesses who launched pre-2000s have since adapted their software to evolving technology.

Cloud-based POS systems are different from traditional POS largely because user data, including sales and inventory, are not stored locally, but in a remote server. The POS system is also not run locally, so there is no installation required.

Depending on the POS vendor and the terms of contract, compared to traditional on-premises POS installation, the software is more likely to be continually updated by the developer with more useful features and better performance in terms of computer resources at the remote server and in terms of fewer bugs and errors.

Other advantages of a cloud-based POS are instant centralization of data (important especially to chain stores), ability to access data from anywhere there is internet connection, and lower start-up costs.[20]

Cloud based POS requires an internet connection. For this reason it important to use a device with 3G connectivity in case the device's primary internet goes down. In addition to being significantly less expensive than traditional legacy point of sale systems, a notable strength of cloud-based point of sale systems is the ability to switch to a different product, by a different developer, without having to purchase new hardware. The many developers creating new software applications help to ensure that the system is supported for longer than a typical legacy POS system.

A number of noted emerging cloud-based POS systems came on the scene less than a decade or even half a decade back. These systems are usually designed for restaurants, small and medium-sized retail operations with fairly simple sale processes as can be culled from POS system review sites. It appears from such software reviews that enterprise-level cloud-based POS systems are currently lacking in the market. "Enterprise-level" here means that the inventory should be capable of handling a large number of records, such as required by grocery stores and supermarkets. It can also mean that the system software and cloud server must be capable of generating reports such as analytics of sale against inventory for both a single and multiple outlets that are interlinked for administration by the headquarters of the business operation.

POS vendors of such cloud based systems should also have a strong contingency plan for the breakdown of their remote server such as represented by fail-over server support. Sometimes a major data center can fail completely, such as in a fire.[21] On-premises installations are therefore sometimes seen alongside cloud-based implementation to preempt such incidents, especially for businesses with high traffic. The on-premises installations may not have the most up-to-date inventory and membership information.

For such contingency, a more innovative though highly complex approach for the developer is to have a trimmed down version of the POS system installed on the cashier computer at the outlet. On a daily basis the latest inventory and membership information from the remote server is automatically updated into the local database. Thus should the remote server fail, the cashier can switch over to the local sale window without disrupting sales. When the remote server is restored and the cashier switches over to the cloud system, the locally processed sale records are then automatically submitted to the remote system, thus maintaining the integrity of the remote database.

Although cloud-based POS systems save the end-user startup cost and technical challenges in maintaining an otherwise on-premises installation, there is a risk that if the cloud-based vendor closes down it may result in more immediate termination of services for the end-user compared to the case of a traditional full on-premises POS system where it can still run without the vendor.

Another consideration is that a cloud-based POS system actually exposes business data to service providers - the hosting service company and the POS vendor which have access to both the application and database. The importance of securing critical business information such as supplier names, top selling items, customer relationship processes cannot be underestimated given that sometimes the few key success factors or trade secrets of a business are actually accessible through the POS system. This security and privacy concern is an ongoing issue in cloud computing.

Retail industry

[edit]
Main article: Retail
Points of sale at a grocery store in Ilorin, Nigeria
Points of sales at S-market grocery store in Klaukkala, Finland

The retail industry is one of the predominant users of POS terminals. The POS interface at a retail establishment varies greatly depending on the industry and owner of the retailer, but usually includes a cash register (typically a specialized x86-based computer running Windows Embedded or Linux), a method for employee input, cash drawer, receipt printer, barcode scanners (which may incorporate a scale), and an interface for processing Card payments and Processing Customer Information (a Payment Terminal). It can also include a conveyor belt, checkout divider, wireless handheld scanners, integrated card processing systems, and customer-facing displays to display totals and show advertisements. While some systems use typical PC interfaces (such as a keyboard & mouse), it is far more common to utilize touchscreens as they allow for faster response and better customization for the retailer. In the past, most IBM systems used a primarily keyboard-based interface, and NCR previously used side-keys on their displays before touchscreens were widely available, similar to their ATM products.

The POS system software can typically handle a myriad of customer based functions such as sales, returns, exchanges, layaways, gift cards, gift registries, customer loyalty programs, promotions, discounts and much more. POS software can also allow for functions such as pre-planned promotional sales, manufacturer coupon validation, foreign currency handling and multiple payment types.

