Powerful software and cash register hardware

Shopping for a new cash register is a more critical business decision for retailers than it’s ever been before. The modern-day retail cash register is, of course, not simply a till or cash drawer; it’spowerful software and cash register hardware that can perform various business operations,accept modern forms of payment, and even provide actionable advice on inventory and ordering. But what are your main options when it comes to your POS cash register? Let’s take a look at these different types of cash registers and how each can serve your business.

1. 
   Electronic Cash Registers (ECR)
   
2. 
   Point of Sale Cash Registers and Computerized Desktop Hardware
   
3. 
   Mobile Cash Registers on Tablets
   
4. 
   Cloud-Based Cash Registers
   

1. Electronic Cash Registers (ECR)

We’ll skip over some of the more rudimentary options available. If you want more info on that, check out our post on the history of the POS machine. So let’s start with the ECR. These machines were used for decades as the only option for accepting credit cards or any electronic payment. As they developed, they added features for sales tracking and reporting, as well as some simple inventory management data. Though thoroughly obsolete today, they can be adequate for smaller retailers who don’t need assistance with inventory tracking or other business operations.

The standard hardware of electronic cash registers consists of a cash drawer at the bottom with some sort of input screen or pad above it. Older versions have an analog pad used to ring up sales and open the cash drawer, while newer ECRs have digital screens. These may be controlled with a mouse, keypad or touch. In addition, these machines also come with receipt printers and barcode scanners. Such scanners are necessary for the basic inventory operations that the machines can provide. Finally, these cash register machines can come powered by batteries or hard-wired into an outlet.

ECRs remain affordable options for those retailers desiring a system with basic sales operations, low setup costs, an overall ease of use. But for the vast majority of SMB owners, it’s worth looking at a more powerful solution.

2. Point of Sale Cash Registers and Computerized Desktop Hardware

The past several decades have brought about monumental changes to the world of cash registers, namely with the onset of point of sale, or POS, systems. These systems add an array of new features to the ECR and offer far more flexibility, allowing for more niche customization.

These systems provide retailers with a vast array of business assistance. They always come with scanners that allow the business to collect and analyze data through the POS software. Such software can perform important business analysis and procedures:

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