Shopify POS System Review, Features & Pricing [2024]
Article by Chris Costi, Last update at March 18, 2024
- Secure Platform
- Trusted by +100K Customers
- Retail
- Inventory Management
- eCommerce
Key Features
- Custom Payment Options
- Refunds and Store Credit
- Custom Sales & Discounts
- Portable Registers
- Automatic Tax Calculations
- Store Management
- Inventory Management
- Customer Management
- Reasonably priced
- Multiple sales channels
- Excellent customer service
Pricing
There are 4 Shopify packages, The Life plan that is only $9 per month, the Basic that costs $29 per month which is ideal for a new business, the Shopify which is $79 per month and is used for a growing business and the Advanced Shopify which has advanced features which is $299 per month. The price varies, depending on whether you are using their POS system in conjunction with an online store on their eCommerce site. Shopify also offers a 14 day free trial period. These are the costs for using their software, if you require any hardware or peripherals, Shopify does offer choices on their website, if you need to purchase directly from them. Generally you can use Shopify POS with most types of hardware and the chances are that if you have your own, they would be compatible. The Shopify card reader also offers low rates on their card processing system. You will also get a discount if you pay annually or biannually. All the options give you the option of adding a retail package for an extra $49 per month which includes hardware integrations and some extra features.
Things To Note
Shopify is definitely not suitable for the hospitality industry. The POS system is designed to work with small to medium size retailers, especially online through the Shopify eCommerce platform. The POS system can be used independently for small retailers without having to be part of the eCommerce platform. This POS system is perfect for beginners as it is very easy to follow and it has unlimited bandwidth with product inventory software and a customer database which is automatically updated after each sale. You can also accept multiple types of credit card payments through Shopify Payments by installing their payment terminals. Shopify has created an inexpensive POS system that can give you all the basic features required like reports, CRM functionality, customer loyalty gift cards and many additional integrations. You will also have access to free updates and their award winning customer support. Online stores have access to sales channels like Amazon and Pinterest.
In A Nutshell
Shopify POS is easy to set up and navigate and is specifically designed for the retail trade. It might not offer all the functions that high end POS systems offer, but for the price it is a smart choice for small business who want to run a retail store from anywhere, including online with the help of Shopify eCommerce. The POS system can be sold alone or added to existing websites. It has a good selection of features that offer management of inventory by adding products and photos if required. There is also the capability of managing customer mailing lists, accepting multiple payments and staff management. For online retail merchants, the Shopify POS system syncs in with their Shopify eCommerce website. By using the Shopify card reader you can accept all major credit cards and take advantage of their low credit card rates.
LETS DIVE DEEPER
Shopify is a Canadian eCommerce company with headquarters in Ottawa, Ontario. Shopify was launched in 2006 and today boasts over half a million merchants using their platform to sell their products. The App store on Shopify was launched in 2009 which was followed by a free mobile app on Apple that could be used by store owners to manage their stores from iOS mobile devices. By 2013 Shopify was ready to launch their Shopify Payments which allowed merchants to accept payments without having to go through third party payment gateways. Their POS system was also launched in 2013 and is steadily becoming one of the most popular POS systems for small to medium sized retail businesses.
Shopify POS Features
With Shopify POS there is no need for a checkout counter as you can take your tablet or smartphone to the customer. You will be able to customize your online store and advertise promotions, store policies and other information. Shopify POS has the capability of automatically calculating taxes according to your stores location. For your employees you can create a staff PIN so that you can keep track of their activities. There is an advanced feature, that you can purchase, which will permit you to create multiple staff accounts for easier monitoring. For accounting purposes you can integrate Shopify with QuickBooks and Xero to save you money on bookkeeping. The search engine within the software allows you to find anything you are looking for instantly. All the data is synced between Shopify POS and your online store. The choice to take your business online is simply with Shopify, especially if you have their POS system. Why not take advantage of the benefits offered through the Shopify eCommerce platforms?
Inventory and Reports
Inventory management is another powerful tool offered on Shopify POS systems. You can manage all your inventory by categorizing into type, colour or season, by using smart collections to sort out your products according to vendor and price. The inventory management tools will let you know when you have run out of any items so that you don’t accidentally offer it to a customer. You can also assign or use existing barcodes on items with the use of the wireless barcode scanner. Inventory management can be done from your smartphone, it is a simple procedure to add inventory, product photo and change prices when necessary. The Shopify POS system offers more than adequate reports which will allow you to view and analyze your sales, by staff member, location, time and customers. Knowing what your best sellers are and keeping track of your inventory will help you make wise decision when marketing your business. Receipts are customized and can be printed or emailed to customers. In depth reporting will help you keep track of sales, payments and inventory. All reports on Shopify POS can be converted to spreadsheets or sent to your bookkeeper. Customer management is made easy as profiles are automatically created with each new order. Email addresses of customers are used to promote upcoming sales and new products.
Shopify Hardware
If you require other hardware, like printers, barcode scanners and cash drawers, Shopify offer cost effective choices through their website which are compatible with their POS system. Shopify POS systems will only work if you are online. For retail businesses that only work from physical addresses you will need to work with an iPad, but online merchants will need to have a computer in order to import inventory and export reports. Shopify POS hardware purchases come with a 30 day return policy and free shipping. Third party apps are available through the Shopify app store. You will be able to find features like accounting and marketing tools that can be integrated with the Shopify POS system.
Card readers and payments
Online stores and inventory are cloud based and hosted by Shopify’s servers. The POS app data is stored on your iPad which will allow you to process payments without an internet connection. A card reader is provided by Shopify free of charge on signing up, if you need a second one you will need to purchase one from them. With the card reader you will be able to accept contactless, swipe or chip card payments Shopify POS works with a smartphone or tablet and supports Android devices. With the card reader all you have to do is plug it into your smartphone or tablet and you are ready to accept credit cards. Payment processing fees start as low as 2.4% on all credit card transactions. You will be able to accept multiple types of payments online without restrictions, through Shopify Payments, the company’s merchant service processor. If you already have another merchant service processor, Shopify integrates with an extensive list of payment gateways. Shopify offers a good solution to receiving payments online as well as from any physical address. You can use your own card terminal or purchase the Shopify card reader which will sync in with the POS system and offer you the possibility of accepting two or more payment methods for a single transaction. It is also possible to sell gift cards that can be redeemed in your store or online. With Shopify you can even offer store credit, refunds, discounts and record special requests as needed. For online stores, the system allows you to store the customers shipping address and contact details for future orders.
Shopify Tutorials and Customer Service
Shopify offers a dedicated support team that is available at any time, day or night through emails, live chat and via phone. Their customer support is said to be among the best in this industry. There are also FAQ’s, user guides and tutorials that you can refer to on the Shopify Help Center. You can also find eBooks, videos and webinars that will teach you everything you need to know about selling and marketing your products through the Shopify eCommerce platform.
BEST FEATURES
- Custom Payment Options
- Accept multiple types of payments online without restrictions, through Shopify Payments, the company’s merchant service processor. Shopify integrates with an extensive list of payment gateways.
- Custom Sales & Discounts-
- Apply discounts to sales, create refunds and accept part payments on merchandise. Automatically calculate taxes applicable by location.
- Inventory Management & Reports-
- The Shopify POS system offers more than adequate reports which will allow you to view and analyze your sales, by staff member, location, time and customers.
- Customer Management-
- Customer management is made easy with automatically created contact lists with each new order. Email addresses of customers are used to promote upcoming sales and new products.
- Excellent customer service-
- Shopify offers a dedicated support team that is available at any time, day or night through emails, live chat and via phone. Their customer support is said to be among the best in this industry.
