Living in the post-COVID time, the in-person consumption is quickly recovering. Many online merchants would like to seize the trend and improve their sales. However, do you know what a POS (point of sale) system is? Do you know which POS system you should use to integrate your online and in-person sales?
All confusion related to Shopify POS will be elaborated in the following sections. We will start by introducing the Shopify POS and 5 monthly plans. Apart from that, you will also find crucial information about the pricing and additional Shopify POS costs when you use the Shopify POS system.
What is Shopify POS?
Shopify POS software is considered one of the best systems for businesses that sell products both online and face-to-face, especially when you sell products on Shopify. Shopify POS software simply synchronizes with the Shopify e-commerce platform and facilitates your operation, including inventory management, package tracking, customer profiles, sales analysis and so on.
You may wonder what is special about Shopify POS and in what aspects is Shopify POS better than other well-known POS systems, such as Square, Vend, Lightspeed and Clover. A very straightforward answer to that question is that Shopify POS offers the most versatile functionality when it comes to managing your online store and in-person sales in one place.
Deeply connected to Shopify, Shopify POS software leverages the resources in Shopify to provide services with the highest standard. With the 24/7 customer support team, brilliant stock management features, and loyalty system that works for both online and in-person stores, Shopify POS stands a great advantage among other POS systems.
The best scenario is that you are already running an online store on Shopify and are very familiar with the Shopify e-commerce platform. Because you will find the Shopify POS system very easy to pick up. Even with no experience in software, you can still become very familiar with the software in a very short period of time.
Pros and cons of Shopify POS
Before subscribing to the Shopify POS system, you need to consider both the pros and cons of the Shopify POS system. We have much more to say about the benefits you can get out of using the Shopify POS system than the drawbacks of the Shopify POS system.
Shopify POS Pros
If you asked anyone who has used the Shopify POS system, they would tell you how flexible and convenient it is due to its multichannel integration. With the Shopify POS system, you can seamlessly integrate your stores on different platforms and also in-person stores.
Shopify does extremely well in providing customers with the highest quality in the industry. There are multiple channels through which you can get in touch with Shopify’s customer support team.
There is an online help centre where you can talk to the staff in the chat box and find the solutions to your problems. Useful video tutorials that solve common issues are accessible on the official website, so you can follow the guidelines and easily sort out your issues. The FAQs section can almost answer most of the questions a store owner would have. Apart from that, you are always welcome to call the 24/7 customer support line for help.
If you advanced your plan to Pro, Shopify POS offers additional functionality such as curbside pickup, multi-location management and QR code shopping. These features have been used very often after the COVID-19 period.
Shopify POS Cons
Given the extensive range of tools embedded in the Shopify POS system, the monthly plans could be expensive and unaffordable for small businesses. With a more expensive plan, you can unlock more functions.
Additionally, the Shopify POS system also charges fees on each transaction if you do not use Shopify’s own payment processing system. It is worth noting that not many customers are using Shopify’s payment system, but it does not mean that Shopify’s payment processing system is bad, it is just not very popular among customers.
Shopify POS plans and pricing
It is essential for store owners to understand the difference between Shopify POS plans and their prices to choose the most suitable one for their business. There are five Shopify POS plans, namely the Starter Plan, the Basic Shopify Plan, the Shopify Plan, the Advanced Shopify Plan and the Shopify Plus Plan, ranging from $9 to $2,000 each month.
Starter Plan
The Start Plan provides services and tools at the entry-level. This plan is designed for new stores or stores that only request minimal functionality. Therefore, it is a cheap plan, costing $9 per month, which is very affordable.
However, even with the Starter Plan, you can do a lot of operation work on the Shopify POS system, and it is capable enough to cover all necessary functions needed for a business, including:
- Blog and Website: Show your products in the Blog and you can engage with your potential customers there. Create your professional and unique website to stand out among other competitors.
- Unlimited Products: You can add and sell as many products as you like.
- 24/7 Customer Support: You can always turn to Shopify’s brilliant customer support team, there are many channels to reach out including email, live chat box, support line and so on.
- Mobile Commerce: Shopify POS system offers a seamless mobile shopping experience for your customers.
Basic Shopify Plan
The Basic Shopify Plan is the most ideal plan for a small business and new players in the e-commerce industry. The Basic Shopify Plan charges you $25 per month. The lite version of Shopify POS for in-store sales is also covered by the plan. The Basic Shopify Plan can also be used as the starting point for managing your online and in-person sales efficiently, like the Starter Plan.
The Basic Shopify Plan covers key Shopify POS features you need, including:
- Unlimited Sales Channels and Products: with this functionality, you can expand your reach across multiple platforms, which at the same time allows you to manage your sales in an easier and more efficient manner.
