Ecommerce and Retail • Neto
Redefining Retail With POS Software: Not Just Bricks and Mortar
24 Jan 2017 • 4 min read
Here at Neto, we want all our clients to be as successful as possible, whether you’re just setting up shop or on the verge of expanding your empire. And when you reach the stage where it’s time to expand your operations and open a new store, we want you to do it in a way that’s right for you, making the most of your point of sale (POS) software. See, we think one of the biggest benefits of multi-channel POS software is that it makes it easy for you sell your products everywhere.
Not just anywhere—everywhere.
That means you don’t need to take on the expenses of opening a bricks-and-mortar store just to get that all-important face-to-face time with your customers. An omni-channel POS system (like Neto POS) turns every interaction with your customers into a sales opportunity, completely redefining what we mean when we think about “retail space”.
Retailers are starting to look beyond traditional retail stores, instead turning to exciting, new, lower-cost alternatives. Here are a few such places where you could consider connecting with your customers:
In recent times, pop-up shops have proven to be a great option for businesses that experience higher demand at certain times during the year. It gives you that same physical presence of a traditional retail shop, but instead of paying an extra lease or wages year-round, you only do it for those weeks you expect to make a good return on investment.
If you’re an online florist, you might open up a stand inside a gift shop for the few days before Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day. A suburban fashion retailer might hold an end-of-season clearance sale in a prominent inner-city location. And if you’re using a full-featured POS system, like Neto POS, getting it ready for your new shop should be easy: just add a new outlet to your locations, and take your iPad with you.
One way to keep your retail lease down is to minimise your floor space by storing the inventory for sale offsite, and displaying just one of each item in your showroom. This works well for large items like furniture, whitegoods and gym equipment, which customers often want delivered anyway. But a private or shared showroom is also growing popular as a way for online retailers to raise brand awareness and give customers a chance to interact with staff. If you’re going to use this model, you’ll need to be able to check your inventory levels in real time at your point of sale—no one wants to sell an item they don’t have in stock. For this, you’ll need omni-channel POS software, like Neto POS.
If you want a regular physical presence but aren’t ready to lease a permanent retail space, a market stall can be a good intermediate step. Your space will be limited, so you might make the most of it by rotating different inventory through the stall each week, or using it as a mini-showroom. Whichever approach you take, a good POS system will ensure you can sell any of your items—not just what’s at the stall—and deliver it later (or bring it next week for collection). The variety of payment options you can offer your customers also gives you a winning advantage over your competitors. The only downside is that you’ll have to pack up shop at the end of each day and set it up again next time.
Conferences and expos are a growing part of the retail and wholesale scene in Australia and New Zealand. The right POS system can help you capitalise on these opportunities by giving you the ability to sell anywhere. Suddenly, these conferences are much more than a chance to network in your industry—they’re a chance to connect with a customer and make a sale on the spot.
But you’re not limited to official events. Tablet-enabled POS software means you can sell to anyone at any time. Your iPad becomes a one-device roadshow, a portable showroom that’s just one piece of your omni-channel strategy.
A bricks-and-mortar retail store is usually the most expensive and involved option, but we understand its appeal: it’s your glamorous, permanent presence in the market. (And you get to host an opening party.) If you decide it’s worth taking the plunge, a good POS system, like Neto POS, will help minimise your startup costs, because you won’t be doubling up on administration. From day one, you’ll be able to see all your products, customers, staff, suppliers, sales and analytics in a single system, right at your fingertips.
With all these options available to Neto POS software users, what’s stopping you from taking your business to new retail places? Start a free trial today.
