Introduction
Running a convenience store effectively and efficiently requires paying special attention to cash management, inventory management, and special data, such as tobacco and alcohol sales. These unique needs and requirements make it essential to have a powerful and fast convenience store POS system. A lot is happening at your quick-stop convenience store. Operating and managing a full-sized gas station adds plenty of work when selling snacks, alcohol, beer, fresh food, and drinks. Now is the right time to get a point-of-sale system for your convenience store because in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, cashless transactions are highly recommended for safety reasons and the retail industry in the US is heading in that direction. Cashless payments are projected to increase to almost $200 billion, revealing consumers’ changing behavior and increasing preference for non-cash transactions. Whether you are managing a large chain or a local convenience store, it is vital to process orders conveniently, accurately, and quickly, while offering a great customer experience. The best POS for convenience store owners will satisfy your unique inventory and regulatory needs. For example, many convenience stores and shops have limited shelf space. So, they must decide which products and items to stock and which ones to rotate out. As the owner of a convenience store, you know and understand that organizing, tracking, and pricing inventory is very crucial. A POS system that can assist with inventory, ordering, employee management, and other tasks is important when managing a convenience shop. We will cover the best POS for convenience stores and shed light on what makes Bonsai POS better.Bonsai POS
Bonsai POS is an all-in-one and convenient solution that offers many valuable features, such as inventory management, real-time analytics, top-notch security, and customer relationship management features. It is an ideal choice for convenience stores and shops that are looking to streamline their operations and save money and time. This is because the Bonsai Point of Sale system was developed to offer high-functionality sales systems, and fast setup, without the heavy price tag. You will be happy to know that updates are automatic and free and keep you on the cutting edge of security and functionality. Designed with speed and efficiency in mind, the Bonsai POS system offers everything from super responsive order entry and modern functionality to real-time staffing and sales analytics. If you don’t want to go with a POS system that takes a long time to learn and master, you will like the Bonsai POS system. The learning curve is shorter than most POS systems made for convenience stores. The Bonsai POS system boasts a touch screen terminal, receipt printer, barcode scanner, and cash drawer. The system also comes with reliable software that allows you to manage your sales, inventory, and customers.Notable Features
- Equipped with EMV, contactless (NFC), and magstripe
- Robust analytics reporting application
- Appointment setting capability
- Smart and seamless software easily customizable to your needs
- Cloud-based POS system- accessible from anywhere
- Intuitive interface
Pros
- Quick and simple set-up
- Versatile and feature-packed
- Multiple payment options
- Excellent customer support
- Top-class security
Cons
- Lack of integration options
KORONA
KORONA is a sleek and versatile, web-based point-of-sale software that can meet the needs of both large and small convenience stores. With your subscription, you will benefit from a comprehensive POS with powerful features, like inventory management, employee permissions, sales reports, customer loyalty, promotions, and much more. KORONA is a strong contender for a convenience store POS system for several reasons. Its flat-rate pricing includes installation and service, making it an ideal choice for small business owners on a tight budget. Besides its inventory management, Korona's point of sale for convenience store owners provides a full range of marketing and CRM features. These features help you target specific promotions, identify paying customers and give your customer the best experience. KORONA provides strong inventory features for convenience stores, including demand forecasting, product sales tracking, and purchase order functions. KORONA also integrates with Metrc. This means that you can easily and conveniently track your inventory and know when you will have to order new items. Also, you can reorder based on purchase history and seasonality. Moreover, KORONA POS lets you manage your store operations more efficiently with nifty features, such as automated ordering, reporting and metrics, retail loss prevention, and loyalty and CRM. The system also integrates with most payment processing platforms, making it cost-effective for your business.Notable Features
- Intuitive and simple design that makes training employees a breeze
- Refunds/returns provided as cash or store credit
- Time clock management with reliable staff scheduling
- Multiple employee controls with in-depth shift reports
- Integrates with QuickBooks
Pros
- No long-term contracts
- Benefit from an unlimited free trial period
- Has lottery payout functions
- Integration with major payment processors
Cons
- Fuel sales are not supported
- Limited food service functions
POS Nation
POS Nation is the leading point-of-sale system for convenience stores and shops, enabling you to streamline sales, optimize operations, and expand your business. The provider boasts powerful customer support and there are no long-term contracts and pesky hidden fees. Convenience stores can complete faster checkouts and simplify transactions with built-in sales pricing and discounts, acceptable coupons, age verification, and hotkeys. The plug-and-play POS system for convenience stores and shops supports small businesses with a dependable turnkey solution, making it simple to get started in a matter of minutes. You can access the hardware, software, and payment processing all in one spot. You will also benefit from simplified and streamlined Inventory management with features, such as case and carton-break inventory tracking, an unlimited number of SKUs, and automatic purchase orders with reorder thresholds. Cashiers have to move fast, and convenience stores and shops are always swapping out items. With POS Nation, your employees can save valuable time with customizable hotkeys for the most popular products. They can ring up items quickly and easily with the touch of a button rather than doing a manual search.Notable Features
