How Your Point of Sale Software Can Increase Your Average Size of Sale

It's surprising how many retailers over-look this simple method to increase sales. It goes something like this...

When your customers purchase items from you, it's important to make sure they purchase everything they need so they receive the best possible experience. This is very important for two reasons:

1) If you don't make sure they buy everything they need, you are NOT giving your customers the service that they deserve.

2) If you don't make sure they buy everything they need, you are losing sales!

Let me explain the importance of this concept by telling a story...

This might surprise you because I'm always writing about computer stuff, but I love all kinds of sports including water sports and boating. One of the activities I love is slalom skiing. I've been doing this for several years, but I recently decided to try something new -- I wanted to try wakeboarding.

So I went to a local sporting goods store specializing in water sports to buy my first wakeboard. After browsing through the store and talking with the sales people, I found an awesome wakeboard! I was proud of my purchase and very happy with the advice I received from the sporting goods retailer.

After leaving the store, I was excited to test out my new wakeboard and I couldn't wait to get on the water.

So the time finally came where I could get on the water and try it out. However, when I tried to put on my wakeboard, it was very difficult to get my feet in the bindings. In fact, I was worn out before I was even ready to start.

What I didn't realize until later was that I needed "binding slime" so my feet would easily slide into the bindings. So the next day, I went back to the store and bought some binding slime.

At this point I was still excited, but a little annoyed that I had to get in my car and drive all the way back to the store to get my slime. I wasted 45 minutes out of my day! In any case, I did go back to the store and buy the slime.

Well, a few weeks passed and one of my friends told me that I should get a different rope that doesn't stretch. Apparently the "slalom ski" ropes stretch but the "wakeboard" ropes do not. Plus they have wider handles for tricks and turns.

So of course I wanted a wakeboard rope to get the most out of my wakeboarding experience!

But this time I was tired of going back to the store, so I ordered the rope on the internet. After looking back, I really wish the retailer would have told me that I would need the slime and a rope when I first bought the wakeboard. But they never brought it up.

Just imagine if the retailer would have sold me the slime and the rope when I bought my wakeboard. Not only would I have been a happy customer because I didn't have to go back, but I also would get the "full experience" that I wanted.

Not to mention, the sporting goods retailer would have made more money on a bigger sale. But instead he lost a sale and maybe a loyal customer.

Do you see how important it is to make sure your customers get everything they need?

This concept applies to any type of business. For example:

• Electronics stores can add-on surge protectors
  
• Eye glass retailers can add-on cleaning kits
  
• Shoes stores can add-on therapeutic insoles
  
• And the list goes on and on
  

Just imagine if you were able to add more sales just 5% of the time! How much would that add to your revenue and profits?

Now this is where your POS software can help...

Most POS systems include "add-on sales" features that allow you to associate add-on products and include some special notes for the sale.

So in the wakeboard example, when the cashier sells the wakeboard, a message would appear (before they give the final price) that reminds them to sell the binding slime and the wakeboard rope.

The software could even display a special script so the cashier knows how to sell those items.

Many people overlook this concept, but your POS system can be a great tool to remind your employees to always sell add-ons.

I highly recommend using the add-on concept. It's a great way for all types of retailers to increase the average size of their sales.

If you have any questions about this concept, or if you have any suggestions, let me know.

6 Tips to Speed Up Check Outs at the

Tip #1 - Use "Good" Bar Code Scanners

Bar code scanners allow you to check items MUCH faster and more accurately at the point of sale than if you type the SKU number on a keyboard.

In addition, bar code scanners can reduce pricing and inventory errors. The typical error rate for human data entry is 1 error per 300 characters. Barcode scanners can be as good as 1 error in 36 trillion characters.

If you want to scan items REALLY fast, then you might want to consider an "omni-directional" scanner. These scanners allow you to check items very fast because it doesn't matter how the bar code is positioned. The rest of the scanners require the bar code be turned in a specific direction because they only emit a single line. Just think about your last visit to the grocery store. Can you imagine how slow it would be if the cashier has to make sure every bar code was turned a specific direction?

