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64-526: Originally, Billboard based their methodology on sales surveys it sent to record stores across the United States and by 1991 began monitoring point-of-sales compiled from Nielsen Soundscan . Musicologists and critics have since criticized the sales data compiled from Nielsen, finding that the company only provides sales from larger music chains, omitting small shops that specialized in Latin music—where

128-496: A receipt , as proof of transaction, which is usually printed but can also be dispensed with or sent electronically. To calculate the amount owed by a customer, the merchant may use various devices such as weighing scales , barcode scanners, and cash registers (or the more advanced "POS cash registers", which are sometimes also called "POS systems" ). To make a payment, payment terminals , touch screens, and other hardware and software options are available. The point of sale

192-642: A POS machine may need to process several qualities about a single product, like selling price, balance, average cost, quantity sold, description and department. Highly complex programming is involved (and possibly considerable computer resources) to generate such extensive analyses. POS systems are designed not only to serve the retail, wholesale and hospitality industries as historically is the case. Currently POS systems are also used in goods and property leasing businesses, equipment repair shops, healthcare management, ticketing offices such as cinemas and sports facilities and many other operations where capabilities such as

256-492: A POS system. Vendors and retailers are working to standardize development of computerized POS systems and simplify interconnecting POS devices. Two such initiatives were OPOS and JavaPOS , both of which conform to the UnifiedPOS standard led by The National Retail Foundation . OPOS ( OLE for POS) was the first commonly adopted standard and was created by Microsoft , NCR Corporation , Epson and Fujitsu-ICL . OPOS

320-487: A built-in camera and as payment terminals using built-in NFC technology or an external payment card reader. A number of POS companies built their software specifically to be cloud-based. Other businesses who launched pre-2000s have since adapted their software to evolving technology. Cloud-based POS systems are different from traditional POS largely because user data, including sales and inventory, are not stored locally, but in

384-412: A button for every menu item. By pressing the [Grill] button, a second or third order could be worked on while the first transaction was in progress. When the customer was ready to pay, the [Total] button would calculate the bill, including sales tax for almost any jurisdiction in the United States. This made it accurate for McDonald's and very convenient for the servers and provided the restaurant owner with

448-436: A check on the amount that should be in the cash drawers. Up to eight devices were connected to one of two interconnected computers so that printed reports, prices, and taxes could be handled from any desired device by putting it into Manager Mode . In addition to the error-correcting memory, accuracy was enhanced by having three copies of all important data with many numbers stored only as multiples of 3. Should one computer fail,

512-451: A cloud-based POS are instant centralization of data (important especially to chain stores), ability to access data from anywhere there is internet connection, and lower start-up costs. Cloud based POS requires an internet connection. For this reason it important to use a device with 3G connectivity in case the device's primary internet goes down. In addition to being significantly less expensive than traditional legacy point of sale systems,

576-421: A database before commercial implementation complicates the development. POS system accuracy is demanding, given that monetary transactions are involved continuously not only via the sale window but also at the back end through the receiving and inputting of goods into the inventory. Calculations required are not always straightforward. There may be many discounts and deals that are unique to specific products, and

640-491: A decade back. These systems are usually designed for restaurants, small and medium-sized retail operations with fairly simple sale processes as can be culled from POS system review sites. It appears from such software reviews that enterprise-level cloud-based POS systems are currently lacking in the market. "Enterprise-level" here means that the inventory should be capable of handling a large number of records, such as required by grocery stores and supermarkets. It can also mean that

704-455: A full-fledged inventory management system, including the ability to provide FIFO (First In First Out) and LIFO (Last In First Out), reports of their goods for accounting and tax purposes. In the hospitality industry , POS system capabilities can also diverge significantly. For instance, a restaurant is typically concerned about how the sale window functions: whether it has functionality such as creating item buttons, various discounts, adding

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768-400: A keyboard & mouse), it is far more common to utilize touchscreens as they allow for faster response and better customization for the retailer. In the past, most IBM systems used a primarily keyboard-based interface, and NCR previously used side-keys on their displays before touchscreens were widely available, similar to their ATM products. The POS system software can typically handle

832-402: A major data center can fail completely, such as in a fire. On-premises installations are therefore sometimes seen alongside cloud-based implementation to preempt such incidents, especially for businesses with high traffic. The on-premises installations may not have the most up-to-date inventory and membership information. For such contingency, a more innovative though highly complex approach for

896-471: A modular real-time multi-tasking multi-user operating system. A wide range of POS applications have been developed on platforms such as Windows and Unix. The availability of local processing power, local data storage, networking, and graphical user interface made it possible to develop flexible and highly functional POS systems. Cost of such systems has also declined, as all the components can now be purchased off-the-shelf. In 1993, IBM adopted FlexOS 2.32 as

