Whether operating a food truck, staffing a stall at the Fremantle Markets, or running a public exhibition for your product or service, pop-up shops need a reliable, portable point of sale (POS) system, such as a mobile POS system, to ensure they can accept and track payments on the go.
Mobile POS (mPOS) systems can differ in implementation in a variety of ways, but at their core, utilise a dedicated wireless device, such as a smartphone or tablet, to facilitate many of the functions of a traditional POS terminal, including but not limited to processing transactions.
Why Might Pop-up Shops Need a Mobile POS System
Many of the problems faced by pop-up shops stem from their lack of a fixed location and haphazard access to amenities. Not only do operators need to be able to set up and quickly take down their temporary space at the open and close of business, but they can never be 100% sure of the state of the amenities they'll have access to.
Traditional POS Systems and terminals can often be cumbersome and require an external power source to operate, which increases the amount of equipment a pop-up shop may need to transport and their reliance on on-location amenities. Without a portable solution, many pop-up shops may be unable to accept card payments, which made up 76% of all payments in Australia in 2022 and continue to grow.
Even payments between one to ten dollars that historically would have been made with cash are now made with a card over 70% of the time in Australia, up from 50% in 2021.
By utilising a mobile device for your point of sale through applications, POS software and add-ons such as NFC readers or receipt printers, mobile POS systems can reduce the amount of equipment you need to regulate your store and your reliance on external amenities.
Benefits of Mobile POS Systems
Mobile POS systems help pop-up shop operators remain flexible. With just a smartphone or tablet, an app and possibly a Bluetooth portable EFTPOS machine, such as the Tyro Go, pop-up shops can easily accept card payments anywhere they have an internet connection, whether through 3G, 4G, 5G or Wi-Fi.
Like a traditional POS System, by combining and integrating other POS software applications into your system, the functionality of your mobile POS system can be further expanded whilst still remaining easily accessible from your tablet or smartphone.
POS software additions are designed with a variety of industries in mind and alongside general improvements such as streamlining inventory or ingredient management and bookkeeping, may revolutionise your ordering process.
For food trucks, the combination of QR codes and an online ordering system for contactless ordering may help operators work through the long queues that form at peak times more efficiently. This online site and ordering system may even be combined with Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software to send out newsletters or marketing communications detailing future events or locations you'll be operating at to build a dedicated audience and improve future sales.
Mobile POS systems help bring all the benefits of a modern POS system to your fingertips.
Contact the team at 21st Century Business Equipment for all your mobile POS system needs. Having served Western Australia's point-of-sale needs for more than the last 35 years we have the experience to help.