The Guide To Choosing A Salon POS System

The best POS systems for small businesses will usually work for salons, but there are some niche features you need to be successful that might not be offered by more generalized software.

This is where the best salon POS software comes to the rescue. These POS systems were designed with small businesses like yours in mind. But how should you choose and what should you look for?

Choosing A Salon POS System: Where To Begin

The hardest part of this journey is going to be sorting through the large amount of information you’ll find on POS systems. Here are a couple of categories to consider when you begin your research.

What Can You Afford?

The most important place to start is with your budget to outline the specifics of POS pricing. Here are some questions to ask yourself before you start your POS journey.

• How much can you afford to pay each month for a POS system?
• Are you willing to pay more for integrations/add-ons?

All POS systems are going to charge you a payment processing fee on each transaction. Some are less than others (standard rates are around 2.6% + $0.10 per transaction), and some systems require you to use their in-house payment processor.

If you want the option to use a different processor with potentially lower fees or one you already do business with, you’ll need to double-check with any POS system to make sure they allow third-party payment processing.

What Features Do You Need?

If you don’t know what your business needs, this is going to be a relatively impossible process. Here are some basic salon-specific features that you should look for.

• Appointment scheduling and booking software
• Retail inventory management
• Backstock inventory management
• Customer loyalty program
• Marketing
• Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
• Franchise management software

While not all of these features are absolute necessities, most of them are going to save you time and money in the long run. We recommend checking out the best salon POS integrations for 2024.

What Hardware Do You Want?

This is the last crucial question you need to ask yourself when considering a POS system. There are typically three main kinds of POS hardware offered.

• Mobile: This can be a small device that you connect to your smartphone, a handheld device specifically for POS payments, or a tablet that can be moved from the counter to your chair.
• Tablet: These systems can be considered mobile or just have a smaller footprint than a traditional cash register. They are comprised of a tablet and some sort of stand but can include a receipt printer, scale, scanner, and more.
• Countertop: This is the most well-known hardware when it comes to taking payments. You can build your own with a tablet and many additional hardware pieces or by purchasing a hardware kit from a POS system. These systems are not portable but do have a more professional presence.

If you want to learn more, check out our POS hardware buyer’s guide.

The Bottom Line On Choosing The Right Salon POS System

Take some of the stress out of your day with a salon-specific POS system. After all, you probably spend most of your day helping clients destress. Apply some of that philosophy to yourself by opting for salon/spa-centered POS software.

Still not convinced? Check out our other salon POS content (like our article on why you need a salon-specific POS) to learn more and start your POS journey on the right foot.