To save time, process payments, and track inventory, many businesses have bought into the idea of a point of sale (POS). These machines are now being used by online and brick-and-mortar stores to enhance customer satisfaction and promote business growth. Lightspeed and Shopify rank as the top providers of point-of-sale services.
Both solutions are effective in processing transactions and tracking sales. But when it comes to the success of your business, which should you choose?
Let’s go on to explore the features of both products to help you in your decision-making.
Exploring the Lightspeed POS Solution
As a cloud-based retail solution, Lightspeed is unique for its extensive sales and inventory system. The POS works for both small and large businesses, helping them to manage vendors, and customers, and make data-driven business solutions across multiple locations.
Lightspeed allows businesses in different sectors to set physical sales points in different outlets. On top of that, businesses can migrate to the ePOS solution in just a few clicks.
Lightspeed presents some of the best and unique selling points in the industry which we will explore below.
Features of Lightspeed POS
Below are some features of Lightspeed POS:
● All in one fast, intuitive platform:
Lightspeed helps businesses streamline transactions with integrated payment features, as well as customize workflow and utilization tools for effective business running.
● Inventory Management:
This feature helps businesses manage online, in-store, or mobile inventory. You can track stock, and keep reader systems in different warehouses so you know which product is available and which should be replaced in real time.
● Performance insight:
With Lightspeed, you can get visible reporting and insights from all areas of your business. This will help make valuable decisions at all times.
● Customized expert support:
From the point of purchase and onboarding, Lightspeed’s team of experts avail themselves for professional support.
● General sales report:
Lightspeed is capable of tracking your overall business including inventory, sales, and customer behavior, drawing up unique analytic insights for sales efficiency and strategizing.
● Website Development:
Lightspeed can help you build unique websites for your e-commerce websites. No codes or professional web development are required and with the availability of unique themes and templates, the website is easy to use. Businesses with existing websites can simply integrate Lightspeed.
Pricing of Lightspeed POS
Lightspeed has different prices per month based on package category. It’s important to understand the prices may be cheaper for annual subscriptions. Below are the price schedules:
● Lean package – $89 per month
● Standard package – $149 per month
● Advanced package – $269 per month
● Enterprise package – This is high volume and large businesses. Exact pricing for this plan isn’t available but those interested can reach Lightspeed.
Exploring Shopify POS Solutions
Shopify is another cloud-based e-commerce platform that is popularly known for building websites. However, it is not just a website builder but offers an impactful POS system for retail businesses, particularly e-commerce.
Besides being an omnichannel that is patronized because of its ease of use, Shopify has extensive features that are suitable for e-commerce businesses such as website building, inventory, shipping, and the Shopify Generative AI
Features of Shopify
● Shipping:
This e-commerce merchant provides shipping services to businesses in terms of label printing and real-time rates. Businesses also have the option to integrate major carriers at flexible or discounted prices.
● Website Building:
With little or technical expertise, entrepreneurs can launch their Shopify online store which appears aesthetically pleasing to customers.
● All-in-one POS system:
With Shopify’s POS service, you can unify everything that has to do with payments, inventory, and sales in both physical and online locations.
● Personalized Customer Support:
With Shopify’s personalized customer support, businesses can collect customers’ details to offer them tailored services and support.
Pricing for Shopify
Shopify’s pricing scheme is different because you do not just pay for a POS subscription but also a plan. You need both a plan and POS subscription for optimal service delivery.
You can pick either of the following POS plans:
● Shopify POS Lite which is together with all Shopify plans
● Shopify POS Pro which includes an $89 per month plan based on location.
The main Shopify plan is divided into three and structured according to your needs:
● $39 per month
● $105 per month
● $399 per month
These rates could be discounted when you choose annual subscriptions.
Lightspeed vs Shopify POS solutions – Highlighting Key Differences
| Lightspeed POS | Shopify POS |
|---|---|
| Gives you complete control over the inventory of variable products, orders, and purchases in just one click and offers special layaway order processing. | You have control but have to purchase add-ons. |
| Doesn’t charge extra fees, even for the most important features. | Charges extra fees per transaction and critical features. |
| Free 24/7 customer support via phone calls, email, and live chats. | Customer support via phone calls, emails, and live chat may come. |
| Offers limited products you can have access to in your physical and online store. | Offer both Lite and Pro POS customizable interfaces with unlimited products you have access to. |
| The email cart is unavailable. | Has an email cart to start a customer’s order and emailed to complete their purchase online on platforms such as Amazon and Etsy. |
Being cloud-based, both Lightspeed and Shopify POS are unique in their ways. They enhance payment, inventory, and shipping, they offer website-building services and third-party integration.
Despite their similarities, several differences exist between them and we will explore them in the table below:
Maximizing the Best POS Solution for your Business
Lightspeed and Shopify are effective in enhancing great POS solutions for businesses. Despite the uniqueness and efficiency of their solution, their suitability could be linked to the nature of your business, your goals, and your budget.
If you run an onsite business at different locations with a blend of online services and shipping, a Lightspeed POS is perfect for you. Lightspeed has a robust inventory mechanism that allows you to track all products in your outlets, take stock, and track sales insight. This will help you make realistic and data-driven decisions for the growth of your business.
If your business is strictly online, Shopify POS would be a perfect solution for you. This would help you facilitate payments and track orders for shipping to customers. Shopify can help online stores integrate third-party shipping services which customers can leverage to deliver packages to their doorsteps.
Overall, choosing the right solution is based on preference and other underlying conditions such as business type, pricing, and budget.
Get a Custom Website That Aligns With Your Desired POS Solution
The need for POS systems in business whether online or in-store has been established. It sets all areas of your business for better performance and customer experience.
Having a well-developed and optimized website is the foundation for propelled growth in any business. But how can this be achieved?
Our team of tech professionals who have years of experience in building custom websites for businesses can help you. Beyond this, our operation is well programmed such that we don’t only build custom websites but also assists with integrations such as the Shopify and Lightspeed POS system.
Additionally, cmsMinds WordPress website development and Shopify website development specialists are always on standby to help entrepreneurs take their first shot at business.
