6 Necessary Point of Sale Hardware Components

If you are looking for cloud-based point of sale software, you are most likely also looking for the IT equipment needed to make it work. In addition to needing an internet connection within your business, you need to make sure you have the right hardware components compatible with the point of sale system.

But, what hardware components do you require to have a POS system? Usually, there are a few essential components that help you complete transactions at your retail store check out. These include a monitor, a receipt printer, a cash drawer, a mouse, a keyboard, and a POS.

Therefore, before you get started on getting POS software, it is important to ask the supplier about the IT equipment required with the software. Remember, the hardware is not sold by the POS system providers. However, they will be happy to recommend the best hardware components to run this system effectively.

Below, you will find what we usually recommend!

As you will discover, the accessories required to run Alice POS, while effective, are basic and easy to find at your local IT retailer. In fact, it’s pretty much a typical desktop computer with some additional and enhanced features.

Monitor

The monitor, or screen, is typically the most prominent part of the point of sale system. Of course, it displays the information the cashier collects to process transactions and payments.

There are now specialized screens for this purpose, most of them obviously being flat screens. Others even have touchscreen capabilities, which means they can be used with no keyboard or mouse, saving you extra space.

Besides taking up little space, the flat-screen panels are very durable and are usually much safer to use due to the better technology they are built with. Even though touch screens have to endure hours of poking as cashiers use them to feed sales data into the POS system, their lifespan is quite surprising.

Touch-screen displays are faster to use and improve the speed of execution of your employees to perform operations in the point of sale software.

More and more, these monitors are even being replaced by tablets.

Barcode Scanner

The barcode scanner is a piece of hardware just as important as the screen. It ensures the efficiency of the entire point of sale system. The scanner saves the cashier from having to manually type in details about the products the customer is buying and instead feeds that information into the system within a few seconds. It is more accurate and faster than humans.

The scanner reads the information on the product and interprets it and sends it to the point of sale software to the computer. Thanks to the scanner, this automatic task also allows you to modify your inventory data and to know how your stock levels are changing based on the sales you are making at your retail store.

As you shop for a scanner, there are specific things you should look out for. For instance, get a high-quality scanner that will give faster and more accurate results and even reads deformed barcode stickers. Poor quality scanners can also have a reduced range, which can make using them more tedious. In this case, a few tries might be necessary before they can read the information of the barcode stickers, slowing down the process.

For very busy retail businesses, it is therefore very important that you get a quality scanner. Fortunately, these scanners are not expensive. With just a few hundred dollars, you can get a high-quality scanner as part of your POS system.

However, you can also consider how easy the scanner is to use based on its physical configuration. For instance, some scanners are handheld, while others are fixed on the counter holding the point of sale system, computer, and monitor.

Depending on the type of business, a hand-held scanner is better suited, while for another type an embedded scanner is the better option.

Customer Facing Display

The customer-facing display is what the client sees as you scan the products and their prices are fed into the POS system. Only the most important details of the transaction are displayed for the customer.

All it has to show is the name and the price of the products, the tax amount, and the total price. The customer-facing display can also show the amount of money you owe the customer if they are paying in cash.

Still, the client display isn’t the most sophisticated screen and it should not cost more than a hundred dollars. Nevertheless, it is a hardware component that allows real-time transaction information to be communicated with the customer. The monitor can also show advertising information or customized messages.

However, the facing display is not a must for some point of sale setups. For instance, if the customer can see the monitor itself or if you are using a mobile device to process the transaction, using a facing display is not necessary.

Cash Drawer

The cash drawer never seems to run out of fashion, even as cash registers were ditched in favour of point-of-sale systems. People still use cash as one of their favourite payment modes, although card payments, whether debit or credit or even through mobile apps are on the rise.

A cash drawer should provide a safe and secure place to store your cash during your business hours. Additionally, this component should give you an easy time to better manage various denominations and makes the cashier’s job easier to ensure to give customers their change much faster and reduce the incidence of errors.

Compatibility with the cash drawer and the rest of the POS system is important because the cash drawer can open automatically when it gets a signal from the computer when the payment method is selected.

An important factor to consider when buying a cash drawer is to consider its durability so it can handle the countless opening and closing throughout the day.

Receipt Printer

The receipt printer is one of the most important parts in retail after the point-of-sale system, even if electronic mailing is on the rise. This small machine prints invoice details, payment confirmations, and credit card slips for customers to sign, if applicable.

Customers usually expect to see their receipts as soon as the transaction is complete just to verify the product prices and keep it as proof of purchase in the event of a return.

As you buy a receipt printer, ensure that it can handle the level of activity your business usually gets and that it integrates easily with your point of sale system and prints receipts quickly. There are high-end printers but some models are also more affordable.

You might also consider a receipt printer with the ability to print receipts with simple graphics on them, such as your company logo, which can make the receipts more interesting.

During your research, you will find two types of receipt printers: thermal and dot-matrix.

Thermal printer

The thermal printer is a little more expensive to buy than the other option, but the print quality is superior and it is easier and cheaper to maintain. Its speed of execution is phenomenal.

Dot-matrix printer

The dot-matrix printer, on the other hand, is cheaper to buy, but it costs more to maintain, does not print quickly, and makes a lot of noise.

Finally, as you get this hardware component, confirm that it will work with other devices connected to your point of sale.

Keyboard & Mouse

Many POS systems aren’t complete without the keyboard and mouse combo, even if you’ve chosen a touch monitor. It is always best to have a computer keyboard and mouse handy to properly configure updates on your workstation or any software installed on it.

Available in most cases for under $100, a high-quality wireless connectivity keyboard-mouse kit allows for greater user convenience so that cashiers do not have to deal with tangled wires. It’s also easier to store when not in use.

However, it is always best to take into consideration your unique business and industry needs before choosing the type of keyboard. Some keyboards have programmable keys that might be more useful to some users.

To Sum Up

A monitor, a barcode scanner, a customer-facing display, a cash drawer, a receipt printer, a keyboard, and a mouse. These are the devices you should add to your point of sale system for its proper functioning.

You can now search for the above IT equipment. You know that in addition to your internet connection, having the right compatible hardware components is necessary to run the system.

The investment varies depending on the size of your business and the number of point-of-sale licences. Don’t hesitate to invest in high-quality hardware compatible with each other.

To make sure of this, we suggest that you contact one of our technology partners, who are always ready to help and advise. So instead of buying each device from different suppliers, it is more cost-effective to choose just one and ensure compatibility between each hardware component.