A lot goes into running a successful liquor store, from maintaining inventory and advertising to tracking sales and helping customers.
Point of sale (POS) software is extremely helpful in addressing these challenges — but some store owners are reluctant to sink money into systems that might be confusing or not have the specialized features they need.
Right now, the liquor store POS software market is overflowing with great options, and choosing the right software can be intimidating. Not to mention, the costs of a new POS system can be intimidating when other overhead costs are rising across the board.
As a result, many small businesses consider using free liquor POS software options to save money and (hopefully) boost profits. So, is all that glitters… gold? Find out in this article, as we discuss the pros and cons of using free point of sale software for liquor stores.
Despite the name, a modern POS system does much more than process payments. It also provides inventory management, employee management, sales and performance reports, customer loyalty and discounts, and more.
Combined, these features can help you run your liquor store more efficiently.
A modern liquor store POS system saves liquor stores from the tedium of manually tracking stock and the uncertainty of making purchases based on a hunch.
At the end of the day, a free POS system is always better than no POS system. If you’re not currently using liquor store POS software, a free system is a great way to see the benefits without getting locked into a long-term commitment.
Here are some of the top benefits of using a free POS system in your liquor store.
Cost is the most obvious advantage of free POS software for liquor stores. You won’t have to invest in a software license and hardware (assuming you have compatible payment processing hardware already), freeing up your capital to be invested in other components of your small business like marketing and store design.
While many free POS systems may lack advanced or industry-specific functions for liquor stores, they are designed with the optimal retail experience in mind. Most free POS systems are designed to be intuitive and user-friendly, making them easy for employees to use without extensive training.
Given you have compatible hardware, most free systems support a wide array of payment options, including popular contactless payment methods like tap to pay cards and digital wallets.
Cloud-based POS software can also be accessed from anywhere with an internet connection, giving you visibility into your store from anywhere. Several free providers also offer mobile apps, allowing you to accept payments or scan items directly from your phone without being tied to a fixed register.
One of the key benefits of using a modern, cloud-based POS system in your liquor store is that providers regularly release updates, fixing bugs and glitches, and improving security. Even most legacy systems aren’t regularly updated while many free systems are. This ensures the software your store uses stays up to date and effective with minimal effort on your part.
While less common in free POS systems, many of them can integrate with other software tools, such as accounting, security, and customer loyalty programs. This allows you to get more out of your existing systems and equipment without a big investment.
A free system is a great first step to modernizing your liquor store — but, as you might expect, “free” doesn’t always equal better. Free POS systems have several drawbacks that liquor store owners should be aware of.
The main drawback of free POS software for liquor stores is that it often has limited features when compared to paid software. As mentioned earlier, free liquor POS systems are pretty much designed to make sales, not help you manage other parts of your business.
Most of these free solutions either lack or have limited access to tools that can help you grow your business, such as:
One of the ways free POS providers recoup some of the costs from a “free” POS system is by pushing you to splurge for “advanced” features at added cost.
For example, many free general retail POS systems only allow you a limited number of inventory items or have limited SKU lookup abilities. So, be aware: If you’re taking on a free liquor POS without add-ons, you may be missing out on important tools you need to run your small business.
Scalability is another limitation worth considering. As your liquor store grows, the constraints of free software become more apparent. You may find yourself needing to migrate to a paid system anyway, at which point you will face the disruption and cost of switching that you were trying to avoid in the first place. Free POS hardware also tends to be less durable than the equipment that comes with paid, industry-specific solutions.
As far as cons go, this is a close second. Free POS software for liquor stores often has limited tech support or none at all. Though these POS systems can be intuitive and easy to use, there’s a high likelihood that you’ll encounter problems at some point.
Having POS system tech support that’s easily accessible 24/7 can be a godsend when your small business is unable to process transactions due to service outages or software errors. Unfortunately, when that happens with a free liquor store POS system, you may be left to fend for yourself.
