Thursday, April 30, 2015

What to do about Change of Service Fees

As you know, I am very much in favor of only using point of sale systems that allow you to pick, choose, and change which company handles your merchant services for debit and credit card processing.  As we all know how competitive merchant services companies can be, the worst thing we can do is lock ourselves in to a long term contract or commitment where our rates can be raised.

That being said, it is likely that changing who handles your merchant services may involve a fee and a service call to change the information in your point of sale software - plus you want to test the new settings to make sure that everything is functioning correctly.

Most point of sale companies charge $250 to $800 to perform a "change of service" related to changing the settings in your point of sale system so you can switch/change merchant services companies. I've found that it never hurts to ask the company that you are switching to for merchant services to cover that fee via a credit or series of monthly credits - just be sure to get in writing!

That way, you can make sure that you are always paying the lowest fees for debit and credit card processing.

Please visit my contact page for information on how to reach me.

Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Take Aways from the 2015 Retail Realm Conference for Microsoft Dynamics RMS and HQ Users

Updated information on the upcoming Retail Management Hero Software (or what I am coining "RMS 3.0 for 2015 and beyond") can be found here: http://retailpospondering.blogspot.com/2015/06/new-option-for-rmshq-users-retail.html

The recent Retail Realm Conference in April of 2015 helped clarify the current situation related to the Microsoft RMS and HQ point of sale programs. Here are the highlights:
  • Sales of RMS to new users will end July 2016
  • Extended support for RMS will end July 2021
  • Right now complying with the October 1st 2015 EMV Liability Shift Date in the US can only be accomplished using paid third party payment gateways or using payment terminals that are not connected to RMS
  • If you do not stay current on your annual software maintenance agreement, you will not qualify for any updates or license swap options for new point of sale programs
  • Retail Realm Essentials is a new point of sale program that is a possible replacement option for stores with multiple locations that also currently use HQ.
  • Retail Management Hero is a new program under development that is designed for single location RMS users and they will be offering license swap options to RMS users who are current on their annual maintenance. No word on when Retail Management Hero will be available other than that the software presently is about "40% complete". 
There are obviously some trends that you need to be aware of based on the above information:
  • If you are not current on your annual maintenance for RMS and/or HQ - your options are very limited for EMV/Chip Cards and switching to Retail Realm Essentials or Retail Management Hero.
  • It does not make sense to invest in RMS at this point if you are searching for a point of sale system for your business or organization (would you buy a car if you knew that you could no longer obtain service for it after a specific date?).
  • If you are current on your software maintenance then Retail Realm Essentials might be an option if you presently also use HQ and have multiple store locations.
  • Retail Management Hero may be a good option for single stores using RMS or stores that do not use or need HQ and are also current on their annual maintenance agreement. However it is not clear when Retail Management Hero will be available.
My advice to RMS and HQ Users:
  1. Make a plan for EMV/Chip Cards
  2. If not current on software maintenance, look at either replacing RMS or look at the cost to renew your software maintenance
  3. Make a plan as to whether you want to keep investing in RMS/HQ, for how long, and whether Retail Realm Essentials or Retail Management Hero are possible replacement programs
  4. Look at other point of sale options just to see what might be of interest to you - a lot has changed over the last couple of years and you may find that a much better option exists for your business or organization that is well worth the cost to switch point of sale systems.
If you need some unbiased advice, please visit my contact page for information on how to reach me. I've worked extensively with QuickSell 2000, QuickSell HQ, QuickSell Commerce, Microsoft Dynamics RMS, HQ, and multiple other point of sale programs and apps. Currently I'm offering  advice and information to around 700 stores in the US using RMS of which around 15 also use HQ.

Are you  in the US and in need of no cost retail point of sale advice?  I'm happy to help and can be reached on my cell at 208-340-5632 (I am on Mountain Time) or via email at kevinantosh@gmail.com. There is also a contact form to the right that can be used to reach me.

