Killer marketing and customer service are vital for liquor store owners, but managing your inventory well will make or break your long-term financial success.
That’s why it’s shocking to see so many stores still using spreadsheets and outdated inventory tracking methods. It’s not only time-consuming and error-prone, it’s costing independent liquor stores money in lost sales and disappointed customers.
That’s where liquor store inventory software can help. Modern solutions simplify and streamline inventory processes so you can make smarter decisions and spend more time with customers.
Go straight to our top picks for liquor store inventory software in 2024 or get an overview of liquor store inventory management solutions first to learn:
Let’s dive in.
Most liquor retailers need help keeping track of their inventory, which can lead to overstocking, stockouts, and understocking. But is investing in inventory management software worth the time, money, and effort?
You might be surprised.
The bottom line: outdated or manual inventory tracking can cost your liquor store serious money, lead to disappointed customers, and limit your ability to grow.
Using modern liquor store inventory management software is a cost-effective and practical way to:
These benefits are mainly a result of the ability to track inventory in real time. A real-time view helps you be more proactive in avoiding common issues. It also gives you heaps of invaluable data you can use to make better decisions, reduce costs, and delight your customers.
An inventory management system is, at its core, software that helps you track and manage your stock effectively and make better purchasing decisions.
This will ensure you order the right types of products in the right amounts, which keeps customers happy and improves your bottom line.
The most important features of an inventory management system are:
While this is not a comprehensive list of everything a liquor store inventory system can do, it’s a great starting point when you’re looking at different options.
If you search for liquor store inventory software online, you’ll get a lot of systems that only handle inventory management.
In general, for small and medium-sized liquor store businesses we always recommend an all-in-one solution that combines your inventory tracking, sales, reporting, e-commerce, and more.
A standalone system is more geared toward large-scale operations, wholesalers, or manufacturers who need advanced features like warehouse management, automated ordering, and supply chain management.
We highly recommend you prepare before you start talking with different software companies. Start by asking yourself why you’re looking for inventory software.
Are you trying to cut costs? Get more accurate inventory information? Use it for reporting?
This will help you pinpoint the features you want to see and what questions to ask (and we recommend you ask lots of questions).
Last, consider your budget and hardware needs. How much are you currently paying? Do you need (or want) new hardware? Are there other pieces of software that a new system would replace?
Taking time to consider all of these factors will ensure that any software demos you take are productive and get to the heart of your business needs.
Picking the right inventory management solution for your business will depend on your size, short and long-term goals, and preferences. Every business is unique, and there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution that works for everyone.
Here are our top five picks for liquor store inventory software in 2024.
Bottle POS is our top-rated solution specifically built for liquor stores, wine shops, and other alcohol retailers. Built by liquor store owners for liquor store owners, Bottle POS is a user-friendly and all-in-one choice for small to mid-sized liquor store businesses.
Standout Features
Pricing
Bottle POS offers flexible pricing tiers depending on your business size, hardware requirements, and other business needs. The Starter tier starts at $69/month.
Reviews
Bottle POS has 4.8 stars on Trustpilot and a 4.9-star rating on Google, with almost 500 reviews.
Based in Canada, Lightspeed POS serves retailers across the globe with its highly scalable point of sale and inventory solution. With multi-channel and franchise-level functions, Lightspeed is ideal for rapidly growing or large-scale operations.
Standout Features
Pricing
Lightspeed POS’ Basic plan starts at $89/month and includes one register.
Reviews
Lightspeed currently has 4.3 stars on Trustpilot.
KORONA POS is a point of sale system built to help many types of businesses succeed. While it doesn’t support the robust inventory features on this list, it does boast some powerful customer relationship management (CRM) tools that may make it worth the investment.
Standout Features
Pricing
KORONA POS’ Retail plan (which includes inventory management) starts at $69/month with optional module packages ranging from $10 to $50/month per terminal.
Reviews
KORONA POS currently has 4.4 stars on Trustpilot.
POS Nation is a well-established brand with over 10,000 customers. With many features specifically built for liquor retailers, POS Nation is another solid choice for an all-around inventory management and POS solution.
Standout Features
Pricing
POS Nation offers several pricing plans starting at $69/month.
Reviews
POS Nation currently has 4.7 stars on Trustpilot.
mPower Beverage is another specialty software built specifically for the liquor industry, with many specialized inventory features.
Standout Features
Pricing
mPower Beverage costs $120/month and requires a $1,000 upfront cost.
Reviews
mPower Beverage is currently unrated on Trustpilot and has a 3.4 rating on Google.
The average liquor store’s daily operations revolve around inventory — everything from receiving, invoicing, auditing, setting prices, and more.
When those processes become more efficient and accurate, you can cut costs, delight more customers, and better understand your financial health.
If you’re looking for an inventory upgrade, talk to the liquor store specialists at Bottle POS. With handy features like auto-ranking, auto-invoicing, mobile support, and more, we make accurately tracking inventory easy.
Want more information on how to master inventory management at your liquor store? Check out our free guide today.