Shopify Point of Sale: Everything You Need to Know

Shopify POS is a cloud-based POS system that allows you to sell products and services in person, online, and through social media. It is easy to set up and use, even for beginners. Shopify POS also offers a variety of features that can help you grow your business, such as inventory tracking, customer management, and reporting and analytics.

In this blog post, we will cover everything you need to know about Shopify POS. We will discuss the features, benefits, and pricing of Shopify POS, as well as how to get started and use it effectively.

What is Shopify POS (Point-of-Sale)

Shopify POS (Point-of-Sale) is a robust system that allows businesses to manage their physical and online sales from a single platform. It's designed to streamline in-person transactions and unify the retail experience.

Key features of Shopify POS include:

Inventory Management: Sync your online and offline inventory, ensuring that product availability is accurate across all sales channels.
Multi-Channel Selling: Sell products in-store, at pop-up shops, or at events while maintaining centralized control over inventory and sales data.
Payment Processing: Accept a variety of payment methods, including credit cards and contactless payments, using Shopify's integrated payment processing or third-party payment gateways.
Barcode Scanning: Easily scan product barcodes to add items to orders, update inventory, and expedite the checkout process.
Sales Analytics: Access real-time sales data and performance analytics to make informed decisions about pricing, product restocking, and marketing strategies.
Customer Management: Create and manage customer profiles, track purchase histories, and offer personalized discounts or loyalty rewards.
Custom Receipts: Generate customized receipts with your branding and send them via email or print them for customers.
Hardware Integration: Shopify POS can be used with compatible hardware, including barcode scanners, receipt printers, and card readers.
Offline Mode: Continue processing sales even when your internet connection is temporarily unavailable, with data syncing once you're back online.
Staff Management: Assign roles and permissions to employees, allowing them to access the POS system while maintaining security.
Customer-Facing Display: Show customers their cart contents and transaction details on a secondary screen, enhancing transparency.
Multi-Location Management: If you have multiple physical stores, Shopify POS enables you to manage inventory and sales data for each location centrally.

When was Shopify POS released?

Shopify POS was released in August 2013.

Shopify launched its POS system to help brick-and-mortar retailers sell products in person in addition to online. Shopify POS has since evolved to offer a variety of features that help businesses of all sizes sell products and services in person, online, and through social media.

Shopify POS Pricing

Shopify POS review

Here are some key points from the reviews:

Pros

Integration with Shopify: Shopify POS seamlessly integrates with Shopify's e-commerce platform, allowing businesses to manage both online and offline sales from a single dashboard. This integration provides a unified view of inventory, customers, and sales data.
User-Friendly: Users found the Shopify POS system to be intuitive and easy to set up, even for those with limited technical expertise. This simplicity makes it accessible for small business owners.
Inventory Management: The system's inventory management capabilities received praise for their accuracy and real-time synchronization between physical stores and online channels. This helps prevent overselling and stockouts.
Multi-Channel Selling: Retailers appreciate the ability to sell across multiple channels, including in-store, pop-up shops, and events, while keeping all data centralized.
Payment Processing: Shopify POS offers integrated payment processing, making it convenient for businesses to accept a variety of payment methods, including credit cards and digital wallets.
Customizable Receipts: Businesses can create customized receipts with their branding, enhancing the customer experience.
Offline Mode: The offline mode allows businesses to continue processing sales even when there's no internet connection, ensuring uninterrupted operations.
Customer Support: Shopify is known for its responsive customer support, which provides assistance through various channels, including chat, email, and phone.

Cons

Cost: Some users found the pricing for Shopify POS, particularly for the Pro plan, to be on the higher side, especially when considering additional hardware costs.
Hardware Compatibility: While Shopify offers a range of compatible hardware, some users mentioned occasional compatibility issues or limitations with certain devices.
Limited Features on Lower Plans: The Shopify Lite plan, while affordable, has limitations in terms of features compared to the more robust Pro plan.

