POS system basics
Point of Sale Systems | Buyer's Guide
Computer
The central component of a POS terminal is the computer than runs
the application. Most resellers prefer to sell you a computer with
the rest of the POS system, rather than having you supply your own -
some even charge an extra fee if you supply the computer. The reason
is that setup and ongoing support is much easier when the reseller
is familiar with the hardware involved. Getting all the hardware
from one source lets the reseller take responsibility for the entire
system.
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If you do want to buy the computers separately,
make sure you coordinate the purchase with your reseller. If you
get exact specifications from your POS reseller and follow them
closely, you should be able to avoid most compatibility
problems.
POS applications are not that demanding on the computer, so
an average to low-end computer will usually get the job done. -
a $500 to $800 computer should be enough to run a POS terminal.
The computer does need to be upgradeable - some POS software
requires newer operating systems, such as Windows XP.
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Power
Having "clean" electrical power is a POS system necessity that many
businesses underestimate. When you set up multiple POS terminals,
they are networked together the same way computer systems in offices
are. Fluctuations in the electrical supply due to blenders, meat slicers, microwaves, and other mechanical devices plugged into the
same electrical circuit can easily cause enough noise in the power
supply to wreak havoc with POS computer systems.
There are two common solutions to the problem. Power filtering
can eliminate troublesome spikes and noise before they get to your
computer terminals. The more robust solution is to install a
dedicated circuit with an isolated ground and use it only for your
POS systems.
Power problems are one of the single biggest causes of problems
in POS systems. Make sure your vendor analyzes your power situation
and suggests appropriate safeguards.
Architecture choices
When choosing your POS system, you may want to look for a system
whose software can run on any type of PC so you are not tied down to
a particular vendor or platform. Some manufacturers use proprietary
hardware, which gives you less flexibility to purchase upgrades and
additional equipment from other sources. The primary advantage of
proprietary systems is that the software is written specifically to
work with one piece of hardware, ensuring seamless compatibility.
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