5 Best Supermarket POS Systems | Compare Top Software Picks

Best Supermarket POS Systems

The best supermarket point of sale system should make it more convenient for you to process payments, manage the store and satisfy your customers. As such, it is advisable to get a solution that will also streamline operations, control cash flow, track the inventory, employees and customers.

Supermarket-based POS software should also scanner and scale integration, enhanced customer service and remote reporting. The right system will be packed with marketing tools to help your business grow.

In order to fully customize your POS system and save money, you should consider which payment processor you’ll go with. Also, which inventory and CRM capabilities your POS of choice offers.

Reviewed below are the top five supermarket POS systems for the best return on investment.

1. Best Overall Choice for Supermarket POS Systems: ShopKeep

Although the ShopKeep Retail POS features a one-size-fits-all design, it has a powerful and versatile feature suite to power supermarkets of any size. Ranging from customizable hardware bundles and payment processing fees to cloud-based capabilities, the system has everything you will need.

ShopKeep POS for supermarkets is essentially designed to automate employee, inventory and customer management. The system will also automate sales reporting and analytics in your business.

Other aspects that make this solution that make it stand out from its competitors to include:

Powerful Register Capabilities

The system features a smart and modern register. This register is equipped with an array of industry-specific tools to help streamline day-to-day supermarket operations. You will also love the fact that the register is designed to deliver enhanced efficiency and speed.

According to its current users, the register features an intuitive user interface and a suite of useful capabilities, including:

Transactions

With this system in your business, you will be able to personalize the layout of the register. As such, you can customize the register in whichever way you desire for enhanced transaction speed. The system also features an offline mode, allowing you to process card payments when the internet is down.

Down Payments and Deposits

This feature gives your customers additional flexibility while paying for goods in your store. For instance, it allows them to make partial payments towards the purchase of an item. With this feature on your POS register, you can also allow your customers to make security deposits.

Returns and Refunds

You simply cannot do without this capability in a supermarket. In its functioning, the tool allows you to handle returns and or refunds more efficiently. In to regard, the register makes it easy for you to issue refunds either from previous or the current shift. As a matter of fact, ShopKeep does not require the customers to present a receipt for them to get a refund.

Discounts and User Permissions

The register will allow you to personalize the discounts you offer on various items in the store. You may also configure the system to require the manager’s approval before implementing certain discounts. The system will also give you an overview of the total discounts applied at any given time.

User permissions, on the other hand, allow you to assign privileges to certain employees. This restricted access to the POS system, based on the employee’s roles, cultivates accountability.

Versatile Payment Processor

This is actually one of the things that most of its current users love about ShopKeep. To begin with, the provider offers negotiable rates, based on transaction volume. The provider also guarantees that you will get the best rates in the industry.

The integrated payments on this system make it easier, safe and secure for your customers to pay. With this system, you will be able to accept all forms of payment, including gift cards, cash, contactless payment options, credit, and debit cards.

Shopkeep POS System Downsides

As compared to other leading brands in the Industry, the inventory on the Shopkeep POS system is somewhat limited. Again, the system does not feature table mapping.

2. The Best Supermarket POS System for Swift Transactions: CashierLive

Are you looking forward to ringing sales faster and accurately or just want to reduce wait times in your supermarket?

Cashier Live POS system is specifically designed as a Grocery Store POS. This supermarket Point of Sale will make it more convenient for you to track sales, inventory, and employees in the store.

Other CashierLive POS features you will come to like include:

Reporting and Customer Management

Cashier Live makes it easier and more convenient for store owners and managers to get real-time reports on various business aspects. With this system, you can get all the reports you need on a single dashboard, regardless of where you are.

You may use the information on such reports to gauge the overall performance of the business. This software also features an integrated CRM capability. As such, it collects relevant customer information automatically.

The system will then use the data to generate relevant customer reports. Such reports will help you ascertain such things as the most prolific customers, stock items that are in high demand and what different customers are buying on every visit.

