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.
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:
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
Here are the leading POS systems, ranging from pet-specific solutions to general retail platforms that can work for smaller stores.
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:
Pricing: Contact for custom pricing after scheduling a free demo.
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:
Pricing: There’s a free trial available, and the Basic plan starts at $89 per month. Multilocation businesses pay several hundred dollars monthly.
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:
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]
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:
Pricing: The Basic plan starts at $16 per month. Hardware costs run $799–$2,300 depending on your setup.
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:
Pricing: Contact for pricing.
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:
Pricing: Plans range from $29–$2,300 per month based on complexity and number of locations.
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.