So you're ready to invest in an EPOS system for your retail business. That's exciting! But before you start comparing Shopify POS, EPOS Now, and SumUp: or any other provider: there's some groundwork you need to do first.
Here's the thing: most new retailers jump straight into comparing prices and features without properly understanding what they actually need. It's like shopping for a car before you've figured out whether you need something for city driving, long motorway journeys, or hauling equipment.
We've seen countless business owners end up frustrated because they picked the cheapest POS system or went with what their mate down the road uses, only to realise it doesn't fit their specific situation. Let's make sure that doesn't happen to you.
Define Your Business Type and Sector Requirements
Before you look at any epos system, you need to get crystal clear on what type of business you're running. This sounds obvious, but it makes a massive difference to which system will work best for you.
Are you opening a traditional retail shop, a café, a restaurant, or maybe a pop-up market stall? Each of these needs different capabilities from their POS system. A restaurant pos system needs table management and kitchen printing, whilst a retail pos system needs robust inventory tracking and potentially size and colour variants.
Even within retail, there's variation. A boutique clothing shop has different needs from a hardware store or a gift shop. Think about:
- Do you need to track inventory by size, colour, or variant?
- Will you be offering table service or just counter transactions?
- Are you planning to sell online as well as in-store?
- Do you need age verification for restricted products?
EPOS Now offers sector-specific packages tailored for retail and hospitality, which can be brilliant if you fit neatly into one category. Shopify POS excels if you're planning an omnichannel approach with online and offline sales. SumUp POS works well for straightforward retail with mobile payment needs.
Assess Your Operational Complexity Honestly
This is where you need to be really honest with yourself about your business complexity. Some retailers have simple needs: take payment, track what sold, done. Others need multi-location inventory sync, complex staff permissions, or detailed customer relationship management.
If you're running a single-location shop with straightforward transactions, you probably don't need enterprise-level features. SumUp might be perfect for you: it's designed for businesses with simple payment needs, especially if you're mobile or doing markets and events.
But if you're planning to:
- Manage multiple locations
- Offer loyalty programmes
- Handle complex discounting structures
- Need detailed sales analytics by staff member, time of day, or product category
- Integrate with accounting software automatically
Then you'll need something more robust. An epos now till system offers extensive customisation options, though be aware that complex features often come with additional costs. It's worth getting clear on your requirements before you get a quote.
Map Out Your Actual Budget (Not Just Monthly Fees)
Everyone looks at the monthly subscription cost first: it's usually something like £25-£39 per month for basic packages. But that's not your actual cost of ownership for a POS system, and this is where many new retailers get caught out.
You need to budget for:
Hardware costs: Do you need tablets, card readers, receipt printers, cash drawers, barcode scanners? Some providers bundle hardware, others charge separately.
Transaction fees: Most systems charge a percentage per transaction. These add up quickly if you're doing decent volume.
Add-on features: That basic package price rarely includes everything you'll actually need. Want advanced reporting? That's extra. Need integrated loyalty? Extra again. Multiple users? You guessed it.
Setup and training: Some providers include onboarding, others charge for it.
Integration costs: Planning to connect your epos system to your accounting software or email marketing platform? Some integrations cost extra.
When you're working out whether you need the cheapest pos system or something more feature-rich, calculate your total cost over 12 months, not just the monthly fee. Sometimes a slightly more expensive system actually works out cheaper overall because it includes features you'd pay extra for elsewhere.
Consider Your Location and Connectivity Needs
This one doesn't get talked about enough, but it's crucial: where will you be using your POS system, and how reliable is your internet connection there?
If you're in a busy high street location with solid broadband, you're probably fine with most systems. But what if:
- You're in a rural location with dodgy internet?
- You do outdoor markets or festivals?
- You trade from a pop-up location?
- Your area has frequent power cuts or connectivity issues?
In these situations, offline functionality becomes essential. You cannot afford to stop taking payments every time the Wi-Fi drops out.
