The 3 Best Grocery Store POS Systems for 2019

The 3 Best Grocery Store POS Systems for 2019

1. Revel POS systems for fully integrated, customizable POS system—at a significant cost
2. Clover POS systems for a happy medium between capability and reasonable, transparent pricing
3. Square POS systems if you’re willing to search for an external scale but want to access high-power inventory tracking

Remember the days when all a grocery store needed to ring up customers was a scale and a till? Neither do we. Though grocery store POS systems have evolved dramatically in the past couple of years, they’ve been a necessity for much longer than that. That U.S. consumers spend 12% to 18% more when they spend with credit cards means grocery stores and markets were eager, early adopters of merchant services and POS systems.

So, whatever it might look like, the grocery store POS system is a general fixture for the American consumer. Even beyond encouraging shoppers to spend more, the advantages of POS systems in grocery stores and markets are manifold. And this is especially true if you’re able to find the best grocery store POS system possible for your business.

For that very reason, we’ve compiled all the details on the three best POS systems for grocery stores into one resource, along with what kinds of features you should look for in a grocery store POS system. Here is your guide to finding the best grocery store POS system for your business:

Top 3 Grocery Store POS Systems

Although many grocery store POS systems exist that come with a variety of different features to offer your business—more on this later—there are three main POS system companies that offer the best bundles for grocery stores.

Here are the top three POS system options you should consider to upgrade your grocery store’s checkout processes:

Revel POS Systems

If you’re looking for a grocery store POS system that offers a full package, then we suggest you look into Revel POS systems. Revel Systems offers iPad-based POS systems along with pretty much any hardware you could need for your grocery store. Based on what you want from your grocery store POS system, Revel will bundle their preconfigured POS hardware. And if you want to access features like stands and self-service kiosks, Revel can set up a POS package for your grocery store. Their hardware options offer the most integrated and the most comprehensive options for your grocery store.

That said, Revel will likely cost your business a pretty penny: Their POS software starts at $99 a month and requires a three-year contract. Plus, installing a Revel POS system will cost your business at least $649, and that number doesn’t even include the cost of the physical hardware itself or the payment processing fees Revel will charge. If you think that Revel offers the right POS system bundle for your grocery store, be sure that it’s worth the investment and the long-term commitment.

Clover POS Systems

On the other hand, if you’re not convinced that a grocery store POS system from Revel would be worth the cost, then check out Clover POS systems. With the Clover Register POS software, you’ll be able to perform all of the actions necessary for a top-of-the-line grocery store POS system. And Clover Register software will only cost you $29 a month, which is pennies next to the cost of Revel POS software.

Plus, Clover offers four POS hardware options ranging from a smart device card reader all the way up to a fully autonomous countertop POS. Because none of the Clover POS terminals comes with a scale by default, Clover accessories include POS scales that can be easily integrated into a Clover POS terminal to make for a solid grocery store POS system.

On top of all of those perks, Clover is also remarkably transparent with their payment processing fees. With the Clover Register POS software, each payment will be priced one of two ways:

• 2.3% of the transaction value, plus $0.10 per magstripe, chip, and contactless payments
• 3.5% of the transaction value, plus $0.10 per keyed-in transactions

All in, if you’re looking for a grocery store POS system that’s less of an investment than a Revel POS, then Clover offers another well-equipped option.

Square POS Systems

Finally, if neither Clover or Revel seems like the right POS system for your grocery store, then consider Square POS systems. Square is a vanguard company that leads the charge in offering accessible, smart device-enabled POS systems. And ever since they’ve enter the industry, Square has continually upped their game. This continual innovation is best evidenced by their Square Register.

This Square POS system is ideal for grocery stores for a few main reasons. For one, its two screens—one customer-facing and one for the employee behind the counter—make check-out a breeze. More practically, the Square Register offers thorough, multi-location inventory tracking and insights.

