Need a POS solution? Compare the top 10 best POS software in Canada!

Help with finding your POS system

Point of sale systems are so many but not all POS systems are created equal. When running a business, you need to be sure that the POS you install in your business is excellent, and can help increase overall revenue.

There is really a POS solution for every type of business and even cryptocurrency investors, though these systems may come in different forms and work differently from each other. We will help you take a look at various best POS systems so as to make it easier for you to choose what works for you.

What Is a Point of Sale System?

A POS system helps small and large businesses manage operations. It simplifies the billing, purchasing process and has inventory management features. The goal is to increase efficiency, improve customer service and give you more time to focus on moving your business forward.

Many POS systems range from basic cash registers held together with rubber bands up to high-tech computerized systems that can handle inventory management, sales, and payroll.

Some POS systems are designed to replace cash registers; others focus on inventory management, while still others offer the full range of features for all areas of your business.

POS systems vary not only by cost but also by their capabilities. Choosing the right system can be overwhelming because there are so many different options available.

A point-of-sale (POS) system represents a bundle of POS hardware and  POS software used to provide the nerve center of brick & mortar businesses. Some of the best POS systems are available for free while others cost up to $200 per month for one station.

It is a good POS system to manage stocks and accept payments. It automates stock tracking and reporting. The best POS system for retail stores is a payment processing system at $200 monthly for your business. For a single company, it will give $5,000 per month a day. You should not look for a free POS system, but instead, find one that is affordable. Users have to choose between a flat fee of monthly fees for their POS.

Find the right POS system for your business

The best restaurant POS software for the P2P industry does more than only process the selling of goods and payment methods. It makes it easy to run your business from the beginning, with functions that assist you to track sales and customer data, tracking inventory, and customer management.

Support for the latest ordering techniques is another critical capability of a modern POS system. Look for systems that give you maximum flexibility with the month-by-month POS software subscriptions, a choice of third party payment processors, and compatibility with third-party hardware that you can purchase separately.

Self-serve ordering is also a growing trend due to the Coronavirus pandemic and many POS systems have implemented POS software to take tablets and smartphones into portable delivery stations.

The best POS system for the P2P industry is essential to keep up with modern technology and provide the digital marketing opportunities that may bring your brand into the mainstream.

A good POS system in Canada is essential for any physical or online store that sells products or services to its customers. Fast, efficient, flexible, and reliable transactions are the bread and butter of your operations.

The best POS software will be able to handle all types of transactions, deliver timely information about stock levels and other aspects of your business to help you make informed decisions.

The best POS support all the latest and future technologies so that your business is always ahead of the competition.

How to choose a POS system for your Canadian business?

Whether you are starting a new business or expanding an existing one, choosing the right POS system can make all the difference. In the past, your POS system was similar to cash drawers and a credit card machine. Now, however, POS contains much more than basic transaction functionality. It is advisable to look for a solution that offers a free trial period.

Determine Your Needs

Honestly, assess the size of your business and how large you plan to grow it over the next few years. If you own a small restaurant and never plan to open a second location, then you don’t need multi-location support and you also likely do not need an inventory system that can handle 500,000 unique identifiers.

If you are running a small restaurant, chances are, you would be just fine with a restaurant POS system that provides basic inventory functionality, timesheet integration, and a table map in addition to basic transaction functionality.

The reverse is also true; if you own a local chain of restaurants, then you will need multi-location support if you want to be able to manage all of your locations together, rather than running all of the sites separately.

There is also a possibility that an inventory system would be a requirement, as a large chain of restaurants will most likely have a lot more unique items than the local diner up the road.

Consider the Size of Your Business

The size of the business is also another crucial factor to consider when choosing a POS system. If you own a small, local business with a few locations, then chances are cloud-based POS systems are a better choice for you.

If your company has less than five employees and only operates in one location, then the cloud-based point of sale with employee management features is most likely not going to be an option for you.

In this case, it would be much easier to have a local system installed at each site instead of having the potential headache of trying to get all of your employees synced up under one central location.

Hardware and Software

Additionally, determining the type of hardware and POS software is also a critical consideration in choosing your POS. Cloud-based point of sale systems works well for retail stores with multiple locations because they allow each site to be managed separately.

If you are looking for something that will integrate easily with your current process, you should probably stick to POS software/hardware combinations. They will take more time and effort order to get implemented, but the support behind them is usually very good.

The companies will be able to help you set up and implement your POS software, rather than trying to figure it out on your own.

Complexity

Some POS features are really complex and need a lot of customization in order for them to run smoothly in your business. If you already have a team of developers who can help with the customization, then the chances are good that you should be able to find what you need.

However, if you do not have any development experience and no one on your team is familiar with programming languages like C# or Java, then choosing a POS system that requires heavy customizations could spell disaster for your implementation.

You would most likely end up hiring an outside firm to do the customization for you, which will drive up your costs.

Last but not least, if your business is on a tight budget and you aren’t sure about spending more than $5,000 on a POS system it might be better to consider open-source POS software.

This type of POS system can work well for small businesses, but you will have to be prepared for a longer implementation process since it isn’t as user-friendly.

It’s never easy choosing the right Point of Sale system for your business, so get ready for some hard work, research, and planning. Nevertheless, once you are clear on what you need in order to run your business, you should be able to find a POS system that works for your business.

Retail vs. Restaurant POS Systems in Canada

Retail and restaurant businesses require different types of POS (point-of-sale) systems. This is because their business models, ownership structures, and purchase patterns differ.

Retail businesses typically sell goods that are uniform in nature and large in quantity; restaurants usually offer a diverse range of products with a lower unit value, along with variable portion sizes and higher demand.

The POS software needs to perform differently depending on the business model employed by the retail or restaurant enterprise.

Retail POS Systems in Canada

Most Canadian Retailers now use a combination of traditional retail POS equipment and cloud-based systems designed specifically for retailing, which are customized for their specific industry.

Most retailers have adopted the use of POS software to replace manual record-keeping, using databases that allow centralized information. Increased productivity is the primary reason for retailers to use POS software; however, there are other advantages associated with its use as well.

A retail business can benefit from easier inventory management, improved customer relationship management and more efficient purchasing processes.

A POS app also improves order accuracy, lowers costs and allows you to increase profits by streamlining purchase order information. Retailers can also enjoy streamlined online sales reporting, which helps business owners better understand what their customers are looking for.

The software systems that retail businesses use vary in terms of functionality depending on the size, industry or operational requirements of the business. Smaller retailers may have limited budgetary considerations, but most larger retailers have invested in sophisticated systems that address their specific requirements.

Restaurant POS System in Canada

In a restaurant business, the restaurant POS software is responsible for maintaining detailed information about products on hand and those sold.

In addition to allowing you to track inventory, a restaurant POS can also help with menu management, customer management, track unit costs and price management of food items that are frequently ordered together. It can even monitor customer buying patterns and spending levels.

The best restaurant POS system is interactive and can:

•  Allow guests to place orders at the table or from the comfort of their own home.
•  Adapt menus according to season, holidays or special events.
•  Provide up-to-date inventory status so you never run out of supplies.

While such systems produce reports that help restaurant owners better serve their customers, the software must be scaled to their business needs. The reports that are generated by a good POS system may also be used internally for purposes other than decision making, including employee management and performance analysis and customer feedback surveys.

As you can see there is a glaring difference between the restaurant and retail POS systems. This means you would need to pick a POS solution that suits your specific needs and industry.

POS system cost comparison