Retail Management Hero Deployments and Updates

A quick note that we are progressing through some more Retail Management Hero (RMH) deployments and I should have some feedback for you in the next 30-60 days. One thing that I highly recommend is getting a good in depth demo of RMH and/or checking out a 30 day trial version of RMH. There are a few differences between RMS and RMH so better to do your homework ahead of time.

A reminder on the current pricing scheme for RMH:
RMH Lane License New User: $1405 with first year software maintenance (includes 2 free RMH manager licenses per store location).

RMH Lane License Lapsed RMS/POS 2007/POS 2009/POS 2.0 User: $465 with first year maintenance (includes 2 free RMH manager licenses per store location).

RMH Lane License Non Lapsed RMS User: $215 with first year maintenance (includes 10 free RMH manager licenses per store location).

In other RMH news, Card Defender for RMH and RMH Central (RMH version of RMH HQ) are still in development - I'll pass along ETA's as soon as I have them.

In the meantime, do contact me at 208-340-5632 or kevinantosh@gmail.com with any RMH or retail point of sale questions.

Budget for a POS System but Don't Focus on Price

One thing that irks me is when someone focuses solely on price and ignores value. While it is important to budget for a POS system, ignoring value and focusing solely on price is the wrong way to approach investing in a POS system for your business or organization.  Things to avoid:

• Attempting to save $100 by finding the lowest hardware price from different vendors. For the sake of setup and ongoing support, it is much better to purchase everything from one source.
• Comparing costs of completely different systems. POS programs have different features and functions - a nominal difference in upfront or monthly costs is minor when compared to finding a POS program that does what you need it to do for your business or organization.

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.

Point of Sale Buying Tip: What are "Workarounds"?

If you have ever taken on the task of shopping for a computer or tablet/smartphone point of sale system for your business or organization, you may have asked if the system can perform a specific function and the response was "no but there is a 'workaround'".

If you already have a point of sale system, you may have been told the same thing if you asked about something that you want the system to do for you.  So what the heck is a "workaround"?

Workarounds are creative ways to make your point of sale system do something that it was not officially designed to do. The most common requests are feature/function related like the following:

• Gift Registries
• Special Orders
• Return to Vendor/Return to Manufacture
• Food Waste
• Transfers Between Locations
• Consignment Sales
• Bar Tabs
• Order Sequencing

There are plenty more that I have been asked about over the last 15 years but the above are the most common.

Here are some things to keep in mind if you receive a workaround related answer to a "can the system do XYZ?" question:

1. Have the technician or sales rep show you how the workaround would function in a liver version of the point of sale system.
2. Make sure that the workaround does not effect other aspects of the system.
1. ie - causing inaccurate reports
2. ie - you can use the layaway function for a gift registry but what happens if you also need to use the layaway function for actual layaways?
3. Make sure the workaround does not negatively effect any financial data

I hope that helps! Please visit my contact page for information on how to reach me.

Vertical Specialties for Various Retail Point of Sale Systems

As July is not a big month for point of sale news and information, I thought that I would pass along some information related to what vertical markets various point of sale programs focus on. This is not meant to say that the program will not work in a different vertical - just that the program has an established presence in the verticals listed below.

If you recall, my point of sale workshops stress that you should focus on point of sale programs that are designed for your type of business.

NCR Silver

• Small general retail stores and food service businesses like food trucks, counter serve restaurants/cafeterias/coffee shops, and concession stands.
• Temporary or seasonal retail businesses
• Mobile retail or service only businesses
• Kiosk businesses
• Thrift and second hand stores
• Clothing and Apparel Stores
• E-Cig Stores

First Data Clover

• Same as NCR Silver 

Bindo Point of Sale

• Wine, Beer and Liquor Stores
• Pet Stores
• Health and Beauty 
• Clothing and Apparel Stores
• Sporting Goods Stores
• Museums
• Gift Shops
• Candy Stores
• Salons and Spas
• Thrift and second hand stores
• Pro Shops

NCR CounterPoint

• Museums
• Thrift and second hand stores
• Garden Centers
• Pet Stores
• Sporting Goods Stores
• Clothing and Apparel Stores
• Liquor Stores
• Sporting Goods Stores
• Gift Shops
• Tobacco and E-Cig Stores 
• Pro Shops

Retail Pro

• Same as NCR CounterPoint

Microsoft RMS

• Same as NCR CounterPoint and Retail Pro
• A lot of government entities (since it is a Microsoft product) as well as government run businesses like golf courses and pro shops.