Shopify POS Integrations

Shopify POS offers a wide range of integrations and add-ons to enhance the functionality of your point-of-sale system and tailor it to your specific business needs. These integrations can help you streamline operations, expand your sales channels, and improve customer experiences. Here are some notable Shopify POS integrations:

Shopify App Store: The Shopify App Store provides a vast selection of apps and integrations that seamlessly connect with your Shopify POS system. You can find apps for inventory management, loyalty programs, marketing, analytics, and more.
Shopify Payments: Shopify's native payment gateway integrates with Shopify POS, offering secure and convenient payment processing. It supports various payment methods, including credit cards, digital wallets, and more.
Hardware Integrations: Shopify POS is compatible with a range of hardware, including barcode scanners, receipt printers, cash drawers, and card readers. You can choose hardware that suits your specific needs.
Shopify Online Store: If you have an existing Shopify online store, your POS system integrates seamlessly with it. This enables you to manage both online and offline sales from a single platform.
Third-Party Payment Gateways: While Shopify Payments is the native option, you can also integrate third-party payment gateways if you prefer. Popular options like PayPal and Stripe are often compatible.
Inventory Management Apps: Apps like "Stocky" and "Veeqo" provide advanced inventory management features, helping you track stock levels, automate restocking, and synchronize inventory across multiple sales channels.
Marketing and Loyalty Programs: Integrate marketing tools like Mailchimp or loyalty programs like "Smile.io" to engage customers, run targeted campaigns, and reward loyal shoppers.
Customer Relationship Management (CRM): CRM integrations like "Zendesk" and "HubSpot" enable you to manage customer interactions, track customer data, and provide excellent customer service.
E-commerce Platforms: If you use e-commerce platforms other than Shopify, you can integrate them with Shopify POS to consolidate sales data and inventory management.
Analytics and Reporting: Tools like "Google Analytics" and "Yotpo" provide in-depth insights into your sales, customer behavior, and feedback, helping you make data-driven decisions.

How to use Shopify POS

To use Shopify POS, you will need to:

Create a Shopify account.
Download the Shopify POS app on your mobile device or tablet.
Connect your Shopify POS app to your Shopify account.
Set up your hardware, such as a card reader and barcode scanner.
Add your products and services to Shopify POS.
Start selling!

Here is a more detailed overview of each step:

Create a Shopify account. If you don't already have a Shopify account, you will need to create one. You can create a Shopify account for free.
Download the Shopify POS app on your mobile device or tablet. The Shopify POS app is available for iOS and Android devices.
Connect your Shopify POS app to your Shopify account. Once you have downloaded the Shopify POS app, you will need to connect it to your Shopify account. To do this, open the Shopify POS app and enter your Shopify account credentials.
Set up your hardware. If you are using any hardware with Shopify POS, such as a card reader or barcode scanner, you will need to set it up. To do this, follow the instructions that come with your hardware.
Add your products and services to Shopify POS. Once you have set up your hardware, you will need to add your products and services to Shopify POS. To do this, open the Shopify POS app and go to the Products tab. Tap the + button to add a new product or service.
Start selling! Once you have added your products and services to Shopify POS, you are ready to start selling! To make a sale, open the Shopify POS app and go to the Cart tab. Scan the barcode of the product or service that you are selling, or enter the product name or SKU. Tap the + button to add the product or service to the cart. Once you have added all of the products or services to the cart, tap the Checkout button to accept payment from the customer.

Tips for using Shopify POS effectively

Here are some tips for using Shopify POS effectively:

Organize your products. Use product categories and tags to organize your products so that you can easily find them when making a sale. You can also create custom collections to highlight certain products or groups of products.
Create custom discounts and promotions. This can help you to attract new customers and increase sales. You can create discounts for specific products, categories, or customer groups. You can also create promotions, such as buy-one-get-one-free or free shipping.
Offer shipping and pickup options. This will make it convenient for customers to purchase your products. You can use Shopify's built-in shipping features to ship products to your customers. You can also offer in-store pickup and local delivery options.
Track your inventory levels. This will help you to avoid running out of stock. Shopify POS automatically tracks your inventory levels when you sell products. You can also manually adjust inventory levels as needed.
Use customer relationship management (CRM) features. This can help you to manage your customer relationships more effectively. Shopify POS includes CRM features such as customer profiles, purchase history, and contact information. You can use these features to track customer interactions and provide better customer service.
Analyze your sales data. This can help you to identify trends and improve your business. Shopify POS provides detailed sales reports that you can use to track your sales, inventory levels, and customer behavior.

Conclusion

Shopify POS is a powerful and flexible POS system that can help businesses of all sizes grow and succeed. It is easy to use, affordable, and scalable. Shopify POS also offers a variety of features that can help businesses streamline their operations, improve their customer experience, and increase their sales.

If you are looking for a POS system that can help you take your business to the next level, Shopify POS is a great option. Sign up for a free trial today and see how Shopify POS can help you grow your business.