When talking about the impact that grocery store software has had on the retail landscape of the United States, you can’t ignore the history of point-of-sale (POS) solutions. Virtually all retail operations these days feature POS systems developed upon research conducted by IBM engineers at Pathmark supermarkets in the early 1970s, thus making the retail grocery segment foundational for POS.
The functions and features found in modern POS systems can be described as being thoughtful reactions to consumer trends. At American grocery stores, for example, integrated online shopping and ordering have been trending in recent years, and POS systems have been upgraded to accommodate this trend. Integrated ordering means that shoppers can see how their input is handled; in other words, they get a nice dose of retail transparency before checkout.
Then you have the omnichannel ordering trend, which consists of creating a seamless shopping experience that integrates brick-and-mortar locations with e-commerce. This trend is also known as BOPIS, which stands for “buy online, pick up in-store.”
Another emerging trend in POS systems for grocery stores is machine learning (ML) technology, particularly as it relates to personalized promotions and recommendations for shoppers. Through the automated analysis of purchases and demographics, ML functions can suggest targeted promotions and recommend complementary items at checkout, thus increasing your store’s potential for increasing customer satisfaction.
Want to learn more about the various consumer and business trends shaping the future of grocery store software? Visit www.CBSNorthStar.com today and see how POS systems for retail grocers are adjusting to these trends.
