POS for Pet Store: 6 Top Providers

Pets play a big role in our lives. It’s evident in how much we pamper them.

Pet owners across all income levels spend about 1% of their income on their furry friends. That may not seem like a lot, but it adds up to $157 billion annually in the U.S.

Running a pet store involves juggling many responsibilities, from managing inventory to handling customer relationships. One tool that can make a huge difference in streamlining these tasks is a point of sale (POS) system.

But which providers should you consider, and what matters for pet stores specifically?

Let’s dive in to find out.

Why Pet Stores Need Specialized POS Features and What To Look For

Pet stores aren’t like clothing boutiques or electronics shops. You’re dealing with expiration dates on food and treats, scheduling grooming appointments, selling products by weight from bulk bins, and tracking which customers own bearded dragons versus bulldogs.

A generic retail POS won’t cut it. You need a system that understands the pet industry and helps you avoid costly mistakes, like selling expired dog food or double-booking your groomer.

Not all POS systems handle pet store needs equally. Here’s what matters most:

• Expiration date tracking: Pet food and treats have shelf lives. Your system should flag products approaching expiration so you can discount them before they become waste. A single bag of premium dog food costs $60–$80 wholesale. Multiply that by even a dozen expired bags per month, and you’re looking at more than $10,000 in annual losses.
• Grooming and service scheduling: If you offer grooming, daycare, or boarding, you need built-in appointment scheduling. Taking bookings over the phone while helping in-store customers creates chaos. Look for systems that show groomer availability in real time, let customers book online, and send automatic reminders. This cuts no-shows by 30–40%.
• Weight-based pricing: Bulk bins of dog treats, birdseed by the pound, reptile bedding sold by weight — these require calculations on the fly. Your system should connect to your scale and apply per-pound pricing automatically. This speeds up checkout and eliminates math errors.
• Pet-specific customer data: Your POS should track what types of pets each customer owns, which brands they prefer, and when they typically restock. This lets you send targeted promotions. Don’t email cat food coupons to reptile customers or suggest grain-free dog food to someone who buys Purina every month.
• Inventory sync across channels: When your website shows a product in stock but your shelves are empty, you create frustrated customers. Your POS should update inventory counts in real time across all channels. Someone buys the last bag of premium puppy food in-store at 2 p.m.? Your website should show “out of stock” by 2:01 p.m.
• Product-level profitability: You need to see which products actually make money. That fancy organic cat food might have great margins, but if you only sell two bags per month, it’s taking up valuable shelf space. Your reporting should show units sold, revenue, and profit margin side by side.
• Real support when things break: Read reviews about customer support quality. A POS system that crashes Saturday morning is useless if you can’t reach anyone until Monday. Look for 24/7 live support, not just FAQ pages.
• Total cost of ownership: Monthly subscription fees are just the start. Factor in hardware costs, payment processing fees (usually 2–3% per transaction), training time, and setup charges. A “cheap” system with high transaction fees adds up fast at scale.

Now that you know what to look for, you need to know where to look for it.

Related Read: How To Manage Pet Store Inventory: Top Tips and Tools

6 Top POS Providers for Pet Stores

Here are the leading POS systems, ranging from pet-specific solutions to general retail platforms that can work for smaller stores.

1. eTailPet

eTailPet is an all-in-one POS solution designed specifically for pet stores. Whether you run one location or plan to franchise, eTailPet scales with your business.

The system goes beyond basic inventory management. It includes a website builder for e-commerce, access to a catalog of over 160,000 pet products, and Astro Loyalty program integration for customer retention.

Top features include:

• Website builder: Create and manage your e-commerce site without hiring a developer. eTailPet integrates with QuickBooks and Apple Pay for seamless checkout.
• Automated marketing tools: The system prompts customers to leave reviews via email or a QR code. It optimizes your Google and Yelp listings and includes social media management tools.
• Astro Loyalty program: eTailPet offers a built-in rewards program that incentivizes repeat purchases without requiring a separate platform.
• Extensive product catalog: Receive over 160,000 pet products preloaded from major vendors. Browse new products and add them directly to purchase orders.
• Vendor credit module: When damaged items arrive, eTailPet automatically creates vendor credit requests. This saves hours of paperwork and phone calls.

Pricing: Contact for custom pricing after scheduling a free demo.

