Best POS Software to Track Customer Orders and Sales
Tracking customer orders and sales is a crucial component for any business, whether you’re running a retail store, a restaurant, or an eCommerce platform. A reliable POS (Point of Sale) system can help streamline these processes, improve customer service, and provide valuable insights into sales trends and customer behavior. Below are some of the best POS software solutions designed to track customer orders and sales effectively.
1. Square POS
Overview:
Square POS is an incredibly popular and user-friendly option that helps businesses manage orders, track sales, and handle customer information all in one place. Square is particularly known for its simplicity and affordability, making it ideal for small businesses.
Key Features:
- Order Tracking: Tracks customer orders from the point of sale to fulfillment, allowing you to easily monitor status, shipping, and delivery.
- Sales Analytics: Provides detailed reports on sales performance, popular products, and sales trends, enabling you to make data-driven decisions.
- Customer Profiles: Automatically creates customer profiles by tracking their purchase history, allowing for personalized promotions and loyalty programs.
- Multi-location Management: If you have multiple locations, Square syncs sales and order data across them.
- Mobile POS: Square’s mobile app allows you to take orders anywhere, making it a great option for pop-up shops or events.
Pricing:
- Free Plan: Available for basic features.
- Paid plans start at $12/month for advanced features like reporting and customer management.
Best For: Small businesses or startups looking for an easy-to-use, affordable POS system.
2. Shopify POS
Overview:
Shopify POS is an excellent choice for businesses that have both online and physical stores. It seamlessly integrates with the Shopify eCommerce platform, making it easier to track customer orders and sales across multiple channels.
Key Features:
- Order and Sales Tracking: Syncs orders and sales from both online and in-person stores, allowing you to view complete order histories and track fulfillment across all channels.
- Customer Management: Creates detailed customer profiles, stores purchase histories, and allows you to offer personalized discounts and loyalty rewards.
- Inventory Management: Automatically adjusts inventory in real-time for both online and in-store sales.
- Reports and Analytics: Provides in-depth sales reports, trends, and insights into order activity, customer preferences, and overall performance.
- Multi-channel Integration: Integrates with your eCommerce store, mobile app, and physical location, giving you a unified sales dashboard.
Pricing:
- Basic Shopify plan starts at $29/month, which includes POS features.
- Shopify POS Pro is available for $89/month per location.
Best For: Businesses with both online and offline operations that need a unified POS system.
3. Lightspeed Retail POS
Overview:
Lightspeed is a comprehensive POS solution designed for retail businesses. It’s known for its advanced inventory tracking and robust reporting features, making it a great option for businesses that need in-depth insights into sales and customer behavior.
Key Features:
- Order Management: Tracks orders from start to finish, with real-time updates on payment status, shipping, and fulfillment.
- Sales Analytics: Provides detailed reporting on sales performance, including trends, product performance, and sales by employee.
- Customer Profiles: Tracks customer purchase history, preferences, and contact information, helping you offer personalized experiences.
- Multi-location Support: If you have multiple stores, Lightspeed allows you to manage orders, inventory, and sales data from a central dashboard.
- Advanced Reporting: Customizable reports that track sales, order history, inventory, and customer metrics.
Pricing:
- Basic Plan starts at $69/month.
- 14-day free trial available.
Best For: Retail businesses with multiple locations or those requiring more advanced inventory and sales reporting.
4. Vend POS
Overview:
Vend is another powerful cloud-based POS system designed for retailers. It offers an easy-to-use interface, integrated customer management, and powerful reporting tools to track orders and sales in real time.
Key Features:
- Order Tracking: Tracks each sale, including the status of orders and customer payment history, for both in-store and online transactions.
- Sales Analytics: Provides detailed sales reports, including revenue trends, average order values, and sales by product, allowing you to track performance.
- Customer Management: Allows you to create customer profiles, track their order history, and integrate loyalty programs.
- Multi-location Management: Vend can manage inventory and sales data across multiple locations, making it easy to track performance at different sites.
- Cloud-based Reporting: Access sales, inventory, and customer data from anywhere, in real time.
Pricing:
- Starts at $99/month for the basic plan.
- 30-day free trial available.
Best For: Retail businesses that need an easy-to-use, flexible POS solution with powerful order and sales tracking.
5. Clover POS
Overview:
Clover POS is a flexible and customizable system designed for businesses of all sizes. It offers a wide range of hardware options and a rich set of features for order tracking and sales management.
Key Features:
- Order Tracking: Tracks orders in real time, from initial sale to payment and delivery, making it easy to manage customer transactions.
- Sales Reporting: Provides detailed reports on sales trends, revenue, and performance across different product categories.
- Customer Profiles: Collects and stores customer data, including order histories, which can be used for personalized marketing and loyalty programs.
- Customizable Hardware: Clover offers various hardware options such as mobile devices, registers, and receipt printers, making it flexible for different business needs.
- Inventory Management: Tracks stock levels, providing automatic updates whenever a sale occurs.
Pricing:
- Software starts at $14.95/month.
- Hardware options vary in price.
Best For: Small to medium businesses looking for a customizable POS solution with a range of hardware options.
6. Revel Systems POS
Overview:
Revel Systems is a comprehensive and customizable POS solution with powerful features for order and sales tracking. It’s suitable for both retail stores and restaurants, offering detailed reporting and integration with other business tools.
Key Features:
- Order Management: Tracks every order from the point of sale, including real-time updates on order status and customer details.
- Sales Analytics: Provides detailed sales reports, tracking trends, employee performance, and overall sales metrics.
- Customer Data: Revel collects detailed customer data, including order histories, enabling personalized marketing and loyalty rewards.
- Multi-location Support: Revel can manage multiple locations, syncing data across all stores, making it ideal for businesses with a larger footprint.
- Customizable Reports: Custom reports to track sales, orders, and customer activity, allowing you to make informed business decisions.
Pricing:
- Custom pricing based on business needs (contact for a quote).
- Free demo available.
Best For: Larger businesses or enterprises that need a highly customizable POS solution with detailed reporting and multi-location management.
7. Toast POS (for Restaurants)
Overview:
Toast POS is an ideal solution for restaurants and food service businesses. It offers powerful tools for order tracking, sales reporting, and customer management, with a particular focus on the needs of the restaurant industry.
Key Features:
- Order Tracking: Tracks customer orders in real time, including dining-in, takeout, and delivery orders.
- Sales Analytics: Provides reports on sales performance, revenue by category, and trends that can help optimize your menu and pricing strategy.
- Customer Profiles: Stores customer information and order history to enhance the customer experience, including loyalty programs and discounts.
- Inventory Management: Keeps track of ingredients and supplies in real time, helping reduce waste and improve efficiency.
- Integrated Payments: Allows for seamless payment processing and sales tracking directly within the POS system.
Pricing:
- Custom pricing based on business needs (contact for a quote).
- Free demo available.
Best For: Restaurants, cafes, and other foodservice businesses looking for an all-in-one solution for order and sales tracking.
Conclusion
The best POS software for tracking customer orders and sales depends on your business type and specific needs:
- Square POS and Shopify POS are excellent for small businesses that need an affordable, easy-to-use solution.
- Lightspeed Retail POS and Vend POS are great choices for retailers needing advanced features and reporting capabilities.
- Clover POS offers flexibility with customizable hardware options.
- Revel Systems is perfect for large businesses with multi-location support and customizable features.
- Toast POS is the top choice for restaurants and foodservice businesses.
By assessing your business’s size, industry, and the level of reporting and customer management you need, you can choose the POS system that best fits your requirements for tracking customer orders and sales.