Supports Various Devices

While some of the best POS systems for supermarkets only work on iOS devices, CashierLive is compatible with almost any device. For instance, the various POS features may be accessed through the Cashier live iPad application.

Alternatively, you can access the CashierLive Dashboard online using virtually any internet-enabled device.

CashierLive POS System Downsides

The system does not have an offline mode. This means that you simply cannot process payments through the POS systems when the internet is down.

3. The Best Quote-Based POS System: ITRetail

Affordability, enhanced ease of use and reliable customer support are some of the desirable aspects of this POS system.

Despite being an affordable option, this solution has all the supermarket functionality you need. For instance, it features electronic coupons, support for eWIC payments, raw SQL data access, multi-store management, ROS exits, BR data integration, and powerful inventory tools.

Here are other features and capabilities that make ITRetail desirable among supermarket owners:

Regular Updates

Your customers will be more comfortable knowing that their card information is safe and secure with you. To help retain the best security levels in the industry, the provider offers regular software updates to combat emerging threats.

Again, the provider is continually improving the features and capabilities of this system. These updates will ensure that you get such improvements. Thanks to these automatic software updates, you can rest assured that you have the latest improvements to the software by the provider.

Diverse Inventory Manager

The inventory manager on this system is one of its best selling points. To begin with, the inventory manager is diverse enough to handle the myriad of items you have in stock.

Again, the system features a multitude of tools to make inventory management easy and accurate at all times. In addition to these, the system is capable of organizing the items with low inventory thresholds on a printable report.

These items may be sorted by the vendor so as to make ordering easier. Such are the capabilities that will ensure that you never run out of stock unknowingly.

Online Store Integration

Allowing your customers to order for items online can create a new income stream for the business. In line with its commitment to offer retailers a powerful, innovative and simple POS solution, the provider allows you to integrate with some of the best online platforms.

Curbs Employee Theft

Unlike many other supermarket POS systems available, IT Retail exposes and helps you prevent employee theft. In this regard, the system will automatically analyze every transaction carried out in the establishment.

By so doing, it will single out suspicious transactions that need to be looked into.

Downsides of the IT Retail POS System

The features and capabilities of this POS solution are somewhat limited.

4. The Most Agile Supermarket POS System: ECRS

Get yourself an innovative, full-featured POS system that is designed to offer you peace of mind and grow your business. If such are the things you are looking for in your supermarket point of sale system, you should consider getting ECRS.

In addition to agility, this system is designed to offer enhanced reliability, ease of use, and speedy transactions. This solution has many features to offer, ranging from accounting, and analytics to inventory management, and loyalty programs. However, these are not the only reasons you should invest in this system.

Here are other aspects that will make you want to invest in the ECRS POS system:

CATAPULT Commerce

This is one of the industry-specific features many supermarket owners have come to love. You may think of CATAPULT as a more powerful version of unified commerce with much more to offer than a conventional Omni-channel platform.

This platform will unify all the important section of the supermarket in real time. By so doing, the feature will present you with all the POS features you need at a glance as well as seamless, and fast transactions.

The provider avails this capability at all retail touch points in your businesses. For enhanced ease of use, the platform features a simplified cashier interface and has several hotkeys.

Self-Checkout

Incorporating several self-checkout points in your business will not only reduce long lines, it will also allow you to cut on labor costs. ECRS is one of the few retail POS systems offering this capability for supermarkets.

The system features engaging and friendly, automated self-checkout interface for a simplified checkout process. This system has been proven to offer supermarket customers a consumer-centric experience as they check out.

ECRS POS System Downsides

Configuring the system is comparatively hard and time-consuming. Additionally, you will also find the POS to be a bit hard to understand and use.

5. The Most Intuitive POS System for Supermarkets: Clover

Having been designed for retail businesses like a supermarket, clover POS has a horde of industry-specific features to speak of.