The POS unit handles the sales to the consumer, but it is only one part of the entire POS system used in a retail business. The controlling servers, or "Back-office" computers, typically handle other functions of the POS system such as inventory control, pricing, purchasing, receiving and transferring of products to and from other locations. Other typical functions of a POS system are: store sales information for enabling customer returns, reporting purposes, sales trends and cost/price/profit analysis. Customer information may be stored for receivables management, marketing purposes and specific buying analysis. Many retail POS systems include an accounting interface that "feeds" sales and product losses, cash drawer expected totals, and cashier productivity information to independent accounting applications.

Point of Sale interface at a supermarket in California.

A multi-terminal POS system used by big retailers like supermarkets and department stores has a far more demanding database and software architecture than that of a single station seen in small retail outlets. A supermarket with high traffic cannot afford a systemic failure, hence each point of sale station is designed to be robust in its operation. Most proprietary POS systems designed for large retailers use 2 servers, with one acting as a backup in case of failure. In the event that both servers fail, the individual POS systems will enter a failsafe mode, where sales data is stored locally and exported back to the servers upon a return of the connection. This may prove challenging to implement in some instances however, as many commercial POS systems do not have any hard disks for security purposes, and often have limited amounts of RAM.

Performing updates between multiple stations and the back end administrative computer should be redundant, so that updates to inventory and promotions will be accurately reflected at checkout without having to restart the computer, and reflecting accurate sales records to the back-end computer at the end of the business day.

This gets even more complicated when there is a membership system requiring real-time two-way updating of membership points between sale stations and the back end administrative computer.

Retail operations such as hardware stores, lumber yards, electronics stores and so-called multifaceted superstores need specialized additional features compared to other stores. POS software in these cases handles special orders, purchase orders, repair orders, service and rental programs as well as typical point of sale functions. Rugged hardware is required for point of sale systems used in outdoor environments. Wireless devices, battery powered devices, all-in-one units, and Internet-ready machines are typical in this industry.

Recently new applications have been introduced, enabling POS transactions to be conducted using mobile phones and tablets. According to a recent study, mobile POS (mPOS) terminals are expected to replace the contemporary payment techniques because of various features including mobility, upfront low cost investment and better user experience.[22]

In the mid-2000s, the blind community in the United States engaged in structured negotiations to ensure that retail point of sale devices had tactile keypads. Without keys that can be felt, a blind person cannot independently enter his or her PIN. In the mid-2000s retailers began using "flat screen" or "signature capture" devices that eliminated tactile keypads. Blind people were forced to share their confidential PIN with store clerks to use their debit and other PIN-based cards. The blind community reached agreement with Walmart, Target, CVS and eight other retailers that required real physical keys so blind people could use the devices.

Checkout configuration

[edit]

Early stores typically kept merchandise behind a counter. Staff would fetch items for customers to prevent the opportunity for theft and sales would be made at the same counter. Self-service grocery stores such as Piggly Wiggly, beginning in 1916, allowed customers to fetch their own items and pass the point of sale enroute to the exit.

Modern stores have a variety of checkout configurations, but almost all stores will have their main checkout area situated close to the entrance/exits. Smaller stores may utilize simple counters, while big-box stores will typically use a conveyor belt system spaced out in separate "lanes" to process orders. Express lanes might limit the type of payment, or number or type of goods, to expedite service. Some department stores may also have checkouts inside of the departments to allow shoppers of that section to pay without going through the main lines. If each checkout station has a separate queue, customers have to guess which line will move the fastest, to minimize their wait times. They are often frustrated to be wrong or be stuck behind another customer who encounters a problem or who takes excessive time to check out. Some stores use a single, much longer but faster-moving line, that is served by multiple registers, which produces the same average wait time, but reduces the frustration and variance in wait time from person to person.[23] Regardless of the configuration, checkout lines usually pass by impulse buy items to grab the attention of otherwise idle customers.

