Grocery stores and markets today need modern tools to keep up with industry trends.
While it’s well known that grocery point of sale (POS) software helps with transactions, it can also assist in many other parts of your store’s daily operations — everything from inventory management to sales reports to customer relationships.
Keep reading to see how you can leverage your POS system to its full potential, plus compare some of the most popular grocery point of sale providers.
Grocery stores handle a massive number of stock-keeping units (SKUs), making manual product tracking feel impossible. A POS system lets you better manage inventory by keeping a real-time count of every item, automatically updating after each sale to reduce inaccuracies, overstocks, and stockouts.
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A grocery-specific POS system, for example, helps by calculating shrinkage, creating purchase orders, receiving items, and writing up low stock reports. If you sell produce or bulk items, a modern POS should let you sell by weight for an accurate final price.
Beyond transaction-related benefits, a quality grocery POS system tracks losses, manages incoming shipments, and automatically places product orders when stock is low.
A positive shopping experience hinges on good customer service, and a common frustration for shoppers is waiting through long, disorganized checkout lines.
Your POS should have features that keep those lines moving smoothly, like rapid barcode scanning, smart product search, and integrated payment processing for quick, accurate transactions.
With built-in barcode readers and integrated payment solutions, grocery POS systems keep your team processing transactions swiftly. Some even offer self-checkout options to further reduce wait times.
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Another part of customer retention is providing incentives for them to return, which can come in the form of personalized deals, promos, and loyalty programs. These initiatives provide your clientele with the discounts they’re looking for while also driving more sales for your business.
Plus, it gives you something incredibly valuable — data on what your customers like to buy and how they shop.
When looking at grocery point of sale systems, select one with customer loyalty programs built right in. For example, a system like IT Retail lets customers earn a set amount of points for every dollar they spend, as well as the ability to create customizable rewards specifically for your most loyal customers.
As a market owner, you need to understand your top-selling products and busiest hours — and your POS data can determine all of that.
Your grocery POS system should create inventory and sales reports to flag slow sellers taking up space and highlight top sellers to prevent stockouts, helping you understand product performance and identify any necessary changes.
Your system should also be able to track and manage returns, so you can understand why those returns are happening and gauge overall customer satisfaction.
Finally, grocery POS systems can help you effectively manage employee schedules and track team performance. The system’s interface should be intuitive enough for new staff members to learn it quickly, minimizing training time and potential errors.
Time tracking is also essential, not only for staff members to receive accurate and timely compensation, but for store owners to forecast labor needs and ensure enough staff is clocked in during peak hours.
Now you know the advantages of a good grocery POS system — but how do you choose the right one for your business?
It can be hard to compare and contrast all the POS options on the market, so we’ll keep things simple by highlighting some of the best options available (and what makes them stand out).
Related Read: POS Software for Supermarkets: 7 Must-Have Features & Top Providers
If you’re a new store looking for a grocery POS that’s easy to use and set up, Square might be a good option for you.
Square’s intuitive interface and flexible hardware options, including mobile readers, make it suitable for businesses just starting out or those participating in farmers markets or off-site sales.
While its feature set may be less tailored to the complex needs of larger grocery operations, its simplicity and scalability make it a strong entry-level option.
Markt POS directly addresses the distinct challenges of specialty food stores, delis, and local markets — from handling unique perishable items and fluctuating weights to building a personal connection with their community.
Unlike generic POS systems, Markt POS knows what specialty markets face and offers tools to address those obstacles, from better inventory management for specialty items to manual barcode creation for products without standardized UPCs.
Features like integrated scale support and flexible pricing options also handle the complexities of selling items by weight or custom measures.
Markt POS makes it easy to implement loyalty programs and custom discounts to build stronger customer relationships. Plus, its user-friendly interface and 24/7 support make it easy to navigate their cloud-based system.
Lightspeed provides a comprehensive POS system well-suited for grocery businesses looking to integrate their online and in-store operations.
Their platform offers e-commerce integration, allowing for online ordering with options for pickup and delivery — all while syncing inventory in real time. Lightspeed also provides inventory management features, advanced reporting, and tools for customer relationship management (CRM), including loyalty programs.
Its ability to handle multichannel sales and provide a unified view of the business makes it a strong POS option for grocery stores looking to build an online presence.
Designed for grocery stores and markets, IT Retail offers a full suite of features to address the diverse needs grocers face every day.
Robust inventory management, including support for unlimited SKUs, catch-weight items, and efficient receiving and invoicing, gives you detailed oversight into your stock — minimizing waste from spoilage or inaccurate orders. And for any items sold by weight, IT Retail offers seamless scale integration, which means you can accurately and quickly ring up those produce, meat, or deli counter sales.
IT Retail also offers customizable rewards and personalized pricing to foster stronger customer loyalty, as well as advanced reporting and analytics to help grocers understand sales trends, manage stock effectively, and make informed business decisions.
Related Read: 5 Challenges of Operating a Grocery Store (+ How To Overcome Them)
As we’ve explored, your POS shouldn’t start and end at transactions — it should assist in every facet of your grocery operations, from managing inventory, enhancing customer experiences, understanding sales trends, and even overseeing staff.
Ultimately, the best grocery POS option will be whichever addresses the specific demands of your store, including things like your store’s size, budget, staff and product lineup. If your current system isn’t helping you stay productive, it might be time to consider a switch.
To see how a system designed for grocery stores like yours can address these very considerations, schedule a free demo of IT Retail today.