Managing a retail store isn’t easy, and that’s especially true in the highly regulated liquor industry.
However, technology has advanced considerably, and liquor store point of sale (POS) systems now offer the same enhanced customer service and back office features as other retailers.
Liquor store POS systems also provide specific functions like shrinkage reports, high-risk payment processing, and age verification to help small liquor store owners stay legally compliant and profitable.
Upgrading to a comprehensive liquor store system is a big decision. Which provider is the right fit for your business?
In this article, we’ll cover the:
There are four major “must-have” feature categories for liquor POS systems:
Sales and creative promotions are critical for liquor retailers, so having quick and easy pricing options is a must. Promotions can include:
Liquor POS systems should also be equipped to automatically calculate the correct sales tax in each store location.
From six-packs of beer to cases of wine, liquor stores deal in a wide range of multi-pack items.
POS systems with case break inventory functions can easily price and process sales by the bottle, by the six, or any other combination. You can accurately track inventory levels regardless of how you sell items.
Inventory flexibility also extends to “mix and match” capabilities for sales. For example, imagine you want to offer a discount to customers purchasing any 12 bottles of wine.
Instead of counting bottles and applying a discount by hand, your POS system should allow customers to select a variety of different wines (excluding restricted sizes) and automatically apply the discount at checkout.
Optimizing inventory selection and levels is key to running a successful liquor store. The inventory management tools in liquor store POS systems allow you to:
…and more.
A liquor POS with barcode scanning integrated into the system allows for more accurate inventory overall and faster counts, discouraging theft and increasing inventory accuracy.
We don’t need to tell you the consequences of selling alcohol to minors. But we also know things get busy, and mistakes can happen when you’re checking IDs by hand.
Liquor store POS systems prevent these mistakes using age-verification tools like ID scanners. These let your staff quickly scan and validate IDs without slowing down the checkout process.
Don’t just take our word for it. Many studies show that implementing ID scanners significantly reduces underage alcohol sales.
Consider the features you need most as we explore the best liquor POS systems available today.
Choosing a POS system for your business takes time — and it should. This is a system you’ll be using every day. So, when you consider a POS system, take into account factors like:
Having clear ideas of what those are will help you narrow down a list. Once you do, schedule a demo with a few providers. Even a system that looks perfect on paper might be less appealing after seeing it in action.
Here are our top four picks for liquor store POS systems.
POS Nation is our top-rated retail management system that handles inventory, payments, reports, employee management, and more, all in one system. With support for ID scanning, auto ranking, customer loyalty, and other useful features, POS Nation is a reliable, all-around pick for small to mid-size liquor store owners.
Best Features
All of our features are backed up by 24/7 support.
Pricing
We are used to working with small businesses and offer flexible pricing to accommodate various business sizes, hardware needs, and more. Try our pricing configurator tool today to get a custom quote.
KORONA is a powerful liquor store POS system ideal for larger operations thanks to its robust customer relationship management (CRM) systems and franchise-level management tools.
Best Features
Pricing
KORONA POS’ Retail plan is $69/month per terminal with optional add-ons ranging from $10 to $50 per month for features like franchise support and advanced inventory management.
Bottle POS was started by a liquor store owner in Georgia and built specifically for liquor retail. It comes with many helpful features, including auto ranking, case break inventory, customer loyalty, and more.
Best Features
Pricing
Bottle POS offers several flexible pricing tiers starting at $69/month.
Based in the UK, ePOS Now supports retail operations worldwide with easy-to-use systems. While lacking industry-specific features like case breaking, ePOS Now is a user-friendly system that could be a good fit for stores just starting out.
Best Features
Pricing
ePOS Now lets you pay for their system upfront or pay monthly, with monthly plans starting at $79/month.
Founded in 1982 by liquor store owners, Spirits POS (made by Atlantic Systems, Inc.) is another system specifically designed for the liquor industry. With 40 years of experience and continuous customer feedback, they've developed specialized features that address the unique challenges of liquor retail.
Best Features
Pricing
Atlantic Systems does not currently list pricing on their website, but you can contact their team to receive a custom quote.
POS Nation is trusted by liquor store owners nationwide thanks to our excellent customer support, powerful features, and user-friendly interface.
But, that doesn’t mean it’s the right fit for you and your business. Schedule a customized demo today to see how POS Nation helps liquor stores:
Want a sneak peek? Check out our overview video below.