For instance, it will automatically keep you on track, regarding stock levels, and make it easy for you to process payments. Additionally, the solution has the right tools for easier processing of returns and exchanges in a supermarket.

Here are other desirable aspects of the Clover supermarket POS System:

Easy Inventory Management

Stocktaking has never been easier than it is with Clover. In addition to sending you timely low-stock alerts, it continually monitors the stock to give you accurate real-time updates. With the Inventory manager on Clover, you will be able to create SKUs with multiple variants like size and color.

With this system in your supermarket, the inventory will be automatically updated after every sale.

Seamless Payments

Processing payments with Clover is easy and fast. To begin with, the system supports all payment types, including gift cards, NFC, mobile payments, debit, and credit cards. The system also allows you to configure automatic tax rates and process payments offline as well.

Downsides of the Clover POS System

Only proprietary hardware is available for this POS system. Again, it is impossible to separate the payment processor from the POS system.

A supermarket needs a retail POS system that addresses its unique needs. For such an establishment, an industry-specific solution has much more to offer than a conventional cash register. For instance, it will streamline operations, track the inventory and control cash flow in the business.

Such are the things you need to enhance profitability and even grow the business. However, a considerable number of supermarket owners are confused about which POS solution to invest in. In order to get the best ROI, you need to choose the right system carefully.

Here are some of the aspects should consider while shopping for the best supermarket POS system:

Scanner and Scale Integration

It is almost impossible to keep the lines moving faster in a busy supermarket without a barcode scanner. Again, a considerable number of items you offer in the business need to be weighed during checkout.

As such, a POS scale will also come in handy for a supermarket.  Therefore, the best solution for your business is the one that allows you to integrate scanners and scales to the POS system.

This integration has a number of benefits to offer, including:

Improved Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty

A POS scale will make it easier for your employees to price items by volume or weight. A scanner, on the other hand, will speed up the checkout process. As you can imagine, combining these two components with the right POS system will reduce wait times for your customers considerably.

This will, in turn, enhance customer satisfaction in your business, a factor that has been proven to boost customer loyalty in supermarkets.

Improved Accuracy and Profitability

Implementing the wrong system in your business will not only affect the efficiency of the store; it can actually lead to losses. For instance, failing to update the prices in accordance with price fluctuations will result in inaccurate pricing.

This, coupled with inaccurate weight, can lead to significant losses in your business.  If not checked, this can cost your business thousands in lost revenue. In order to avoid such losses, you need to get a system that integrates seamlessly with scales.

In this regard, you need to choose a system that is capable of integrating with NTEP certified scales. This will allow for precise weighing of various items. This will, in turn, lead to accurate pricing and avoid such losses in the long run.

Simplified Operations

Again, integrating scanners and scales to your POS system will simplify operations for your cashiers. With such a system in your business, the barcode will scan and identify the products while the scale feeds the register and customer-facing display with the accurate weight.

Using such data and the preset prices in the register, the POS system will automatically work out the exact price. Such a system will help you charge your customers the right amount and mitigate inventory shrinkage in the long run.

Inventory Control

It can be very embarrassing for your store and inconveniencing for the customers for you to run out of products when the customers need them.

To avoid such a scenario in your supermarket, it is advisable to invest in a system that gives you a complete overview and control over the inventory.

In this case, the right POS inventory manager will offer you the following benefits:

Prevents Overstocking/Understocking

As opposed to other types of retail businesses, supermarkets often deal with perishable products. Overstocking such items can result in huge losses if they happen to go bad while on the shelves. Similarly, understocking can have negative effects on your business.

For instance, understocking may lead to a decline in sales on a busy day. This could also lead to a loss of customers when they realize that you do not have the products they need. The right solution should let you know when the stock is running low. Similarly, it should inform you of the right amount of products to restock.

Helps You Track Inventory Items More Accurately

In order to manage the supermarket more effectively, you should be able to accurately account for each item in the inventory. The best supermarket POS systems are designed to automatically deducted each item from the inventory database as soon as it is sold.

