Shopify was founded after the owners of a small business, an online store for snowboarding equipment called Snowdevil, couldn't find an eCommerce platform in the market place that addressed their needs. That was 2004, and today Shopify (NYSE:SHOP) has become the very popular multichannel commerce platform designed to supply small and medium-sized businesses with all of their POS needs and more. This includes the necessary hardware for a point of sale (POS) system that can be deployed instantly, which is now available in a bundle even the smallest of businesses can afford.
Shopify POS Hardware Line
The Complete Kit
The process of deploying traditional POS systems in a retail or online store was more complicated than it had to be. When Shopify was established, it addressed the software side of e-commerce, which eventually led the company to also provide the hardware small businesses needed. The “Complete Kit” brings together four pieces of hardware so anyone can have a fully functional POS system up and running in no time at all for only $779. The kit includes a card reader, receipt printer, cash drawer and iPad stand.
Card Reader
The new card reader accepts the old and new forms of payment. So whether your customer has a magstripe card, EMV or an NFC enabled device, they will be able to tap, chip and swipe to pay. It supports Visa, MasterCard, Amex, Discover, Apple Pay, and Android Pay with an integrated PIN pad to provide full EMV chip card support.
The unit connects wirelessly to your iPad or iPhone using Bluetooth, which can be used to capture customer signatures. And because it is wireless, it can be used in a permanent location or at flea markets, pop-up shops, craft fairs, trade shows, and more.
Receipt Printer
The receipt printer has also been designed for seamless integration with the entire system. All you have to do to pair it with the Shopify POS is use the Bluetooth connection and you are done. You don't need WiFi or any other complicated network setups.
The compact design takes up little space on your counter, and it uses thermal printing technology, so you'll never need expensive ink or toner. With 60 receipts per minute, you will be able to handle even the busiest rush hour.
Cash Drawer
The APG cash drawer supports wireless operation through a connection to a receipt printer. This connectivity allows it to open automatically when you process a sale. The wireless support means you can take the cash drawer anywhere because it is not restricted to the limitations of traditional infrastructure wiring.
iPad Stand
The iPad is the brains of the Shopify system, and the WindFall Stand has been designed for the models so they can be placed perfectly when you carry out POS transactions. The stand is made with high-quality steel, tamper-resistant screws and Kensington ClickSafe Cable Lock anchor so it stays secured in place.
When you order the stand, you have to specify which iPad you have.
Additional Hardware
The Barcode Printer and 2D Barcode Scanner don't come as part of the Complete Kit, however, small businesses that want to improve their operations can do so with these two devices.
Barcode Printer
The Barcode Printer is a Dymo LabelWriter 450 that comes with the DYMO Label Software to print different size labels easily with the Shopify barcode printer app. It also works with Microsoft Word, Outlook, and other software with standard print drivers to create custom labels. It is available for $119.00.
Barcode Scanner
The 1D and 2D Barcode Scanner are available for $229 and $399 respectively. With the scanner and printer, manual data entry will be a thing of the past. The scanners have been certified by Apple for the iPad to scan barcodes printed on labels or displayed on device screens. They connect wireless to the iPad with long-range Bluetooth connection of 30 ft. (10m).
The Shopify Platform
One of the greatest benefits Shopify provides small businesses is a platform that offers enterprise grade tools to manage, market, host, and analyze their company across all of today's relevant touch points with 24/7 support.
While the vast majority of small businesses may not have the resources or technical know-how to fully take advantage of all the tools available to them, Shopify makes it easy to build and manage your online store. And the Complete Kit makes that process much easier at a very affordable price point.
Images: Shopify
This article, "Did You Know Shopify Could Help Run Your Offline Store Too?" was first published on Small Business Trends
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