STORE ADVICE Better EPoS performance

In the past, RN has compared different EPoS suppliers in the UK, offering advice on what questions to ask, what to look for and what you should expect from each provider before settling on the right model for your store. But once you’ve got the EPoS in place, the next step is to ensure that you are actually getting the bang for your buck. There’s plenty of information and data available on modern EPoS machines, but what can retailers actually do with this data? Not only can EPoS data provide you with accurate information of what’s been happening in your store, from margins and sales to footfall to till interactions, many are now linked to stores’ principal suppliers and can automatically update and change the orders to reflect what is needed on the shop floor, streamlining menial tasks such as stocktaking and ordering to ensure that you are getting what your store needs, even if it’s things you might not have been aware of.

“I just generate the report and tell them I’ve got a delivery coming in and it will give me suggested items I should be ordering based on sales, stock levels and other data,” says Faraz Iqbal, from Premier Linktown Local in Kirkcaldy, Fife. “Once you get the hang of it and you understand how your system works, it’s pretty simple.”

Retailers can also use their EPoS data to identify slow sellers and delist them efficiently, while they can also work with suppliers to get better rewards and merchandising support. With some manufacturers now offering retailers rewards where they get a certain amount of money back per product if they sell a certain amount, having correct, up-to-date data to hand can help you to take full advantage of these offers.

Imtiyaz Mamode, from Wych Lane Premier in Gosport, Hampshire, has been working with Walkers to change the fixtures and displays in his store, using his EPoS to analyse the effects. “They came back after two months and collected our data and now they’ve found out if there have been any changes to sales as a result,” he says.

To see what other stores are doing, go to betterretailing.com/advice

Automatic updates

For Faisal Naseem, who runs two stores in Arbroath, the RDP system he uses has enabled him to keep on top of price fluctuations during the cost-of-living crisis.

It is set up with his symbol group to ensure any changes in his delivery requirements are automatically and instantly put into practice, saving him time and ensuring his deliveries are accurate to his needs. On top of this, with prices changing regularly, his EPoS system can provide the new shelf-edge labels quickly so he can keep on top of his prices.

“Any new products and promotional briefs are pre-loaded and automatically added to our delivery order,” he says.

“We don’t have to do anything, which is great because it can be such a time-consuming task. All the new product barcodes are brought up to date and these days, we’re talking of hundreds, if not thousands, of products changing on a fortnightly basis.”

Removing what’s not working

Traditionally, retailers would have to walk around the store or do laborious stock-takes to assess what’s selling effectively in their stores and, importantly, what’s not selling well. But with EPoS data at your fingertips, you can easily view your ranges, find out what’s selling slowest and even look at other ranges that might sell faster. Imtiyaz Mamode, from Wych Lane Premier in Gosport, Hampshire, is able to compare his own feelings and instincts with hard facts and act quickly. When his store was the only one in the area with Tango Ice Blast machines, he could see he was selling 70-80 cups a day. But since other stores now have them, EPoS data has revealed he’s down to 40-45 cups a day.

“The machines are on a three-year lease, but we’ll give one back because not only does it take up space, but they use a lot of electricity. The data helped me keep track across all the products,” he says. »