Investing in a new point of sale (POS) is a huge step for your wine store.
Along with purchasing new hardware and budgeting for a monthly software subscription, you also have to put time and energy into learning the new system, training your team members, and ensuring every single wine bottle is accounted for.
With all this money and time invested, you should be sure you’re making the right choice for your business.
That’s why we’ve written this quick guide to help you find the best wine point of sale system. Learn what it is, why you need one, and our top three tips for narrowing down your options. Plus, see our top picks for wine point of sale providers.
Wine Point of Sale Systems 101
Let’s start with the basics. What does a wine point of sale system do?
Along with processing sales transactions and shaping the checkout process, this powerful tool saves you time and ensures operations are as smooth as your wines. Ideally, you’ll rely on your POS system for everything from inventory management to marketing — which is why choosing the right solution is critical.
Let’s take a look at three steps to help you find a wine point of sale system that aligns with your store’s unique needs.
1. Make a List of Must-Have Features
Our top tip is to choose a POS system designed with alcohol sales in mind. A wine-specific solution will put all the features you need right at your fingertips, including:
- Built-in age verification to prevent underage sales and protect your alcohol license
- Wine inventory management that lets you track inventory in real time by the case and bottle
- Automated purchase orders and receiving to keep your shelves perfectly stocked
- A centralized database of common wine SKUs to save time during onboarding
- Product ranking to reveal your customers’ shopping habits and favorite bottles
- A loyalty program to help you generate repeat business and boost sales
- E-commerce integration to help you capitalize on the wine e-commerce boom
Every small business is different, so work with your team to create a checklist of features that will address current pain points and take your wine store to the next level.
2. Decide on a Budget
How much will a wine point of sale system cost?
Most POS providers charge a monthly subscription fee for access to their software. Usually, you can choose between different tiers of service, with options to pay a smaller monthly fee for fewer features or upgrade to a premium tier for advanced ones. Others charge a flat monthly subscription fee and let you “build your own” package by adding a la carte features.
Most POS providers advertise their monthly subscription fee, but here are a few other costs to look out for.
- Hardware: Some POS systems are compatible with multiple hardware configurations, which means you can use your existing equipment. Others require you to purchase proprietary hardware, either upfront or for an additional monthly fee.
- Support: Ideally, your wine point of sale provider will offer 24/7 support at no additional cost, but some providers charge a monthly fee for access to their technical support team.
- Contract terms: Some companies offer lower software and hardware costs if you sign up for a long-term contract. Carefully evaluate the contract terms and check for early cancellation fees.
While free and low-cost options might be tempting, investing in a reliable, fully-featured wine POS system will prevent headaches for you and your customers.
3. Thoroughly Vet Each Provider
Now, it’s time to find a wine POS provider you can trust.
To narrow down your options, look for reviews on sites like Capterra and Trustpilot, paying special attention to reviews from other wine and liquor store owners. If you know other wine store owners, ask them about their experiences with different POS systems.
Next, schedule a demo with each provider. During this demo, you can see the system in action, explore the features you’re most interested in, and get expert answers to your questions. This final step ensures you’re choosing a user-friendly system backed up by high-quality customer service and support.
3 Wine Point of Sale Solutions To Consider
Ready to dive into the world of wine point of sale systems? To help you get started, we’ve put together this list of our three favorite POS solutions for wine retailers.
1. Square
Square is a popular POS provider known for its simple, sleek hardware and software. While it isn’t specifically designed for wine stores, we’ve included it because it’s a solid option for new business owners with small budgets.
Square offers affordable starter options, including everything you need to process transactions and perform basic inventory counts. As your wine store grows, you can upgrade to a more advanced plan to access features like e-commerce, customer loyalty, and advanced inventory and sales reporting.
Square offers a free starter option, but we recommend upgrading to their Plus plan ($29/month) for more secure age verification.
2. Vines OS
Does your wine store double as a wine bar? Then you need a flexible wine point of sale system like Vines OS.
Vines OS lets you track and sell bottles of wine and helps you manage a thriving community of wine lovers. You can set up a wine club and charge membership fees, let customers make tasting reservations, and handle orders for wine flights and glasses. You can even create QR code menus to make browsing your wine list a breeze.
Vines OS is a powerful, specialized tool — but it’s expensive. Their pricing options range from $299 to $1299, with their most popular plan starting at $599/month.
3. Bottle POS
Bottle POS is a system designed specifically for wine, beer, and liquor stores, striking the perfect balance between powerful and user-friendly.
Bottle POS has all the features you need to manage and grow your business. Our software includes case-bottle inventory tracking, scanner-powered age verification, and a built-in loyalty program to help you win over customers and make more sales.
Plus, our team of industry experts will be available during onboarding and beyond to help you achieve wine store success.
We offer pricing options to meet every wine store’s budget and needs. Use our build and price tool for an instant custom quote.
Uncork Wine Store Success With Bottle POS
Searching for a wine point of sale system that’s as sophisticated as your store’s selection? You’re in the right place.
Whether you’re planning your store’s grand opening or you’ve been in business for years, Bottle POS has everything you need to run a thriving wine store. With our software, you can manage inventory, launch sales-boosting promotions, verify customers' ages, and get valuable insights into your sales trends.
See these features and more in action by scheduling your live demo today!
