Seems like every industry serving retailers has a disrupter that is using Zero pricing from Cell Providers Tax Services to Web Services and everyone in between. This blog is meant to look at POS solutions that are available for Zero.

There are a couple of different type of POS  Zero offerings; some are lite freemium versions that are intended to have you test or use a very slimmed down version while others are meant as Zero priced offerings that can be used to fully operate your day to day business.

• If you are comparing such offerings here are some things to look at?

• Do they limit the number of transactions or items that you can have?

• Do they require you to purchase high cost hardware or support plans?

• Do they just track sales or do they provide inventory tracking?

• Are updates included, or do you have to pay for those?

• Do they plan on charging you high credit card rates?

• Do they have long term contracts; and if so why are those needed on a Zero offering?

• Why is it priced at Zero?

Once you understand these and the offering still interests you, determine if it is right for you, you can do this by asking the following?

• Do they have a retail/restaurant/mobile solution as applicable to you?

• Do they handle sales, refunds and exchanges; can they track physical, virtual (packages)  and service items?

• If you have multiple POS or stores, can they support that and give you consolidated reporting?

• Do they provide inventory management, including cost of goods and availabilities?

• What kind of KPI’s do they provide (Gross Margin, Sell Through % etc).

• What kind of reports are available?

• Find out about PCI, EMV and NFC

• What are common add-ons, surely they must have some paid services?

• What kind of implementation tools do they provide?

 So can a Zero offering really cost zero?

It can but make sure that the solution is robust, scalable and offers you what you need.  While its impracticable to expect high level analytics for Zero; it is not unrealistic to expect that data storing; that is basic transaction, inventory and CRM functions could be provided at Absolute Zero.

That's what I think, would love to hear your opinion

Update:

Some links to Free POS solutions

retailcloud Zero POS

Vend HQ

ProffittCenter

Regit Express