Cash registers are often thought of as a simplistic POS option. They don’t have anywhere close to the bells and whistles that full-blown POS systems offer. So it may surprise you to learn that cash registers do have some features and options to choose from. These options can affect how well-suited a cash register is for your business.
Raised or Flat Buttons
Back in the olden days, raised buttons were the only option for cash registers. Now you can get cash registers with flat buttons. There are a few reasons why you might want one cash register over the other. Cash registers with flat buttons will often have more buttons on them than raised ones. However, raised buttons are more tactile and the labels will not wear out quite as quickly. So they would be a better cash register option in limited- or low-light environments.
Number of PLUs
What often separates the low-end cash registers from the high-end cash registers is the number of Price Look-Up codes (PLUs) it can hold and manage. Low-end cash registers will start at around a few hundred PLUs and go up to around two to five thousand PLUs for the high-end cash registers. High-end cash registers will often have expanded memory options where an SD card or a USB thumb drive can be used to increase the number of PLUs.
Cash Drawer Slots
Cash drawers used with POS systems all have five spaces or slots for paper bills. This isn’t always true with cash registers. Most of the low-end and smaller models only have four slots for bills. Too many times, this is only discovered after the cash register has been purchased. Inquire about this ahead of time when choosing a cash register to avoid this pitfall.
Number of Printers
Most higher-end cash registers will have the option of one or two built-in printers. With the two printer models, the first printer is for the receipt given to the customer. The second printer is a hard copy journal of all transactions run on that cash register. This hard copy journal is completely internal and prints only on a roll inside the cash register. This is the precursor to the electrical Journal Reports found in POS systems.
Screen Size
All cash registers have both an order entry screen and a customer-facing screen. Much like with PLUs, as you move from low-end cash registers to high-end cash registers, the screen size increases. Content shown on the screen can range from one line that just shows the last item rung up and the running total to an itemized list with total and subtotal. Also, the customer-facing screen can pivot in the high-end models.
While cash registers are fairly simple compared to POS registers, you still have a few options to choose from. These can help you find a cash register that will best fit your business’s needs. Contact Total Merchant Supply today to see all the cash registers we offer.