The Benefits of Having an All-In-One POS System for Your Pet Store

Running a pet store is a demanding job.

Pet store owners juggle many tasks on a daily basis, including ordering inventory, assisting customers, maintaining their facility, and managing employees. Over time, improvements in technology have introduced new tools to help simplify these responsibilities. One of the most important tools is a point of sale (POS) system.

Modern POS systems typically offer features like payment processing, inventory management, service scheduling, and customer communication tools. While some are designed with general capabilities to serve a variety of businesses, others are tailored to specific industries — and come equipped with features that meet those unique needs. As a pet store owner, you need a POS system built with pet stores in mind.

In this blog, we’ll cover six key POS system benefits for pet stores. Plus, we’ll explain how a comprehensive POS system can change the way you run your business, save you time and money, and strengthen your connection with customers.

Let’s get started.

1. Deliver an Improved Customer Experience

Creating a great experience for your customers builds trust in your business and leads to positive word of mouth. A solid POS system helps you improve customer interactions at your pet store in multiple ways. 

First, a POS interface speeds up customer checkouts. Whether a pet owner is buying toys, treats, or grooming products, you can quickly scan barcodes to identify each item and calculate their total. Integrated payment processing then allows you to seamlessly take payments directly through your POS system.

Many POS systems accept a variety of payment methods:

• Cash
• Credit and debit cards
• Digital wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay

The more payment methods you offer, the more customers you serve — and the more efficient your pet store’s checkout process becomes.

Modern customers enjoy the freedom of choosing either in-person or online shopping. A POS system features a range of tools to help you manage e-commerce, so you can sell to them across both channels.

Implementing a POS system at your pet store allows you to provide better service and expand your business, creating a smoother customer experience.

Related Read: 6 Effective Pet Store Layout Ideas To Improve Customer Experience

2. Serve More Customers Efficiently

One of the key POS system benefits for pet stores is the ability to serve more customers.

By offering e-commerce, you can reach shoppers who don’t live nearby, significantly expanding your customer base. Most POS providers offer website design services. Some providers design your entire website for you, while others give you the tools to help you create it yourself. 

Pet-specific POS systems also connect you with a catalog of pet product suppliers, giving you access to a wider selection for your site. You can compare prices from different suppliers, get in touch with them, and negotiate deals to find the right products for your online pet store at the best value. With an array of product options, you might consider offering more products in your online pet store than in your physical store.

Along with supporting omnichannel selling, POS systems include inventory management tools that help you track pet products — whether they’re at your store or being shipped directly to a customer. As a business owner, you can check inventory totals at any time from any web-enabled device, allowing you to process a higher volume of inventory and increase your sales potential.

Related Read: How To Sell Pet Food Online: 8 Best Practices

3. Boost Pet Store Brand Awareness With Marketing Tools

Marketing assistance is another useful feature of a comprehensive POS system. Many POS systems are equipped with customer relationship management (CRM) software that tracks customer information, so you can employ targeted marketing. Communicate with customers via text message or email, and use their purchase history to send relevant recommendations.

If a customer has purchased dog food or toys before, you can suggest a collar or food bowl. If a pet owner has just signed up for your training services, you can let them know you also offer dog grooming. By making better recommendations, your marketing communications become more effective.

An additional approach to marketing your pet store is hosting in-person events. Perhaps you want to hold a pet adoption event, a dog show, or a training workshop. Many POS systems offer tools to schedule an event, take registrations and payment, and send reminders, so you can host the best events possible.

A POS system helps you execute your marketing strategy, so you can boost brand awareness and draw more customers to your business.

Related Read: Digital Marketing for Pet Professionals: 9 Strategies

4. Support Growth Through Sales Insights

Does your pet store have multiple locations? If not, are you planning to expand? Most modern POS systems include features that make managing several sites easy. If you own two or more pet stores, you can see sales data for each location and the business as a whole — helping you make more informed decisions.

You may find that organic pet food options sell better at one location while cat food and toys are more popular at another. Leveraging your POS system to find these insights guides your unique purchasing strategy for each location and helps you identify trends you can use across your entire business.

A POS system gives you the tools to grow — and the structure to support this growth.

5. Increase Pet Store Customer Loyalty With Rewards Programs

Fully-equipped POS systems allow you to create loyalty programs, which incentivize repeat purchases by offering customers periodic rewards. 

Loyalty rewards can include:

• Free products
• Discounts
• Access to exclusive items

At your pet store, for example, you might offer pet owners a discount on food or an exclusive store-branded collar as a reward.

With your POS system, you can track customer loyalty points, give rewards at the right time, and easily apply the appropriate discount. When a loyalty program is well-organized, easy to understand, and offers meaningful rewards, customers are more motivated to make frequent purchases at your pet store — helping you increase sales.

CRM features also boost customer loyalty. The personalized recommendations you offer make customers more likely to choose your pet store over a competitor. By using your POS system’s features to their full potential, you can create a community of customers who come back again and again.

6. Simplify Service Management

Many pet stores offer services like pet training, grooming, and medical checkups. A robust POS system makes it easier to manage these services with features like appointment scheduling, billing, and reminders.

For example, if you’re hosting dog training, a POS system helps you register the customer and their pet, process payments, and organize the trainer’s appointments. The text messaging feature of a POS system allows you to send reminders so customers don’t forget about their appointments. With these features, you can offer great services that create an additional stream of income.

Related Read: What’s the Best Pet Services Scheduling Software? 7 Options

Take Advantage of POS System Benefits for Pet Stores With eTailPet

Implementing a pet-specific POS system at your retail pet store leads to major improvements in how you run your business. You can boost brand awareness, serve more customers, and create a better experience for each one. Personalized customer communications and digital customer loyalty programs keep pet owners coming back to your store, leading to long-term success.

A POS system also helps your business grow by connecting you with pet store suppliers and providing features to run multiple locations if you choose to expand your operation. While there are a variety of POS systems on the market, a system with features just for pet stores is the most helpful.

eTailPet is an all-in-one POS solution designed specifically for pet stores. With both general retail and pet-specific features, you can stock your store with great products, optimize inventory management, and deliver consistent, high-quality pet services to keep your business’ doors open for years to come.

To see the difference eTailPet can make for your pet store, schedule a demo today!