Shopify POS Review: Pros, Cons, Alternatives

Shopify POS syncs instantly with the Shopify e-commerce platform, some of the standard e-commerce options available on the market. Shopify POS is among the greatest point-of-sale methods for multichannel sellers — in different phrases, e-commerce companies that need to promote their services or products in particular person in addition to on-line.

In contrast to some rivals, nonetheless, Shopify doesn’t supply free POS software program, and pricing will be complicated. Shopify POS is also retail targeted, so eating places will possible need to think about different choices.

How does Shopify POS work?

With the Shopify POS app, you possibly can promote your services or products in particular person — take orders from clients, settle for funds and sync transactions throughout gross sales channels. To get began with Shopify POS, nonetheless, you should buy a Shopify e-commerce subscription.

Even in the event you don’t need to promote on-line, you’ll use your Shopify e-commerce account to handle necessary particulars of your point-of-sale system, corresponding to your clients, stock and different administrative data.

After you have your Shopify subscription (extra on the choices beneath), you possibly can obtain the Shopify POS app — obtainable for each iOS and Android units. Utilizing the app, you’ll be capable of log in and begin customizing your system. You possibly can:

• Add and manage your services or products.

• Set your retailer location and alter your gross sales taxes.

• Activate Shopify Funds or arrange a third-party cost supplier.

• Select and order your POS {hardware}.

After you obtain your Shopify POS {hardware}, you’ll be prepared to begin taking buyer orders. Earlier than you do, nonetheless, it may be useful to carry out some take a look at orders to ensure the whole lot is operating easily.

Shopify gives two variations of its point-of-sale software program: Shopify POS Lite and Shopify POS Professional. The chart beneath breaks down the totally different options of every possibility.

It’s necessary to notice that though Shopify POS Lite can be utilized on each iOS and Android units, Shopify POS Professional will not be at present obtainable on Android units.

How a lot does Shopify POS price?

Software program, {hardware} and cost processing will all play a job within the whole price of Shopify POS. Right here’s what you have to find out about Shopify’s pricing:

To make use of Shopify POS, you should buy a Shopify e-commerce subscription, so the value of your point-of-sale software program varies based mostly on the subscription you select.

Shopify POS Lite is included at no extra price with every of the usual e-commerce plans.  Shopify POS Professional, however, requires an additional month-to-month price, $89 per location, no matter which of the subscriptions you select.

In case you go for Shopify Plus — Shopify’s enterprise e-commerce resolution — nonetheless, Shopify POS Professional is included together with your plan.

The chart beneath summarizes the month-to-month subscription prices for every of the Shopify e-commerce plans, in addition to the related prices for POS software program.

*Shopify Lite contains commonplace options for point-of-sale, however doesn’t supply entry to the net retailer gross sales channel. In contrast to the opposite subscriptions, you possibly can’t use this plan to construct a Shopify e-commerce retailer — as an alternative, Shopify Lite lets you embed a purchase button in your current web site or weblog.

Shopify Funds is included with all plans. Shopify prices clear, flat-rate processing charges for in-person and on-line funds. The particular charges you’ll obtain range based mostly on which of the Shopify e-commerce subscriptions you select. Charges don’t change based mostly on the kind of card used.

Though Shopify Funds is included with all subscriptions, you should utilize a third-party supplier, corresponding to Amazon Pay, Authorize.Internet or Braintree to course of funds. Your charges will rely on the third-party processor you’re employed with — nonetheless, you additionally must pay a further transaction price from Shopify.

Listed here are the Shopify Funds processing prices based mostly on the totally different plan choices:

You need to use Shopify POS with an current iOS or Android smartphone or pill that you just already personal. In case you go for Shopify POS Professional, nonetheless, you’ll want to make use of an iOS machine.

You should purchase extra POS {hardware}, corresponding to card readers, money drawers and receipt printers on the Shopify web site. Listed here are the costs of among the commonplace {hardware} equipment:

• Chip and swipe card reader: $29.

• Faucet and chip card reader: $49.

• Retail stand for tablets/iPads: $99 to $219.

• Wired receipt printer: $299.

• 14-inch money drawer: $139.

• Retail bundle with chip and swipe reader, iPad stand and mounting package: $159.

Shopify POS gives sturdy options for small-business homeowners who need to promote each on-line and in particular person.

With Shopify POS, you possibly can customise the sensible grid interface of your app, try clients on the go, supply customized reductions and ship digital receipts. You possibly can add and categorize a vast variety of merchandise, monitor stock and sync orders throughout retail areas, on-line shops and different gross sales channels. You can also use Shopify POS to create electronic mail and social media advertising and marketing campaigns, develop a buyer loyalty program, in addition to generate reviews from on-line and in-person gross sales.

And, along with the capabilities of Shopify POS — if you buy the Fundamental Shopify e-commerce plan or above — you possibly can create and customise your personal on-line retailer. You’ll have entry to a Shopify e-commerce web site and weblog; a free safe sockets layer, or SSL, certificates; deserted cart restoration; a number of workers accounts; delivery reductions; and different options.