I realize this is not a complete list but I used information from the companies websites, what trade shows these companies attend, and my own 15 years of personal experience.

Can I help by offering some free point of sale advice or answering your retail or museum point of sale related questions?  If you are in the United States then please use the contact form to the right, email me at kevinantosh@gmail.com or call me on my cell at 208-340-5632. I've worked with thousands of businesses over the years to help them find the best point of sale solution and have also negotiated some pretty cool discounts as well.

Point of Sale Buying Tip Video - Merchant Services

Over the last 15 years I have conducted point of sale workshop presentations at retail and museum conferences, expos, and trade shows as well as at small business development/success centers.  I thought that it would be helpful to create some point of sale buying tip videos related to excerpts from the point of sale workshop presentations.

This excerpt deals with merchant services (credit and debit card processing) and things to watch out for when choosing a merchant services company, I also touch on EMV as well as how merchant services and point of sale systems should interact.

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.

Feedback on Bindo POS - A New 90/10 Rule

In my follow-ups with folks that have contacted me for free advice, I try and follow-up to see what they ended up purchasing and then again to see how well the solution is working for them and their business.  I've already established that Bindo has emerged the clear winner for Q2 of 2014 with about a 5-1 margin over other solutions like NCR CounterPoint, Microsoft Dynamics RMS, QuickBooks POS, NCR Silver, Retail Pro, and Clover.

Do keep in mind these are only the folks that have contacted me via my humble blog site but they do represent a good cross section of specialty retail stores in the US when it comes to number of locations and size.

I normally refer to the 90/10 or 80/20 rule as meaning that 80 or 90 percent of your sales revenue comes from 10 to 20 percent of your customers. This is why having loyalty marketing, customer purchase history, and detailed reporting are so essential within point of sale solutions.

However, a retailer shared with me his reason for selecting Bindo over NCR Counterpoint:  "Bindo can do 90% of what NCR Counterpoint can do at only 10% of the price - why wouldn't I choose Bindo over Counterpoint?".

I completely agree.  Thus the 90/10 rule has a new meaning! More reviews on Bindo POS can be found here: https://bindopos.com/reviews

Can I help?  Over the last 15 years I have worked with thousands of retail stores, museums, and government entities to help them find the best point of sale solution. You can reach me at kevinantosh@gmail.com or on my cell at 208-340-5632 for free point of sale help and advice.

Point of Sale Buying Tip Video

I've started recording some excerpts from the point of sale workshop presentations that I conduct at retail and museum trade shows, conferences, and expos as well at small business development/success centers across the US.

This excerpt covers some of the differences between computer and mobile point of sale systems, costs related to each system, and very new differences between mobile 1.0 and 2.0 point of sale solutions.

Can I help?  Over the last 15 years I have helped thousands of retail stores and museums find the perfect point of sale system. My advice is free!  You can reach me at 208-340-5632 or kevinantosh@gmail.com - there is also a contact form on the right hand side of my blog.

The Size of the Company Doesn't Matter

I had the opportunity to travel to the Upper Midwest recently to talk with some point of sale resellers and dealers to get a better idea of "whats happening" related to trends in the point of sale world as we come up on Q3 of 2014. Here are some thoughts and insights that I felt should be passed along:

• POS sales are up - some dealers are reporting sales increases of over 40% when compared to sales for the same period in 2013.
• For every one retail store that closes, two open (I can't verify that as fact but have seen a similar statistic reported in the media).
• Mobile POS solutions are hot right now but there are way too many mobile POS solutions currently on the market
• 90% of the mobile solutions on the market today will be gone in the next 1-2 years.
• Some stores still need the advanced functionality that a computer-based POS system offers like work orders, quotes, and layaways.
• Mobile 2.0 solutions will leave Mobile 1.0 solutions in the dust

I was having a conversation with one of the largest Microsoft Dynamics partners in the US about how  many POS solutions will disappear over the next 1-2 years and he made a good point: company size doesn't matter.

The point is, NCR could just as likely decide to drop CuunterPoint POS as a 2 person company with a basic mobile POS solution could decide to stop selling their solution.  While I would argue that a small business has a more likelyhood of going out of business, the truth is that any company could decide to pull out of the point of sale business.

