Do you love providing customers with healthy, fresh alternatives and sustainable lifestyles?
If you own and manage a natural food store and cafe, you probably do — but you’re also likely aware of how important it is to stand out in such a competitive market.
To truly succeed, you need the right business tools in place — and that includes a point of sale (POS) system catered to your industry.
Let’s explore nine must-have features for your natural food store and cafe POS solution.
1. Customizable Touchscreen Layout
To capture orders quickly and accurately, you need a customizable touchscreen. This feature enables staff to put in orders swiftly, and allows store managers to arrange menu items in a way that streamlines the checkout process. A fully-supported touchscreen can be tailored for both front-of-house and back-of-house staff to support their specific requirements.
2. Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) Features
Natural food stores and cafes often incorporate a blend of retail and food service offerings, so setting up a point of sale system with quick service restaurant (QSR) features can provide significant benefits. These features typically include product modifiers (like a milk substitute) and kitchen receipt printing. QSR features optimize your natural food store and cafe operations, allowing for a seamless integration between the grocery store and the cafe counter.
3. Bulk Sales by Weight
Natural food stores boast a wide variety of products that are sold by weight or size, including fruits, vegetables, nuts, and grains — which means you need a POS system that supports bulk sales by weight. For example, tare weight management allows customers to bring their own containers; you can subtract or “tare” the weight of the container to reflect accurate pricing of the product.
4. Integrated E-Commerce Platform for Online Sales
To enhance your natural food store and cafe's reach — and to increase revenue — you need an integrated e-commerce platform to streamline online sales. This feature not only allows customers to place online orders for home delivery or in-store pickup, but simplifies inventory management across multiple sales channels seamlessly.
5. Robust Inventory Management
A comprehensive inventory management system is a must to help natural food stores and cafes manage their diverse product range efficiently. This system should provide features like unlimited SKUs, stock reconciliation, and integrated purchase orders, to ensure accurate stock monitoring and management.
6. Customer Loyalty Programs
Customer loyalty programs are essential in driving repeat business and retaining customers. Look for features like loyalty points, gift cards, and customizable promotional offers tailored to your specific business needs. This allows you to implement comprehensive customer tracking and marketing initiatives through a centralized platform, enhancing customer engagement and driving sales.
7. Employee Management
Built-in employee management features, like time tracking, role-based access, and customizable cashouts, are essential to managing your natural food store and cafe staff effectively. These features allow for better scheduling, clearer reporting structures, and increased accountability throughout your team.
8. Integrated Barcode Scanning and Label Printing
Perfect for fast-paced natural food stores and cafes, integrated barcode scanning streamlines checkout with quick and error-free product identification. Plus, customizable barcode labels help keep store shelves well-organized and easy to navigate for customers and staff.
9. Extensive Reporting and Analytics
Access to comprehensive reporting and analytics is one of the cornerstones of optimized business operations. A POS system that delivers real-time insights into sales, inventory, and customer data empowers natural food store and cafe managers to make informed decisions and streamline their business strategies.
Get Started With a POS Made for Your Natural Food Store and Cafe
Finding the right POS for your natural food store and cafe can be an overwhelming choice — but if you want to compete in today’s competitive market, you need to look for a point of sale solution with features specifically designed for your store.
Ready to get started? Schedule a demo with one of our Markt POS specialists today, or use our build and price tool to create your custom quote!