- More than 55 prebuilt reports
- Data exports in multiple formats for deeper analysis
- Employee time and pay rate management
- Lottery ticket sales and management on one register
Pros
- The subscription fee covers the hardware cost
- Offers monthly contracts; you can easily cancel any time
- Supports lottery, fuel, and fresh food sales
- Scan IDs for age verification
Cons
- Extra payment for customer support after the first three months
- No free trial
Revel POS
The Revel POS system is a high-performing, mobile-ready, and dynamic point-of-sale software that simplifies front-end and back-end operations for convenience store owners and managers. Revel POS is a comprehensive tool equipped with features, such as order management, payment processing, and loyalty program management. This ensures that your administrative tasks run smoothly and you gain the insights and information to know your customers better. Revel’s cash management features are comprehensive. For example, you can set up cash registers with dual drawers, so your cashiers will have their unique assigned drawers. And that is not all; you can set high till alerts in order to prompt your cashiers to drop some cash in the safe whenever the cash drawer reaches a specific limit. Revel Systems provides two kinds of operation platforms; Always On and Hybrid. With Hybrid, Revel POS system runs locally on your Apple iPad while syncing all your data to the cloud service. On the other hand, the Always On Mode allows your POS software to work even when you’ve a slow or lost internet connection.Notable Features
- Excellent cash management
- Food-service functionality
- End-to-end, reliable delivery tool
- Top-notch employee and customer management
- Supports liquor sales
- Integration with QuickBooks
Pros
- Great cash tracking tools
- Robust inventory tracking using a smartphone application
- Best food service tools
- Runs smoothly on iPads
Cons
- Three-year contract
- Lack of fuel tracking tools
IT Retail
IT Retail was developed to give convenience stores and shops a better and deeper understanding of their operations. The system boasts a feature-rich inventory system, age verification, and employee management tools. IT Retail has an intuitive layout, making it simple to locate and manage your products. Also, you can get started with this POS system very quickly, as it is simple to learn. The touch screen is simple and customizable to expedite sales transactions, with many users praising the program for its intuitiveness and ease of use. The cloud-based POS technology supports all kinds of payments, including credit and debit cards, Apple Pay, EBT, and Google Pay. IT Retail also features the most comprehensive and reliable options for self-checkout terminals.Notable Features
- Supports NFC, gift cards, EMV, and EBT payments
- Grocery-optimized and simple checkout experience
- Instacart integration
- Directly import price changes from suppliers and vendors
Pros
- Great self-checkout options
- Provides theft monitoring
- Several e-commerce integrations
Cons
- No free trial
- Higher-tier subscriptions and hardware require custom price quotes
Clover
This cloud-based convenience store POS software was launched in 2012 and is designed to take and accept orders, handle inventory, and manage your team. With Clover POS, you can easily eliminate outdated processes, such as paper receipt printers, cash registers, label printers, and barcode scanners. Clover POS for convenience store owners provides several different functions in a single system, including payment, inventory, and finance tools so that you don't need to rely on several third-party providers for these crucial services. Clover POS accepts credit card swipes, PIN and chip card payments, Apple Pay, and contactless payments. Also, the Clover POS system integrates with QuickBooks, provides a time clock for easily tracking clock-ins and clock-outs, and simplifies vendor maintenance. Select the portable and stationary terminals required to run your business.Notable Features
- Automatically generate reliable customer profiles with order history
- Send customized promotions and leverage personalized email marketing campaigns
- Manage the whole staff with scheduling and other specific permissions
- Keep customers coming back to your store with loyalty programs
Pros
- It’s a one-stop solution for businesses that need a POS and payment system.
- Fully integrated solution
- Various apps that boost the system’s appeal
- Offers industry-specific point-of-sale plans
Cons
- High upfront hardware costs
Square for Retail
Like most Square products, the Square POS system is developed with ease of use in mind. If you need a system with simple installation and low-cost hardware, this POS platform will work perfectly for your convenience store. For retailers and convenience stores, Square for Retail integrates with all Square hardware, enabling you to manage inventory, employees, customer relationships, and reports. You can also track, transfer, or adjust inventory across all locations with Square for Retail. The POS solution comes with robust built-in payment processing with all Square hardware. This convenient POS helps your small business get up and running quickly, letting you customize your items grid, drag and drop items and categories, and bring popular products front and center. Getting started is as easy and quick as downloading the app to your iOS device, linking your bank account, and uploading relevant data.Notable Features
- Sell in-store and on your site with an e-commerce add-on
- Payment processing both in-store and on-the-go
- Apply for a loan, manage finances, and transfer funds fast
- Offers multi-location management
Pros
- Simple and transparent pricing
- Diverse hardware lineup
- Amazing hardware features
Cons
- Does not run on Windows desktops or tablets
C Store Pro
The POS system offers industry-specific features and has been an industry leader for more than 15 years and is deployed in about 20 countries. C Store POS system allows your business to stay in control of operations at anytime from anywhere. The convenience store POS system allows you to centralize price book administration and manage items between various departments and categories accordingly. With C Store POS software, you can set up, move, or add products as needed. You can also manage pricing by price group, custom group, division, or store location.Notable Features
- ISO 27001-2013 Certified
- Online training and remote setup
- Free C Store mobile application
Pros
- Extensive integration with many accounting systems
- Consistent software updates
Cons
- Customer support is lackluster
