Selecting a POS system isn’t just about accepting payments anymore. Today’s businesses—especially in retail—rely on their point-of-sale system to manage sales, inventory, staff, and customer relationships, all while creating a smooth checkout experience. Choosing the right system can lead to more efficient operations, better insights, and improved margins.
But not every POS is created equal. Many merchants are still operating on outdated, legacy platforms that slow down their operations, frustrate their employees, and limit their growth. If you’re a merchant—or a payment professional helping businesses make smarter decisions—this guide will help you identify what really matters in a POS system, and why dual price integration with PayLow Pro can be a game-changer.
Why It’s Time to Move Beyond Legacy POS Systems
Legacy POS systems may still get the job done on the surface, but they come with a host of hidden costs. These systems often require time-consuming end-of-day processing, where staff must manually reconcile payments, search for human errors, and juggle redundant reports. Over time, this not only drains employee time but also introduces unnecessary delays in cash flow.
Traditional POS systems can also suffer from longer processing times, clunky interfaces, hardware limitations, and limited integrations with modern payment platforms. As a result, merchants find themselves stuck in a cycle of inefficiency, spending more time on backend operations than serving customers or growing their business.
What to Look for in a Modern POS System
The best POS systems are built to streamline operations, support flexible payment methods, and scale as your business evolves. For retail merchants especially, these systems should include features like sales reporting, light inventory management, basic CRM tools, and mobile capabilities. Ideally, the POS should also run on flexible hardware—like a touchscreen tablet or iPad—and support all major payment types, including tap-to-pay and contactless methods.
But perhaps the most critical modern feature is integrated dual price processing. With dual pricing, merchants can offer a cash and card price at checkout. A properly integrated system ensures both prices are clearly displayed on the terminal screen, printed on receipts, and automatically tracked in reports. This creates complete transparency for the customer while helping merchants offset rising processing costs.
PayLow Pro’s dual price-enabled POS systems do all of this and more. Our hardware solutions—like Valor, Dejavoo, PAX, and Paradise POS—are built to fully support dual pricing out of the box. There’s no need for manual calculations, complicated workarounds, or separate software.
Payment Integration and Compatibility
When evaluating a POS system, it’s also important to consider payment integration. Many merchants run into problems when their POS and payment terminal don’t “speak the same language,” leading to reporting errors, mismatched batches, or slower checkouts. A modern POS should integrate directly with your processor—like PayLow Pro—so payments are processed and reconciled automatically.
Hardware compatibility is another crucial factor. Whether you’re using a countertop terminal, a mobile device, or a full register setup, the POS system should connect seamlessly with barcode scanners, receipt printers, and customer-facing displays. Systems like Clover bundle hardware and software into a single solution, but other providers (like PayLow Pro) offer more flexibility and often more competitive pricing by letting you choose your own preferred hardware and processor.
User Experience and Ease of Training
Even the most feature-rich system won’t help your business if it’s too difficult to use. An intuitive user interface shortens the learning curve for staff, reduces training time, and minimizes checkout errors. Your POS should allow for quick and easy access to common tasks—like processing sales, applying discounts, issuing refunds, and reviewing daily reports.
Involving your staff in the POS decision—especially during a demo or free trial—can give you valuable feedback about what’s working and what’s not. PayLow Pro ensures all systems we offer are user-friendly and come with support and training resources, so merchants aren’t left to figure things out on their own.
Keeping Costs in Check
POS systems can be a significant investment, so it’s critical to evaluate both upfront and ongoing costs. This includes hardware, software subscriptions, payment processing fees, and any charges for support, upgrades, or integrations. Some providers bundle these costs into all-in-one packages, while others charge separately for each feature.
The good news is that dual price processing can help offset the cost of credit card acceptance by passing on the card processing fee to the customer. With proper signage and integration, this method is fully compliant and can significantly reduce a merchant’s monthly costs—especially when built into the POS system itself.
PayLow Pro offers transparent pricing and works closely with merchants to ensure they’re getting the best return on investment. Our systems don’t just help you take payments—they help you keep more of what you earn.
Step 3: Make Sign-Up Seamless
The fewer obstacles your customers face, the more likely they are to subscribe. Make sure your online checkout process:
- Clearly outlines billing terms
- Allows customers to enter payment info securely
- Offers easy opt-in for recurring billing
- Sends a confirmation email with plan details
Pro tip: Offer both online and in-person sign-up options if you run a brick-and-mortar business.
Step 4: Stay Compliant with Payment Regulations
Subscription billing comes with unique compliance requirements, especially around transparency and customer consent. Here's what to keep in mind:
- Card brand rules require clear consent and receipts for recurring charges
- FTC regulations in the U.S. mandate disclosure of recurring terms and a simple cancellation process
- Keep your PCI compliance up to date if you're storing or transmitting payment info
- Offer clear cancellation options and honor them promptly to avoid disputes
Working with a payment provider like PayLo Pro ensures your business stays compliant, protected, and prepared.
A Step-by-Step Approach to Choosing the Right POS
Start by evaluating how your business operates today. What hardware are you using? How do you track inventory? Do you conduct monthly inventory counts or work with product variants? Are you selling in-store, online, or across multiple channels? Your answers will help determine which POS features are essential.
Step 2: Research Providers
Look beyond the product brochures. Read user reviews on platforms like Capterra or TrustPilot. Watch video walk-throughs on YouTube. Talk to other business owners who’ve recently made a switch and ask what they like or dislike.
Step 3: Compare Features Side-by-Side
Create a checklist that includes key features like payment types, inventory tracking, sales reporting, customer data, mobile capabilities, dual price support, and integrations. This will help you narrow your choices to the top two or three systems that align with your goals.
Step 4: Demo the Software
Most reputable providers—including PayLow Pro—offer demos or trials. Use this opportunity to simulate real-life use cases, such as processing a sale, printing a receipt with dual pricing, or reviewing a batch report. Let your team try it and share their feedback.
Final Thoughts: Your POS Should Work for You—Not the Other Way Around
A POS system is a powerful tool—but only if it’s designed to support your business goals. The right system should speed up transactions, simplify reporting, integrate seamlessly with your hardware, and offer transparent dual pricing to help you manage processing costs.
At PayLow Pro, we help merchants find the right POS solution based on their business type, growth goals, and payment preferences. From mobile terminals to full register systems, we’ll help you choose a system that’s ready for today—and scalable for tomorrow.
Looking for a modern POS system with dual price integration?
Talk to PayLow Pro. We’ll help you find the right fit, install it, train your staff, and support you every step of the way.