As self-checkout technology has progressed, more retailers of all types have included self-checkout as an option, and in some cases, completely replace traditional cashier-operated checkout lines. Self-checkout kiosks are typically kept together in a 'corral' area adjacent to the regular registers so that shop employees can more easily monitor transactions, though they are also occasionally set up in a more typical "lane" fashion with conveyor belts for loading groceries. More modern implementations of self-checkout include scanning items and paying within a retailer's mobile app, or using RF technology and cameras to detect items at the door and charge the customer's account automatically.

Hospitality industry

[edit]
Main article: Hospitality industry
Reception desk POS
Restaurant POS
Tablet-based POS

Hospitality point of sale systems are computerized systems incorporating registers, computers and peripheral equipment, usually on a computer network to be used in restaurants, hair salons or hotels. Like other point of sale systems, these systems track sales, labor, payroll and can generate records used in accounting and bookkeeping. They may be accessed remotely by restaurant corporate offices, troubleshooters and other authorized parties.

Point of sale systems have revolutionized the restaurant industry, particularly in the fast food sector. In the most recent technologies, registers are computers, sometimes with touch screens. The registers connect to a server, often referred to as a "store controller" or a "central control unit". Printers and monitors are also found on the network. Additionally, remote servers can connect to store networks and monitor sales and other store data.

Typical restaurant POS software is able to create and print guest checks, print orders to kitchens and bars for preparation, process credit cards and other payment cards, and run reports. In addition, some systems implement wireless pagers and electronic signature-capture devices.

In the fast food industry, displays may be at the front counter, or configured for drive-through or walk-through cashiering and order taking. Front counter registers allow taking and serving orders at the same terminal, while drive-through registers allow orders to be taken at one or more drive-through windows, to be cashiered and served at another. In addition to registers, drive-through and kitchen displays are used to view orders. Once orders appear they may be deleted or recalled by the touch interface or by bump bars. Drive-through systems are often enhanced by the use of drive-through wireless (or headset) intercoms. The efficiency of such systems allows decreased service times and increased efficiency of orders.

Another innovation in technology for the restaurant industry is wireless POS. Many restaurants with high volume use wireless handheld POS to collect orders which are sent to a server. The server sends required information to the kitchen in real time. Wireless systems consist of drive-through microphones and speakers (often one speaker will serve both purposes), which are wired to a "base station" or "center module." This, in turn, will broadcast to headsets. Headsets may be an all-in-one headset, or one connected to a belt pack.

With the development of the mobile technology, Cloud-based POS systems are also put forward to increase the efficiency of some restaurants, integrated with some latest software services such as scan QR code to order by customers themselves. It leads to a new style of offline restaurants dine-in.

In hotels, POS software allows for transfer of meal charges from dining room to guest room with a button or two. It may also need to be integrated with property management software.

Newer, more sophisticated systems are departing from the central database "file server" type system and going to what is called a "cluster database". This eliminates any crashing or system downtime that can be associated with the back office file server. This technology allows 100% of the information to not only be stored, but also pulled from the local terminal, thus eliminating the need to rely on a separate server for the system to operate.

Tablet POS systems popular for retail solutions are now available for the restaurant industry. Initially these systems were not sophisticated and many of the early systems did not support a remote printer in the kitchen. Tablet systems today are being used in all types of restaurants including table service operations. Most tablet systems upload all information to the Internet so managers and owners can view reports from anywhere with a password and Internet connection. Smartphone Internet access has made alerts and reports from the POS very accessible. Tablets have helped create the Mobile POS system, and Mobile POS applications also include payments, loyalty, online ordering, table side ordering by staff and table top ordering by customers. Regarding the payments, mobile POS can accept all kinds of payment methods from contactless cards, EMV chip-enabled cards, and mobile NFC enabled cards. Mobile POS (AKA mPOS) is growing quickly with new developers entering the market almost on a daily basis.

With the proliferation of low-priced touchscreen tablet computers, more restaurants have implemented self-ordering through a tablet POS placed permanently on every table. Customers can browse through the menu on the tablet and place their orders which are then sent to the kitchen. Most restaurants that have iPad self-order menus include photos of the dishes so guests can easily choose what they want to order. This apparently improves service and saves manpower on the part of the restaurant. However this depends on how intelligently the system has been programmed to be.

As a case in point, some self-ordering systems not requiring staff assistance may not properly recognize a subsequent order from the same customer at a table. As a result, the customer is left waiting and wondering why his second order of food and drink is not being served.

