One stock, or the illusion of it
The hard part of unified commerce is rarely the till. It is deciding which system owns stock, how returns across channels are handled, what staff can see and change, and what happens when the network drops. We map those decisions before installing anything, then implement POS, hardware, roles and integrations around them.
PROVEN
RESULTS
TOTAL SALES VS. PREVIOUS PERIOD
Store and webshop as one operation
Shopify POS runs on the same backend as your online store. Products, prices, customer profiles, gift cards and orders are shared, and stock is tracked per location. That is the foundation. Whether it works in practice depends on how you configure locations, order routing and fulfilment rules, because those decide which store or warehouse picks which order.
Stock per location, with transfers between warehouse and stores
Order routing rules that decide which location fulfils an online order
Ship-from-store in POS (POS Pro), so store stock can fulfil online orders
Pickup in store for click and collect, with a notification to the customer (POS Pro)
Exchanges, and returns of online orders in store (POS Pro)
One customer profile and order history across channels
Gift cards that work both online and in store
Per location we decide whether it only sells, also fulfils online orders or supplies stock to other stores. That choice affects staffing, packaging, reporting and the way store teams are measured. We therefore make it together with retail operations, not only with the eCommerce team.
POS Pro, hardware and staff roles
Every paid Shopify plan includes basic in-person selling features, formerly known as POS Lite. POS Pro is a paid add-on per location, with features that stores with staff and volume usually need: staff roles and permissions, ship-from-store, exchanges, pickup in store and more extensive inventory and reporting tools. On Shopify Plus, the first 20 POS Pro locations are included. We decide per location which tier is needed, because a pop-up and a flagship store rarely need the same.
Hardware is chosen around the store layout and payment setup: card readers, tablets or phones, barcode scanners, receipt printers and cash drawers. Which Shopify card readers and payment methods are available differs per country, and some regions support Tap to Pay on a phone. We check this for each market before anything is ordered.
Staff log in with their own PIN, and how many can use POS depends on your Shopify plan. With POS Pro, each staff member also gets a role that determines what they can do: give discounts, issue refunds, change prices or manage cash. Sales can then be attributed to individual staff members. That matters when commission or store targets depend on it, and it shows who needs more training.
Offline, integrations and local rules
Shopify POS can keep selling during a network outage, but with limits. Cash and manual payments continue offline. Card payments on supported card readers only work offline if you activate them beforehand, within limits per device and per transaction. They are processed once the connection returns, so a card can still be declined afterwards. Gift cards, returns and exchanges need a connection. We agree in advance what staff do during an outage.
A till rarely stands alone. Store sales need to reach finance, stock movements need to reach the ERP through an ERP integration, and loyalty or clienteling tools need the same customer. We design these integrations with the same care as the till itself, and use POS UI extensions where store staff need a custom workflow on screen.
Local rules count too. In Germany, electronic cash registers must comply with the KassenSichV and be connected to a certified technical security system (TSE). Shopify offers its own TSE (KassenSichV) app for this, with a cloud TSE from Fiskaly and a monthly fee per location. Requirements for receipts, tax and invoices also differ per country, and France and Spain have their own fiscal rules, so we check them for each market during the design phase.
How we roll out Shopify POS
Store and process visit. We spend time in a store and with the operations team to map checkout, returns, stock counts, receiving goods and what happens at opening and closing time.
Stock and fulfilment design. We define locations, stock ownership, order routing and the rules for ship-from-store and click and collect, and decide which system leads for stock and prices.
Hardware and payment setup. We select card readers, scanners and printers per store layout, check availability per country and set up payments, receipts, tax settings and any local fiscal requirements.
Roles and integrations. We configure staff roles, permissions and PINs, connect finance, ERP, loyalty and other systems, and test sales, refunds, exchanges and transfers across all channels.
Pilot store. One store goes live first, with staff trained on real scenarios. During the first weeks we collect issues and adjust settings before the next stores follow.
Rollout and aftercare. The remaining stores follow in planned waves, outside peak periods. After go-live we monitor sync, stock accuracy and staff questions, and refine roles and routing where needed.
Online and offline as one
Connecting your stores and webshop?
Share how many stores you run and which systems handle stock and payments. We reply with a first view on how Shopify POS fits and what a rollout involves.
