1. How Much Does a Retail POS System Cost?
POS, or point of sale, is a form of retail transaction system which is an advanced
computerized version of cash register that adds up sales, produces detail report, and tracks
inventory stocks automatically. It generally improves the accuracy of a company's records.
The cost of a POS system depends on the type of system and the amount of features. It can
costs as minimum as $1999 for the basic level or as high as $15,000-$20,000 for more
extended multiple-station systems with features such as touch-screens, automatic ordering
and sophisticated reporting.
Choosing the wrong retail POS system can cost a business thousands. Therefore before
buying any retail POS software, detailed research work is the most wise thing to do.
Some retail owners will select a basic cash register and then try to figure out the actual sales
and inventory management. Most of the decisions, concerning the actual cost of the POS
technology, can be made by figuring out which information is required to manage the retail
business.
Invest Wisely:
After a thorough research on available products in the market by leading retail software
providers, result shows that overall system cost will range from $2,500 to $6,000 for each
workstation when it is programmed, customized and installed.
• POS Terminal – The cost of basic cash register ranges from $200-$500, but POS
terminals can cost $3,000 to $4,000 each. Each piece of hardware will provide
various levels of specialities and allow different attributes to be added for additional
functionality.
• POS software – Each check out terminal runs on licensed software, a single-user
license costs between approximately $1,200 and $2,500. But multi-user licenses are
more expensive and should only be considered if the retail store is expanding.
• Training Cost– Intelligent sales terminals prompt helpful instructions that enable the
end users to follow steps and achieve accurate results. Even in this scenario training
is necessary for everyone who will work with the POS terminal. Most of the point of
sale system provider gives the free training session to its clients.
Price vs Cost:
The initial price of POS components is not considered as the final amount. Thus the cost
must be weighed against the advantages each component would specifically provide to the
business.
ROI:
While thousands of dollars for each terminal may seem excessive, the effort and time of
checkout points as well as back office personnel saved by an intelligent POS terminal is
worthy enough in terms of saving the money indirectly. When the inventory reports can be

2. tied to the cost of goods sold, the accounting department is able determine how profitable
each hour of the day has been.
Budget Shopping for Point of Sale System:
• Cheaper system can be easily bought from any other similar business which is
closing, cause used ones are always cheaper than new one.
• There is always another option of leasing to get a POS equipment in case of low
in up-front cash; but all the terms and conditions of the lease must be well
understood prior to signing the agreement.
Warranty and Support:
Before choosing the technology, proper attention should be given to what type of warranty
or support are offered by the particular point of sale vendor and what kind of training is
needed for the staff to run the specific equipment
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