Another example of how intelligent the system can be, is whether an order that has been placed but not yet been processed by the kitchen can be modified by the customer through the tablet POS. For such an unprocessed order the customer should be given the option to easily retrieve the order and modify it on the tablet POS. When the order is being processed this function should be automatically disabled.

Self-ordering systems are not always free completely from intervention by the staff and for some good reasons. For example, some restaurants require that items selected by the customers be attended to and can only be placed by the waiter who has the password required to do so. This prevents fake orders - such as may be entered by playful kids - and subsequent dispute on the items ordered. If alcoholic beverages are ordered, it is necessary for the waiter to verify the customer's age before sending the order.

The technical specifications for implementing such self-ordering system are more demanding than a single cashier-controlled POS station. On the software and hardware side each tablet on a customer table has to be networked to the cashier POS station and the kitchen computer so that both are continually updated on orders placed. The common database that serves this network must also be capable of serving many concurrent users - cashier, customers, kitchen and perhaps a drink bar.

Some databases such as popularly-used Microsoft Access may have the specifications that it is capable of usage by multiple concurrent users.[citation needed] However, under the stress of a POS system, they can fail miserably resulting in constant errors and corruption of data.[citation needed]

POS systems are often designed for a variety of clients, and can be programmed by the end users to suit their needs. Some large clients write their own specifications for vendors to implement. In some cases, POS systems are sold and supported by third-party distributors, while in other cases they are sold and supported directly by the vendor.

The selection of a restaurant POS system is critical to the restaurant's daily operation and is a major investment that the restaurant's management and staff must endure for many years. The restaurant POS system interfaces with all phases of the restaurant operation, and with everyone that is involved with the restaurant including guests, suppliers, employees, managers and owners. The selection of a restaurant POS system is a complex process that should be undertaken by the restaurant owner and not delegated to an employee. The purchase process can be summarized in three steps: Design, Compare and Negotiate. The Design step requires research to determine which restaurant POS features are needed for the restaurant operation. With this information the restaurant owner or manager can Compare various restaurant POS solutions to determine which POS systems meet their requirements. The final step is to Negotiate the price, payment terms, included training, initial warranty and ongoing support costs.[citation needed]

Accounting forensics

[edit]
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POS systems record sales for business and tax purposes. Illegal software dubbed "zappers" can be used on POS devices to falsify these records with a view to evading the payment of taxes.

In some countries, legislation is being introduced to make cash register systems more secure. For example, the French treasury is estimated to be failing to collect approximately €14 billion of VAT revenue each year. The Finance Bill of 2016 was intended to address some of this loss by making it compulsory for taxpayers to operate on "secure systems". Therefore, from 1 January 2018, all retail businesses in France are required to record customer payments using certified secure accounting software or cash register systems.

A certified cash register system must provide for the (i) incommutable,[clarification needed] (ii) security and (iii) storage and archiving of data. All businesses required to comply must obtain a certificate from the cash register system provider which certifies that the system meets these requirements. This is because VAT taxpayers may need to provide a certificate to the tax authorities showing that their cash management system fulfills the new requirements.

If the business cannot provide this certificate to the tax authorities, they may be fined. And, if the tax authorities can demonstrate fraudulent use of the system, both the business and the software provider can face tax penalties, fines, and criminal sanctions. Certification can be obtained either from: a body accredited by the French Accreditation Committee (Comité français d’accréditation or COFRAC) or the software provider of the cash register system.

Security

[edit]

Despite the more advanced technology of a POS system as compared to a simple cash register, the POS system is still vulnerable to employee theft through the sales window. A dishonest cashier at a retail outlet can collude with a friend who pretends to be an ordinary customer. During checkout, the cashier can bypass scanning certain items or enter a lower quantity for some items thus profiting from the "free" goods.

The ability of a POS system to void a closed sale receipt for refund purpose without needing a password from an authorized superior also represents a security loophole. Even a function to issue a receipt with a negative amount which can be useful under certain circumstances, can be exploited by a cashier to easily lift money from the cash drawer.

