Shopify POS has quickly become the favorite point of sale system for e-commerce businesses that sell online and in physical retail stores simultaneously.
But what’s the reason behind its popularity?
It’s perhaps a user-friendly interface with powerful features that streamline everything from inventory management to payment processing.
And to confirm, I have done an in-depth Shopify POS review. It addresses its features, pros, and cons, user-friendliness, as well as ease of use, and support. After going through the review, you will have a deeper insight into the dexterity of the Shopify POS platform.
Let’s proceed with my Shopify POS review and find out why it’s quickly becoming the go-to choice for retailers worldwide.
Inside, you will find;
- Intuitive features that Shopify point of sale include;
- A deeper look into the Pros & Cons of Shopify POS;
- Interesting Shopify alternatives that may be worth considering;
- A straight verdict, whether Shopify POS is all that it claims;
Shopify POS: Key Highlights
- Shopify POS is a point-of-sale setup offered by Shopify. It allows retailers to sell their products online as well as in physical retail stores.
- Shopify POS is available as a mobile app. You can download and install it on your mobile to manage product sales.
- With Shopify POS, retailers can manage their inventory, accept payments from multiple channels, and track orders or sales in real-time.
- The Shopify app easily integrates with the online Shopify e-commerce stores. It allows you to manage your online and offline sales channels from a single dashboard.
- The Shopify POS comes in two versions – Shopify POS Lite & Shopify POS PRO. The former includes standard features for offline sales, while the latter includes advanced features to facilitate e-commerce operations further and boost efficiency.
- Each Shopify subscription includes Shopify POS Lite. For Shopify POS Pro, you have to pay $89 in addition to a Shopify subscription.
Shopify POS Lite or Shopify POS Pro: Which One To Choose?
Shopify POS comes in two versions. A basic, stripped-down version called Shopify Lite is available with every Shopify subscription. It means you don’t pay anything extra to set up your POS operations with Shopify POS Lite.
On the other hand, Shopify POS Pro is a more comprehensive omnichannel sale solution. And to support its extensive operations, it packs additional features such as the facility to buy online and pick up the package at the store, additional integration options, etc.
In short, if you are venturing into omnichannel selling, Shopify POS Lite is perfect. For more established ecommerce businesses with deeper pockets, comprehensive product ranges, and specialized analytics and sales forecasting needs, Shopify POS Pro will be more suitable.
Bonus: If you want to know how Shopify can help you set up your online store with ease, then check our detailed Shopify Review here.
Shopify POS: System Requirements
Shopify POS is available as an app. Therefore, you need a smartphone running Android and iOS. You can download the Shopify POS app from Google Play Store or Apple Store.
To utilize Shopify POS to the fullest, you need the right hardware. Thankfully, Shopify POS integrates with receipt printers, barcode scanners, scales, cash registers, label printers, etc.
Besides, Shopify offers additional hardware to make selling offline as hassle-free as possible. Here are the details;
Shopify Retail Kit
Shopify Retail Kit includes an assortment of hardware – Shopify Tap & Chip Card Reader, Shopify Retail Stand for iPad, Shopify Mounting Kit, and Shopify Dock for Tap & Chip Card Reader.
Furthermore, Shopify Retail Kit further facilitates contactless or chip payments. That said, to purchase a Shopify Retail Kit for Android or iPhone, you have to shell out $219.
Shopify POS Go
Shopify POS Go is an all-in-one portable POS device that facilitates selling on the go. Interestingly, the Shopify POS Go is designed to accept tap, chip, & swipe payments.
Likewise, it includes a 1D/2D barcode scanner too. In short, it has everything to manage your entire POS infrastructure. But the price is high – the Shopify POS Go comes with a price tag of $399.00. And, if you want the protective case too, you have to pay $30 extra.
Shopify POS Features
Here’s a list of primary features of Shopify POS;
Local Delivery
Allows you to effectively manage local delivery orders placed online directly via the POS system.
Click And Collect Delivery
Allows you to make sales and delivery from anywhere you have your inventory stored.
Inventory Management
Enables seamless inventory management. Also, the POS system seamlessly syncs online and offline inventory for hassle-free management.
Inventory Reports
Allow you to create detailed inventory reports so that you can gauge which product has the most demand.
Low Stock Reports
Alerts on low stock so that you can timely fill up inventory and never have to cancel the order due to the unavailability of a product.
Demand Forecast Reports
Extremely helpful details that allow you to predict demand for specific products based on sales data.