The Square Register will cost you, though: You can either pay $49 a month for 24 months or $999 outright for this POS terminal. That said, for payments you process through the Register, you’ll get to pay a more ideal payment processing fee than with other Square POS terminals. For any magstripe, chip, and contactless payment you process through the Square Register, you’ll pay 2.5% of the transaction value, plus $0.10 per transaction.

One thing to note about this grocery store POS system option: It won’t come with an automatically integratable POS scale. As a result, you’ll need to find a retail scale from a third-party source like POS Nation or even eBay—just be sure that your chosen scale will be compatible with a Square system before you purchase the scale.

Grocery Store POS System Hardware You’ll Need

Not sure any of our favorite grocery store POS systems are the right fit for your business? We won’t be offended—after all, you know your business best. If you want to set out on your own hunt for the perfect grocery store POS system, be sure you go into it knowing exactly what you need from potential options.

To help you get started, we’ve compiled a list, broken up by the grocery store POS system hardware you’ll need and what features your grocery store POS system software should offer.

Let’s first dive into some hardware you’ll likely want for your grocery store checkout terminal:

Scale

One of the pieces of hardware that most grocery stores will need in a POS system is a scale. If you sell anything that is priced by weight, then a POS scale is a must for your business—bonus points if you’re able to find a POS scale that also has a barcode scanner for produce labels.

Barcode Scanner

Having a barcode is another one of the main advantages of a POS systems for grocery stores. Being able to easily, efficiently ring up customers will make everyone happier. Plus, scanning barcodes will make managing your inventory that much more automated.

Card Reader

This might seem like a no-brainer, but it’s worth emphasizing that whatever card reader you have on your grocery store POS system could make or break your checkout process. Be sure that your card reader offers all of the payment options your customers want—and that it works efficiently.

PIN Keypad

Whether on a physical keypad or on the screen of a smart device, a PIN verification should be an option that your grocery store POS system offers customers.

Cash Register

Even though cash-paying customers are getting rarer, you’ll definitely need a place to store whatever cash you and your employees handle when operating your grocery store POS system.

Receipt Printer

Finally, you also want your grocery store POS system to provide your customers with receipt options. If you think your customers will prefer physical receipts over digital receipts, then you’ll need a receipt printer.

What Your Grocery Store POS System Software Should Offer

Many of the most game-changing advantages of POS systems for grocery stores come from the software that powers the systems. Make sure the grocery store POS system you opt for offers all of the following capabilities that your business might need:

Comprehensive Inventory Tracking

Because grocery stores, by nature, deal with huge amounts of inventory—and rapid turnover of said inventory—you’re going to want to make sure you’ve got the right tools for tracking all of this movement. Make sure your grocery store POS system will help you automate how much of each unit you sell—and how much of each unit you have shelved.

Thorough Sales Reporting

All of the best grocery store POS systems will also allow you to access zoomed out analytics of your grocery store’s sales. Be sure the sales reporting features for whatever POS system software you choose offers the right reporting for your needs.

Employee Permissions

Additionally, you’ll likely want your grocery store POS system to have customizable employee permissions. That way, varying members of your team will have varying access to POS capabilities based on their level of responsibilities.

Receipt Options

More to the point of giving your customers a choice between digital or physical receipts—you won’t be able to print, text, or email receipts if your grocery store POS system software doesn’t give you the option. Make sure you’re investing in a POS system for your grocery store that will allow you to choose receipt options based on your customers’ preferences.

Choosing the Right POS System for Your Grocery Store

Having made it through our guide to choosing the best grocery store POS system possible, what’s your next move? Well, if you decided that one of our favorite POS systems for grocery stores is the one for you, you’ll simply have to contact the company’s team to either get a quote or purchase the POS system! On the other hand, if you’ve decided to head out on your own search for other grocery store POS systems, then keep these 10 key factors top-of-mind as you do so. With this knowledge at your disposal, you’re sure to find the best POS system possible for your grocery store.

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