Published · 4 min read
Start from what your shop sells, not from the device
A grocery needs a fast barcode scanner and a scale connected to the system. A restaurant needs a kitchen printer and table management. A pharmacy needs expiry management and an insurance link. A clothes shop needs sizes, colours and a link to its online store.
Write a list of what your shop does on a normal working day, from receiving stock to closing the shift, and compare every system against it. The seller will show you fifty features, and you need ten of them working well.
E-invoicing is not optional
In Saudi Arabia the system must issue a simplified tax invoice with a QR code that meets the requirements of the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority, and it must be ready for the integration phase. Ask the seller directly: is the system approved by ZATCA? And ask for the approval reference.
A system that is not approved means replacing it after a year along with all your data. This is the most expensive mistake we see, because the cheap system bought without approval gets replaced in full.
Questions to ask the seller before you pay
- 1
What happens when the internet goes down?
A good cloud system keeps selling without internet and uploads the data when it returns. A system that stops with the internet stops your shop with every fault on the line.
- 2
Is my data mine?
Ask to be able to export sales, customers and stock at any time in an ordinary file. If the seller says no, you are a tenant, not an owner.
- 3
What does the yearly subscription include?
Some systems sell the device cheaply and then charge for every branch, user and report. Ask for the full price for three years in writing.
- 4
Who supports me at ten on a Thursday night?
The real support number and the response time. Try calling it before you buy.
- 5
Does it work with the devices I already have?
Your existing barcode scanner, printer and mada terminal may work with the new system. Ask for the list of supported devices in writing.
Hardware: what is worth paying for and what is not
The thermal printer and the barcode scanner are the two parts used a thousand times a day, so buy those from a known brand. The screen and the board matter less, and an ordinary touch screen from a business brand is enough.
Do not buy a cheap, unbranded Android till because it cannot be serviced and parts are not available. And do not buy an ordinary desktop PC for a busy shop because dust and heat kill it within a year.
Put a small UPS on the till and the router. The cheapest item on the list and the one that saves the most sales.
Mistakes we see every month
Buying a system because a neighbouring shop uses it, without asking about stock size and number of branches. Installing the system without training the staff, so they go back to the notebook on the first busy day. Not testing a full sale before opening day: a sale, a refund, a shift close and a printed report.
And the biggest mistake: no backup. Ask how your data is saved and where, and try restoring it once before you need to.
When to call us
If you are between two systems and do not know which suits your shop, send us the type of shop and the number of tills and branches, and we will give you our honest view with no commission from any seller. Once you have chosen, we install it with the devices and test a full sale before we leave.
Common questions
Cloud system or local system?
For most shops, a cloud system that works without internet when needed. You see sales from your phone, the data is stored away from the shop, and adding a branch is easy. A local system suits those who do not want a monthly subscription and have someone to maintain the server.
How much does a POS system cost for a small shop?
Hardware for one till with a printer, scanner and drawer starts at a few thousand riyals, and the yearly software subscription varies a lot between systems. Ask for the full three-year price, because the real difference between systems is in the subscription, not the device.
Can I move my data from my old system?
Usually yes, if the old one allows export. Items, prices and stock move across in a file. The old sales history is kept as an archive and is not normally moved.
Related services
Choosing the system, installing it, linking the printer, scanner and mada terminal and testing it are all part of POS installation and support in Madinah. If you need the devices themselves at a fair price and set up before delivery, that is IT hardware supply in Madinah.