Free POS system – is that the future?

Do many talks about it? POS systems – do they have to be so expensive? Not only when purchasing, but also when maintaining in the form of high maintenance costs? POS systems are like the heart of an organism, everything simply has to run right – otherwise it will be critical! Perhaps you (like so many others) also ask yourself whether a free cash register system is even possible?

I have analyzed for you whether this can really exist and what these systems can even do, if they exist. And furthermore, it is of course important that free cash register systems also comply with local laws (for example the cash register security regulation in Germany or the cash register security regulation in Austria). Compliance with the law is of course a prerequisite for fulfilling all legal requirements.

In the next sections I have analyzed the following attributes for you:

• Which providers of free cash register systems are there?
• How do these providers differ?
• What criteria can you use to evaluate the providers and then compare them?
• Are these free cash register systems also compliant with the law?

Is there a free cash register system?

Basically, the use of cash register systems is becoming more and more popular, as their use offers many advantages, for example:

• easy creation of receipts and invoices,
• Article management so that you have a good overview of your own offer,
• Employee administration (partly including time recording, which is required by law in some countries),
• Sales reports showing sales by period, sales tax class, items, services, employees, …
• ERP systems that show what is too much and what is too little in stock
• and much more!

There are currently different providers of POS systems, or Offisy (currently only in AT). It is important to mention that in certain cases there may be costs for requirements that are required by the respective state. An example is the legally required certificate in Austria and the technical safety device in Germany.

How large is a cash register system that is free of charge?

Basically, of course, it depends on the provider. Most of the time, however, the functions that are required by law are really free of charge with the free cash register system. What the POS system can do then of course depends on the country:

Functions of free cash register systems?

These functions are often included:

• Onboarding tours
• Cash book
• multiple payment methods
• Import options
• Export opportunities
• Discount management
• Document creation
• Receipt printing
• Document overview and invoice overview
• Integration of contactless payment options
• …

Which functions are important now?

Of course, it depends on the user which functions are important and which functions are unimportant. Here you can find examples, depending on the application or the industry

Use cases in gastronomy

For example, the following applications are relevant in gastronomy:

• Kitchen printing or radio ordering
• Split the bill
• Share tables
• Rebook tables
• …

Retail use cases

• Merchandise management
• Article management
• …

Use cases in the service

• Employee administration
• Management of services

Will POS systems of the future be free?

Yes I’m sure! Why? Cash register systems will be free of charge in the future, as “one software” can be made accessible to several users at once.

From expensive to free – a comparison everyone knows:

Skype – who doesn’t know this service today? At the beginning of the 2000s and the end of the 90s, calling via mobile phone (at that time smartphones were still unknown in today’s sense) was relatively expensive. Especially when calling abroad. Skype (history, …), which was later bought by Microsoft, was launched in year x. In the beginning, there was still mistrust as to how free calls could work. But within a few years it was standard to make calls with Skype.

Another comparison that is more recent – see Whatsapp vs. SMS. Link to study….

Whatsapp has largely replaced SMS. And, Whatsapp is free …

These are just 2 examples where I am sure that POS systems will be free in the future.

What are the advantages vs. The disadvantages of this development:

Advantages:

• In the long term, it will be cheaper for users of POS systems
• As a result, providers of POS systems are forced to develop new (product) innovations. Because, of course, providers of cash register systems also have to generate revenue to cover their own costs:
  • Personnel costs
  • Marketing costs
  • Development costs

Cons:

• Race-to-the-bottom from the providers’ point of view will of course be more difficult as the average customer turnover will drop sharply.
• Cash register providers have to develop new earning opportunities – but this will again be of benefit to the user himself.