By fbatista
Why Your Liquor Store Needs a Modern POS System

- Speeds up checkout time
- Helps cashiers be accurate with pricing and taxes
- Enables you to take a variety of payment types
- Tracks data from every purchase
- Helps you make more informed business decisions
What POS Features Are Important for Liquor Stores?
Now that we’ve taken a moment to look at what a POS system can offer a business generally, let’s look more specifically at which features liquor store owners should look for when shopping for a POS system. After all, there are many different systems on the market, so you want to choose the one that best fits your needs.
1. Sales Tracking
Tracking your sales allows you to take the temperature of how your store is currently doing and reveals how your sales performance evolves over time. This can help you see what’s working and what’s not so you can successfully grow your business. For example, you may see that sales are too low during certain periods for it to be worth staying open while other hours during the day are busy and warrant more employees being on the schedule. Without a POS system, tracking sales is a complicated and laborious process, but with a POS system, the software does the work for you. It stores the data and delivers it in an easy-to-understand format. Once you’ve had your POS long enough, you can compare sales from this April to sales from last April or this year’s total to last year’s total to get a wide-angle perspective of how your business is doing.2. Inventory Management
Managing inventory is critical to the success of your business. The best modern POS systems offer inventory tracking so you don’t need another software program for it. Since POS systems are equipped with a database that recognizes all the items your store carries, they can note when a product is sold and can track how many you have left in stock. They can even let you know when it’s time to reorder a product when you’re running low. Tracking your inventory is the only way to make informed decisions about which products you should carry. The inventory management tool on a POS can make it clear which products are selling well and which may need to be eliminated from your product line. Try replacing unpopular products with new products and use the inventory tracking tool to see how these new SKUs do. Did you know that traditional drinks like mead are experiencing a resurgence in popularity? With inventory management software, you can introduce trendy or more niche products like this and then evaluate their performance.3. Customer Loyalty Program
Loyalty programs can help keep satisfied customers coming back to your store again and again. One report found that some consumers spend up to 99 percent more with brands where they have a loyalty account. Some small businesses have a loyalty program in place, but it involves stamping or punching holes into a loyalty card. This method is better than nothing, but it’s by no means ideal. When you choose a POS system that has a loyalty program already built in, you can take advantage of the technology and enjoy a completely automated rewards experience. No dealing with lost cards, delays during checkout or confusion. When it comes to loyalty programs, customers who have engaged with loyalty technology note that it has made a drastic improvement in their member experience.4. Store Promotions
It’s no secret that store promotions are a great way to encourage people to shop in general. In a liquor store, special discounts may encourage people to try something new and walk out with more than just their ordinary purchase. People tend to become more adventurous when they see a sale price on an item, so they just might pick up a bottle of that cookies and cream whiskey or dill pickle vodka if the price is right. Store promotions can also encourage them to stock up on their favorite products now if they’re on sale. When choosing a POS system, make sure it allows you to program in any temporary promotions or discounts you choose to feature. Your POS should automatically reflect the discounted price when you scan an item that’s on sale. If you want a discount to apply only after a customer purchases a certain number of products, your POS should be able to do that too. The right POS can take all the guesswork out of applying promotions at checkout.5. Age Verification Reminders
Your cashiers are legally obligated to check every customer’s ID to confirm that they are legal drinking age before selling them alcohol. Even though it’s a requirement, it can be easy for cashiers to forget to take the time to check, especially if a person appears to be well over the age of 21. New employees may be especially susceptible to forgetting to check ID, which could compromise your business’s security right away. Your POS system can help. Look for a POS system that allows you to denote which product categories require age verification. When one of these items is scanned, the POS should pop up with a reminder to the cashier to verify the customer’s age. It’s a simple feature, but it can be an extremely helpful reminder to all employees.How to Choose the Best POS System for Your Liquor Store

1. How Many Locations Do I Run?
Do you need a POS system that can connect your sales from multiple stores? If you currently operate multiple locations, or even if you think you might open up a second location in the future, make sure you choose a POS system now that can synchronize your data across locations. This will save you from having to manually combine data or somehow attempt to integrate different systems together.2. Do I Want Remote Access?
Another question to ask yourself is whether you want to have access to your data when you’re not at the store. If so, opt for a cloud-based system. With a cloud-based terminal POS, your data is stored in the cloud instead of in a hard drive, allowing you to access it through a mobile app or website when you’re at home, out of town or in a different store location. You may even be able to input new information or make changes from the app.3. What’s My Budget?
Another important question to ask yourself is how much you can afford to spend on your liquor store POS system. Perhaps the expense of a POS system is what has held you back from buying one sooner. When considering your budget, remember that a POS is an investment that is likely to help your business grow and succeed. It may cost a bit up front, but it will be well worth it. Still, budgetary limitations are a reality. Another advantage of the cloud-based terminal system is that it entails a lower upfront cost with an ongoing monthly or annual fee for support from the POS company.4. How Do My Customers Pay?
You may remember the days when people either paid with cash or a check, but today, there are many more forms of payment going around, including credit and debit cards and, more recently, mobile wallet apps. Mobile methods of payment like Apple Pay and Android Pay are innovative methods of payment that aren’t just popular with young people. In fact, the typical user of mobile wallet apps is between 30 and 44 years old. If you want to be equipped to accept a variety of payment types, then look for a POS that can handle cash, cards, mobile payments and more.5. Do I Want a Customer-Facing Screen?
While it’s standard for POS systems to include a register terminal for the cashier, they may not include a screen for the customer. If you want customers to be able to see their items and prices as they’re rung up along with their final total, then look for a POS with a customer-facing display screen. It’s a great bonus if you can display store promotions or news on the screen, as well, since this visual information can help keep customers engaged during checkout.End Your Search With the POS+ From National Retail Solutions