What does this mean to you? The advice that I always pass along is to make sure that you always have full access to your data like your inventory and customer lists. Any contracts should clearly state what happens to the equipment if one party terminates the agreement.  Basically, just protect yourself, your data, and your business should something happen.  It may not be easy to have to switch point of sale solutions (I've helped many places in various situations accomplish it) but, having an "action plan" and being able to transfer all of your information from one system to the next will make life much easier.

Can I help?  Over the last 15 years I have worked with thousands of retail stores, museums, and government entities to help them find the best point of sale solution. You can reach me at kevinantosh@gmail.com or on my cell at 208-340-5632 for free point of sale help and advice.

Milestones and Expansion

As this blog site surpasses 20,000 in unique visitors, I am thinking about expanding to include a real web site as well as the various social media site. I have been getting several calls and emails each week from folks searching for help related to point of sale systems so it appears that online resources related to point of sale solutions are few and far between.

I’m thinking of calling the site Pondering Point of Sale with a tagline of “Strange Name – Free Advice”.

The idea would be that the site would continue to offer basic news, information, reviews and buying tips related to point of sale systems for retail stores and museums. Unlike some other resource sites, this site would not just exist to sell your information to other point of sale companies. As now, everything would be free – even my general advice (more in depth advice/consulting would involve an hourly fee). I will keep everyone updated if I decide to take the next step and expand.

I'm also testing the water to see if I can help retailers of all sizes select the best point of sale solution for their business. This is something that I would need to charge an hourly fee for if more than one hour of my time is required.

Confused? Perplexed? Have Comments/Feedback?

You can always email me at kevinantosh@gmail.com or call me at 208-340-5632 (I am on Mountain Time)

Another New Milestone and a Buying Tip

Just a quick note that this rather basic blog site has taken on a life of its own as I have been getting multiple calls and emails each week from folks with point of sale questions.  Page views have well surpassed 20K as well. Still - no ads and no charges are to be found as I am committed (God-willing and according to time and budget) to providing free help for retailers and museums searching for point of sale systems.

A couple of buying tips to pass along as I am busy with some point of sale related meetings and speaking engagements:

• Please be asking about EMV when considering any and all point of sale solutions. The EMV deadline may be just over a year away but do you really want to be hit with additional EMV related hardware and software costs just a year after you invested in a point of sale solution?
• Unless you are a large multi-location chain with 25+ locations, don't expect to find one software package that is both accounting software and point of sale software.  There are very different needs (I have worked in accounting and finance as well as with point of sale software) between each type of software program.  One company can't create a single solution that does both accounting and point of sale functions well. You will end up with great accounting software and poor point of sale software or vice versa.  Best solution in most cases is to find point of sale software that allows for some degree of data sharing with QuickBooks Accounting.

If any of you have found a solution for retail stores and museums with 1 -24 locations that handles both accounting functions and point of sale functions well, please get in touch with me as I would enjoy getting a chance to find out more information.

As always, I can be reached at kevinantosh@gmail.com or 208-340-5632 (mountain time) to hopefully answer your point of sale related questions.

Reminder on a Free Point of Sale Workshop

Don't Forget...

Details of my next free workshop coming up on May 14th in Boise, ID. I want to stress that this not a sales presentation but a valid informational workshop with a budget worksheet take-away.

Here is a link to more information:

https://business.idahosbdc.org/workshop.aspx?ekey=40340041

Register soon - we ran out of chairs at my last workshop! I am also available to conduct this workshop at other venues and events as needed.

You can also email me at kevinantosh@gmail.com or call/text me at 208-340-5632 (I am on Mountain Time) if you have any questions.

Headed to the Upper Midwest in May (if you want to meet in person)

Just a quick note that I am headed to the Upper Midwest this month so if you want to meet in person and obtain some free point of sale purchasing advice, please contact me via email at kevinantosh@gmail.com on my cell at 208-340-5632.

Workshops, Trade Shows and Expos

As you may have read in the past, I have conducted point of sale workshops at various trade shows, expos, and organizations across the US over the years. I wanted to let folks know that I am still available to do this. I would ask for travel compensation if the event is outside of the Boise, ID area. My workshops can be scaled to run anywhere from 45 minutes to 3 hours and these are NOT sales presentations.

Again – these are point of sale workshops - not a sales pitch but valid advice as well as a budget related “takeaway”.

I have found the workshops to be best presented for groups in the following situations:

· Trade Shows and Expos that are attended by retail store owners
· Annual conferences for museum organizations
· Annual meetings/events for retail franchise store owners
· Annual meetings/events for retail franchise businesses
· Meetings where a board or group needs help with selecting a point of sale solution

Confused? Perplexed? Have Comments/Feedback? Interested in Learning More?

