Frequently asked questions

An electronic cash register is a machine that processes sales, prints receipts, and calculates sales (typically by department) and tax. They are suitable for businesses with straightforward sales, enabling fast, reliable checkout and basic reporting.

A point of sale system could be thought of as an evolution of a cash register. Modern POS systems allow a greater level of functionality, and can effectively be a full retail management platform.

Several names that were historically well-known in the field - Casio, Sharp, TEC, Sanyo, and Olivetti to name a few - all no longer manufacture electronic cash registers. We source models from brands that still have an established presence on the Australian market, including Sam4s and Nexa.

It depends on how you sell and how your business operates. If tracking sales by department is enough for you, a cash register can be a reliable and cost effective option. If you want to track stock item by item, smart reordering based on sales trends, integrated EFTPOS, customer loyalty, and web store integration, an advanced POS system like Chess Retail may be a better fit.

Typically, tax rates are first programmed, then assigned at a department level as required - for example, GST might apply to the Confectionery department, but the Fruit department might be classed as GST-free. The amounts are calculated and printed on receipts and reports.

Many models can connect to a barcode scanner, which can speed up checkout for your customers. However, you would not have the inventory tracking, trend-based ordering, or rich reporting that an advanced POS system provides.

A standalone register works in isolation. A networked solution connects several registers together, consolidating your reporting and making programming more efficient.