How To Choose a Pet Store POS System

Are you using a cloud-based point of sale (POS) system for your pet store?

POS platforms offer tools to help business owners manage their day-to-day tasks, including ringing up sales, purchasing inventory, managing e-commerce, and communicating with customers.

One report showed that when retail stores implemented advanced POS software, they saw a 25% increase in checkout speed. This is just one way these digital tools lighten the load of running a business.

POS technology is being widely adopted among retailers, but because each business is unique, it can be a challenge to find a platform with the specific features your pet store needs.

In this blog, we’ll cover how to choose a pet store POS system, including the essential features to look for and five top providers to consider.

Let’s get started.

How To Choose a Pet Store POS System: Essential Features

Not all POS systems are created equal. To make the best decision for your business, you need features that support your daily tasks. Look for a solution that can handle the following.

Inventory Management

Your business has hundreds of SKUs, from pet food and supplements to toys and apparel. Avoiding stockouts and overstock can be a challenge, but this task becomes easier with quick access to on-hand inventory levels.

Modern POS systems keep a live count of each product in your store, and with a cloud-based platform, you can access these totals from any web-connected device. This allows you to adjust numbers easily and make smart ordering decisions based on turnover rates.

Related Read: Pet Shop Products List: 10 Essential Items To Sell

Vendor Catalogs

You have to get your inventory from somewhere, and many industry-specific POS platforms let you browse vendor catalogs. You can compare and contrast prices, find the best products for your customers, and place orders directly from the system.

An industry-specific POS solution like eTailPet gives you access to top pet suppliers with thousands of options at your fingertips.

Let’s say a customer comes in with their dog looking for a popular pet supplement you don’t carry. You can check the catalogs, locate the product, and place an order to meet the customer’s needs. That supplement might even become a hit with other pet owners, too.

As you choose which vendors to work with and what products to buy, be sure to research first.

Before placing an order, consider asking vendors these important questions:

• Who’s the target market for this product line? Asking this question helps you determine whether the item or category is a good fit for shoppers and their pets.

• What’s the wholesale cost and manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of this product? This information helps you calculate your profit margin in advance so you can decide if stocking the item is worth it.

• What are your ordering rules? Some vendors enforce minimum order quantities and other limits, which are useful to know before purchasing.

• What are your policies on returns, recalls, exchanges, and credits? If shipments show up to your store damaged, incomplete, or recalled, make sure your vendor is willing to assist you.

• What are your payment terms? This question uncovers any additional fees and whether you can pay for a shipment on credit, which helps with cash flow.

When you ask the right questions and get the information you need in advance, you can find reliable vendors and high-quality merchandise to put on the shelves.

Sales Reporting and Analytics

Accurate sales numbers help you make adjustments to better serve your customers. A POS system records sales data and provides customizable views so you can study trends for specific SKUs, categories, or time periods.

Flea and tick prevention products are usually popular during the summer, when pets spend extra time outside. Maybe you know you need to stock up on these items, but you aren’t sure exactly how much.

A quick look at your data might reveal that you sold 60% more of these items last summer than in the previous spring. You can then place an order for the right quantity during April as the weather begins to warm.

Reviewing past sales helps you prevent stockouts during seasonal peaks, so you don’t miss potential sales.

E-Commerce Capabilities

Selling online expands the amount of customers you can serve. To do it successfully, you need software that keeps in-store and website data in sync.

If you’re using a legacy POS platform that isn’t cloud-based, selling online can create extra stress. You stock a popular new brand of dog collars and harnesses, and it starts flying off the shelves. You check your system and realize too late that you’re sold out — with five online orders you can’t fill from your current stock.

A cloud-based system lets you view online orders and in-store inventory in seconds from a computer or mobile device. With this type of platform, you can track how quickly orders are coming in and adjust inventory in advance to prevent stockouts.

eTailPet offers website tools, e-commerce features, and inventory management while keeping your numbers consistent. This helps you avoid running out of products in-store because too many were ordered online, and vice versa.

Built-In Service Features

If your pet store provides services like grooming or training, you know how much logistical work they take.

Perhaps you offer in-store dog grooming appointments, but you don’t have an organized system to track the schedule. You accidentally assign two pets for the same time slot and don’t realize it until they both come in. Because your appointments take about 45 minutes, one customer has to wait, which frustrates them.

eTailPet offers built-in service modules that take care of this issue. You can schedule appointments, organize them in your calendar, assign specific employees, and process payments so everything is accounted for. Set up online booking to make scheduling even more convenient.

Related Read: How To Manage Grooming Appointments: 7 Pet Store Pro Tips

CRM Tools

Many POS solutions include customer relationship management (CRM) tools, allowing you to create customer profiles and save key information. You can keep a record of each customer’s purchase history, any issues they’ve experienced, and how those issues were resolved.

Log the names of customers’ pets to add a personal touch to your customer service. The information in these profiles allows you to send out personalized marketing messages over email and SMS.

If a customer has purchased many cat-related items in the past, you can send them an email when you get a new shipment of cat food or toys. These targeted recommendations are more likely to be effective than generic ones.

Top 5 Pet Store POS Providers

Consider these providers as you choose a pet store POS system.

1. eTailPet

eTailPet is a POS solution designed with pet retailers in mind. It’s equipped with industry-specific features like vendor catalogs, built-in service modules, and an integration with Astro Loyalty. It also includes general retail features like inventory management, e-commerce, and payment processing.

Pricing: Contact for a custom quote.

2. Square

Square is a general POS system designed for retail, restaurants, and other businesses. It’s known for its simple interface, which makes it easy to set up and learn. It also offers flexible payment options.

Pricing: Square offers a free plan, along with more advanced tiers ranging from $49 to $149 per month. Square Pro is custom-priced depending on your business’ needs.

3. Shopify

Shopify is a POS platform known for its e-commerce features and marketing tools. It connects to an app store, letting you add modules that aren’t included by default.

Pricing: Plans start at $29 per month for basic services and go up to $2,300 per month for enterprise-level solutions.

4. Lightspeed

Lightspeed is a POS system that can be adapted to many different types of businesses, including retail, restaurants, and golf courses. It’s known for its reporting tools and multilocation services and provides inventory management and e-commerce.

Pricing: Lightspeed’s plans range from $89 per month to $289 per month.

5. Clover

Clover is a customizable POS solution that can be used for retail, restaurants, services, or healthcare. It offers inventory management, CRM tools, employee management, and e-commerce.

Pricing: Plans range from $16 per month to $240 per month, depending on your specific needs.

eTailPet: The Best Pet Store POS Solution

Choosing the right pet store POS system is easier when you know what to look for. These platforms offer advanced features that make running your business simpler — but the best results come from a system built specifically for your industry.

eTailPet’s pet-specific features eliminate the need for workarounds and manual processes. With service scheduling, supplier catalogs, and customer profiles, you have everything your pet store needs to thrive.

At eTailPet, we want to help you get the features you need at a price you can afford. Check out our Build and Price tool to see which plan is right for your pet store!