What Are the Different Types of POS System?

Point-of-sale (POS) systems are methods and programs that are used to assist merchants in the sale of retail goods and services. The term comes from the description of the very moment that a customer or consumer makes the exchange of money with the merchant for the goods or services. The most basic POS system is a cash register and/or a receipt book.

Since there is a wide array of different types of merchants, there are different types of POS systems to fulfill their needs.

Cash Box POS

This is the most basic, and also the oldest, POS system; it requires only a cash box and/or a receipt book. It is used in small businesses.

Mechanical Register POS

This POS system requires a basic cash register that has the ability to add taxes, total charges, calculate change and print receipts.

Electronic Register POS

The electronic register POS is very similar to the mechanical register POS. The difference is this POS system has the ability to print out hourly, daily, monthly and yearly sales reports.

Software-Based POS

Software-based POS systems run on specialized software that allows the merchants to develop various types of sales reports based on various factors like employee, product, etc. The merchant must have the necessary compatible hardware to go with the software.

Web-Based POS

Web-based POS systems take the software-based POS system to the next level. The merchant must have an Internet connection. This monthly fee-based POS system usually comes with unlimited technical support and regular upgrades.

Wireless POS

Wireless POS systems are Web-based POS systems that allow the merchant to be have a mobile presence. These POS systems are used by street and conference vendors.

References

• Point of Sale