POS & EPOS Systems FAQ

Well, the words “Point of Sale” or another version, “Point of Purchase”, are commonly referred to as POS for card payments at the till, and that’s what it stands for – your information and thought for the day.

An EPOS system or digital POS is a system that basically runs the shop or supermarket, or any small retail store, with smart software. It can tell when items are purchased, when staff change over tills, and counts the cash and card transactions. EPOS is a very clever piece of software and it’s getting much more sophisticated with AI integration and could one day lower shoplifting to very minimal levels by changing bar codes from non-purchased to purchased items.

This is a question that comes up every day as people and business owners want to know what the difference is between POS and EPOS. Okay, POS is a basic card payment solution combining hardware (a card machine) and software for taking customers' money. An EPOS, or Electronic Point of Sale, is a very handy tool with more analytics and data for when products are purchased in-store and tracking everything that happens at the till.

There’s a big difference. A cash register takes cash primarily, with no electronic way to take card payments. Small shops or cash-only shops prefer a basic cash register. Now EPOS is a whole different ball game with all the bells and whistles, with handy till hardware and till software that help business owners keep the business running just nicely.

You need a constant internet connection for any POS or EPOS to work properly, and sometimes a dedicated line, which is costly, but mostly for big supermarket chains. It handles all card transactions from chip and pin, security and fraud prevention, and prints out receipts for customers. The systems also handle stock and sales, and know which member of staff is on shift.

There are loads of benefits to using a POS/EPOS system for UK businesses. From the business owner’s stance, they can view daily sales figures, and they can check if restocking is going to plan. The systems are great for keeping the numbers right for HMRC (VAT) and keeping a careful eye on staff when mistakes happen.

In 2026 and beyond, every business is going that way as cash-only is becoming less and less every year. Suitability ranges from small and large retail businesses to the hospitality industry, which heavily relies on card processors – from barber shops, salons and cafés to other shops such as corner shops/newsagents, butchers, greengrocers, bakeries, fishmongers, off-licences, chemists or pharmacies. And even the local Post Office (counter in a shop), charity shops and the local delicatessen (deli). So every type of business, really, from small startups to multi-site UK chains.

Yes, you name it, every industry you can think of, from the hotel in the city centre to the back-street convenience store. Clubs and pubs, local bars and Wetherspoons – all industries can utilise POS/EPOS systems. EPOS software is bespoke for different industries, like table mapping for hospitality or promotions for shops.

Okay, the hardware can be costly, from £400 to £500 right up to £4,000 including VAT. Then you’ll have a monthly charge for some busy businesses and ongoing card transaction charges from 0.1%–3.5% and upwards. We can’t give you accurate pricing on costs because we don’t know what you need yet – get a quote here and find out.