POS Nation Review
30-day money-back guarantee
24/7 visibility into your business
Top rated customer support & satisfaction
No long term contracts & hidden fees
Pros & Cons
- Includes up-front payment option
- Flexible hardware configurations
- Stellar reputation for customer service
- No long contracts & commitments
- Remote access to your data costs extra
- One off payment option has limited support
Plans & Pricing
POS Nation’s pricing is bespoke, and you must request a quote based on the exact combination of software, hardware, and integrations you require. However, everything is based on two core packages. One option is a monthly payment subscription.
The other is a one-off up-front cost where you own the hardware and then pay monthly for software. This is increasingly rare in the point-of-sale industry and could be of great interest to those who are looking to save on monthly prices.
Flex Monthly POS
Flex Monthly POS is the monthly payment arrangement currently at $149. Flex pricing includes a lifetime warranty for the hardware and software. in addition, monthly pricing covers hardware and software
Freedom POS
Freedom POS is a One-Time Payment (This is for the hardware bundle). The cost is a one-time payment of $1199 for the hardware, however, it does include a monthly payment for the software and support. Additionally, it includes a 2-year hardware warranty.
Custom Build POS
This is a fully bespoke option, customized based on your exact requirements. You can specify whichever hardware, payment options and extras you need. There’s still no long contract imposed on you. Prices for these systems are on application.
Overview
Established in 2001, US-based POS Nation provides point-of-sale solutions for all kinds of retail businesses – from convenience stores to garden centers. The company’s systems include its own POS Nation for Retail, as well as hardware and payment processing. POS Nation takes a unique approach, with much emphasis on being a small business that serves other small businesses. The company’s focus on service and values shines through, and has won it over 10,000 customers.
Features and Functionality
Flexible Payment Options
POS Nation provides a whole host of different payment options with its POS Nation for Retail. Contactless payment comes as standard, and you can also accept cash, checks, and credit and debit cards. There’s also the facility to set up customer payment accounts.
Advanced Inventory Management
The inventory management functionality in POS Nation for Retail is extremely flexible and includes features not widely seen in many POS systems. There’s vendor management with automatic stock reordering, and support for businesses that rent products to customers. You can also choose to add a mobile handheld inventory device to assist with inventory management and stock-taking.
Loyalty Features
POS Nation gives you the ability to issue loyalty cards to customers and to customize a tiered loyalty scheme with your choice of rewards. There’s also customer tracking so you can learn your customers’ spending patterns and create promotions you know will interest them.
Employee Management
POS Nation for Retail includes functionality for clocking staff in and out, managing breaks, and tracking hours worked. The solution also includes granular permissions, giving you precise control of which staff can use certain parts of the system.
Comprehensive Reporting
POS Nation for Retail offers over 50 reports, all of which can be easily exported to Microsoft Excel. Retail Mobile Dashboard (a chargeable extra at $15 per month) gives you access to your reporting from anywhere.
Hardware Requirements
All of POS Nation’s packages – both paid monthly and paid up-front – come with a basic hardware setup as standard. It’s based around a Windows touchscreen PC, as well as a barcode scanner, cash drawer, receipt printer, and contactless payment device. You can add additional hardware, such as barcode printers and pole displays. POS Nation offers a range of suggested equipment, including devices from mainstream manufacturers such as Star and Epson.
Integrations & Add-ons
POS Nation for Retail is rather limited when it comes to integrations, especially when compared to POS systems that provide a large “app store” style selection. Accounting integration with QuickBooks is available as a chargeable extra. There’s also an eCommerce module that allows you to connect POS Nation for Retail to your website. These integrations will be adequate for many retail businesses, but some may be left wanting.
Ease of Use
POS Nation for Retail is built with ease of use in mind, and there are plenty of customization options that allow you to create the optimum setup for your team. It’s simple to integrate item photographs, and there are “hotkey” layouts available for promotions or frequently purchased items. Users of POS Nation for Retail often highlight the ease of use (as well as the company’s good quality support).
Customer Support
POS Nation has a refined infrastructure for customer support and it’s well regarded by the company’s customers too. Note, however, that exactly what support you have access to varies.
As a monthly-paying customer, you have unlimited access to 24/7 assistance. However, if you opt for a one-off payment, you only qualify for business hours support for three months unless you pay for a support plan.
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24/7 Help & Support
24/7 support is included for all Flex Monthly customers and is available for Freedom customers who pay for a support agreement. This costs $39.99 per month. -
Phone Support
Telephone support is available. This is via a toll free number which is easy to find. -
Live Online Chat
No online chat is available for support, although there is an online chat facility on the website for pre-sales. -
Email
Email support is provided, and the support email address is easy to find on the website. -
Video Tutorials
POS Nation offers a range of video tutorials. As well as being posted to YouTube, these are set up for access via the Teachable platform, with login details on the POS Nation website. -
FAQ
POS Nation has a small FAQ page, however, have a Knowledgebase equipped with many resources on setup, software & hardware. -
Blog
There is a blog section on the POS Nation website. It’s reasonably well populated, with one or two new posts appearing each week.
Final Word
POS Nation’s “small business to small business” approach definitely has a certain appeal. It’s a rather “old school” approach in some ways, but there’s undoubtedly a market for this, and the system itself has all the key features most retail businesses need.
On the more negative side, the lack of integrations with modern platforms could be a deal-breaker for some. If, for example, you already have an established eCommerce setup and use various apps, POS Nation for Retail may not prove the best fit.
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