What You Need to Open Your Retail Shop (Software and Equipment)

Opening a retail shop?

Below is an overview of everything you need to start trading, as far as business software and the necessary equipment are concerned.

#1. Business software

There are several approaches here, depending on how you want to work. You can buy one of the handheld devices that have software installed on them as well as printing fiscal receipts, or you can buy separate software and install it on a computer. Which one you choose depends mostly on whether you want to track stock and the other things that matter to running a business, or simply want to ring up sales.

1.1. A POS app for handheld devices

If all you want is to ring up sales, you can choose one of the handheld devices mentioned above, which double as fiscal printers. These devices normally have a mobile app installed that lets you produce receipts.

1.2. Software

If you do want to track stock, or simply do not want to work on a small handheld device, separate software is probably the better choice. Software like this is normally installed on a computer and comes in two parts:

• A POS application used primarily to ring up sales, but also for the other things done at the till, such as applying discounts
• A back office application that lets you enter stock, carry out price changes, run stocktakes and everything else that matters to the business

#2. Equipment

Depending on which software option you chose, the next step is to choose the device the software will run on, along with the other equipment you need.

2.1. Handheld device

Devices like these normally run the Android operating system and allow a POS app to be installed. Their advantages are that they take up little space and are simple to use. The drawbacks are the limited capability of the software, and the fact that working on a relatively small screen is not especially comfortable.

2.2. Computer (and monitor)

Probably the best option, if you can manage it, is to buy a computer. An added advantage in a retail shop is a touchscreen, which makes day-to-day work easier. The computer can be a desktop with a monitor, or a laptop. A POS application is normally installed on this computer, and in the case of TiramisuERP the back office application can be available on the same machine as well, through a web browser of course. So if you buy a desktop computer, you will also need a monitor.

2.3. Thermal printer

To print fiscal receipts for your customers you also need a thermal printer. It is worth noting that it is not mandatory, since fiscalisation now happens in the software, so you could use an A4 printer and print A4 receipts — though that is probably not very practical in most retail shops. Thermal printers normally connect to the computer by USB cable and of course need mains power, so you will have to provide a separate socket for one.

2.4. Barcode scanner

A barcode scanner certainly makes work in a retail shop easier, particularly at the till, where it lets you read an item and its price straight into the POS app. It can be wired or wireless. It usually sits at the till and is used, as we have just said, to scan items there. A wireless device can also be used for stocktakes and other tasks, such as checking stock levels in the back office application.

2.5. A4 printer

Receipts can be printed on a printer like this, but in retail shops it is often used to print product labels. To print labels you need a back office application that can prepare them. Labels normally take the details you entered in the item reference data — that is, on the individual item. TiramisuERP supports a wide range of label formats, and if necessary we can produce a bespoke label to suit your needs. Some of the other things you can print on an A4 printer are:

• warranties
• confirmations for purchases in instalments.
• printing A4 cash receipts

2.6. Scales

If your shop sells items that have to be weighed, it is worth having scales connected to your business software. What does that mean? It means item codes already entered in the business software can be loaded into the scales, which allows them to produce a special barcode. That barcode can then be scanned at the till, and from it the software knows which item it is and how much was weighed (what the quantity is), and enters all of that into the POS app as a line on the receipt.

2.7. Cash drawer

A cash drawer can be connected to the POS application so that it opens automatically when a receipt is rung up, ready to take the money and give change. They are often used as a stand for the monitor or laptop you work on.

2.8. Customer display

You also need a customer display, so the customer can see the prices you are ringing up and the total.

== If you have any questions about opening your retail shop, you can contact us and we will help you find the solution that suits you best.