How to set up a point of sale kiosk

Point of sale kiosks can be found in every retail environment, from restaurants and coffee shops to clothes shops and large department stores. Anywhere there’s something for sale, you’ll find a point of sale kiosk. Even temporary pop-up shops and stalls have one.

A point of sale kiosk is somewhere customers can pay for their goods. It should be well-positioned in your store or restaurant so customers don’t have to hunt for it.

Kitting out your kiosk

Companies like Symec supply a range of EPOS (electronic point of sale) systems that are perfect for any retail premises. Ideally, you’ll need receipt printers, a touchscreen computer, customer display unit, a card reader, a drawer to keep cash in and a barcode scanner to set up your kiosk.

Depending on what you need, receipt printers can be fixed or mobile. If you’re short of space, wireless works well, so team your receipt printer with a wireless card reader. These are also a good idea if you serve food as people often like to pay at their tables.

Another mobile option is a keyboard display unit as you can key in customer transactions and print labels off.

Hottest sellers

If mobility’s not an issue, choose a good-quality touchscreen computer which stores all the information about your products. You’ll be able to keep track of stock levels and see what the hottest sellers are. You’ll need a barcode scanner too, and there’s load available on the market from big brand names like Motorola and Datalogic. Get a hand-held one so you can scan customers’ goods as they bring them to your kiosk.

Another option to consider is a self-service point of sale kiosk. These are very popular in a lot of stores now, especially if people only have a few items and don’t want to queue. They’re great in the hospitality industry too as hotel guests can benefit from quick check-in and request additional services through them.

Innovation

An innovative idea is to invest in some digital signage. Putting up a few screens around your shop with specials offers and sale items on them to draw customers in will prove to be very rewarding. Install the screens near where the sales items are located, especially near the point of sale kiosk.

A well-positioned, easy to see point of sale kiosk is essential to any retail area. Think about your customers and what they need. Are they likely to pay by card or cash or both? Will they prefer paying at their table? Or is a self-service kiosk what they need? Identify your needs and you’ll be halfway there.