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Best Point of Sale Systems for Thrift Stores Like Goodwill

Update 7/12/2017: More updated version of this post (new solutions/options and multiple discount offers for non-profit organizations) can be found here: http://www.pospondering.com/2017/07/best-point-of-sale-systems-for-thrift.html

I've received calls and emails from several thrift shops and second hard stores over the last month or so.  Because thrift shops and second hand stores tend to only track inventory at a department or category level (version tracking inventory at an item level), the current generation of mobile point of sale solutions works quite well.  Bindo Point of Sale (www.bindopos.com) is one great solution for the following reasons:
  • Designed solely for retail unlike Revel POS and NCR Silver which are also designed for use in food service business as well as retail stores.
  • Bindo has multi-location options.
  • Timeclock function.
  • Easy to train your staff and volunteers on how to use Bindo.
  • Unlike Clover, Intuit, and HarborTouch, Bindo lets you "pick, choose, and change" who handles your merchant services - no costly long term merchant services commitment.
Another route many Goodwill stores have taken is to use a special version of NCR CounterPoint SQL which has been modified to use in the thrift shop/store environment (using iPads at donation sites, able to sell by category/department color, etc) To learn more about this special version of NCR CounterPoint SQL, please get in touch with me so I can connect you with the correct contact.

A third route is moving to Cloud Retailer which has proven to be very popular with Microsoft Dynamics RMS users due to large discounts as well as thrift stores in general.

Be sure to contact me if you are in need of unbiased point of sale advice or even paid onsite consulting as I have worked with several Goodwills and am listed with Goodwill HQ as a point of sale consultant that is completely vendor neutral.

Are you  in the US and in need of no cost retail point of sale advice?  I'm happy to help and can be reached on my cell at 208-340-5632 (I am on Mountain Time) or via email at kevinantosh@gmail.com. There is also a contact form to the right that can be used to reach me.

Monday, April 27, 2015

The True Cost of Ignoring EMV

Update July 2016: Since many Microsoft RMS point of sale software would like to keep using RMS for another couple of years but still need to deal with the EMV Liability Shift Date, visit this post for more information on the Card Defender EMV add-on for Microsoft RMS versions 1.3 and higher (and HQ as well): http://retailpospondering.blogspot.com/2016/06/card-defender-emv-add-on-for-microsoft.html

I've had a few businesses and organizations mention to me that they plan to do nothing related to the EMV Liability Shift Date coming up on October 1st, 2015 in the US in relation on how to accept and authorize chip based credit and debit cards for payment.

Their mindset is that it is not worth investing money in new hardware and software to accept the new chip cards as the businesses average transaction is only around $30.00. Thus, it would be OK to lose $30.00 in sales revenue via a fraudulent transaction versus spending money on hardware and software upgrades.

These folks are forgetting the following:
  • Cost of a chargeback (read your merchant services agreement but just about all merchant services companies charge you a chargeback fee for fraudulent transactions).
  • Cost of bad press - any sort of fraud will likely be picked up by the local media or even shared via social media and review sites like Yelp.  Bad press + bad reputation = more lost revenue.
  • Easy target. If word gets out that your business or organization is not using EMV/Chip Card hardware, then you could become a target for future fraudulent transactions.
  • Loss of ability to accept any debit and credit cards as payment. I have seen this happen - too much fraud and no one will offer you merchant services. You will become a cash only business or have to use Square or similar more expensive options.
The EMV Liability Shift Date is not something to be ignored. We still have several months to plan and budget for any equipment upgrades or replacements as well as any software upgrade costs.

Are you  in the US and in need of no cost retail point of sale advice?  I'm happy to help and can be reached on my cell at 208-340-5632 (I am on Mountain Time) or via email at kevinantosh@gmail.com. There is also a contact form to the right that can be used to reach me.

Thursday, April 23, 2015

Malware Attack - A New Reason Not to Choose HarborTouch

As if long term equipment contracts, buyout clauses, and specific merchant service commitments were not reasons enough to avoid HarborTouch, a recent Malware attack recently targeted businesses using HarborTouch and HarborTouch confirmed that some data was breached.

