EPOS Software? I thought I wanted a till?

I often think that there are two types of small retailer. Those who want a till, and are confused as to what EPOS software is for, and why they need it; and those who are computer literate, and want to use their computer as a till.

Poor old EPOS consultants and salesman have to work there way though this confusion. People who understand computers naturally think of using a PC to be a till, whereas more traditional retailers think in terms of an electronic cash register, and get frustrated because most ECRs do not have the featured offered by modern EPOS software.

Some years ago, when EPOS software was starting to become popular, it was still common to think of the PC running the EPOS software as a "till". This mentality is gradually declining - most retailers running EPOS software now consider their till computers as general purpose devices for accessing the WWW and using email as well as till functions. In years gone by an EPOS solution provider would "lock down" the PCs so that all they did was run the EPOS software, and, to all intents and purposes, they were an electronic cash register. This practice is becoming less common, but is still often found in Supermarkets. Virtually every till in a supermarket is a PC underneath - they just don't have web browsers installed! :)

This is the point that a lot of retailer so not understand. They think an PC running EPOS software is something special and different. In fact, a computer running EPOS software is no different to a PC running a copy of Word or a computer game. EPOS software is just another application program installed on the computer and run from a shortcut on the desktop. It shouldn't be thought of as a PC "being a till" - it is just another function of PC.

Of course, the opposite problem often occurs. A computer literate retailer will immediately think of buying EPOS software and running it on his existing PC - however, this isn't always the best thing. It is very hard to convince some small retailers that their needs would be better served by buying a dedicated electronic cash register rather than expensive and complicated EPOS software.