Inventory Analysis & Tracking
Includes intuitive features for detailed inventory analysis and tracking. It enables businesses to have clear insights into their inventory.
Shopify POS Advantages & Limitations
Well, no system is perfect, and that goes for Shopify POS too. In this segment, we will take a look at where Shopify excels and where it needs improvement;
Advantages
Here are the advantages of Shopify POS;
Powerful POS software
Shopify POS is undoubtedly a powerful point-of-sale software. Its omnichannel selling features, flawless inventory management capabilities, and extensive staff management abilities makes it extremely efficient at handling POS operations. It turns your mobile devices into a seamless system through which you can effectively manage all your point-of-sale tasks.
Customizable POS Terminal
Customizability is a mark of top-notch software, and Shopify POS ticks all the boxes. You can tweak it to suit your business needs. You can adjust it to keep your most frequent apps and other functionality at your fingertip. It ensures there’s no clutter and the entire purchase to payments process is a breeze.
Advanced Inventory Management
Inventory management can be a headache. Thankfully, the Shopify POS app packs enough power to keep a tab on inventory effectively. It can easily generate purchase order-based inventory levels and transfer stock based on performance and forecast. Therefore, you are never short of stocks that bring the most sales and also manage deadstock of inventory.
Custom Staff Permissions
The safety of the system is paramount, and Shopify POS doesn’t take it lightly. It allows custom staff permission so that you have complete control over who has access to the POS system. Staff access control permission further ensures peace of mind and safeguards your entire POS operation.
Unified Reporting
Unified reporting is a big plus of Shopify POS. It allows you a bird’s eye view of your entire e-commerce workflow, both offline and online. Unified reporting facilitates sales forecasting, helps evaluate market trends, and gauges the popularity of particular products. It allows you to shape your strategy to align with customer demands.
Limitations
Here are the limitations of Shopify POS;
The developer Option is Missing
It may be fine for some, but businesses that wish for more flexibility may appreciate a developer option.
Customer Support Needs Improvement
The help center is extensive, but reaching out to the support team is daunting. It would be better to improve support quality.
Connection Issues
This issue is quite prevalent across multiple Shopify POS setups in different locations. The system often loses connection, which is detrimental to the performance and downgrades a user’s experience.
No Facility For Multiple Exchanges
If a customer returns a product multiple times for different reasons, there’s no way to process the exchange. It impacts customer experience and may be detrimental to the brand’s reputation.
Shopify POS: User Experience
In this segment, we will delve deeper to understand how Shopify POS performs in reality.
Installation
Shopify POS is an app – therefore, installation is simple. But the real task is the initial setup. Fortunately, the introductory video makes everything simple. From product management to location management, everything is easy to set up.
The clean and concise dashboard further facilitates the initial setup. Everything is easily accessible, making it easy for the newbies to get started. Likewise, the embedded apps let you expand the scope of the Shopify POS app further.
Also, Shopify maintains a detailed help center. It explains the Shopify POS setup with all the steps involved.
Ease of Use
For POS systems, providing the right balance between performance and ease is often an uphill task. However, after trying Shopify POS, I discovered that it manages to provide both.
First, it comes with a 3-day Free trial, which provides enough time to evaluate all its features. Once you sign up and reach the dashboard, you are greeted with an introductory video that explains everything.
I found the dashboard intuitive and easy to manage. You can easily manage products, payments, taxes, and other setups. Likewise, the dashboard neatly stacks everything – the left column displays key data such as orders, discounts, etc.
But, it’s the host of internal applications like Staff management, receipt management, Inventory management, customers, Reporting and analytics, etc., that boost ease of use. These provide the functionality you can layer up to achieve the best results. It lets you address every aspect of product selling with relative ease.
Customer Support
There are multiple avenues to avail of Shopify customer support. You can try the help center, which is exhaustive and contains answers for most of the issues. Then there is live chat and phone support. Also, you can reach out to the customer support team via email.
That said, I found live support too cluttered – you have to fill up the form and wait for a while before an executive is available to answer your queries. Live calls are also marred with congestion, and getting connected with the support team takes a bit.
Shopify POS support needs to be more robust if it wishes to live up to the reputation that Shopify has built for itself.
Shopify POS: Performance
In terms of performance, Shopify POS ticks all the boxes. Its cloud-based setup makes it superfast, easy to manage, and easy to navigate. And its advanced features make the point of sales operation as hassle-free as possible.
