How to choose a POS system for a hardware shop in Kenya

A hardware shop is one of the hardest places to run a till. Thousands of items, some sold by the piece and some by the metre or kilo, contractors on credit, walk-in customers paying by M-Pesa, and stock that arrives in bulk from several suppliers. A point of sale (POS) system that works for a supermarket won't necessarily work for you.

Here are the questions worth asking before you choose one.

1. How fast is checkout with your real products?

Ask for a demo using your own items: cement by the bag, nails by the kilo, pipe by the length. Can the cashier find an item by typing part of its name or code? Can they change the quantity quickly? A slow till costs you customers at the busiest hour.

2. Does it take every way your customers pay?

In Kenya that means cash, M-Pesa, card and split payments (part cash, part M-Pesa). Check that M-Pesa payments are recorded with their transaction code, so you can match them to your statement later.

3. Can you sell on credit to contractors?

Most hardware shops sell to fundis and contractors on account. The POS should let you sell to a named customer on credit, see their balance before the sale, and refuse when they're over their limit.

4. Does every sale update your stock?

If the till and the stock records are separate, they will drift apart. Each sale should reduce stock immediately, and each delivery from a supplier should increase it. Ask how returns work, too: a returned item should go back into stock.

5. Does every sale reach your books?

This is where many POS systems fall short. If you have to re-type daily sales into your accounting, mistakes creep in. Look for a POS where sales, VAT and cost of sales post to your accounts automatically.

6. What happens at the end of each shift?

You need to know whether the drawer matches what the system says it should hold. Look for shift opening and closing, cash-up with the variance shown, and a daily summary per till.

7. Who can do what?

Cashiers shouldn't be able to give discounts, void sales or see your profit report. Check that the POS has roles and permissions, and that sensitive actions are recorded with who did them.

8. Will it grow with you?

If you open a second branch or add a till, does the price jump, or can you add what you need? Ask what a second till, a second branch and an extra user each cost.

9. What does it really cost?

Compare the full monthly cost: the plan, extra users, extra tills, and any SMS or payment charges. A cheap plan that lacks M-Pesa or credit sales will cost you more in workarounds.

How SooBooks POS fits

SooBooks POS is included in every SooBooks plan, from KSh 500 a month plus VAT. It takes cash, M-Pesa, card and split payments, sells on account, updates stock with every sale, posts sales and VAT to your books, and closes each shift with a cash-up. You can try it free for 7 days.