Jump to navigation. Running a small business isn't easy, and especially so for retailers, restaurant owners, and others who have a brick-and-mortar storefront.
Managing purchases and cash flow, keeping inventory stocked, making sure your employees are happy, and above all else serving your customers needs requires dedication, a solid business plan, and a bit of luck to be successful. In between all of these demands, it can be difficult to dedicate the time to fairly evaluate solutions to various business needs, including software.
For businesses with a retail component, your choice of point of sale POS system may be the most important technical decision you make, and yet, an overwhelmingly confusing one.
There are simply so many choices on the market today, and no one decision is going to be right for every business. Do you want a point of sale system which ties in with your inventory management, or do you just need to keep track of purchase numbers? Does it make sense to host everything locally, or would a cloud-based solution work for you? And if it's cloud-based, what happens when you inevitably lose Internet connectivity from time to time?
As if these kinds of factors don't make the decision difficult enough already, it's also worth considering what kind of support you need. Do you know the technical know-how to fix a system if it breaks, or customize it when your business needs change, or do you need that support from a vendor? And, importantly, if your tech support vendor disappeared tomorrow, would you be able to find a new one tomorrow? Is your system open enough for a new vendor to easily take over and fix problems and make changes?
For these reasons, open source point of sale systems might be a good option to consider for some businesses. In particular, they may appeal to those with some technical knowledge on staff who are looking to save costs by managing their own systems, as well as businesses who may need or desire significant customization from their system's default which require source code access to modify. So what are the open source options available for retailers looking for a new point of sale system?
There are a quite a few, and they vary widely in their features, maturity, and size of community. Let's take a look at a few options that might fit your business needs.
Odoo , which we've looked at before in our roundups of SCM , ERP , and project management tools, also provides a point of sale system solution. A part of Odoo's integrated solution, their point of sale system connects directly with the Odoo inventory and ecommerce tools, as well as their marketing and sales solutions, and runs on both Windows and Linux.
It is web based, and while it can be used as a stand alone solution, the real power comes from its integrations. Odoo is primarily written in Python. It has many features in addition to basic POS operation, including customer management, barcode printing, numerous reporting tools, and the ability to help track inventory.
SambaPOS is a point of sale system specifically designed for restaurants, and supports multiple languages and currencies. For small or startup businesses on a limited budget, starting with a free retail point of sale POS software can be cost effective and cover most of your basic business needs. The following are presented in alphabetical order and are based on rankings from search results on Google the week of December , Most free retail POS software earn their revenue by offering a basic free version that is upgradeable with premium features.
As such, it is worth noting that the set of features offered by the systems below may be limited in their capabilities. Sales reporting dashboard on eHopper Source. Best for: Small retailers looking for an easy-to-use and consolidated platform for order tracking, inventory management, and customer management.
The system is best suited for retailers who require just a POS and register or an integration to QuickBooks. Erply is a cloud-based retail POS for small and midsize businesses that want more versatility in their systems.
The software operates on any hardware e. Customer transaction dashboard on Erply Source. Best for: Small and midsize retailers that want a rich set of features e. Vend is a cloud-based retail POS for retailers of varying types and sizes. This open source POS is not for commercial use in any form. Please read our policy carefully before use. You will hold responsibility for any acts of violence against our terms and conditions. This is truly a revolutionary product. Access everything from installation guide to step-by-step product intructions to start using Magestore Open Source Point of sale.
Best fit for complicated medium to large enterprises managing multiple stores and warehouses. Experiencing rapid growth? Need to centralize all the data from different stores? See how Magestore Commerce version can mitigate risks and take your business to new levels. Check out for your customers wherever you are, with or without the Internet. Powerful eCommerce Besides using Magento platform to build more powerful features, we also turn your website into a PWA storefront and offer you a mobile app to attract new customers.
Loyalty Program Build lasting relationships with your customers online and in-store. Keep them engaged with gift cards, reward points, and store credit. Inventory Management Automate stock control across your system. Minimize errors when running multi-channel, multiple stores with barcode. Purchase Order Management Speed up stock transfer from suppliers to your warehouse. Manage suppliers, quotations, and purchase orders from Magento site.
Omnichannel Reports Get a clear picture of current business performance. View extensive inventory reports, key sales metrics, and sales staff contributions. POS Commerce Built-in features. We work with leading retailers from all sectors to develop solution that fits your niche.
Free resources for you to stay up to date on retail trends, tactics, and strategies. No lock-in contracts — No hidden costs — No recurring fees — Competitive service rates. Pricing Features Services. Press enter to begin your search. Close Search. On-hold orders for multiple checkouts. Sync products with eCommerce website. Build a unique brick-and-mortar store from the ground up. Add a Magento-native POS system to your physical stores.
Create and manage orders fast for better customer service. Customize the code to meet your unique business requirements. Enjoy the most popular payment integrations: Square, Credit cards, Cash.
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