You know those desirable add-ons we mentioned? Those include some massively important ones, such as security integration and age verification tools. A good liquor POS system comes with employee management tools to grant an owner complete oversight, integration with external security measures such as alarms, and can even include security cameras.
Many free POS providers use open source code, which makes it easier for bad actors to identify and exploit vulnerabilities. Paid, industry-specific solutions are built with proprietary security architecture that is significantly harder to compromise.
Additionally, industry-specific POS solutions come with sophisticated age-verification tools like ID scanning to ensure your store is always legally compliant.
Security is a giant concern for small businesses, especially liquor stores — and free POS software does not offer the same level of security as paid software. To fight the good fight against theft and shrinkage, a paid liquor POS system is your best bet.
A free POS system isn’t entirely free. Sure, you won’t be paying for a software subscription or hardware, but you are on the hook for any and all credit card processing fees. Those fees average between 1.5-3.5%, which might seem small but can add up over time.
Paid solutions often offer payment processing options that are more favorable to small businesses like in-house payment processing or lower rates for growing businesses. A free solution, on the other hand, will lock you into a single payment processor, and the fees are likely to be higher since this is the primary method for getting money from customers.
Last, since liquor stores are also considered a high-risk business by merchant accounts, some free POS options won’t offer optimal payment processing rates or terms.
Free liquor store POS software is capable of running your store, yes. But you should consider the advantages and disadvantages before making the decision to pass on paid point of sale providers.
While upfront costs are lower, free POS software has its costs — you miss out on essential features. Features such as liquor inventory management and reporting features could save time and money, all while helping you make decisions about stocking. You also take on more risk in the form of limited (or nonexistent) tech support and poor security reliability.
Free POS systems have their place in the liquor industry, but it’s not for everyone. Family-run operations and small liquor stores that are just starting out could see benefits from having a free POS provider. Most stores, though, should strongly consider paid options as the money saved in the long run greatly outweighs the upfront investment.
In today's competitive landscape, you will find several free point of sale providers that could be viable choices for your store. They all have limitations, but could be valuable for smaller liquor stores or businesses.
Square offers a free and easy-to-use platform that allows you to add features as you need them. You can accept payments from your phone or add simple hardware, and it offers all of the basic features you need to get started, but is more scalable as your business grows. That said, you can access more features with one of their paid options.
Helcim is a simple, free POS platform that is built for both mobile and desktop payments. Helcim offers free invoicing, online payments, and low processing fees. There are no contracts and no monthly fees, making it one of the best free POS providers when it comes to starting a business.
Loyverse has all of the basic features you need in a POS system, but also offers add-ons for inventory and employee management. Loyverse also has advanced customer loyalty features such as purchase history, number of visits, and a points reward program.
So, we know a POS system is pretty essential to your liquor store, but will a free POS do the job just as well as a paid version?
The bottom line is that you should thoroughly evaluate the needs and budget of your small business before pulling the trigger on either option.
Some free POS systems are good, and if all you want for your liquor store is the ability to accept card and contactless payments, they will do the job. That said, make sure to evaluate the monthly costs of a paid POS system and compare them to the payment processing fees you’ll be locked into with a free option.
However, a solid point of sale solution should really do more than handle payments. A feature-rich, industry-specific POS solution makes life easier with a wealth of built-in features that drive customer loyalty, keep your data secure, help you make better decisions, and set your small business up for long-term success.
Our advice? A well-priced, paid POS software for liquor stores is worth its weight in gold.
Bottle POS offers a myriad of features, from streamlined inventory ordering and auto-ranking products to advanced reporting and integrated online sales. What you see is what you get: All of the features you need are included in the software, with no additional price hikes for add-ons.
We understand why free POS software for liquor stores is tempting. It might even work for your store in the short term — but, remember the old rule of thumb: There’s no such thing as a free lunch.
If you’re ready to try a reasonably priced and broadly comprehensive system, we’ve got you covered. Schedule a demo with our team today to bring your liquor store to the next level.