The kind of experience that your customer has during the checkout process at your store has a huge impact on whether they decide to come back to your store or if they decide to never come back. If the customer has a good experience, there is a high probability that they will be back. However, if they have a negative experience, chances are that they will not come back. One of the most important equipment that determines whether your business has an efficient check out process is your cash register.

If you want to buy a cash register that will be useful to your business, while at the same time ensuring a good customer experience, here are some top 5 factors that you should consider.

1. The size of your business

How big your business is will determine the kind of till that you get. If your run a small business and you don't have a large inventory, then a simple, basic cash register can do. On the other hand, if you run a big business and you have a lot of stock, you will require something more complex that will be able to handle all the data and transactions that you have to carry out on a daily basis. More complex registers will cost more but they will provide a better experience for you.

You should also consider whether you are planning to scale up your business in future or whether you will retain your current business size. Buy a cash register that you will be able to use even as your business gets bigger.

2. Ease of use

Go for a model that you can easily operate. This will speed up the checkout time. To know if the till is easy to use, try carrying out a transaction on it and see how it works. Avoid anything that is too complicated.

Even if it is easy to use, it should also carry out the most important functions. This includes keeping a record of the transactions made, calculating the total amount to be paid and the change to be given back to customers, providing price look ups and printing out receipts. It should also be able to calculate the amount of payable tax.

3. Security

Buy a cash register that secures not only your cash and checks, but also the information stored on it. Go for a till which has drawers that can be locked, especially if they lock automatically. This will ensure that no one can gain unauthorized access to the money.

In addition, password protected tills will help you to protect the information in your system, since no one can use the register without permission. This means that any transactions that have been carried out on the till and all customer data are private.

4. Receipt printing

Go for a register that can print receipts. If your till can't print receipts, you will be forced to buy a printer separately. However, buying a till that comes with a printer already installed will save you the extra cost and the trouble of buying a printer. You can either go for a till that has a ribbon printer or a thermal printer. A ribbon printer comes with an ink cartridge already inserted. A thermal printer uses heat to print out receipts. It may be more expensive to buy but it is cheaper to maintain.

5. Who to buy from

There are many places where you can buy the registers. You can buy from a vendor or a retailer. You also have the option of buying from an online seller. You are likely to find a local seller who has what you are looking for if you just want a basic cash register. If you want something more sophisticated or a model that you can't easily find locally, consider buying directly from a vendor or checking if online stores have it in stock.

If it is your first time to buy a cash register, consider getting advice from a professional. They can help you find the best equipment based on what your business needs are. You should also consult other people who have used the registers before and ask them for recommendations. 

Of course at iTestCash we also sell cash registers and we can help provide business owners with the best models for their stores. All our products are backed by a 30 day guarantee so you can shop with confidence on our website.