Product Comparison: Retail Tablet POS - 2016

By The Business Solutions Network

We take a close look at nine different tablet-based POS software solutions for the retail industry. Which is best for your customers?

Two years ago, Business Solutions launched its first tablet-based retail software comparison article. A lot has happened in the time since. Just like we saw with last month’s hospitality comparison, some companies were acquired. Some entered the market by acquiring others. Some struggled to gain traction. Some flounder with unclear go-to-market strategies. Of course, plenty are thriving thanks to a mar- ket with an insatiable appetite for mobile solutions. To get an update on some of the past products we compared and take a look at some new ones, we thought it time to revisit this feature.

Standard disclaimer: We sought input from a variety of different companies and products. As was the case with our initial comparison, just because a company is on this list doesn’t mean they are long-established, highly successful, or the most loyal channel-friendly company. Our goal here wasn’t to judge which products should be included on the list. Rather, we want to arm you with as much information as possible about every bit of competition out there, no matter how new, low-cost, feature-rich or-poor, or who can sell it. Your customers will do their own research, so get smart and study up.

Retail POS Essentials

Prior to conducting our last comparison, we did a lot of research to decide what we should be comparing. Frankly, many established POS developers have spent decades refining their software with robust features and capabilities. In their minds, many of the newer tablet-based POS apps aren’t even in the same league due to a shorter set of features. Apparently, many retailers don’t care or aren’t educated enough to tell the difference. To say the new tablet POS apps have been a disruptor would be an under- statement. Since many retailers seem willing to sacrifice unused features for lower-cost offerings, we decided to look at core features. With input from a panel of industry veterans, we came up with a “must-have” list of retail features.