A point of sale (POS) system can have a dramatic effect on your small business — but only if it has the features you need.
Using a POS system helps you automate tasks, improve customer experience, and increase sales. And while there are a variety of POS platforms out there, some systems are only equipped with general retail features. Others, however, are designed for specific industries. As a pet store owner, you need a POS system that can accommodate all your business’ operations — including tasks specific to a pet store.
In this blog, we’ll explore 10 essential features to look for as you research pet store point of sale systems.
General Retail Features
Any solid POS system should offer these essential features for general retail operations.
1. Payment Processing
The most basic function of a POS system is to facilitate sales transactions. Look for a POS system that accepts a variety of payment methods, which allows you to serve more customers.
Make sure your POS system can accept the following payment methods:
- Credit cards
- Debit cards
- Apple Pay
- Google Pay
- Cash
The majority of modern payments are made on cards, but use of digital payment methods like Apple Pay and Google Pay are rising.
The more payment methods you can accept at your pet store, the more sales you can make. A POS system should offer fast, convenient, and secure checkout to provide the best shopping experience to customers.
2. Inventory Management
A POS system can be invaluable for helping you to manage your pet store’s inventory. Make sure your POS solution automatically adjusts inventory levels when sales are made or when new inventory is ordered. This saves you time and allows you to conduct less frequent manual inventory audits.
The most convenient way to identify inventory at the time of checkout is to use barcode labels and a barcode scanner. Ensure your POS solution uses barcode technology so you can ring up customers quickly and efficiently.
3. Cloud Accessibility
Your POS system should connect to the internet. A cloud-based system connects to Wi-Fi so you can access your system from any web-enabled device — including your computer, smartphone, and tablet.
You need easy access to your business’ data, but you also need to keep it secure against unauthorized users. Make sure your POS platform employs security measures to protect your business’ and customers’ information.
Some systems have controls to limit access of individual users. For example, an administrator would have access to all information, while an employee may have limited access to certain features.
4. Training and Support
Learning how to use a point of sale system takes time and practice. Before you sign up for a system, make sure the team is willing to provide training and support. During training, ask plenty of questions to make sure you understand your system.
Make sure the POS system you choose has a team that answers your calls when you have technical difficulties and questions. The retail environment can be chaotic at times — and you don’t want a team that leaves you high and dry when you’re facing challenges.
5. Marketing
A good POS system can also help you get the word about your pet store with integrated marketing tools. Common marketing features include email and text campaigns that help keep your store top-of-mind for customers. Emails and texts can be sent to customers after a purchase with discounts and offers.
These messages can be customized based on customer information. A customer could be sent a discount on their birthday, for example.
Some POS systems also have resources for social media posts and will help you with your website development. Having a quality online presence will help you to draw in more customers.
Related Read: 8 Practical Pet Store Marketing Strategies
6. Reporting and Analytics
The sophisticated data tracking and reporting capabilities offered by POS systems help you identify trends in your business and make informed decisions. You can track key metrics like revenue and profit for your entire business and gain insights about specific products.
POS systems allow you to generate reports with this data, so you can clearly present and explain metrics to key stakeholders.
Pet-Specific Features
In addition to general features, there are pet-specific features that you need in a pet store point of sale system.
7. Scheduling
Do you offer training or grooming at your pet store? If so, scheduling functionality in a POS system is a must-have. Whether you’re signing up individuals or large groups for in-store service sessions, your POS system keeps track of your entire schedule.
Your system can record sign ups, take payment, track attendance, and send reminders to participants. This way, you always know who’s coming in and when, so you can offer the best service possible to each customer.
Related Read: Is Pet Grooming Profitable? 7 Key Factors
8. Access to Pet Suppliers
A pet store point of sale system should give you access to an extensive catalog of pet product suppliers. You can make inventory purchases right from the system to keep your pet store stocked.
Your system may even allow you to set an automatic reorder point on top-selling products. When a consistent seller reaches a low point, you can set your system to automatically place an order, bringing your stock up to a set amount, so you never run out of these products.
Being able to replenish your inventory right from the system simplifies your inventory management operations and helps you prevent overstock and stockouts at your pet store.
9. Astro Loyalty Integration
Loyalty programs encourage customers to make more purchases by offering them rewards along the way. There are different ways to set up a loyalty program, but they often use points. The more a customer spends, the more points they earn, and those points can be redeemed for free or discounted products.
The biggest name in pet store loyalty programs is Astro Loyalty. This pet-specific program helps you offer the best rewards to your customers and integrates with some POS systems. Astro Loyalty also offers some small business exclusive manufacturer incentives.
To offer your customers the best loyalty program experience, make sure your POS system integrates with Astro.
Related Read: What’s the Best Pet Store Rewards Program? 5 Options
10. Subscriptions
Subscription services are becoming more popular for a variety of different products, including pet supplies. Subscription pet boxes offer customers routine stock of pet food, toys, and grooming supplies. If you’re going to take advantage of this trend at your pet store, you need a POS system that makes it easy.
Some POS systems offer subscription tools. You can keep a record of each subscriber, what they’ll receive, how often, and how much they’re paying. You can routinely take payments and make sure you send the right products to each customer. Keeping all of this information organized within your system helps you create a great experience for each subscriber.
Related Read: 9 Tips for Profitable Pet Subscriptions
eTailPet: The Pet Store Point of Sale System You Need
So, where can you find all of these general and pet-specific features? It’s a simple solution: eTailPet.
eTailPet is a cloud-based, all-in-one POS solution designed specifically for pet stores. eTailPet offers fast and secure payment processing, efficient inventory management, extensive training, and unlimited customer support. It also features scheduling for pet services, access to pet supplier catalogs, and full Astro Loyalty integration.
eTailPet helps you manage all aspects of your pet business, saving you time and making your life easier. Contact us today to schedule a demo!
