EPoS systems are a great support to charity retailers.

A charity retail EPoS system provides many gift aid related features and all the other usual attributes :

In store

• Gift aid point of sale software

Currently charity retailers have to track items from the moment they enter the store, so that they can keep records on all items that have been donated and sold, and then follow up the sale with the donor. As many charities just don't have the resources to complete this time-consuming process, charity EPoS systems can record all information, automate a sale and go on to help the charity notify the donor of a sale.

• Consent

To optimise fund raising earnings on future donations, many EPoS systems will automatically flag a preregistered gift aid donor as suitable for gift aid on any future donations that they bring into the charity’s stores.

• Single barcode

Charity EPoS systems have simplified the sales process by developing a single bar code that holds data for both the product and donor. The solution replaces an old system that used to print two labels, one for price and one for consent, which had to be inputted separately into the till. A single label now displays the barcode, price and a product description, and when scanned by the till operator automatically processes the gift aid and records the sale.

Marketing

• Multichannel

As with most retailers, the charity store sells on multiple levels and with this in mind some EPoS systems offer a multichannel feature that enables the store to sell online, through mail order, and link to third party sites like ebay.

• Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

In addition to donor information, if customer tracking is also required the system can retain details of customers such as transactions, interests, returns and frequency of purchase.

Management

• Stock control

The use of the single barcode feature allows charity retailers to improve stock control on donated goods. Products are recorded by department and category which means charities can monitor sales by store and allocate certain products to the most suitable stores. Or, if they don’t have multiple stores they can identify any products that have been on the shelf for too long and reduce the price accordingly.

• Reports

As full product data can be recorded through the single barcode, retailers can easily track items for use in reports that are generated after a sale.

• Purchase order processing

For charity stores that also order in products, as well as taking donations, the EPoS system offers automated purchase order processing. The system can calculate the quantity of product needed and raise orders from suppliers. It can also share the data with your accounts system.

What are the benefits of a charity retail EPoS system?

• Boost fund raising and income

With the charity retail EPoS system, retailers will never miss a gift aid sale, never have a price go through incorrectly, and ultimately increase overall profits.

• Best practice

Charity retailers are able to simplify the transaction and gift aid process, and also manage their donated stock more effectively.

• Accuracy

By only needing to scan a single bar code that manages both product data and gift aid, till operators are far less likely to make mistakes at the point of sale. In addition, ticket swapping will be easier to spot, as every item is identifiable as to what it should be and its price.

• More time

Automated gift aid, stock control and transactions save retailers huge amounts of time each day, meaning they can turn their attention to sorting donations and in-store displays in order to make the store reflect the high street and not a jumble sale.

• Control

With comprehensive reports easily on hand, head office and back office can make fully informed retailing decisions regarding donations, donors, customers and sales.