Likewise, there’s an individual staff login facility that protects the system from unauthorized entry, plus the setup is set for automatic updates. It’s a massive advantage because it prevents intruders from accessing the system or making changes.
However, there are a few things that need improvement. Firstly, integrations are hectic and take a while to set up correctly. Likewise, there’s no developer option to customize POS functionality further – it could have been an enormous benefit for power users.
Likewise, although Shopify POS doesn’t restrict creating products when you list too many products, the system begins to slow down.
And sometimes, the connection with the clouds keeps breaking, impacting the overall performance. Also, the lack of an internet connection severely restricts its capabilities. Other than that, Shopify POS is impressive.
If good internet connectivity is maintained, plus you have a bit of an overview of how things work with Shopify, the platform will keep doing your bidding, providing top-notch performance.
Shopify POS Pros & Cons
Here are the pros & cons of Shopify POS (Point Of Sale) service:
| Pros | Cons |
| Easily syncs with your online store | Requires an active subscription to Shopify |
| Multichannel selling features | Advanced features require you to buy a Shopify POS Pro subscription |
| Cash transactions available in the offline mode | Limited offline features |
| Local pickup option is available for your customers | |
| Create QR codes for products | |
| Integrates with many third-party apps |
Shopify POS: Pricing
Shopify POS pricing might confuse newbies who have never tried the platform.
There are two versions, the Shopify POS Lite and The Shopify POS Pro. Shopify POS needs you to purchase a Shopify subscription.
Pricing details for annual subscription are as follows;
- Shopify Basic – $39/month
- Shopify Regular – $105/month
- Shopify Advanced – $399/month
- Shopify Plus – $3,000
The POS Lite app is included in all Shopify subscriptions, so you don’t have to pay anything extra.
For the Shopify POS Pro version, you have to pay $89 extra.
However, if you have already purchased the Shopify Plus subscription, then the Shopify POS app will be free.
Also Read: We have also done a detailed Shopify vs Shopify Plus comparison to help you choose between the two.
Shopify POS Payment Processing Charges
In addition to the monthly or annual charges, there are also payment processing charges that you have to bear. Also, keep in mind that these charges vary according to the Shopify subscription you have.
Here are the details for Payment Processing Charges;
- For Shopify Basic & Advanced Plan – 2.4%, 2.6%, or 2.9% + 30 cents extra for online payment.
- In-Person Payment for Shopify Basic & Advanced Plan – 2.4%, 2.5%, or 2.7%.
Is Shopify POS Compatible With Credit Card Processors?
First, you need to activate Shopify Payments to start accepting payments via Shopify POS. However, Shopify Payment is available in specific countries. For example, customers in the US and Canada can swipe their credit cards for payment.
Similarly, for UK and Ireland customers, Shopify POS allows credit cards and contactless payments via chip, Swipe card reader, and EMV-compliant Tap.
However, if you reside in a country where Shopify Payment is unavailable, you have to invest in a credit card terminal alongside a payment processor from a trustable vendor.
Are There Any Reliable Shopify POS Alternatives?
If Shopify POS doesn’t fit your requirements, there are other alternatives you can try.
Here are some of them;
- Lightspeed Retail – Lightspeed is one of the closest rivals to Shopify regarding POS systems. It’s similar in functionality to Shopify POS but also includes advanced features like purchase order management, inventory management, automated inventory control, and reporting. Likewise, Lightspeed retail is more suitable for stores with varied inventory, complex inventory management needs, and high-risk items.
- Square POS – Square is a popular POS system that could compete with Shopify POS for simplicity. It’s particularly suitable for small to medium-sized businesses looking for a more straightforward point-of-sale system. It includes standard POS features like employee management, inventory management, etc. But one thing that favors Square particularly is its affordable cost.
Related Read:
Shopify POS Review: Final Verdict
Is Shopify POS worth it? In my opinion, Yes.
Shopify is already a popular platform with powerful features to facilitate commerce.
Its POS app extends the same functionality to brick-and-mortar stores and supercharges retail selling operations. Shopify POS already powers around a million stores worldwide which speaks about its popularity.
Its strengths stem from its flexibility for e-commerce, payments, accounting, analytics, and integrations. Furthermore, its real-time inventory management, intuitive interface, and powerful analytics and reporting tools make it a top-notch POS system.
Combine it with its extraordinary ability for business personalization via a robust POS system, plus the excellent price-to-performance ratio. It becomes apparent why Shopify POS is the top choice in the retail sector.