Tip #2 - Use New Technology to Speed Up Your Credit Card Authorizations

With credit card processing that's integrated with your point of sale software and a broadband Internet connection, you can process credit cards in as little as two seconds!

If you're credit card authorization process is slow, you might want to consider an upgrade.

Tip #3 - Consider Touch Screens

Touch screens allow the mouse cursor to be controlled by touching the screen with your finger instead. Touch is one of the simplest, most instinctive human actions - making it very simple and fast for the user to interact with the computer. In some instances touch screens allow you to completely eliminate the mouse and keyboard - which saves space and simplifies training. That's why touch screens are extremely popular in restaurants and bars.

Tip #4 - Consider a Mouseless POS and Set up Hot Keys

Using the mouse will invariably make your point of sale slower. It's much faster to use the keyboard or a touch screen monitor to complete transactions and ring sales.

That's why I suggest considering a POS system that utilizes hot keys. This means you can use the keyboard rather than the mouse to do most things. This will speed up the time your register operator takes to complete transactions.

Tip #5 - Use "Easy to Load" Receipt Printers

I recommend purchasing a receipt printer that allows you to quickly and easily change paper rolls. Nothing is more frustrating than struggling to replace a paper roll while your customers are waiting. Most of the new thermal printers are pretty easy to use but you should double check before you buy.

I also recommend a name brand, reliable printer with a good warranty. Your printer will get abused all day long and you want it to last a few years.

Tip #6 - Choose Reliable Hardware and Software

If your scanner, printer, software or any part of your computer system breaks down, then your customers and employees will get VERY frustrated because they have to wait. Yet... it's amazing how many retailers choose the cheapest keyboards, printers, scanners, computers and software that they can find.

Needless to say, I highly recommend quality hardware and software at the point of sale.

But how do you know you're getting quality hardware and software? That's where The POS Software Buyers Guide can help you...

More information visit at www.eretailtech.in

FlexiPOS For supermarkets & Stores

Non-stop Business Success.
That's what FlexiPOS, the innovative software from eRetail assures. Feature rich, FlexiPOS ensures that your billings and store operations function seamlessly in spite of any server downtime or power outage. Reliable and flexible, FlexiPOS is a proven technology which has won over many retail customers.
All of who have never had to stop operations at the POS terminal! Something any FlexiPOS user can vouch for. Watch it work for you as it does for some of the major supermarkets in India.

Perfect For You
Ideal for major supermarkets or large stores.

Why FlexiPOS?
Most systems are dependent on redundant servers in case of a glitch, where one would take over if the first failed. Though often the main cause of the first going down results in shutting down the backup as well. When this happens in a supermarket, all POS operations come to a standstill and the cashier has to resort to manual billing or the store is usually forced to close, losing customers and business.

How Does It Work?
With FlexiPOS the database resides in each POS terminal or off-the-shelf PC which allows it to function independently in spite of a network glitch or server downtime. Each can still continue to scan every item in the store, and log every piece of data on its own hard drive until it can communicate again with the server, after which, recovery is entirely automatic.

What Makes FlexiPOS A Winner?
Its features are designed to help your operations function smoothly. Here's how:

Service With A Smile - POS/Billing
(Store Front-end Operations)
Flexipos makes it easier for store front-end users to operate with flexibility and comfort. This allows for pleasant and smooth transactions resulting in customer satisfaction.

