What POS Features Do You Need for Your Pet Supply Store?

The pet care industry is becoming more competitive, making it the right time for your pet store to go beyond using a cash register to process sales and payments. You need a point of sale system
 that can handle your sales monitoring and reporting, manage your customer's data and analytics, and manage your store's inventory, among other capabilities.

The problem is that shopping for a
POS system for small businesses
can get overwhelming because of the various options available in the market, each offering a wide range of features. The next natural question is, which software will help your business grow? What specific POS features do you need for your pet store supply?

You must understand your store's needs first and then identify the POS features that will cater to these needs before settling on a software supplier. Nonetheless, we have outlined some features you should not miss from your store's point-of-sale system. Keep reading.


Features Of POS For A Pet Supply Store


  1. It Should Be Reliable, And Easy To Install

A complicated software only disadvantages your business in different ways. One, a time-consuming setup process dents your productivity. Two, a software solution that is hard to use reduces employee morale and efficiency.

So, make it a point to contact a supplier who'll provide you with a software solution that saves you time to set up. The setup should be as simple as a plug-in, create an account, and you are set. Besides, your pet store's Point Of Sale software should integrate smoothly with its built-in features and other third-party software.


  1. Cloud Solution

Technological advancement has changed how pet stores and customers transact businesses. Modern pet store software allows you to store your data and access it anytime and anywhere. Hence, your pet store point of sale software should come with a cloud-based feature
 that allows you to manage your pet store businesses wherever you are. The feature also gives you other benefits like business data security.


  1. Detailed Customer Database And Order History

A Point-Of-Sale system should help you personalize your customer's experience, creating long-term relationships. And with a customized interface, it is easy and fast to use the software to access your customer's files and update information like addresses and phone numbers.

For instance, the customer's order history data helps you understand their needs with their pet. As a result, you can use this data to provide personalized services, making them happy customers. Furthermore, the customer's data history can give you insight into marketing strategies that can convert customer experiences into sales.


  1. Cross-Selling Opportunity 

A pet store's Point Of Sale should come with features that give you the power to cross-sell your products.
 When a customer buys one product, the pet shop software should be able to suggest to them a similar product or a complementary item.

For instance, when a customer buys grooming items like shampoo, the system should suggest other products that can be used together with the shampoo. Hence, you'll improve your products and increase your revenue.



  1. Sales Monitoring and Reporting

Customizable product reports help you decide on what to stock. Reports sales trends give you insight into where you are spending unnecessarily and how best to plan for your inventory. Your Point Of Sales must have a robust reporting platform to help you know the overall success of your business.


  1. Loyalty Programs

A point Of Sale that suits your pet store business allows you to track and manage your customer's loyalty incentives. CRM lets you capture this information and share the promotion with your customers.

The software filters this data and gives you a report on frequent buyers, highly rated, etc. After which, you can reward these customers with loyalty programs, discounts, and deals on purchases. The result is long-lasting relationships with satisfied customers and pets.


  1. Manage Business On All Channels

Most pet store businesses are combining online and offline selling in their physical store nowadays. A Point of Sale becomes more beneficial if it can help you manage your business on all channels, like their mobile devices
. It's even better if a customer can order a product on their gadgets online and then pick it up later from the physical store. 


  1. Promotion Programs

You'll need to market your products periodically as a small pet store business owner. Therefore, the Point of Sale that you settle for should be able to manage your promotions. The software should help you plan and control the promotion's specifics, like the duration and time, even if you have several businesses.


  1. Fast Checkout Process

Technology is supposed to increase your efficiency in your business operation. Your customers should have a secure, hassle-free, fast checkout process in their transactions. By doing so, you'll enhance your customer's experience.

Your POS feature should support this aspect of your business operation by making it easy for your customers to transact with you without hitches.


  1. Label Printer and Barcode Reader 

A Point of Sale should be able to perform essential functions like billing and order processing. The system should bill orders by quickly scanning pet products. The barcode reader
 in your pet store should automatically display the product's description and price and capture the different payment methods.

The technology should thus save you time and increase your efficiency by eliminating errors and allowing you to enter all pet product information into the business system with a single click. 


  1. Accept Multiple Payments Methods

The
pet store POS system
you use in your store should go beyond the traditional payment methods that customers use, like credit and debit cards, cash, etc. Instead, the system should allow you to take other payment methods from your customers, like mobile payment.

The POS should also make payments easy for customers who want to split costs. For instance, if a customer wants to split payment between cash and credit, that shouldn't be hard.



  1. Inventory Management

A pet store's Point of sale software must provide complete visibility and accountability at your store all the time. The POS should, therefore, automate its processes and improve efficiency
. So the POS software you install for your pet store must automatically track your inventory, update data sales and stock, access real-time stock reports, etc.


  1. Regular Updates

Buying software and then paying for its update at the beginning can be expensive in the long run. Therefore, the Point of sale supplier you settle for should give you a solution that regularly provides automatic updates.


  1. Data Migration

Before settling on the Point of Sale for your store, get to know if the system can support data transfer from your old software to the new one. Some point-of-sale software doesn't offer this service, so you should be aware before buying.

Also, get to know the system's complexity and if you'll require some training. It would be best if it's simple enough to offer a do-it-yourself service.


In conclusion

A point-of-sale system helps your pet store business succeed and even grow better. However, your pet store business has unique needs that make it impossible to use every other POS software. It's therefore crucial that you know the main POS features you need.

Only settle for the Point of Sale with features that will cater to your store's specific needs. Above all, your pet store
POS system
should be compatible and flexible enough to adapt to your business. 

If you still have a problem selecting a POS software solution for your pet store, try the Erply demo
. It offers these features and much more at your convenience.