To prevent such employee theft, it is crucial for a POS system to provide an admin window for the supervisor or administrator to generate and inspect a daily list of sale receipts, especially pertaining to the frequency of cancelled receipts before completion, refunded receipts and negative receipts. This is one effective way to alert the company to any suspicious activity - such as a high number of cancelled sales by a certain cashier - that may be occurring, and to take monitoring action.

To further deter employee theft, the sales counter should also be equipped with a closed-circuit television camera pointed at the POS system to monitor and record all activities.

At the back end, price and other changes like discounts to inventory items through the administration module should be secured with passwords provided to trusted administrators. Any changes made should also be logged and capable of being subsequently retrieved for inspection.

The sale records and inventory are important to the business because they provide useful information to the company in terms of customer preferences, customer membership particulars, what are the top selling products, who are the vendors and what margins the company is getting from them, the company monthly total revenue and cost, among others.

It is important that reports on these matters generated at the administrative back end be restricted to trusted personnel. The database from which these reports are generated should be secured via passwords or via encryption of data stored in the database to prevent copying or tampering.

Despite all such precautions, the POS system can never be entirely watertight in security from internal misuse if a clever, dishonest employee knows how to exploit many of its otherwise useful capabilities.

News reports on POS system hacking show that hackers are more interested in stealing credit card information than anything else. The ease and advantage offered by the ability of a POS system to integrate credit card processing thus have a downside. In 2011, hackers were able to steal credit card data from 80,000 customers because Subway's security and POS configuration standards for PCI compliance - which governs credit card and debit card payment systems security - were "directly and blatantly disregarded" by Subway franchisees.[24]

In June 2016, several hundred of Wendy's fast food restaurants had their POS systems hacked by illegally installed malware.[25] The report goes on to say that "the number of franchise restaurants impacted by these cyber security attacks is now expected to be considerably higher than the 300 restaurants already implicated" and that the "hackers made hundreds of thousands of fraudulent purchases on credit and debit cards issued by various financial institutions after breaching Wendy's computer systems late last year".

These exploits by hackers could only be made possible because payment cards were processed through the POS system allowing the malware to either intercept card data during processing or steal and transmit unencrypted card data that is stored in the system database.

In April 2017, security researchers identified critical vulnerabilities in point of sale systems developed by SAP and Oracle[26] and commented, “POS systems are plagued by vulnerabilities, and incidents occurred because their security drawbacks came under the spotlight.”[27] If successfully exploited, these vulnerabilities provide a perpetrator with access to every legitimate function of the system, such as changing prices, and remotely starting and stopping terminals. To illustrate the attack vector, the researchers used the example of hacking POS to change the price of a MacBook to $1. The security issues were reported to the vendor, and a patch was released soon after the notification. Oracle confirmed[28] security bug affects over 300,000 Oracle POS Systems

In some countries, credit and debit cards are only processed via payment terminals. Thus one may see quite a number of such terminals for different cards cluttering up a sale counter. This inconvenience is offset by the fact that credit and debit card data is far less vulnerable to hackers, unlike when payment cards are processed through the POS system where security is contingent upon the actions taken by end-users and developers.

With the launch of mobile payment, particularly Android Pay and Apple Pay in 2015, it is expected that because of its greater convenience coupled with good security features, this would eventually eclipse other types of payment services – including the use of payment terminals. For mobile payment to go fully mainstream, mobile devices like smartphones that are NFC-enabled must first become universal. This would be a matter of several years from the time of this writing (2017) as more and more models of new smartphones are expected to become NFC-enabled for such a purpose. For instance, iPhone 6 is fully NFC-enabled for mobile payment while iPhone 5 and older models are not. The aforesaid disastrous security risks connected with processing payment card usage through a POS system would then be greatly diminished.

