Tis the Season for Seasonal Businesses

It is already that time of year when temporary and seasonal stores open up across the US in shopping malls and random parking lots.  I've actually worked with a lot of seasonal businesses in the past like Hickory Farms stores, Christmas tree businesses, Halloween and Costume Stores, etc and we have found that the newer iPad solutions work great for these type of businesses.

Even better is that a few of the iPad POS systems also offer seasonal pricing so you only pay to use the app as needed on a month to month basis.

Visit my contact page for information on how to reach me.

$2M Mark Surpassed!

Just a quick note that folks that have contacted me via this blog site have gone on to spend $2 million in point of sale hardware, software, supplies, and related labor.   Not bad considering the basic nature of this blog site!

Why You Should Be Avoiding Clover, HarborTouch & QuickBooks Point of Sale

As I am now receiving near daily calls and emails from folks considering the Clover point of sale solution, I wanted to explain why you should not be considering point of sale systems like Square, Clover, HarborTouch, and QuickBooks point of sale.

The only assumptions I am making is that your business is generating at least $60,000 in annual gross sales and 90% of payment is made using debit or credit cards.

When you purchase a point of sale system that requires you to use one specific company for merchant services, you are at the mercy of that company when it comes to the rates that they charge you for merchant services. What I have seen happen time and time again is that these companies will raise your rates every 90 days or so.

While paying 1/2% more in merchant service fees (which is what seems to be the norm with these companies) may not seem like much - lets see how that adds up over 5 years.

If your business processes $200,000 in debit and credit card transactions annually the 1/2% is $1000/year so you could easily end up paying $4000+ in excessive merchant services fees over the course of 5 years.

I don't know about you but I would rather have that money as profit!

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.

Bindo Point of Sale Announces a Free "Forever" Version of Bindo

Bindo Point of Sale has now released a free version of the Bindo point of sale solution designed for iPads and other iOS devices.  The free version has limitations related to how many employees and products you can have in the app but would work well for very small businesses that only offer a few products or services.

This would also work well for concession stands with limited offerings, food trucks, seasonal businesses, or mobile service only related businesses.

You can find out more by visiting https://bindopos.com/ or https://bindopos.com/pricing . More reviews on Bindo POS can be found here: https://bindopos.com/reviews

On a personal note - this is a nice alternative to Square as Bindo does not require you to use a specific company for merchant services (credit and debit card processing) which would save you upto a 1/2% in merchant services fees when compared to Square.  You still have to purchase the hardware for both Square and Bindo so that is not a factor but a 1/2% savings on merchant services fees can add up to savings of several hundred dollars per year for even very small businesses.

Buying Tip: Best Practices and Top Tips for Choosing a Point of Sale System

By request, a video sharing my top tips and best practices to use when searching for a point of sale system. This applies to anyone and everyone who is searching for a point of sale system to track sales, inventory/food, and customer/guest information.

I cover quite a bit very quickly (tough to compress 15 years of experience in to an 11 minute video) so be sure to contact me for additional unbiased point of sale advice.

What if My Business is Seasonal?

I'm often asked what folks with seasonal businesses do when it comes to cash registers and point of sale systems.  Having worked with various businesses that operate from just a few days each year to several months out of the year, as well as venue operators at fairgrounds and event venues, here are my thoughts and advice (assuming that the business generates enough revenue to require more than just a cash box and square):

1) Cash Registers
Obviously you can buy a cash register and use it as needed. Just keep in mind that some models will lose all programming if left unplugged for too long. Advantage: low cost and you own the equipment. Disadvantage: they are just cash registers - not much in the way of detailed information.

2) Computer Based Point of Sale Systems
Believe it or not, I have worked with companies that buy full blown point of sale systems that run on computers. Its a big investment but the cost might be justified via extremely high volume and gross sales. Advantage: you own the equipment. Disadvantage: up front costs and sheer size of the equipment (ie. setup and tear down).

3) Mobile Point of Sale Systems
A third option has become available which involves some of the mobile point of sale solutions like NCR Silver and Bindo Point of Sale. The equipment is easier to move around and you likely have other uses for some of the equipment between events or seasons.  What NCR Silver and Bindo Point of Sale allow you to do is to set up seasonal payment plants. You still have to buy the equipment but the monthly software and support fee can be turned off and on as needed.  Advantage: better business data and mobility of the hardware. Disadvantage: durability of the equipment in extreme conditions is not yet proven.

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.

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)