Apoint-of-sale system(is a basic necessity in various business industries, especially F&B. In recent years,cloud-based POS systemshave gradually dominated the F&B industry. Since the internet has been accessible easily by anyone and anywhere, more and more business owners have started adopting cloud-based POS systems into their businesses.
When comparing a traditional POS system and a cloud-based POS system, how can you, a business owner, choosewhich is more suitable for your business?
Here’s a comparison of these 2 different POS systems in these 3 aspects.
1. Definition of traditional POS vs the definition of cloud-based POS system
Also known as the legacy POS, the traditional POS system has been the pioneer dominator in the market for a long time. The traditional POS is a PC with software; all store-related data is stored in the PC hard drives. Therefore, if you want to check your sales or performance, you must be physically present at your store.
On the other hand, the cloud-based POS system is known as software as a Service (SaaS). That allows business owners to access all their data via a remote server. This means your data is backed up in a cloud server with an intangible and secure data center. A handphone and an internet connection are needed to access all your store sales and performance data anytime and anywhere.
2. Comparison of traditional POS system vs cloud-based POS system
3. Why should you use the cloud-based POS system
Traditional POS systems are costly to set up and maintain. They require at least one cash register and one computer to function. Also, maintenance and software updates are time-consuming, which may lead to potential downtime for your business.
On the other hand, the cloud-based POS system is massively cheaper than the traditional POS system. That is because the cloud-based POS has a low hardware and software maintenance cost.
Contrasting to the traditional POS system, any bugs or errors in the cloud POS system can be solved within a day.
Access to business data is also available on any compatible device with an internet connection. In addition, employees can download the software and use it on their devices to access the data and carry out store transactions.
Figure 1: The merchant is using a cloud-based POS system
Conclusion
Once you’ve understood the difference between a traditional POS and a cloud-based POS system, the benefits can be seen a mile away. Various companies in the market offer robust cloud-based POS systems and services to their customers. For instance, you could check out OrderPin,a zero-investment cloud-based POS systemthat store owners can use to manage various aspects of their business.
Putting it all together, even though the cloud-based POS system is relatively new, its user-friendly interface, affordability, and ability to work across multiple devices push it ahead of the traditional POS system.