- Built-in Fraud Analysis: It is very important to secure your transactions. The built-in Fraud Analysis safeguard your business with the help of data analysis.
- Free SSL Certificate: If you have an SSL certificate, you don’t need to be worried about leaking sensitive customer data, and it also ensures secured online transactions.
Shopify Plan
The Shopify Plan targets stores that wish to enhance and scale up themselves. The Shopify Plan charges a user $65 each month, offering advanced capabilities compared to the Basic Shopify Plan. If you subscribe to the Shopify Plan, you will also be able to use the lite version of Shopify POS for basic offline sales.
Additional features that come along with the Shopify Plan:
- Abandoned Cart Recovery: Reminder emails will be automatically sent to customers who have items left in the cart. This function can greatly prompt sales.
- Gift Cards: By offering physical and digital gift cards, you can easily increase the interaction between the store and the customers.
- Detailed Reports: The professional reports utilise big data to draw conclusions, pointing out where you can improve to increase sales.
- Promotions and Discounts: It is well known that promotions and discounts are the most straightforward ways to attract and retain customers.
Advanced Shopify Plan
As the name suggests, the Advanced Shopify Plan is not designed to serve small businesses, instead the Advanced Plan targets businesses seeking advanced functionalities and scalability. The Advanced Plan charges $399 per month for a wide range of tools and features to optimize your online store operation.
All features mentioned above are of course included in the Advanced Shopify Plan. With a much higher monthly fee, the Advanced Shopify Plan offer a more valuable service, including:
- Advanced Reporting: Through enhanced data analysis and reporting tools, you can obtain precious insights about how to improve the store’s performance.
- Global Price Rules: You can customize the pricing and discounts to different groups of customers, based on their age, gender, location, preferences and so on.
- Personalised Checkout: You can personalise your checkout page to match the aesthetics of your brand.
Shopify Plus Plan
The Shopify Plus Plan is designed for enterprise-level businesses that request high customisation and scalability. The Shopify Plus Plan is the most expensive plan, pricing at $2,000 each month. Apart from the built-in functionalities, you can also access additional solutions such as the Shopify POS Pro to manage your in-person sales.
Additional features include:
- Powerful performance: The Shopify Plus Plan is capable of managing high-volume and traffic stores. It is very important to provide customers with a smooth and fast shopping experience.
- Advanced API Access: It enables you to integrate your online stores with other third-party systems to meet your needs.
- Robust Compliance and Security: It offers a higher level of security and Level 1 PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) compliance. You will also be equipped with the advanced tools to detect fraud.
Additional fees of Shopify POS pricing
It is crucial to know the additional fees of Shopify POS pricing before calculating the total expenses of using the Shopify POS system. There are three Shopify POS hidden costs, including domains and themes on the Shopify website, Shopify Marketplace Connect Fees and Shipping Fees.
Fees for Domain and Themes on the Shopify Website:
Many merchants choose to customize their domains for their stores on Shopify, which helps them improve their presence and attract customers. You can either purchase a domain name, which costs you only $11 a year or connect to an existing domain, which will not cost you anything.
It is highly recommended to customise your store, and that is what most merchants have done to match the aesthetic standards of their brand. To use the premium themes on Shopify, you will have to pay from $150 to $350 depending on the theme you choose.
Shopify Marketplace Connect and Transaction Fees:
Having a business on multiple channels seems only correct. Naturally, merchants would like to connect to different platforms. Shopify Marketplace Connect allows you to connect the Shopify POS with another marketplace such as Amazon, Walmart and eBay.
The connection fees vary from platform to platform, but it is very worthwhile and affordable. The transaction fees are 1% of the transaction amount and are capped at $99 a month. It is worth noting that the first 50 transactions are free of charge.
Shipping Fees:
The built-in solution for shipping offers merchants discounts fees from large shipping companies, such as UPS, USPS and DHL. The discount rate could reach as high as 77%, which is a great deal for merchants.
To secure your shipping, you are highly recommended to pay for the beta feature that offers up to $200 coverage in case of any kind of shipping issue.
What’s Next?
Shopify POS system is recommended POS system to integrate your online and in-person sales. This page has introduced the Shopify POS system and the various plans suitable for businesses of any size. After knowing the additional Shopify POS fees that may occur in your operation, we believe you have made up your mind about which plan suits your business.
If you are still confused, we recommend you consult Channelwill, an all-in-one e-commmerce platform, that provides solutions to issues related to your online business. Channelwill has experience in solving all kinds of issues related to online business and has developed a wide range of tools to facilitate your business.
FAQs About Shopify POS Pricing
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