You can always email me at kevinantosh@gmail.com or call me at 208-340-5632 (I am on Mountain Time)

Bindo POS is the Winner! What y'all are Buying

Ever since I transitioned this blog site from a site to share information with my client base to a free point of sale advice and resource site, I've had around 75 calls and emails from folks with point of sale related questions.

Since I don't charge for my services, the main goal is to have a 20-30 minute conversation about your business and address any questions that you may have. The end result is that I can usually steer you in the correct direction as to which POS solutions you should be considering.

I have been able to follow-up with many of you and there are three things related to the final solutions you are buying for your businesses that I wanted to pass along. This may not be scientific but does offer some information that applies to retail stores and museums of all shapes and sizes (from single location to 21+ location and annual gross sales from $100k to several $1M +).

1. Nearly 70% of you are purchasing a tablet or mobile solution 
2. Those of you who do not need barcode label printing, detailed inventory tracking, or true purchasing & receiving are going with NCR Silver
3. Those of you who want a true point of sale system that is still mobile, and retains an affordable monthly fee similar to NCR Silver and Clover, have selected Bindo POS 

I think the reason for Bindo POS being so popular is that Bindo is more of a true POS system while other mobile solutions like Clover, Silver, and Tabby are more like a cash register with some limited advanced functions. Folks have mentioned that Bindo has a similar cost to Silver and Clover but does more so why not get a better system if the cost is the same?

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.

POS Comparison Guide - Updated

Update November 9th, 2014. I can confirm that Bindo, Clover, and Silver have now added the following:

Bindo POS: basic invoicing and quoting functions

First Data Clover (still restricted to using First Data for merchant services): Item attributes, modifiers and barcode label printing.

NCR Silver: Barcode label printing and QuickBooks Accounting interface.

Note that some of the added features may require paying an additional fee and/or using third party software.

As I try to stay on top of the more popular solutions on the market, here is an updated overview and chart showing the more popular retail point of sale solutions for computers and mobile devices like tablets and smartphones. This is a great 'snapshot' but be sure to contact me directly at kevinantosh@gmail.com or 208-340-5632 for more detailed information/questions (no charge for advice/help) or if you spot an error.

Retail Solution Comparison

Cash Registers – variety of models from $500 to $2000. Optional programming, training and installation services. Designed for retail stores and restaurants of any gross sales volume.

NCR Silver – iOS Based (iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch) point of sale system for single location retail stores and restaurants. $29-$79/month plus hardware costs. Designed for businesses that need minimal inventory tracking (ie. Kiosks, 2^nd hand stores, thrift stores).

Microsoft RMS Store Operations - $6000+ for a complete point of sale system (includes software, hardware, computer, hardware, installation, training, and ongoing support). Designed for single to multi-location retailers with only basic technology needs (no built-in email marketing, no integrated online shopping cart, no smart phone/tablet needs). Designed for gross annual sales of $400,000+.

NCR CounterPoint - $9000+ for a complete point of sale system (includes software, hardware, computer, training, installations, and on-going support). Designed for single to multi-location retail stores with high technology needs (integrated email marketing, integrated online shopping cart, use on a smart phone/tablet computer, automated email or texts on store activity). Best for retail stores generating $750,000+ annually per location.

Bindo POS - iOS Based (iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch) point of sale sale system for single and multiple location retail stores. $79-$149/month plus hardware costs (free hardware offer – contact me for details). Designed for specialty retail stores who want a full functioning tablet based point of sale system.

Clover – Android tablet based point of sale system for single and multiple location retail stores and restaurants. Unknown pricing at this time due to product acquisition by First Data. Clover is designed for retail stores and restaurants who only need basic sales tracking information but would rather have a tablet system versus a cash register.

Retail Pro Prism- $7K-$9K Browser based Modular POS Application. Deploy on iOS, Windows, Android or even mini-devices. Market first Mobile 2.0 Solution, Real-Time, Scalable to tie to back end RPRO or an ERP solution. Lower demands on hardware. Database Neutral – Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server, and MySQL. Fully customizable User Interface (UI). Automated email reporting for store. Best for retail stores generating $750,000+ annually per location.