Supermarket-specific POS system should as well be capable of tracking bulk items, especially the ones that are sold by weight. For such merchandise, the system should be capable of deducting the weight you sold from the bulk weight in the inventory.

This will allow for enhanced accuracy whenever you are taking tallies of the current inventory in your supermarket.

Back Office Reporting

A considerable number of supermarket POS systems today are cloud-based. This capability means that you can oversee operations in your business without actually being there.

However, cloud computing will be of little or no help to your business if the system does not have Superior reporting tools. Your preferred POS system should have all the tools you need to get a clear overview of the business in real time.

In this regard, the right solution should make it easier for you to pull such reports as inventory, sales, and labor reports wherever you are. When obtained in real time, such reports will give you a complete overview of how the business is faring at any given time.

Some of the best systems are also known to offer insights based on the business data they collect from your supermarket. Such a capability will make it easier and more convenient for you to manage the store.

Payment Processing

One of the main uses of a point of sale system is to process payments. Normally, card payments are processed through a gateway. As you may be aware, the various payment processors differ from each other in several ways.

While some POS systems allow you to choose your preferred processor, others require you to use the gateway provided by the provider. Regardless of the case, you should opt for a processor that you can afford and is best suited for the business.

For instance, a payment processor that is integrated into the POS system will streamline payments for you. This is because the cards are swiped directly from the POS system.

Again, an integrated payment processor can help you save a few bucks on POS hardware. This is because it does not you to invest in stand-alone terminals for processing card payments.

Supermarket POS systems have different specifications and come in various price ranges. In addition to being affordable, there are several other things you should consider when looking for the best one. The POS systems reviewed here are ideal for any retail operation but are specifically good for supermarkets. 

However, you will still need to choose the one that is best suited for your specific business. Whether its reporting or inventory management, each one of these systems carries their own weight. With the various considerations discussed above, choosing the right supermarket POS system should be a no-brainer.

Recommended Readings

We have compared Fattmerchant vs Square, thinking that they were very similar POS and payment processors, but we found many differences and we were surprised by these findings.

Complex industries that handle their own inventory and 3PL organizations have granular requirements about batch recalls, warehouse management and inventory reconciliation. They need handheld inventory scanners that connect in real time with their point of sales systems and ERPs. We review them here and test them connecting to a Zebra printer. Beautiful!

We have reviewed several POS providers. The most interesting according to their industry vertical are: OVVI POS, NCR Counterpoint, Alexandria POS Maid, Verifone Ruby 2 POS, Mynt POS, Indica Online, Reverse, Micros, 1st Pay, Simphony, and Appetize.

There is a type of POS that the majority of readers here do not seem to like. I refer to the POS Pin Pad type. I understand the readers that reject them, but we can recommend it for some type of businesses, as you will read.

Each industry vertical requires a different type of POS, so we cannot analyze them all together in one single group. Therefore, we have researched in different verticals to define which are the POS systems that we can recommend for each industry and why: Wholesale POS, POS for kiosks, fast foods, POS for restaurants and which of them work well in iPads because some work very bad in mobile systems in my opinion, gas stations, supermarkets, dispensaries, convenience stores, dry cleaning industries, furniture, liquor stores, and bike shops.

What about cash registers? We have reviewed some and we have found good and bad products: cash registers for gas stations, small businesses in general, and restaurants.

We reviewed some specific type of point of sale systems that determine the price according to the weight, called POS scales.

We have studied barcode and label printers, as label printing is a legal requirement in some industries

Restaurants, fast foods, delis and food trucks, require a separate kitchen printer integrated with the POS with a separate hardware unit. We have reviewed them here.

We do not usually review printers for POS, we simply dedicate ourselves to review a complete POS system with its hardware. However, we had so much criticism and discussions around printers for Square, that I have decided to investigate further here.

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