SumUp's offline mode relies on 3G/4G connectivity, which can experience timeouts in areas with poor mobile coverage. EPOS Now offers seamless offline/online synchronisation that won't interrupt your trading: transactions process offline and sync automatically when connection returns. This is particularly important if you're in hospitality where you can't afford to turn customers away.
Shopify POS also offers offline mode, though it's more limited in what you can do whilst disconnected.
Think About Your Growth Trajectory
Where do you see your business in 12 months? In three years? This matters because switching EPOS systems later is a proper pain: you'll lose historical data, need to retrain staff, and potentially face downtime.
If you're starting small but have ambitious growth plans, you need a system that can scale with you. Features to consider for growth include:
- Can you easily add additional tills or locations?
- Does pricing scale reasonably, or will costs skyrocket as you grow?
- Are there features you'll need later (like advanced inventory management or customer segmentation) that you can grow into?
- Can the system handle increased transaction volume without performance issues?
Shopify POS scales brilliantly from startup to enterprise level, with features like abandoned cart recovery and sophisticated customer segmentation. If you're planning significant growth, it's worth considering even if it's slightly overkill for your current needs.
For established retailers looking for a comprehensive solution, our EPOS Now review covers how their system handles multi-location operations and business growth.
Create Your Must-Have Features List
Before you compare systems, write down your actual requirements. Not a wishlist of nice-to-haves: your genuine must-haves that your business cannot function without.
Your list might include things like:
- Inventory management with low stock alerts
- Staff management and permissions
- Integration with your accounting software (Xero, QuickBooks, etc.)
- Customer database and purchase history
- Gift card and voucher management
- Detailed sales reporting
- Multiple payment methods (cash, card, contactless, mobile payments)
Once you've got your essentials list, you can add a separate "nice-to-have" list. This helps you focus on what actually matters rather than being swayed by flashy features you'll never use.
Research Integration Requirements
Your POS system doesn't exist in isolation: it needs to work alongside your other business tools. Before comparing systems, list out everything you need your EPOS to integrate with:
- Accounting software (Xero, Sage, QuickBooks)
- E-commerce platform (if different from your POS provider)
- Email marketing (Mailchimp, Klaviyo)
- Loyalty programmes
- Booking or reservation systems
- Supplier ordering systems
Some retail pos systems have native integrations, others require third-party middleware (which usually costs extra), and some just don't integrate at all with certain tools. Finding out after you've signed up that your POS won't talk to your accounting software is frustrating and potentially expensive to fix.
Understand Your Compliance Needs
Depending on what you sell, you might have specific compliance requirements that your epos system needs to handle:
- Age-restricted sales (alcohol, tobacco, knives)
- Allergen information (for food businesses)
- Prescription tracking (for pharmacies)
- Serial number tracking (for electronics or valuable items)
Make sure any system you're considering can handle your compliance requirements out of the box, not as an expensive add-on.
Now You're Ready to Compare
Once you've done this groundwork, you're in a much better position to actually compare systems. You'll know what questions to ask providers, which features matter for your specific situation, and what your realistic budget looks like.
You can check out our detailed reviews of specific systems to see how they stack up against your requirements:
- EPOS Now review – particularly strong for retailers needing customisation and offline capabilities
- Shopify POS review – excellent for omnichannel retail
- SumUp POS review – great for straightforward, mobile-first businesses
The best pos system isn't the one with the most features or the lowest price: it's the one that fits your specific business needs, budget, and growth plans. By doing this prep work first, you'll save yourself from costly mistakes and buyer's remorse.
When you're ready to get serious about comparing options, we'd particularly recommend getting a demo of EPOS Now if you're looking for a comprehensive retail solution: their sector-specific approach and offline capabilities make them worth a proper look for most traditional retailers. You can learn more about their offering and see if it matches your requirements in our complete EPOS Now review.
Good luck with your search!