Everything About Hardware Store POS Software

We don’t need to tell you about how much software has made and is making our lives easier. You might not even remember what you got things done before the invention and virality of some software. This also includes hardware store POS software. But what are these kinds of software and how do they make managing a tool shop easier? Which one is a better choice for you? Let’s find out!

What Is a Hardware Store POS Software?

POS (Point-of-Sale) software is essential for any hardware business. Like managing your accounts, taxes, business management, and using marketing tactics like email marketing. These types of software help businesses track their transactions and manage different aspects of retail processes. The following are all the different things that POS software can do, whether you want POS software for hardware stores or other establishments.

• Sales Processing: This is the main function of any POS system. POS systems help businesses process their transactions. The first step to record a sale is scanning barcodes or entering item details manually. Items are already indexed in the POS systems with their prices. When a transaction is done using different payment methods, a digital receipt is created in the system which can be printed out. The POS software for shops calculates discounts, promotions, and taxes.

• Inventory Management: POS software for hardware stores usually includes a system to manage inventory. POS systems can also be integrated with external inventory management systems.
• Reporting and Analytics: POS systems can give you reports on sales of different items at your business establishment. These reports can then give you insights into what items are your most sold items as well as general business analytics that can help you make decisions in different aspects of the management of your business.

The Benefits of Using a Hardware Store POS Software

You probably have a general idea about the merits of using a POS software for shops. But why not accumulate everything in a list?

• Competitive Advantage: All the things we mentioned not only make your life way easier but also by doing so give you an edge so that customers are more willing to work and do business with you.
• Handling Prices and Refunds: Using POS software gives you the structure you need to handle your prices and apply discounts. Also, you can use these tools to have an efficient refund system.

• Streamlined Employed Management: Having a hardware store POS system allows you to not only be able to control your inventory, but also manage your employees’ schedules and working hours.
• Enhanced Security: A hardware store POS system is encrypted and has features like secure payment and user access control. This helps with protecting customer data and the confidential information in your store.
• Better Customer Service: POS software also includes different capabilities such as CRM (Customer Relationship Management) and Employee Management. POS software can be integrated with a bunch of other different software to create a more holistic system for all of your needs in a business establishment.

• Multi-Store Support: This comes in handy if you have multiple stores and you need a centralized hardware store POS software to manage all of your shops smoothly.
• Integration With Other Software: Having an integrated system that syncs perfectly with your POS software for hardware store, is any store owner’s wish. The good news is many of the POS systems can work and integrate with other software including accounting tools and e-commerce platforms.

What are the general settings of a POS system?

This might be dependent on the software you use and also what you require from the application. But here are some things to help you get a better overview of a hardware store POS system:

• Store Information: The first thing you do when you start working with POS software for shops is to input the needed information. Information such as the store name, address, phone number, and email address. In general, the information that appears in the customer receipt.
• Tax Settings: Next, you can configure different tax rates such as local, state, and federal taxes. Specific POS software for hardware stores even allow you to attribute different rates to different products or services.
• Currency and Language: You need to customize these general settings according to your preferences.
• Inventory Settings: In this stage, you have the liberty to define how you want your inventory to be managed; like how to track stock levels and attributing items.

• Payment Methods: Preferably set up numerous payment options such as cash, credit cards, debit cards, checks, and digital wallets.
• Customer Settings: Enter the customer information like their contact details. You can also include loyalty program settings.
• Barcode Scanning Settings: If you use barcode scanners you can configure them with your hardware store POS system.
• Offline Mode: It’s safe to arrange your configuration in a way so that the system would know how to behave when there’s a lack of internet connection.
• Email and Other Notifications: Set your system up for sending specific notifications for specific events like inventory alerts or receipt delivery.

• Security Settings: Passwords, access control, and encryption options are what you should be configuring for at this stage.
• Reports and Analytics Settings: You should determine what types of data you need analyzed and the frequency of report delivery.
• Backup and Data Storage: To be safe, determine where you want your data to be saved.

Best POS Software for Tools Shops

What you probably need the most at this point, is the name of some POS software. So, here’s a list of features to Look for in a Hardware Store POS Software:

Now we are going look at some essential features that need to be present in a hardware store POS software. Then we will look at some popular options in the market for POS software. These are all the factors to consider when you are looking for POS software for hardware stores.

• Product Categorization: If you are running a hardware store, you should look for programs that allow you to categorize all the various products that a hardware store sells such as different hand tools, power tools, building materials, fasteners, pipe fittings, paint, etc.
• User-Friendly Interface: This will help you as well as your employees. It will help you with training new employees to use the software and it is obvious how it can help your employees!
• Ability to Work with Different Payment Methods: Nowadays there are a lot of different payment methods. You need to make sure your POS system can make transactions and generate receipts whether your customers use cash, credit cards, debit cards, or mobile payment like Apple Pay or Google Pay.
• Integration: Integrated CRM and Inventory Management capabilities are essential for a hardware store POS software. Integrations with other types of software that are needed in a hardware store are also essential.
• Security Measures: With any software or system, you need to look for security measures such as encryption and user-authorization systems.
• Reporting and Analytics: You should check that the reporting and analytics capabilities of your chosen software are sufficient for your needs.
• Scalability: You should look for a POS system that can handle the processes and needs of a larger business in case you may want to expand in the future.

Now let’s take a look at some of the best options for a hardware store POS system. We recommend you do your research but here are some of the popular options you can find online:

• Square POS: Free POS software for hardware stores
• Loyverse POS: Ideal for small tool shops
• Lightspeed POS: Best choice for large or complex retail inventory
• POS Nation: Ideal for small or medium-sized hardware store businesses
• Shopify POS

• Colver
• Lightspeed
• Touch Bistro
• Vend
• Shopkeep
• NCR Counterpoint

Hope we’ve gifted you with a holistic overview on hardware store POS systems. Now you have all the information you need to make your life easier as a hardware store owner.

FAQs:

What are POS systems? What do they do?

AKA, Point of Sale systems are software used to manage transactions with customers in a business. These systems simplify the sales process, and provide you with better customer service and valuable data for business management. For a more comprehensive answer, review the article.

What is Hardware Store/tools shop POS software?

A specialized software solution to answer the needs of hardware stores/ tool shops needs associated with daily operations like managing inventory or providing tools.

Sarah

18 December 2023