960-400: A myriad of customer based functions such as sales, returns, exchanges, layaways, gift cards , gift registries, customer loyalty programs, promotions, discounts and much more. POS software can also allow for functions such as pre-planned promotional sales, manufacturer coupon validation, foreign currency handling and multiple payment types. The POS unit handles the sales to the consumer, but it

1024-418: A notable strength of cloud-based point of sale systems is the ability to switch to a different product, by a different developer, without having to purchase new hardware. The many developers creating new software applications help to ensure that the system is supported for longer than a typical legacy POS system. A number of noted emerging cloud-based POS systems came on the scene less than a decade or even half

1088-494: A registry tweak solution has been found for this. POS systems are one of the most complex software systems available because of the features that are required by different end users. Many POS systems are software suites that include sale, inventory, stock counting, vendor ordering, customer loyalty and reporting modules. Sometimes purchase ordering, stock transferring, quotation issuing, barcode creating, bookkeeping or even accounting capabilities are included. Each of these modules

1152-487: A remote server. The POS system is also not run locally, so there is no installation required. Depending on the POS vendor and the terms of contract, compared to traditional on-premises POS installation, the software is more likely to be continually updated by the developer with more useful features and better performance in terms of computer resources at the remote server and in terms of fewer bugs and errors. Other advantages of

1216-473: A service charge, holding of receipts, queuing, table service as well as takeaways, merging and splitting of a receipt. These capabilities may be insufficient for a spa or slimming center which would require, in addition, a scheduling window with historical records of customers' attendance and their special requirements. A POS system can be made to serve different purposes to different end users depending on their business processes. Often an off-the-shelf POS system

1280-542: A specialized x86-based computer running Windows Embedded or Linux ), a method for employee input, cash drawer, receipt printer , barcode scanners (which may incorporate a scale), and an interface for processing Card payments and Processing Customer Information (a Payment Terminal ). It can also include a conveyor belt , checkout divider , wireless handheld scanners, integrated card processing systems, and customer-facing displays to display totals and show advertisements. While some systems use typical PC interfaces (such as

1344-413: A user to adjust the inventory of each product based on physical count, track expiry of perishable goods, change pricing, provide audit trail when modification of inventory records is performed, be capable of multiple outlet functionality, control of stocks from HQ, doubling as an invoicing system, just to name some. It is clear that POS system is a term that implies a wide range of capabilities depending on

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1408-706: Is a COM -based interface compatible with all COM-enabled programming languages for Microsoft Windows . OPOS was first released in 1996. JavaPOS was developed by Sun Microsystems , IBM , and NCR Corporation in 1997 and first released in 1999. JavaPOS is for Java what OPOS is for Windows, and thus largely platform independent. There are several communication ways POS systems use to control peripherals such as: There are also nearly as many proprietary protocols as there are companies making POS peripherals. Most POS peripherals, such as displays and printers, support several of these command protocols to work with many different brands of POS terminals and computers. The design of

1472-692: Is a label declaring the price of an item for sale. It may be a sticker or attached by twist tie or other means. Some jurisdictions require items (possibly exceptions for bulk good and produce) to be individually marked with the price, or have shelf tags or barcode scanners available so customers can determine prices without consulting store staff. In some cases, unit price is also required. Some jurisdictions also outlaw price discrimination except for different quantities (e.g. quantity discounts are allowed) or different types of customers (e.g. individuals vs. organizations that might be expected to buy in bulk or have better creditworthiness). For example,

1536-492: Is completed the shorter the queue time which improves customer satisfaction, the less space it takes, which benefits shoppers and staff. High-traffic operations such as grocery outlets and cafes need to process sales quickly at the sales counter so the UI flow is often designed with as few popups or other interruptions to ensure the operator isn't distracted and the transaction can be processed as quickly as possible. Although improving

1600-434: Is in vogue among both end-users and vendors. The basic, fundamental definition of a POS System is a system which allows the processing and recording of transactions between a company and its consumers, at the time in which goods and/or services are purchased. Early electronic cash registers (ECR) were controlled with proprietary software and were limited in function and communication capability. In August 1973, IBM released

1664-450: Is inadequate for customers. Some customization is required, and this is why a POS system can become very complex. The complexity of a mature POS system extends to remote networking or interlinking between remote outlets and the HQ such that updating both ways is possible. Some POS systems offer the linking of web-based orders to their sale window. Even when local networking is only required (as in