• User-friendly screens, big fonts for important figures like, Subtotal, Total, Change and Quantity etc.
• Makes billing easier without having to use mouse
• Supports barcode scanning
  Can scan item on SKU/PLU/EAN/EMIE
• Sub total/Close key (to close a transaction)
• Last item void/Past item void
• Refund/Bill cancellation (full cancellation of same day bill)
• Reprint Bill / Predefined line item discounts (both in percentage and value)
• Ad hoc discount (both in percentage and value)
• Print out short suspend note with reference number of customer to ease resume function
  Price override
• Quantity override/ No Sale function (open cash drawer without sale)
• Preset line discount (percentage or value)
  Ad-hoc line discount (percentage or value)
  Suspend/Resume function (hold current bill and accept next customer, resume when previous customer returns), option to print short suspend note with reference number for customer to ease resume function
• Price override
• Quantity override
• Clear key (clear entry field)
• Pause (lock sales screen from unauthorized access while cashier walks away from the counter to check price, lunch break etc. Can be unlocked by the same cashier or supervisor with higher access level)
• Deposit function (Collection, utilization, refund and forfeiture of deposits)
• Search for SKU on SKU code or description
• Repeat function (repeat the last item)
• Quantity mode (switch data entry sequence to always ask for quantity entry before SKU/PLU/EAN entry)
• VIP customer selection for loyalty schemes
• Pay in/out function (to pay in cash into drawer, pay out to pick out cash from drawer)
• Print invoice (to print bill in Invoice format)
• Preset bill discount (percentage or value)
• Ad-hoc bill discount (percentage or value)
• Multiple mode of tendering
• Supports multiple currency
• Standby function (key in manual transactions with manual bill no so as to update sales and media)
• User defined message displayed on the customer display when not doing sales
  POS keyboard mapping
• Hourly sales report
• X-reading report (Shift wise report)
• Z-reading report (Day end report)
• More information vista at Retail Software
  

Retail POS Software

There are a number of channels of distribution available to the producer that may be employed by persons or companies to bring products to the market. Consumer goods may be distributed through channels. The channels used are producer-consumer, and there is no middleman involved. Sales are made from house to house or by direct mail. Point of sale software provides the best benefits that programming technology and client/server databases have to offer to retailers. It is designed with a high degree of proficiency that allows the user to access data and ask questions about the database.

Secondly, producer-retailer-consumer are when goods are purchased directly from manufacturers or retail stores opened by manufacturers. Thirdly, producer-wholesaler-retailer-consumer is the traditional and most economically used channel. There is also producer-agent-retailer-consumer channel, whereby producers use manufactures agents and brokers to reach the retail market. Finally, the producer-agent-wholesaler-retailer-consumer channel uses the services of agents by smaller retailers who purchase from wholesalers and sell to small stores.

A large number of channels of distribution are available to the manufacturer to bring products to the consumer. Efficient distribution at the least cost and at the desired volume of sale can be secured only after experience, study and analysis.

A retailer does retailing by selling to consumers. In the distributional hierarchy, retailers are below the level of distributors or wholesalers. Sometimes, retailers are termed dealers or authorized representatives. The retailer often operates in a smaller territory or at a specific location and earns less commission compared to higher levels in the channel.

POS Software

Retail Business Accounting Software

Imagine your favorite little retail shop. Think of how many people come in and out of that business establishment in an hour. Now think of the number of people that look at the shop's products. Take into consideration the variety of products they buy, as well as the amounts they buy.

If you think about it, such numbers could reach hundreds, or maybe even thousands, during busy days. And the figures could double or triple easily if you take into account every single purchase made at the store.

To assist the owners and accountants of such retail businesses, computer techies and number wizards have come up with a great idea: retail business accounting software.

What is retail business accounting software? This kind of business accounting software has been specifically designed to make the numbers game much easier for business owners and accountants to play. For retail businesses, it is important to keep track of the shop's stock and how many products are being sold. By identifying these factors, businesses are able to determine which products are the most profitable and which ones are draining them of resources. With retail business accounting software, processing these important figures becomes fairly easy.

Especially integrated into the program itself are important business criteria that are taken into consideration by the retail industry. All a person has to do is key in the required figures as well as other information or business data. Retail business accounting software does the rest of the work. The next thing that the user of the software needs to do is simply understand the statistics that have been summarized for him by the software. There is no need to manually tally laborious computations.

If you are interested in using retail business accounting software for your own retail business or for the company that you are working for, you can easily find one of these through the internet.
For More information on POS Software and Retail Software click POS Software