EPOS/ till system / stock help?

[gemd89]

Hey guys, I am opening a shop and want some advice on how you guys manage stock.

I have around 5000 products so need something that remembers barcodes of that many products.

I also need software that I can input how many items I have bought and then the till would delete everytime an item sells and the software would be able to tell me when an item is low stock or out of stock.

What do all you guys use? What would you recommend?

Thanks
Gemma

 

[scologic]

what kind of business do you have?

if you want a free chat gimmie a call

Mark

 

[gemd89]

Party supplies and fancy dress
Gemma

 

[scologic]

Gemma

We alredy deal with a party shop and know some of the problems you get. I left you a message on your answer phone.

cheers

Mark.

 

[John_Orcus]

Gemma

The company I work for are experts in this area - please let me know if you want a PM.

 

[paj28]

Hi Gemma,

Many retailers have the same problem, and it's great that you are thinking about a proper solution from the beginning.

My company has a system that can help you with this. It will also help you if you want to grow in the future, with online sales and multiple stores. Drop me a PM if you'd like more information.

Paul

LinkedRetail.co.uk

 

[gemd89]

I think the only problem is the software for all this costs around £2000 - or at least the quotes I have all come up to around that and it really is out of my budget.

So if any of the above have a cheaper solution - Please feel free to email me through here or via GD PARTYSUPPLIES website
Thanks
Gemma

 

[snakeeyes121]

I think the only problem is the software for all this costs around £2000 - or at least the quotes I have all come up to around that and it really is out of my budget.

So if any of the above have a cheaper solution - Please feel free to email me through here or via GD PARTYSUPPLIES website
Thanks
Gemma

All you need is some epos software, there's free versions around, which you can run on a normal computer. Just google free epos and you'll be presented with many excellent systems.

Essentially all an epos system is, is a computer, barcode scanner, receipt printer and a cash drawer, and any other gubbins you want to add.

It's perfectly easy to do a 'diy' setup for next to nothing, pick up some kind of computer with a flat panel monitor, say £50 secondhand, a barcode scanner, plenty for around a tenner on eBay, cash drawer about £30, and a receipt printer, say £40 for a cheap one new / used. So under £150 for a basic system, you can even chuck a touch screen monitor in to it for less than £100 if you want to go all fancy.

 

[puffin]

All you need is some epos software, there's free versions around, which you can run on a normal computer. Just google free epos and you'll be presented with many excellent systems.

Essentially all an epos system is, is a computer, barcode scanner, receipt printer and a cash drawer, and any other gubbins you want to add.

It's perfectly easy to do a 'diy' setup for next to nothing, pick up some kind of computer with a flat panel monitor, say £50 secondhand, a barcode scanner, plenty for around a tenner on eBay, cash drawer about £30, and a receipt printer, say £40 for a cheap one new / used. So under £150 for a basic system, you can even chuck a touch screen monitor in to it for less than £100 if you want to go all fancy.

Good info.

 

[[email protected]]

There are loads and loads of EPOS packages to suit most budgets.

You may also need to put barcode labels on some of your inventory, i.e. if some of the lines you sell do not come with barcoded packagng

Regards

Rob

 

[gemd89]

Which of my lines do not have barcodes rob?

Gemma

 

[[email protected]]

Hi

I don't know if any of your lines are not barcoded.

Just making the point that in some cases your suppler may have sent you goods without barcodes, and you can have the best POS system in the world, but it will only work on barcoded products.

Regards

Rob

 

[bovine]

With anything to do with epos, there is no "right" answer and everyone will tell you this is how you should do it. The best way to approach this is work out what you want to do based on how you operate.

Your type of business can get complex with fancy dress outfits in and out and there are systems that accomodate, but anything industry specific is usually quite pricey. You can get systems that scann barcodes for selling relatively cheaply, but where it start to get more expensive is with the back-office. A lot of basic tills that can be bought for a couple of hundred quid can scan several thousand barcodes, if you add on a scanner.

If you want a till linked to back-office scanner, expect to pay about £1k for the till with scanner and about the same for the back-office with training (thats the important bit!). If you want touchscreen, pay about £2k for the POS and again about £1k for the back-office.

You also have options like AirPOS, pick up a decent android tablet for about £3-400, add a scanner for about £100, add a printer and drawer for a another few hundred and you have a workable system. Just make sure the functionality does what you want. Not as good a system as the ones I mentioned above, but quite a lot cheaper and it will get more sophisticated as time goes by.

Ring round some local resellers, get some prices and get some in to show you their systems. Best way to work out whats going to work for you.