2. Lightspeed

Lightspeed is a powerful POS solution known for strong inventory management and customer relationship features. It handles complex inventory well, including pet food, accessories, and grooming products.

The system integrates with various e-commerce platforms, making it useful if you already have an online store you don’t want to migrate.

Top features include:

• 24/7 customer support: Access live support whenever you need it, not just FAQ pages.
• Omnichannel management: Connect inventory across brick-and-mortar and e-commerce platforms automatically.
• Detailed analytics: Granular reporting shows you exactly which products drive revenue, what your margins look like, and where to focus your purchasing.

Pricing: There’s a free trial available, and the Basic plan starts at $89 per month. Multilocation businesses pay several hundred dollars monthly.

3. Square

Square provides a straightforward POS system that’s easy to learn. It manages sales, tracks inventory, and generates reports. The seamless integration with Square’s payment processing creates a smooth checkout experience.

Square works well for smaller pet stores just starting out, but lacks pet-specific features like grooming scheduling or expiration date tracking.

Top features include:

• Simple setup: Square is widely known and easy to implement without extensive training.
• Hardware options: Beyond the smartphone card reader, Square offers robust POS hardware.
• Employee management: Create staff schedules and track time in one system.

Pricing: It’s free for basic features, and advanced plans start at $49 per month.

Related Read: 14 Essential Pet Store Software Features To Look For [+ Top Providers]

4. Clover

Clover offers a customizable POS with inventory management, customer insights, and employee tools. Various hardware options let you choose between countertop systems or mobile POS devices.

Like Square, Clover is a general retail solution without pet industry specialization. You’ll need workarounds for pet-specific needs.

Top features include:

• Clover Rapid Deposit: Cash out credit card sales instantly instead of waiting for weekly deposits.
• Virtual terminal: Process refunds or sales outside business hours from any device.
• Clover Capital: Get funding directly through Clover and repay from future credit card sales.

Pricing: The Basic plan starts at $16 per month. Hardware costs run $799–$2,300 depending on your setup.

5. Revel Systems

Revel Systems provides a comprehensive POS with advanced inventory and customer management. It’s built for larger pet stores handling high transaction volumes.

The detailed analytics help you make data-driven decisions, but the system has a steeper learning curve than simpler solutions.

Top features include:

• Always-on mode: Accept payments even when the internet goes down.
• Customer display system: Customer-facing screens show pricing as you ring up items and can prompt for tips.
• Tiered loyalty program: Segment customers into groups for personalized rewards.

Pricing: Contact for pricing.

6. Shopify

Shopify POS integrates physical and online sales channels seamlessly. It’s ideal if you already run your e-commerce on Shopify.

The system manages inventory and tracks sales across both channels from one platform. That said, it lacks pet-specific features like grooming scheduling or expiration date tracking.

Top features include:

• Omnichannel selling: Email customers about products they looked at in-store but didn’t buy. Manage in-store pickups for online orders.
• Inventory insights: Get alerts when products aren’t selling so you can liquidate and try new options.
• Commission management: Track which employees made specific sales for commission purposes.

Pricing: Plans range from $29–$2,300 per month based on complexity and number of locations.

eTailPet: The Right POS for Your Pet Store

Changing POS systems is painful. You’re looking at 40–80 hours of setup and training for just one store. One-time costs can run $1,500–$5,000 for hardware and migration. Expect two to three weeks of slower checkout while your team learns how it all works.

But the right system pays for itself. If you’re losing $10,000 annually because your POS can’t flag expiring dog food, that’s a problem eTailPet solves. The same goes for double-booked groomers, manual weight calculations that slow down checkout, or not knowing which products actually turn a profit.

eTailPet tracks expiration dates, schedules appointments, handles bulk pricing automatically, and shows product-level profitability. It remembers which customers own bulldogs versus bearded dragons for smarter marketing. It syncs online and in-store inventory in real time. And when damaged goods arrive, it creates vendor credit requests without the paperwork hassle.

Start by identifying your biggest operational pain point. Spoiled inventory? No-show appointments? Can’t tell what’s profitable? eTailPet handles all of it.

Explore our success stories and testimonials to see how other pet store owners use eTailPet to solve these problems.

Ready to see what it can do for your store? Build and Price your system today.