Five inventory tests to run before you pick a POS
Every POS can ring up a sale. The ones worth paying for keep your stock right afterwards. Run these five tests in any trial and you will know in an hour.
1. Sell a size and a color
Create a shirt in three sizes and two colors, sell one of them, then check that only that variant dropped. If the system treats the shirt as a single item, a clothing shop will fight it daily.
2. Receive half a delivery
Create a purchase order for 20 units, then receive 12. The order should show 8 still due, and the stock count should show 12 more on the shelf. Partial deliveries are normal, and a system that can’t handle them will leave you with phantom stock.
3. Move stock between stores
Send 5 units from store A to store B. Store A should drop by 5 right away, and store B should rise when someone confirms they arrived. Check who is allowed to do it.
4. Return one item
Sell two, then return one. The stock should go back up by one, the sale total should drop, and the report should show the return. If you pay commissions, check that the return reduces them too.
5. Count and correct
Count a shelf, find it is two short, and enter the correction. The system should record the change and who made it. You will do this every month, so it should take minutes.
Who has what
A quick look at the tools these tests need, on US plans.
| Tool | VoVi | Square | Shopify POS | Lightspeed Retail |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moving stock between stores | Included (Light) | Premium | Included | Included |
| Purchase orders | Pro | Plus | Included | Included |
| Selling by weight | Pro (in beta) | Included | Not offered | Paid add-on |