The Best POS Software for Grocery Store: 4 Providers for 2024
Do you dread checkout lines crawling to a halt at your grocery store? Are there always empty shelves where popular products should be? Is tracking your store's data a headache?
Cobbled-together, outdated point of sale (POS) systems can slow down your operations and cost you sales. But there is a better way! With an affordable, user-friendly POS system, you can get robust reporting, seamless inventory management, and faster checkout processes.
Not all POS systems are built the same, however. So, how do you choose?
This article highlights the features you need from grocery store POS software, the top providers, and how to make an informed decision for your unique store.
The Best POS Software for Grocery Stores: The Skinny
Grocery store profit margins are notoriously small, and as a grocery store owner, you want to do all you can to increase profits and make your store a success. When you have the tools to run your store well, you’re already ahead of the game.
Getting your store to run like a well-oiled machine requires a powerful engine, and that powerful engine is your POS software and hardware. Far beyond processing transactions, your POS platform can act as the central nervous system of your store.
A robust POS system allows cashiers to quickly and accurately ring up orders, tally totals, and process various payment types like credit cards, gift cards, and mobile wallets. The POS should integrate with back office inventory management, updating stock levels in real time so you don’t sell out of popular items — especially staples like milk, bread, and fresh produce.
Modern, comprehensive POS software also tracks detailed sales data and generates prebuilt, customizable reports on transaction history, sales totals, profits, and more. Analyzing these metrics helps forecast demand, build relationships with vendors, and ensure an efficient supply chain.
Related Read: 5 Steps for Creating an Effective Daily Sales Report
Other features to look out for include customizable loyalty programs and security features like employee logins and surveillance integrations. As you can tell, a modern, grocery-specific POS system can manage your entire operation.
Top Features To Look For in Grocery POS Software
Let’s look deeper into the features you need to successfully run your grocery store.
Inventory management: Real-time visibility into stock levels is crucial for grocery stores. You manage various products, some of which are perishable. Knowing what’s in stock and what’s running low is essential. You need to be able to set reorder alerts when products hit a minimum threshold and avoid stockouts. An unlimited SKU database is ideal, with detailed product information like images, pricing, ingredients, and more.
Related Read: Automated Inventory Management: Why It's a Critical Feature for Retailers [EXAMPLES]
Customizable interface: You want a display that you can tailor to your store’s needs. Intuitive features like searchable products, favorites lists, and seamless barcode scanning improve cashier efficiency. If you offer self-checkout in your store, you also want displays that are fast and easy to use.
Omnichannel capabilities: Your POS software should integrate both in-store and e-commerce sales data into one centralized system. When items are ordered online, your inventory should update immediately. This allows you to fulfill delivery and pickup alongside brick-and-mortar transactions. A unified solution facilitates omnichannel order management and inventory tracking.
Security: Your company handles and processes sensitive customer information, so security is a top priority. The collection, storage, processing, and transmission of customer card information must comply with PCI regulations. Encrypted data storage is also essential for preventing breaches. A password protection system, permissions settings, and physical security can prevent unauthorized access to customer data and the POS system.
Hardware and software support: You need your POS software to integrate with grocery hardware like barcode scanners, credit card terminals, receipt printers, and scales. You should receive ongoing support from your POS provider. A provider who cares about your success will help you with everything from implementation to long-term training and troubleshooting. Providers should also offer training programs to onboard new hires. It is inevitable that technical glitches will occur; does your provider offer 24/7 support? Great support or lack of support can be a deal breaker.
1. Markt POS
Designed by grocers for grocers, Markt POS is the best solution for small grocery stores and specialty markets. Our software helps streamline operations with seamless hardware-software integration to reduce wait times, ensuring you're always in tune with your customers.
Save time on day-to-day tasks so you can focus on what matters most: making your grocery store the heart of your community. With 24/7 dedicated support and tailored in-store processes, Markt POS stands as the premier all-in-one solution for local market owners.
Pricing: We offer customized pricing plans and models to fit your operation. Check out our build and price tool to see your perfect solution.
According to one customer: “Markt POS' support is extremely helpful and responsive to our questions. They have helped us continuously keep our system up and running and create solutions for our business needs. The service has been top-notch!”
2. IT Retail
With over 25 years of experience in the grocery industry, IT Retail provides a POS solution tailored for independent grocers. Founded by a second-generation grocer, IT Retail understands the unique challenges grocers face.
IT Retail’s POS system quickly processes transactions and provides deep insights into your business. From custom reports that highlight bestsellers to full back office management, you’ll have everything you need to run your store.
A standout feature is the ability to integrate with major grocery e-commerce providers, offering you the flexibility you need to select the best e-commerce solution for your grocery store.
Pricing: Build a custom POS system tailored to your needs.
According to this customer: “IT Retail allows me to better run my store with a reliable front-end system and a back-end system that can provide me with the information I need to make timely decisions. Every issue has been addressed and resolved quickly by their friendly support staff.”
3. Revel Systems
Revel offers a solution that best fits multi-location grocery stores. Revel stands out with its ability to serve customers from any location, amp up service speed, and ensure more revenue stays in your pocket. With an open API and agile cloud POS, you can customize your POS system to suit your needs.
With mobile solutions and scalable tech, you can manage multiple locations and handle orders from anywhere, ensuring your inventory is aligned. Because it’s a cloud-native platform, you can rely on regular tech updates for a seamless, secure experience.
Pricing: Starts at $99 per month.
One customer says: “Offers a ton of functionality for the monthly fee. We have been using it for three years and are still finding new features that improve our business.”
4. POS Nation
When it comes to your grocery business, you want more than just POS software; you want a partner that understands the nuances of your business. POS Nation is that partner. Their software (and hardware) has it all. POS Nation offers features like smart inventory management, creative mix and match pricing and real-time stock metrics to speedy transactions, ensuring that checkout lines are always moving.
Other features include integrated security measures, built-in customer tracking and rewards programs, and insightful reports to help make data-driven decisions.
Pricing: Flexible monthly pricing starts at $149 per month, but custom plans are available upon request.
According to one happy customer: “The tech support is top notch; knowledgeable, available, and friendly. Integrating to this system from our old POS was smooth. I can’t speak highly enough of my experience with POS Nation. I can also say with confidence that using POS Nation has given me better data to help my business thrive.”
The Best POS Software for Grocery Store: The Choice Is Yours
Running a grocery store isn't easy, but the right POS system can make all the difference. A good POS solution streamlines checkout, gives you better visibility into inventory and sales, and offers robust reporting.
You need a provider that can keep your point of sale system up and running 24/7, processing payments and tracking inventory at all hours of the day to meet the demands of your business. Downtime is unacceptable in the fast-paced grocery environment.
At Markt POS, we offer a grocery-optimized POS platform with the features, integrations, and dedicated support grocers need. Our solution integrates directly with grocery hardware, facilitates omnichannel sales, and provides deep inventory insights.
If you're looking to streamline operations and better manage your grocery store, contact our grocery experts today to schedule a demo.