1728-480: Is interlinked if they are to serve their practical purpose and maximize their usability. For instance, the sale window is immediately updated on a new member entry through the membership window because of this interlinking. Similarly, when a sale transaction is made, any purchase by a member is on record for the membership window to report providing information like payment type, goods purchased, date of purchase and points accumulated. Comprehensive analysis performed by

1792-425: Is not just for processing sales but comes with many other capabilities, such as inventory management, membership systems, supplier records, bookkeeping, issuing of purchase orders, quotations and stock transfers, hide barcode label creation, sale reporting and in some cases remote outlet networking or linkage, to name some major ones. Nevertheless, it is the term POS system rather than retail management system that

1856-413: Is often referred to as the point of service because it is not just a point of sale but also a point of return or customer order. POS terminal software may also include features for additional functionality, such as inventory management , CRM , financials, or warehousing . Businesses are increasingly adopting POS systems, and one of the most obvious and compelling reasons is that a POS system eliminates

1920-800: Is only one part of the entire POS system used in a retail business. The controlling servers, or "Back-office" computers, typically handle other functions of the POS system such as inventory control, pricing, purchasing, receiving and transferring of products to and from other locations. Other typical functions of a POS system are: store sales information for enabling customer returns, reporting purposes, sales trends and cost/price/profit analysis. Customer information may be stored for receivables management, marketing purposes and specific buying analysis. Many retail POS systems include an accounting interface that "feeds" sales and product losses, cash drawer expected totals, and cashier productivity information to independent accounting applications. Price tag A price tag

1984-441: The ergonomics is possible, a clean, fast-paced look may come at the expense of sacrificing functions that are often wanted by end-users such as discounts, access to commission earned screens, membership and loyalty schemes can involve looking at a different function of the POS to ensure the point of sale screen contains only what a cashier needs at their disposal to serve customers. The advent of cloud computing has given birth to

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2048-404: The merchant calculates the amount owed by the customer , indicates that amount, may prepare an invoice for the customer (which may be a cash register printout), and indicates the options for the customer to make payment. It is also the point at which a customer makes a payment to the merchant in exchange for goods or after provision of a service. After receiving payment, the merchant may issue

2112-474: The 1936 Robinson–Patman Act outlaws this practice in the United States . Many price tags also bear the name of the store. Before the late 19th century, in most cases, retail goods did not have a fixed price, and each customer would be expected to haggle with the store clerk. The Quakers , who found it immoral for different customers to pay different prices (now known as price discrimination ) were an exception. The Pennsylvania Quakers" "honest price"

2176-864: The 1990s, offering an alternative to limited displays like two-line VFDs used in the IBM 4683 . The performance of the employees using the POS devices, a controllable cost for the business, depends upon the ease of learning, ease of use, and level of employee experience with it. Although experienced employees work more quickly with mechanically keyed entry , some systems favoured adopting GUI technology for ease of learning or for ergonomic factors. The key requirements that must be met by modern POS systems include high and consistent operating speed, reliability, ease of use, remote supportability, low cost, and rich functionality. Retailers can reasonably expect to acquire such systems (including hardware) for about $ 4000 US (as of 2009) per checkout lane. Reliability depends not wholly on

2240-622: The IBM 3650 and 3660 store systems that were, in essence, a mainframe computer used as a store controller that could control up to 128 IBM 3653/3663 point of sale registers. This system was the first commercial use of client-server technology, peer-to-peer communications, local area network (LAN) simultaneous backup, and remote initialization. By mid-1974, it was installed in Pathmark stores in New Jersey and Dillard's department stores. One of

2304-474: The POS machine must quickly process the differences and the effect on pricing. There is much complexity in the programming of such operations, especially when no error in calculation can be allowed. Other requirements include that the system must have functionality for membership discount and points accumulation/usage, quantity and promotional discounts, mix and match offers, cash rounding up, invoice/delivery-order issuance with outstanding amount. It should enable

2368-561: The Regional Mexican Albums chart. The current number-one album on the chart is Incómodo by Tito Double P . According to the RIAA , albums containing more than 50% Spanish language content are awarded with gold certifications (Disco de Oro) for U.S. shipments of 100,000 units; platinum (Disco de Platino) for 200,000 and multi-platinum (Multi-Platino) for 400,000 and following in increments of 200,000 thereafter. In

2432-401: The area around the checkout instead as the point of purchase ( POP ) when they are discussing it from the customer's perspective. This is particularly the case when planning and designing the area as well as when considering a marketing strategy and offers. Some point of sale vendors refer to their POS system as "retail management system" which is a more appropriate term, since this software