Retail Pro v9- $9000+ for a complete turnkey point of sale solution (includes software, hardware, computer, training, installation, and refundable support). Scalable single to multi-location retail stores with high technology needs (Near Real time communication, Customizable Screens and documents throughout, integrated online shopping cart, automated email reporting, Franchise capable, Mobile POS options iPhone, iPod touch, Prism POS ). Best for retail stores generating $750,000+ annually per location.

Tabby from Samsung – Unique solution that runs on any device with a web browser (PC, Mac, tablet, smartphone, computers, etc.). Purchased, installed, and supported by Samsung dealers. Designed for retail stores and restaurants. More information coming soon.

Update June 2044 - Clover now has a barcode label printing app which has a monthly cost of $5 to use
No – Not Available
Yes – Available and Included
Third Party – Available through third party and additional charges may apply
n/a – Not Applicable
Some Models – Only available in some models
Available – Available and additional charges may apply-Kevin Antosh: kevinantosh@gmail.com or 208-340-5632

At What Point Can You Afford a Tablet or SmartPhone Point of Sale System?

In the past, there was a general rule of thumb that your business should be generating $350,000 or more in annual gross sales to justify investing in a point of sale system. No so anymore. Tablet and smartphone based point of sale systems have made point of sale available to a business of just about any size. Even better, the next generations of tablet and smartphone systems (like Bindo) have many of the features and functions of a more expensive point of sale system. No longer are the tablet solutions just fancy cash registers with limited capabilities.

Looking at the businesses that I worked with over the last 15 years, tablet and smartphone point of sale solutions are perfect for businesses generating under $750,000 in annual gross sales like:

· Specialty Retail Stores
· Small Museums
· Gift Shops
· Small Golf Courses and Smaller Pro Shops
· Mobile or Kiosk Style Businesses
· Businesses that are Seasonal
· Business that sell at markets, trade shows, expos, etc
· School and Student Run Stores

This means that a whole new group of businesses have multiple options beyond just a cash register. Some folks have already purchased the early tablet systems like Clover and Silver (which have some limitations) while others will be very interested in solutions like Bindo which is a more complete solution.

Everyone has a unique situation but my personal experience would advise that the tablet solutions are best suited when your annual gross sales fall in to the $100,000 to $750,000 range. If you are generating under $100,000 in annual gross sales then it would still work if your business has very low overhead costs (ie: no rent, low cost of goods sold, service only, etc).

Confused? Perplexed? Have Comments/Feedback?

You can always email me at kevinantosh@gmail.com or call me at 208-340-5632 (I am on Mountain Time)

Free Point of Sale Workshop in Boise, Idaho

Speaking of point of sale workshops...

Details of my next free workshop coming up on May 14th in Boise, ID.  I want to stress that this not a sales presentation but a valid informational workshop with a budget worksheet take-away.

Here is a link to more information:

https://business.idahosbdc.org/workshop.aspx?ekey=40340041

Register soon - we ran out of chairs at my last workshop! I am available to conduct this workshop at other venues and events as needed.

You can also email me at kevinantosh@gmail.com or call/text me at 208-340-5632 (I am on Mountain Time) if you have any questions.

Point of Sale Buying Tip: Dealing With New Products

It can be time consuming to find just the right point of sale solution for your specialty retail store, restaurant, bar, or similar business. A recent websearch shows that there are well over 100+ point of sale apps and software programs to choose from!  A websearch also shows that there are a lot of new programs and apps available.

Over the last 14 years I have seen multiple point of sale solutions come and go (anyone remember Regit2000?). The most common scenario is that someone develops a point of sale solution and then loses interest in continuing to support and develop the solution. Orphaned customers using discontinued solutions made up a good portion of my business when I worked in the point of sale industry.

Here are some things to consider/ask when dealing with newer point of sale programs and apps:

• What sort of funding does the company have?
• Staffing levels for support and development (stay away from 1-2 person operations working out of their basement or garage)?
• What is the timeline to product updates, new features, improvements, etc.?
• How is technical support handled and what are the average response times?
• When possible, see a live demo of the software to look for how quickly the software functions. Slow response times within the software (or app) are signs of poor coding within the software.
• Always get 2-3 references to contact as well as any valid reviews to read.
• If available, a free trial or demo of the solution is good as well since it allows you to take the program for a test drive and shows confidence on the companies part in the solution that they are offering.
• Will I always have access to my information (inventory items, customer information, etc.)?

This is not a comprehensive list by any means - feel free to comment or email me (kevinantosh@gmail.com) with your own suggestions.