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Paperless Receipt Solution (PRS) System". James Dyson Foundation. Archived from the original on July 1, 2017. Retrieved August 9, 2015.
  2. ^ "Electronic Transmission of Prescriptions". Business Services Authority. Archived from the original on July 6, 2017. Retrieved August 9, 2015.
  3. ^ "Tricks traders use to evade billions of francs in taxes". The New Times. 9 October 2014. Archived from the original on 2017-06-30. Retrieved August 9, 2015.
  4. ^ "Cash register vs. POS system –what's the difference?". 30 June 2019. Archived from the original on 2023-03-30. Retrieved 2023-06-25.
  5. ^ "How to Choose a POS Cash Register". Archived from the original on 2023-04-07. Retrieved 2023-06-25.
  6. ^ US patent 3946220, William M. Brobeck; John S. Givins Jr. & Philip F. Meads Jr. et al., "Point-of-sale system and apparatus", published 1976-03-23, assigned to Transactron, Inc. [1]
  7. ^ "Graphical point of sale software introducer". 11 September 2012. Archived from the original on 20 December 2012. Retrieved 27 May 2015.
  8. ^ "ViewTouch". ViewTouch. Archived from the original on 17 July 2012. Retrieved 8 December 2012.
  9. ^ Bisson, Gigi (2008-04-25). "Getting Down To Business". Viewtouch.com. Archived from the original on 2018-07-27. Retrieved 2013-07-12.
  10. ^ The ViewTouch restaurant system Archived 2009-09-09 at the Wayback Machine by Giselle Bisson
  11. ^ "File:Comdex 1986.png — Wikimedia Commons". Commons.wikimedia.org. 11 September 2012. Archived from the original on 2012-12-20. Retrieved 2013-07-12.
  12. ^ Wilson, Karen S.; Liu, Michael Inderrieden Steven (October 1995). "A Comparison of Five User Interface Devices Designed for Point-of-Sale in the Retail Industry". Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting. 39 (4): 273–277. doi:10.1177/154193129503900411. ISSN 2169-5067. S2CID 108458064. Archived from the original on 2023-01-16. Retrieved 2023-01-16.
  13. ^ Kasavana, Michael L. (1995-04-01). "PC-based registers: The next generation of point-of-sale technology". The Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly. 36 (2): 5–55. doi:10.1016/0010-8804(95)93843-J. ISSN 0010-8804.
  14. ^ "Access 2007 very slow on Windows 7". social.technet.microsoft.com. Archived from the original on 5 May 2016. Retrieved 15 October 2017.
  15. ^ "15 ways a mobile point of sale can help your restaurant succeed — Poster". joinposter.com. Archived from the original on 2018-12-28. Retrieved 2018-12-28.
  16. ^ "EPOS term". 30 June 2019. Archived from the original on 2023-03-30. Retrieved 2023-06-25.
  17. ^ "Cash register vs. POS system – what's the difference?". 30 June 2019. Archived from the original on 2023-03-30. Retrieved 2023-06-25.
  18. ^ "Cash register vs. POS system – what's the difference?". 30 June 2019. Archived from the original on 2023-03-30. Retrieved 2023-06-25.
  19. ^ "Mobile Point-of-Sale Apps: Redefining the Retail Industry". Scandit. 10 May 2013. Archived from the original on 6 April 2017. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
  20. ^ The Online POS System Revolution Archived 2012-06-02 at the Wayback Machine via Small Business Bonfire
  21. ^ "Overheating brings down Microsoft data center". DatacenterDynamics. 14 March 2013. Archived from the original on 2016-04-05. Retrieved 2016-04-14.
  22. ^ Securing Mobile Point of Sale System Archived 2016-11-21 at the Wayback Machine via Securebox
  23. ^ "Planet Money Asks: What Small Thing Would You Do To Improve The World?". NPR.org. NPR. Archived from the original on 16 October 2017. Retrieved 15 October 2017.
  24. ^ "How hackers gave Subway a $3 million lesson in point-of-sale security". Ars Technica. 21 December 2011. Archived from the original on 10 November 2016. Retrieved 15 October 2017.
  25. ^ Seals, Tara (13 June 2016). "Wendy's Point of Sale Hack Grows Bigger". Infosecurity. Retrieved 15 October 2017.
  26. ^ "SAP point-of-sale systems were totally hackable with $25 kit". The Register. 29 August 2017. Archived from the original on 22 September 2017. Retrieved 22 September 2017.
  27. ^ "SAP POS Flaw Allows Hackers to Change Pricing". Infosecurity. 25 August 2017. Archived from the original on 22 September 2017. Retrieved 22 September 2017.
  28. ^ "Security Bug Affects Over 300,000 Oracle POS Systems". Catalin Cimpanu. 31 January 2018. Archived from the original on 1 February 2018. Retrieved 31 January 2018 – via BleepingComputer.

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