2496-427: The basis of their IBM 4690 OS in their 469x series of POS terminals. This was developed up to 2014 when it was sold to Toshiba , who continued to support it up to at least 2017. With increased options for commodity hardware and a more competitive market, the 1990s saw increased attention paid to the user interaction between store employees and POS systems. Touchscreens and larger displays became widely available in

2560-631: The case of a high-traffic supermarket), there is the ever-present challenge for the developer to keep most if not all of their POS stations running. This puts high demand not just on software coding but also designing the whole system covering how individual stations and the network work together, and special consideration for the performance capability and usage of databases. Due to such complexity, bugs and errors encountered in POS systems are frequent. With regard to databases, POS systems are very demanding on their performance because of numerous submissions and retrievals of data - required for correct sequencing

2624-455: The cashier switches over to the cloud system, the locally processed sale records are then automatically submitted to the remote system, thus maintaining the integrity of the remote database. Although cloud-based POS systems save the end-user startup cost and technical challenges in maintaining an otherwise on-premises installation, there is a risk that if the cloud-based vendor closes down it may result in more immediate termination of services for

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2688-536: The database. Enterprise database Microsoft SQL Server, for example, has been known to freeze up (including the OS) entirely for many minutes under such conditions showing a "Timeout Expired" error message. Even a lighter database like Microsoft Access will slow to a crawl over time if the problem of database bloating is not foreseen and managed by the system automatically. Therefore, the need to do extensive testing, debugging and improvisation of solutions to preempt failure of

2752-453: The developer but at times on the compatibility between a database and an OS version. For example, the widely used Microsoft Access database system had a compatibility issue when Windows XP machines were updated to a newer version of Windows. Microsoft offered no immediate solution. Some businesses were severely disrupted in the process, and many downgraded back to Windows XP for a quick resolution. Other companies utilized community support, for

2816-409: The developer is to have a trimmed down version of the POS system installed on the cashier computer at the outlet. On a daily basis the latest inventory and membership information from the remote server is automatically updated into the local database. Thus should the remote server fail, the cashier can switch over to the local sale window without disrupting sales. When the remote server is restored and

2880-514: The end-user compared to the case of a traditional full on-premises POS system where it can still run without the vendor. Another consideration is that a cloud-based POS system actually exposes business data to service providers - the hosting service company and the POS vendor which have access to both the application and database. The importance of securing critical business information such as supplier names, top selling items, customer relationship processes cannot be underestimated given that sometimes

2944-456: The end-user requirements. POS system review websites cannot be expected to cover most let alone all the features. Unless one is a developer, it is unrealistic to expect the reviewer to know all the aspects of a POS system. For instance, a POS system might work smoothly on a test database during the review but not when the database grows significantly in size over months of usage. And this is only one among many hidden critical functionality issues of

3008-416: The few key success factors or trade secrets of a business are actually accessible through the POS system. This security and privacy concern is an ongoing issue in cloud computing . The retail industry is one of the predominant users of POS terminals. The POS interface at a retail establishment varies greatly depending on the industry and owner of the retailer, but usually includes a cash register (typically

3072-518: The first microprocessor-controlled cash register systems was built by William Brobeck and Associates in 1974, for McDonald's Restaurants . It used the Intel 8008 , an early microprocessor (forerunner to the Intel 8088 processor used in the original IBM Personal Computer ). Each station in the restaurant had its own device which displayed the entire order for a customer — for example, [2] Vanilla Shake, [1] Large Fries, [3] BigMac — using numeric keys and

3136-438: The following are required: processing monetary transactions, allocation and scheduling of facilities, keeping record and scheduling services rendered to customers, tracking of goods and processes (repair or manufacture), invoicing and tracking of debts and outstanding payments. Different customers have different expectations within each trade. The reporting functionality alone is subject to so many demands, especially from those in

3200-468: The following table, the certifications shown are standard as any album release in United States: gold certification for sales of 500,000 copies; platinum, for one million units, and multi-platinum for more than one million sold. Point-of-sale The point of sale ( POS ) or point of purchase ( POP ) is the time and place at which a retail transaction is completed. At the point of sale,

3264-491: The inventory library stock levels when selling products, real-time reports accessible from a remote computer, staff timesheets and a customer library with loyalty features. Cloud-based POS systems are also created to be compatible with a wide range of POS hardware and sometimes tablets such as Apple's iPad . Thus cloud-based POS also helped expand POS systems to mobile devices , such as tablet computers or smartphones . These devices can also act as barcode readers using