Full article can be found here: http://www.pymnts.com/whats-hot-2/2015/pos-malware-nabs-another-victim/#.VTj_byFVikp 

Are you  in the US and in need of no cost retail point of sale advice?  I'm happy to help and can be reached on my cell at 208-340-5632 (I am on Mountain Time) or via email at kevinantosh@gmail.com. There is also a contact form to the right that can be used to reach me.

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Malware Alert!

Another malware attack has been reported. Named "punkey", this is another program designed to steal credit card information from Windows based point of sale systems. This is another reason why mobile based point of sale systems like Bindo POS have been popular as most of the malware coming out over the last couple of years has been targeting Windows based point of sale systems.

Tips:
  • No one should be using Windows XP at this point
  • You should be running virus and malware scans on a regular basis
  • Your anti-virus and malware detection software needs to be updated every day to be effective
  • Make sure that you have the correct firewalls and other security measures in place
  • If you do not have the time or knowledge, make sure that you contract with an IT company or your point of sale provider to make sure that protection is in place to help prevent malware from being installed on your system and compromising credit card security

Full article can be found here: http://www.paymentssource.com/news/retail-acquiring/fraudsters-punk-windows-point-of-sale-terminals-with-new-malware-3021141-1.html

Are you  in the US and in need of no cost retail point of sale advice?  I'm happy to help and can be reached on my cell at 208-340-5632 (I am on Mountain Time) or via email at kevinantosh@gmail.com. There is also a contact form to the right that can be used to reach me.

What Point of Sale Systems are the Most Popular

Since late 2013, I have provided free and unbiased advice to over 400 retail stores, restaurants, and museums. Many of you have been kind enough to let me know what you ended up purchasing.

On the retail side, Bindo Point of Sale (www.bindopos.com) has emerged as the clear winner. With advanced features that point of sale systems like NCR Silver and First Data Clover can't offer, Bindo combines what folks want in a POS system while keeping the affordability that cloud based systems offer.

On the food service side, Sapphire from Khamu (http://www.khamu.com/) has proven to be popular. With dedication to the restaurant market, personalized service, and a price much lower than other restaurant solutions like MICROS, Digital Dining, and Aloha, Sapphire offers a complete solution at a budget friendly price point.

Are you  in the US and in need of no cost retail point of sale advice?  I'm happy to help and can be reached on my cell at 208-340-5632 (I am on Mountain Time) or via email at kevinantosh@gmail.com. There is also a contact form to the right that can be used to reach me.

Monday, April 20, 2015

Businesses Leaving Shopkeep and Revel for Bindo

Interesting - I've had a few stores contact me to let me know that they recently stopped using ShopKeep. LightSpeed or Revel and have switched to Bindo point of sale.  I'm not sure on all the details but obviously something happened which was big enough to make these retail owners stop using their current point of sale systems.

I have had complaints in the past about Revel sometimes locking up when swiping a credit card as payment and past complaints about ShopKeeps tax setup - not sure if that applies in these cases or not. I'll be sure to pass along details if I get a chance to talk to any of these businesses.

I'd say things bode very well for Bindo! More reviews on Bindo POS can be found here: https://bindopos.com/reviews

Are you  in the US and in need of no cost retail point of sale advice?  I'm happy to help and can be reached on my cell at 208-340-5632 (I am on Mountain Time) or via email at kevinantosh@gmail.com. There is also a contact form to the right that can be used to reach me.

Friday, April 17, 2015

Trip to the Twin Cities?

In the last few months, I have tallied 6 calls and emails from businesses and organizations in the greater Minneapolis - St. Paul, MN area.

While I currently live in Idaho, I always have considered the Twin Cities "home" as I lived in the area from 1968-1998.   I do my best to head back "home" at least once a year.

Given the number of businesses and organizations contacting me from the greater MSP area, I may plan an extended trip back to help in person with your technical needs and to offer general point of sale advice. As extended trips have costs, I would be asking for either travel expense cost offset or am hourly rate for my time.

Are you  in the US and in need of no cost retail point of sale advice?  I'm happy to help and can be reached on my cell at 208-340-5632 (I am on Mountain Time) or via email at kevinantosh@gmail.com. There is also a contact form to the right that can be used to reach me.

Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Gravity Payments is Making National News

Update: I do have a meeting scheduled with Gravity Payments in Mid May and will pass along more information after the meeting along with any personal recommendations and/or special offers.

As regular readers and watchers of my blog site and YouTube channel know, I focus mainly on cash register and point of sale advice.  However, with the upcoming EMV Liability Shift date as well as many businesses and organizations searching for new or updated point of sale systems,  some of you have mentioned to me that you are actively searching for a better merchant services company to work with.

As the above are all good reasons to shop around for better rates for debit and credit card processing, I wanted to pass along that Gravity Payments has been making the national news lately - in a good way!

The founder and CFO of Gravity Payments (who graduated from a Christian High School that I am very familiar with) has made a commitment to take a lower salary so all the companies employees will eventually make $70,000 or more annually. That is a pretty bold move and speaks well about the company itself. I checked around for reviews and feedback on Gravity Payments from customers and employees and there is actually very little feedback out there. What I found was mostly positive and Gravity Payments does have an "A+" rating with the BBB.

The limited number of reviews and "A+" BBB rating are positive indicators - especially of you search for reviews and complaints for other similar merchant services companies.

As always, perform some due diligence and take some time to watch for the following when working with any merchant services company:
  • Will the equipment be compliant to meet the EMV Liability Shift deadline coming up on October 1st, 2015 in the United States
  • Early termination fees
  • Any sort of long term contract commitment
  • Any long term lease requirements
  • Ensure that the companies processing will work seamlessly with your point of sale system
  • What the real rates/fees are for all types of credit and debit cards (especially check the rates for rewards and airline miles cards)
  • Any statement, PCI, chargeback, or similar one-time, monthly or annual fees
  • That the average sale/transaction amount in the contract matches what your records show
If you are in the position of wanting to compare rates, you may want to take a look at the Gravity Payments website at http://gravitypayments.com/

Please visit my contact page for information on how to reach me.

PS - as I have a couple of trips planned to Seattle, I may swing by the offices at Gravity Payments and have a cup of coffee to learn more about their company.

Are you  in the US and in need of no cost retail point of sale advice?  I'm happy to help and can be reached on my cell at 208-340-5632 (I am on Mountain Time) or via email at kevinantosh@gmail.com. There is also a contact form to the right that can be used to reach me.


Tuesday, April 14, 2015

More Advice for Microsoft Dynamics RMS Users - the 7 year rule

A quick reminder that sales of Microsoft Dynamics RMS and HQ to new users as well as mainstream support ends next year (2016) so please keep that in mind if you are thinking of purchasing RMS or HQ as point of sale software for your business or organization.

Updated information on the upcoming Retail Management Hero Software (or what I am coining "RMS 3.0 for 2015 and beyond") can be found here: http://retailpospondering.blogspot.com/2015/06/new-option-for-rmshq-users-retail.html

As I continue talking to businesses using the Microsoft Dynamics RMS point of sale software as well as talking to businesses considering purchasing RMS, I wanted to pass along reasons why investing in RMS as a new point of sale system for your business or organization is a poor decision (those of you already using RMS have different options available which are covered in this blog post).
  1. EMV Liability Shift date. This is coming up in October of this year (2015) in the United States and related to who is liable for fraudulent transactions when a chip credit or debit card is used for payment. Based on information from Microsoft, if you purchase RMS now, you will need to also purchase additional software and hardware to meet the EMV liability shift date. I am extremely disappointed that Microsoft Dynamics RMS Partners in the US are selling RMS to businesses without explaining how to handle the EMV Liability Shift Date (as well as the costs involved).
  2. RMS and HQ End of Life. Back in May 2014, Microsoft released information related to the future of RMS and HQ with mainstream support and sales ending in July of 2016 and all support ending in July of 2021.
  3. What else will come around? Once EMV is past us, what sort of new standard or requirement will come up in 2016 or beyond that will require further investments?
  4. 7 Year Rule. Typically, I have found that a good point of sale system should last about 7 years. If full support for RMS ends in 2021 then, if you purchase RMS today, you will only have 6 years before you need to look at replacing or upgrading RMS.
Point being, buying RMS now as a point of sale system for your business is not a wise choice. 

