What is an Android POS System?

How do your customers pay you? For many, transactions are a pain point because the payment technology often lags behind the customers expectations, creating friction or missed business opportunities. An Android POS system eliminates many of these issues and streamlines the entire transaction process making for a happy business and an even happier customer.

How Does an Android POS System Work?

An Android point of sale (POS) system is essentially a wireless, portable cash register for smartphones and tablets with an Android Operating System. An Android mPOS eliminates the need for a clunky cash register and can carry out all of the functions of a traditional POS terminal plus more.

The technology can send out invoices, track and control business operations, monitor sales regardless of location or interrupted internet connection. This increases efficiency, productivity and customer experience all for an affordable price.

Android POS Hardware

Android POS hardware can consist of multiple devices and can be added to the wireless connection including:

• Receipt printers
• Barcode scanners
• Customer monitor
• Credit card terminals (EMV chip or magstripe)
• Cash drawer

Depending on your business needs, you can connect a variety of electronic devices to the same Android POS system. Android POS systems ensure quick and secure payment transactions across all devices. It streamlines the purchasing process and modernizes the transaction.

POS software makes the Android POS system working as normal cash registers but wireless and under-size. POS software can be cloud-based or externally installed.POS software keeps the Android POS system constantly updated and sends information about sales, inventory, orders, employee operations and much more in real-time.

With the growing variety of options, it is up to you, the business owners, to choose the most suitable payment processor according to your business needs.

Benefits of Android POS Systems

Android POS systems are able to perform several key functions in a single device. You can synchronize a variety of mobile devices so that all the features can be checked from different appliances.

Aside from acting as a mobile transaction terminal, an Android POS solution is a cloud-based system that enables you to control general business operations from your smartphone or tablet including:

• Customer database
• Number of orders
• Inventory and items sold
• Revenue
• Discounts and vouchers
• Employees management
• Sales operations

All information is readily available and can be accessed from anywhere at any time. Its multi-user and multi-location ability allow companies to check the business performance, store management, operations when and where it’s convenient for them. It is also possible to integrate your Android POS system with your current POS software if that’s what works best for your business.

Essential Features of Android POS Systems

Consider all the reliability, functionality, and accounting abilities of a traditional POS terminal, only wireless. You have the ability to process transactions on the go from wherever your business ventures take you. You can also speed up the checkout process and improve the customer experience.

In order to reap these benefits, you need to find the right POS solution. Here are a few of the essential features of an Android POS system:

Accessibility

Because Android POS solutions are cloud-based, you should be able to operate the device and access your business data from any location — on or offline. This includes all the accounting software, business operations, monitoring revenue, sales and more!

Customizable Experience

Android as a mobile operating system is known for being open and flexible - allowing developers to have more control over the software and app experience.

Android POS systems can offer an experience more tailored to what you are looking for along with more customization options for your specific business. Android POS apps can adapt to your business’s needs so that you can run your business the way you want to.

Unlike a traditional POS system, the Android POS solutions scale as your business grows, so you are never held back. As you continue to expand, your mPOS will do the same, facilitating the process and making it easier to succeed.

Quick Software Updates

Android POS solutions offer regular software updates that are completed quickly without issues. In order to have a seamless experience, updates need to be fast and frictionless. With Android's open system, updates cause minimal disturbance and facilitate a smoother overall operation causing almost no disruption to the user or your business operations.

Flexibility in Hardware

There are a ton of Android manufacturers and even more Android device models — you have choices. And not just for the manufacturer and model, but also for the size. Android gives users the option of small form factors like phones, but also scales to much larger form factors, depending on what your business requires.

Again, this comes down to the flexibility afforded to businesses to adopt technology — even the hardware size itself — to their specific needs.

Durable and Affordable Devices

Many Android device manufacturers specialize in designing POS solutions that have the ability to perform, hold its value and withstand the test of time, while also being more affordable than its competitor’s products.

Android POS hardware is more reliable in the face of the demanding business environment and sometimes built specifically to handle the extreme daily usage — depending on what device you select. In addition, Android tablets are much more affordable than other devices — both upon the first installation and fixing or replacing devices that are dropped and broken.

Picking the Right Android POS System For Your Business

With the increasing number of Android POS systems in circulation, choosing the right one for your business can be challenging. You have to consider your needs, price points, and what would work best for your specific business.

You also have to consider what would benefit your business the most. Think about your pain points and what you need to improve on. Are you looking to deliver a speedy checkout process, better service, or more personalization?

Regardless of what system you go with, it should be:

• Affordable
• Accessible
• Easy to use
• Quick transaction process
• Operate on and offline
• Adaptable to any device
• Secure

These are key in leveraging the Android POS systems and taking full advantage of all they have to offer.

There are countless unforeseen issues that can wreak havoc on your business, but your payment technology shouldn’t be one of them. It’s an easy mistake to avoid especially when it comes to an mPOS system. Your Android POS system should be reliable, durable, affordable, and most importantly, designed specifically for your business to set you up for success.

GoSite's Payments tool provides not only a frictionless mPOS solution, but it also enables you to accept SMS text payments, online payments, and more!