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Your consignment POS system can make or break you
A couple of years ago, our son moved into an apartment of his own. Since he was about 700 miles away, I wasn’t able to pawn off old dishes, furniture and towels. He needed to start fresh. So, we headed to a furniture consignment store close to him. It was huge. Shoppers wandered everywhere. He found a couch and TV table. I found a great picture. At the sales counter, the young woman took out a Sales Receipt Book to total up our purchases. Unfortunately, she made a mistake. She scratched through the final price and made the corrections which we could barely read. I mentioned SimpleConsign, but the boss was “old school” and didn’t want a Point-Of-Sale system. I think that will change when his son takes over the business. Nowadays, a consignment POS system is not only convenient, it’s essential. Here are 7 reasons why.
1.) Can you guarantee accuracy?
Any shop owner that invests in a consignment POS system, printers and barcode scanners is automatically assured of accuracy at the time of sale. There are no “fat finger” mistakes. Scan the barcode on the tag and the information is immediately entered into the system. You can keep track of daily, weekly, monthly or even yearly sales knowing the figures are correct. Checkout is faster, reliable and you can even give a printed receipt. Plus, as one industry leader reminded me, your customers and consignors can rest easy knowing you’re charging the right amount.
2.) Are you able to track inventory?
A good consignment POS system will provide you with a ton of reports to track your inventory, consignors and customers. With SimpleConsign, you can easily see sales statistics, track trends and view either automated and/or customized reports. Conveniently separate new and used inventory, plus distinguish between consigned and store-owned. Use the data you receive to determine which brands are most popular and which consignors bring in the best merchandise.
3.) Would you like to speed up checkout?
With the advent of the internet, our world is spinning faster. Shoppers are impatient. I’ve even received a sigh of frustration for writing a check in the checkout line. If you can speed up the process, do it. A consignment POS system offers faster and more efficient transactions.
4.) Is theft something you’re currently dealing with?
It’s the sad reality of owning a business. Theft. Whether it’s employees or customers, consignment shops are particularly vulnerable to theft. Why? Without a consignment POS system, you can’t accurately track your intake process, a consignor’s individual account or a given employee’s sales. Many an employee theft has been discovered because of SimpleConsign’s system. Plus, employees who know inventory is being tracked are less likely to help themselves.
5.) Would you like to earn money without adding customers or inventory?
The cost of doing business is higher than ever and only going to go up. With SimpleConsign, you can easily share credit card processing fees, add buyer’s or item fees, plus charge consignor access fees. You set them up and we’ll take care of the rest.
6.) Could you use a little more time?
A business owner’s productivity automatically increases with a consignment POS system. The tedious job of adding information to spread sheets is over. Even your CPA will have more time. Plus, choosing a web based system means you can access all of your information from anywhere you can access the internet. Need to be home with the kids? No problem. Taking a much-needed vacation? Log in and see what’s happening at the store. Details like knowing how much money is in the cash drawer is available to you at any given time.
7.) Are you easily marketing to your customers?
Again, the data that is available to you in a consignment POS system is invaluable. Enter a customer’s name, address, phone and email quickly. You can even add special notes about their preferences, purchases and personality quirks. Then, take that information and segment your list for more personal emails.
Once you’ve chosen a system, be sure to use it to its fullest. Otherwise, you only have a glorified cash register. Make sure you get all of the features that are important for running your store. If not, you’ll have to create work-arounds. You will also want to choose a system that is capable of growing with you. Be sure your staff is fully trained and remember, with SimpleConsign, training is on the house. Read 13 questions to ask before buying consignment software.