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3328-769: The majority of Latin music sales are generated. The magazine began to rank Latin music recordings in August 1970 under the title Hot Latin LPs , which only ranked the best-selling Latin albums in Los Angeles ( Pop ) and the East Coast ( Salsa ). Before the chart's inception, musicians' only chart success was the Texas Latin LPs (formerly the San Antonio Latin LPs) section, where regional Mexican music

3392-502: The need for price tags . Selling prices are linked to the product code of an item when adding stock, so the cashier merely scans this code to process a sale. If there is a price change, this can also be easily done through the inventory window. Other advantages include the ability to implement various types of discounts, a loyalty scheme for customers, and more efficient stock control. These features are typical of almost all modern ePOS systems. Retailers and marketers will often refer to

3456-478: The other could handle the entire store. In 1986, Gene Mosher introduced the first graphical point of sale software featuring a touchscreen interface under the ViewTouch trademark on the 16-bit Atari 520ST color computer. It featured a color touchscreen widget-driven interface that allowed configuration of widgets representing menu items without low level programming. The ViewTouch point of sale software

3520-722: The possibility of electronic point of sale (EPOS) systems to be deployed as software as a service , which can be accessed directly from the Internet using any internet browser . Using the previous advances in the communication protocols for POS's control of hardware, cloud-based POS systems are independent from platform and operating system limitations. EPOS systems based in the cloud (most small-business POS today) are generally subscription-based, which includes ongoing customer support. Compared to regular cash registers (which tend to be significantly cheaper but only process sales and prints receipts), POS systems include automatic updating of

3584-399: The receipt number, checking various discounts, membership, calculating subtotal, so forth - just to process a single sale transaction. The immediacy required of the system on the sale window such as may be observed at a checkout counter in a supermarket cannot be compromised. This places much stress on individual enterprise databases if there are just several tens of thousands of sale records in

3648-413: The retail/wholesale industry. To cite special requirements, some business's goods may include perishables and hence the inventory system must be capable of prompting the admin and cashier on expiring or expired products. Some retail businesses require the system to store credit for their customers, credit which can be used subsequently to pay for goods. A few companies expect the POS system to behave like

3712-400: The sale window is the most important one for the user. This user interface is highly critical when compared to those in other software packages such as word editors or spreadsheet programs where the speed of navigation is not so crucial for business performance. For businesses at prime locations where real estate is at a premium, it can be common to see a queue of customers. The faster a sale

3776-429: The system software and cloud server must be capable of generating reports such as analytics of sale against inventory for both a single and multiple outlets that are interlinked for administration by the headquarters of the business operation. POS vendors of such cloud based systems should also have a strong contingency plan for the breakdown of their remote server such as represented by fail-over server support. Sometimes

3840-399: Was Jaula de Oro by Los Tigres del Norte on June 29, 1985. In 1994, Selena 's Amor Prohibido debuted and peaked at number one in three different calendar years (1994–1996), making her the first artist to do so. Amor Prohibido currently holds the record for the most weeks at number one, with 96 nonconsecutive weeks. Jenni Rivera is the female act with the most number ones at nine on

3904-612: Was first demonstrated in public at Fall Comdex, 1986, in Las Vegas Nevada to large crowds visiting the Atari Computer booth. This was the first commercially available POS system with a widget-driven color graphic touch screen interface and was installed in several restaurants in the US and Canada. In 1986, IBM introduced its 468x series of POS equipment based on Digital Research 's Concurrent DOS 286 and FlexOS 1.xx,

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3968-472: Was institutionalized in 1874 by John Wanamaker , when he opened his eponymous department store in Philadelphia. A renowned innovator of the highest integrity, Wanamaker was the first retailer to offer money-back guarantees. He also invented the price tag: "A devout Christian, he believed that if everyone was equal before God, then everyone should be equal before price." Before Wanamaker's, every purchase

4032-626: Was more prominent. Beginning in November 1993, Billboard lowered the rankings from twenty-five to fifteen positions on its Latin genre-specific charts, while the Top Latin Albums expanded to fifty titles. From July 2001 until April 2005, the chart increased to twenty titles and then lowered back to fifteen titles. Since 2009, the Regional Mexican Albums chart lists the top twenty best-selling albums determined by sales data compiled from Nielsen SoundScan. The first album to peak at number one

4096-556: Was open to a haggle. Macy's in New York ( Rowland Hussey Macy was a Quaker) also began affixing physical tags to items in the 1870s, eliminating haggling. This allowed shorter training time for new clerks (who would no longer need to know the art of haggling nor the range of accepted prices for every item) and allowed clerks to serve more customers. Even large stores kept goods behind a counter, requiring clerks to fetch items for customers. The Piggly Wiggly chain of grocery stores

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