The way in which we shop is rapidly changing. Gone are the days when shopping meant a simple queue at the cashier. Today’s consumers expect seamless experiences whether they’re scanning items as they shop or utilising self-checkout. Products can now be purchased, ordered, collected and delivered in a whole host of different ways.
Point-of-sale (POS) software underpins this ever-increasing flexibility. But what are the top trends in this market, and which retailers are trying something new? Let’s dive in.
Major Chains Are Investing in Fresh POS Solutions
The market for POS software is vast. The world’s largest retailers and hospitality chains had 9.4 million POS software installations as of June 2024, according to our latest research.
The market continues to grow as new stores open and retailers install additional checkout devices in existing stores. From July 2023 to June 2024, there were around 450,000 new installations, with more than a third of these a result of firms moving to a new POS solution.
Unified Approach Aims to Elevate Customer Experience
The POS is a key part of retailers’ unified commerce strategies, with many adopting solutions to enable a wider range of checkout options for customers. For example, U.S. firm Follett College Stores has rolled out a new POS system that supports future implementation of both self-checkout and app-based self-scanning.
Many other major retailers have also invested in new POS software to standardise the experience at customer-facing touch points, including U.K. supermarket chain Asda and Myer department stores in Australia.
Empowering Associates With Value-Adding Tools
Providing store associates with technology to enhance their roles has been a driver for a number of retail and hospitality operators to switch POS suppliers. Australia Post and Burger King in North America are among those citing the benefits of their new intuitive, user-friendly solutions, including improved effectiveness, customer engagement and staff retention.
The deployment of mobile devices has also been key in untethering associates from the till and increasing better staff-customer interactions. Fashion chain AllSaints and toy retailer Build-a-Bear have both deployed fresh POS applications to enable this, via handheld terminals.
Retailers Reaching for the Cloud to Cover Future Needs
A host of major firms are switching to cloud-based solutions to future-proof their POS. U.S. fast food chain Jack-in-the-Box has adopted an API-based application that is designed to handle shifting levels of demand across drive-thru, self-ordering kiosks and its online offering.
One of the largest new POS software rollouts in recent years was at Yum! Brands’ Taco Bell, which has implemented an in-house cloud-first solution across all its locations. The change has enabled enhanced monitoring features, including real-time reporting across its stores. Another firm to introduce proprietary systems specifically designed for its own needs include U.S. restaurant chain Marco’s Pizza, with over 1,000 store locations.
Future-proofing was also a key consideration behind a change of software at South African retail giant Shoprite. From supporting the introduction of RFID-based self-checkout at a fashion brand to meeting the fiscalisation requirements of various African markets, this project highlights the diverse needs that can be placed on a POS solution.
Expect More Change
As we continue to witness the retail landscape evolve, one thing is clear: POS software must keep pace with changing consumer behaviours and business needs. Whether it’s pharmacy chain Apotek Hjartat replacing pre-internet legacy systems in Sweden or Mexico’s Innovasport rolling out open architecture software that can be integrated with its existing e-commerce platform, the message is consistent—adapt or risk falling behind.
To dive deeper into these trends and find out more about our research, click here or contact Jeni at [email protected].
