Whether you’re opening your first retail store or you’ve been in the game for decades, your hardware and software will always be the lifeblood of your daily operations. Choose the right gear and systems and your store will thrive -- choose ineffective ones, and you’ll be battling headaches and errors for years to come.
 Though there are endless options when it comes to modern retail store technology, most business owners use hardware and software to address the following challenges:
The catalyst driving these challenges is your customer and their expectations. Today’s mobile-first shopper expects you to have exactly what they want, when they want it. They expect you to accept different payment types, and to provide a smooth shopping experience without having to wait in long lines.
 Fortunately, modern retail hardware and software solutions address all of these challenges, giving the business owner more control and insight into consumer behavior than ever before. Here are the top considerations when choosing the ideal hardware and software for your retail business.

Choosing Hardware for Your Retail Store

There are several types of
hardware

you’ll need for your store to function, and you can often buy these pieces together as a set. The main hardware components of a retail store are:
Opening A Retail Store Heres How To Choose Software And Hardware blog post image
 
The

Star Micronics S230i
is a great example of an easy-to-use portable printer with a tiny footprint.
There are other types of hardware that may not be required, but could be very useful depending on the nature of your retail store. These are:

Choosing Software for Retail

Your store’s software enables you to accept payments, keep inventory up to date, track conversion data, and manage both the front and backend of your business. Although it’s often called “point of sale” software, modern POS software does way more than just facilitate transactions. A POS system should also be able to track and manage inventory, show information on consumer behavior in your store, and integrate omnichannel loyalty programs, promotions and coupons. Erply’s POS software
, for example, already has loyalty programs and promotions built in.

 When you’re shopping for software, keeping the following in mind:
Picking the right hardware and software for your business can be overwhelming, which is why we’re here to help. Erply is happy to answer your questions about software and all-things equipment related. Contact us to learn about how to integrate your store’s hardware and software to make your retail store the best it can be.