Comments and questions are always welcomed!

Are you  in the US and in need of no cost retail point of sale advice?  I'm happy to help and can be reached on my cell at 208-340-5632 (I am on Mountain Time) or via email at kevinantosh@gmail.com. There is also a contact form to the right that can be used to reach me.

Thursday, April 9, 2015

What About Microsoft Dynamics POS 2007/2009 Users?

Update for all Microsoft POS/POS 2009 Users: Upgrade license pricing is being extended to you for the new version of the Microsoft RMS point of sale software - rebranded under the new Retail Management Hero name. Please contact me for more information.

With so much focus having been on Microsoft Dynamics RMS and HQ point of sale programs, folks using Microsoft Dynamics POS 2007 or 2009 may be feeling a bit ignored.  Mainstream support for these point of sale software programs ended some time ago so hopefully stores have already taken steps to replace POS 2007 or 2009.

If you haven't them the upcoming EMV liability shift date (October 2015 in the US) will mean that you will have to look at the following course of action:
  1. If You are Processing Credit & Debit Cards within POS 2007 or POS 2009:
    1. Do nothing and assume all liability for fraudulent transactions
    2. Look at replacing POS 2007/2009 with a point of sale software program that works with EMV/Chip Card hardware
    3. Switch to a separate EMV terminal - easiest fix but opens the door to employee errors and also means that you have to reconcile 2 reports as part of your close out procedures
  2. If You Already Use a Separate Credit Card Terminal:
    1. Ensure that the company that handles your merchant services provides you with new equipment by October 2015 to work with the chip credit and debit cards
Compared to Dynamics RMS, the Dynamics POS software programs did not turn out to be very popular but I know of at least a dozen or so stores still using POS 2009 so I suspect there are a few thousand businesses in the US using POS 2007/2009.

Are you  in the US and in need of no cost retail point of sale advice?  I'm happy to help and can be reached on my cell at 208-340-5632 (I am on Mountain Time) or via email at kevinantosh@gmail.com. There is also a contact form to the right that can be used to reach me.

Tuesday, April 7, 2015

Retail Realm Technology Conference - information on Retail Realm Essentials

Wanted to pass along the following link related to the annual Retail Realm Technology Conference taking place in Las Vegas later this month (April 25th-27th, 2015).

If you have questions about whether the new Retail Realm Essentials (RRE) - powered by Microsoft Dynamics point of sale software is a good fit for your business, attending the conference would be a great way to get information about RRE right from Microsoft and Retail Realm.

There is a chance that I may be attending the conference as well.

Here is a link to more information about the conference: http://www.rrdisti.com/events/upcoming-events

Are you  in the US and in need of no cost retail point of sale advice?  I'm happy to help and can be reached on my cell at 208-340-5632 (I am on Mountain Time) or via email at kevinantosh@gmail.com. There is also a contact form to the right that can be used to reach me.

Thursday, April 2, 2015

EMV Affects Everyone

I was talking to a restaurant using a MICROS point of sale system and the owner mentioned to me that upgrading his MICROS software and hardware to meet the EMV liability shift deadline (October 1st, 2015 in the United States) was not going to be cheap!

With so much focus on legacy point of sale systems like Microsoft Dynamics RMS, it is easy to forget that everyone who accepts card present transactions needs to be doing something related to the upcoming EMV liability shift deadline or be prepared to absorb the full cost of a fraudulent transaction.

I can't stress enough how important it is to be sure that your cash register, credit card terminal, point of sale software, and/or point of sale hardware is upgraded and ready for the October 1st, 2015 deadline.

Are you  in the US and in need of no cost retail point of sale advice?  I'm happy to help and can be reached on my cell at 208-340-5632 (I am on Mountain Time) or via email at kevinantosh@gmail.com. There is also a contact form to the right that can be used to reach me.