Posted 9 years ago by UserName LastName

How POS Technology Brings Big Benefits to the Natural Foods Industry2 min read

Software developers are beginning to recognize the special needs of the health food and natural foods industry, as they are rapidly becoming more sophisticated. Even though, at the primitive “heart” of this highly specialized industry lies a genuine desire to return to basics and less, rather than more tech, any natural foods merchants who hope to hold their position in the rapidly changing food industry are finding that they must make some adjustments in their philosophy, if they hope to sustain their viability beyond a couple of years. And, as a result, we are witnessing the health food industry becoming a new kind of “sophisticated,” as the operators of these stores are looking for and implementing new high tech solutions that offer much more than a “back to the Earth” cash register – no matter how quaint they may have been at one time.

Two Excellent POS Programs for Streamlined Operations

POS systems have been upgraded to include software features with features of great benefit, especially to the natural foods industry – and especially the retail area of natural foods products. There are two that seem to be, right off the top, created specifically with the natural foods retailer in mind. One of these is the capability of allowing stores to create fully customizable labels for their shelves and bulk bins, and the other is an automatic tool for precise expiration date tracking and reporting. And the good news is that these types of upgrades are becoming affordable enough for even smaller natural retailers to introduce to their operations.

Or, Pay As You Go

While the buy-in price may still seem a bit high for many, the alternative method of utilizing such services is by a “pay as you go” type of arrangement, which is available over the Internet, and provides the software as a service. This means minimal upfront expense as well as much less overhead expense for the benefit of ongoing information technology.

Buy What You Need

With many of the unique details that are found within the business of natural foods merchants, there may be certain functions of POS technology that are unnecessary, so it is important to scrutinize just what you are getting, being careful not to become swept up with enthusiasm for all of it, up front. Many health foods stores benefit from consumers staying in their stores longer, rather than quickly checking out and departing. Even more than the conventional grocery stores, the natural foods stores rely on providing their customers with the luxury of extended stays and personal interactions.