All Shopify plans embody built-in entry to Shopify Funds, so that you don’t want to seek out your personal cost processor and make sure that it is suitable with the Shopify point-of-sale system. In contrast to some bank card processing firms, which have quote-based charges or hidden charges, Shopify Funds gives flat-rate charges which are easy and straightforward to know.

These processing charges don’t range based mostly on the kind of card that your buyer makes use of, and Shopify doesn’t cost any month-to-month, setup or extra transaction charges to make use of Shopify Funds. You can also entry decrease processing charges with every higher-level e-commerce subscription plan tier.

Shopify POS is user-friendly and approachable for brand spanking new and skilled enterprise homeowners alike. It has a contemporary and intuitive interface and will be arrange rapidly and simply.

Shopify additionally gives 24/7 customer support through electronic mail, reside chat and telephone for all plans aside from Shopify Lite, which incorporates solely electronic mail and reside chat help. You possibly can entry quite a lot of onboarding and help assets on the Shopify web site, together with informational articles, webinars, a neighborhood discussion board, video tutorials and enterprise programs.

And, in the event you’re transferring your information from an current point-of-sale system to Shopify, the Shopify workforce may help you with the migration course of.

Shopify’s POS pricing will be obscure. It’s important to buy a Shopify e-commerce subscription to make use of Shopify POS, which implies the whole price of your system will rely on that plan, along with which of the 2 software program variations you select.

For instance, Shopify POS Lite prices $29 per thirty days if you buy Fundamental Shopify — or, if you buy Fundamental Shopify with Shopify POS Professional, your price can be $118 per thirty days ($29 + $89). As compared, the first-tier model of Lightspeed Retail merely prices $69 per thirty days, with $29 per thirty days for every extra register.

Though Shopify Funds is included with all plans, cost processing prices are a little bit extra advanced in the event you work with a third-party supplier. You’ll not solely have to make sure that your supplier is suitable with Shopify, however you additionally can pay the charges that the corporate prices, in addition to an additional transaction price from Shopify.

Shopify POS depends closely on its reference to the Shopify e-commerce platform, which is nice for multichannel sellers however is probably not as interesting for some brick-and-mortar retailers. Companies which are brick and mortar first would possibly be capable of discover another point-of-sale possibility that provides higher options at a extra reasonably priced worth.

For instance, with the free Sq. POS software program, you will have entry to capabilities that on Shopify would require POS Professional. Sq. POS contains options corresponding to third-party pickup orders, printed receipts, automated reductions and each day gross sales reviews. Sq. POS additionally gives a free e-commerce platform that can be utilized with its free POS software program, which incorporates limitless gadgets; search engine marketing instruments; pickup, supply, and delivery; and self-serve ordering.

Equally, Shopify POS doesn’t supply many options designed for eating places or food-service companies. As compared, restaurant POS methods like Toast or Clover can present capabilities corresponding to on-line ordering, tableside funds, menu and desk administration, and supply integrations.

Alternate options to Shopify POS

• {Hardware}: Free Sq. Reader for magstripe if you join an account. Extra {hardware} prices range.

• Fee processing: 2.6% + 10 cents per transaction for in-person funds; 2.9% + 30 cents per transaction for on-line funds.

Sq. is a good point-of-sale system for a variety of companies, together with retail shops, eating places and repair companies. The free Sq. POS software program features a sturdy function set, with a customizable checkout, sturdy stock administration and built-in cost processing.

You possibly can join Sq. POS with quite a lot of proprietary add-ons, in addition to over 100 third-party instruments within the Sq. app market. Sq. additionally gives {hardware} choices which are nicely fitted to brick-and-mortar companies, in addition to extra cell terminals.

Sq. requires that you just pay additional charges for the loyalty and advertising and marketing add-ons — options which are included with different point-of-sale methods, together with Shopify POS. Moreover, among the Sq. POS {hardware} choices can run on the costly facet, as much as $799 for the Sq. Register.

• Software program: Beginning at $69 per thirty days (billed yearly) for the Lean plan; $29 per thirty days for every extra register.

• {Hardware}: Quote-based. Contact gross sales division for extra data.

• Fee processing: 2.6% + 10 cents per transaction for card-present funds; 2.6% + 30 cents per transaction for card-not-present funds.

Lightspeed Retail is a powerful point-of-sale system with spectacular stock administration options. All plans embody 24/7 buyer help, a devoted account supervisor and one-on-one onboarding. Lightspeed additionally gives built-in cost processing, with a aggressive, flat charge, in addition to no hidden charges.

In case you go for the second-tier plan and above, you obtain the flexibility to combine Lightspeed Retail together with your accounting software program, in addition to a complicated e-commerce platform. Furthermore, Lightspeed offers you the flexibility to combine your POS system with all kinds of third-party instruments.

Lightspeed’s Lean plan prices $69 per thirty days and doesn’t embody the e-commerce platform, accounting integration or omnichannel loyalty program. In contrast with some POS rivals, Lightspeed Retail is probably not reasonably priced for sure companies, notably smaller retailers or these simply launching their operations.

Equally, Lightspeed doesn’t present upfront details about the value of its {hardware}, making it troublesome for enterprise homeowners to match the price with different choices.