A spa or salon point-of-sale (POS) system manages client transactions, sales data, and customer information just like any other POS system. It also includes industry-specific features like appointment scheduling, online booking, and client-facing account management tools. The best spa POS systems include all of these features and start at under $100 per month. While you…
ShipBob 2021 Review: Fulfillment Services, Pricing, and Alternatives
is a tech-enabled third-party logistics company (3PL) that provides warehousing, order fulfillment, and shipping solutions to small and medium-sized businesses. Every account receives free cloud-based software for handling multichannel orders and managing inventory across ShipBob’s global network of 16 fulfillment centers. Its simple pricing structure is affordable for businesses of all sizes and order volume…
How to Find & Lease Retail Space in 6 Steps
Leasing retail space is often one of the biggest operating expenses for a small business. It takes careful planning, consideration, and budgeting to find a place that meets your needs and doesn’t take too much of your budget. Below, we’ll walk you through six steps on how to lease a retail space for your store:…
Square Fees & Pricing: The Ultimate Guide
Square is a payments, point-of-sale (POS), and business management tool for small businesses. You can use its POS app for free, and Square charges a flat-rate payment processing fee. Additional features such as marketing and payroll are available for a monthly fee. Square fees vary, depending on the solution your business needs. However, there are…
10 Benefits of Using a POS System
A point-of-sale (POS) system is a popular tool for brick-and-mortar businesses. They’ve replaced the old-school cash register with a more sophisticated, tech-forward approach to the checkout process. Shifting your business from using a basic cash register to using a POS system can feel like a daunting task. However, exploring all the benefits a POS offers—including…
How to Set Up a POS System in 6 Steps
For new small businesses, setting up a POS system can be as easy as downloading an app. More complex businesses may require professional POS installation. However, for most small storefronts, your POS setup process will be somewhere in the middle requiring a few days of DIY data entry, hardware setup, and setting configurations. Factors like…
How to Use a POS System to Run Your Business
Every independent retail or restaurant business, from corner stores to coffee shops, can benefit from using a point-of-sale (POS) system to manage small business operations. POS systems do much more than log sales, add tax, and process payments. A POS can perform a slew of vital business tasks from tracking sales to managing employees. It…
12 Tips for Great Fitting Room Design
Your fitting rooms are where people try on merchandise and make their final decisions about whether or not they will make a purchase at your store. A well-designed and inviting fitting room will incentivize shoppers to utilize your fitting spaces and, in turn, drive your sales. With good design and exciting features, you can make…
How to Price a Product (+ 18 Pricing Strategies)
Deciding how to price a product can mean the difference between success and failure for your small business. Price your items too high, and no one will buy. Price them too low, and you’ll struggle or even lose money. Pricing strategies are a mix of art and science, and you will likely have to play…
7 Best Restaurant Employee Scheduling Software 2021
Scheduling restaurant staff is tricky business, with part-time employees, changing shifts, rushes and slow periods. It also includes people doing more than one job—waiting tables one day and bartending the next, for example. Restaurant scheduling software makes it easy to create consistent schedules, alert employees about their shifts, and allows shift swapping. The best platforms…
How to Set Up Click and Collect in 5 Steps
Click and collect is a retail fulfillment strategy that allows shoppers to buy online and pick up purchases in-store or at another designated location. Also known as BOPIS (buy online, pickup in-store), BOPAC (buy online, pickup at curbside), or curbside pickup, this model prioritizes convenience for both the merchant and the customer. For independent retailers,…
How to Use Digital Menu Boards for Your Restaurant or Grocery
Digital menu boards are electronic screens that show menu options, pricing, and images. They can take many forms, including overhead displays, kiosks, and wall-mounted screens. Digital menu boards are popular in quick-service restaurants, coffee shops, groceries, delis, and food halls. These screens can also be adapted and customized to show video, directions, weather, or entertainment….