Shopify Launches New POS System Connecting Brick-and-Mortar and Online Sales

Shopify launched what it is calling “a fully rebuilt and reimagined” Shopify POS on Monday. The new point-of-sale (POS) system is now available to Shopify merchants globally.

A press release from the Ottawa-based e-commerce company explains the rebuilt POS is focused on creating an omni-channel experience that brings together in-person and online sales. The new POS “unlocks the power of omnichannel” for its businesses, which is typically defined as a multi-channel sales approach that provides the customer with an integrated customer experience, whether that’s shopping from mobile or desktop or at a brick-and-mortar location.

“Retailers need help right now. Shopify is doing everything we can to help retailers adapt to current challenges and come back stronger,” said Ian Black, director of retail at Shopify. “We are releasing our new Shopify POS to give retailers, especially small, local businesses, every possible advantage. Retailers deserve a point-of-sale that helps them shift their sales from in-store to online, easily offer curbside pick-up and local delivery, and be ready for growth when in-store customers start to return.”

Key features of the new Shopify POS include simplified omnichannel management that integrates online and off-line orders, products and payments; the ability for staff to provide checkout anywhere in the store or curbside; and reopening options like the ability to sell merchandise at alternate locations and calculation of shipping rates at checkout.

Shopify says its POS customers saw revenue increase by 30 percent year over year, fueled in part by merchants that adopted buy-online and pickup-in-store as well as local delivery. Over a two-week period last month,  Shopify POS users saw a 10-fold increase in retail stores on Shopify adapting to social-distance selling by offering local delivery or buy-online-pickup-in-store.

Shopify POS is included with all Shopify plans. Shopify POS Pro is available to merchants with brick-and-mortar locations and reportedly offers an advanced set of tools built specifically for retail stores. The company is making the Pro version free until October 31, 2020. Afterwards, it will be available for $89 USD per month for each location.