1st Pay POS Reviews
With so many POS systems available these days, don't rush into any decisions you might regret.
The 1st Pay POS system offers a useful selection of features to streamline the operations of your business.
1st Pay is suitable for bars, restaurants, retail stores, and service providers such as salons and medical practices.
But is 1st Pay the best choice for you? After reading my in-depth review, you’ll know for sure!
1st Pay POS Review
Pricing
You will need to get in touch with 1st Pay and get a quote for your business and further information like credit card processing fees.
Their pricing is set up to be flexible according to the requirements of your business, so small businesses will be on a completely different structure than multi-location chains.
There is usually a one-off initial payment followed by recurring payments each month.
Make sure you read the fine print to check for any hidden fees.
Also, be extremely careful if purchasing through an independent sales agent (see Complaints and Limitations below). There have been complaints regarding pricing and sales tactics so make sure you are purchasing from a trustworthy source.
Features & Benefits
Payment technology leaders, First American, released their 1st Pay POS Pro a few years ago. First American has decades of experience in the payment industry with thousands of customers. 1st Pay Pro offers an all-in-one point-of-sale solution. It can make the day-to-day operations of your business easier to run with its many features. Next, let us have a closer look at these useful features and the benefits they can bring you.
Payment Processing
1stPayPOS Pro allows you to accept payments by customers' preferred method with its various payment channels. These include integrated payments certified using EMV, PIN debit, and credit card as well as mobile payments such as Apple Pay, all with advanced payment security hardware and software.
Bill splitting, tip management, multiple tax rates by item category, and full or partial refunds are all fully supported via the payment system.
In addition, as specialists in payment processing and payment security, First American allows independent software vendors to access integrated payment solutions via the 1stPayBlaze API.
eCommerce
The 1st Pay Virtual Terminal allows you to set up a custom sales website complete with cart options and loyalty programs, so you can maximize online sales as well as your in-store business. Inventory data is synced between the two, preventing double-selling of the same stock.
Inventory Management
The POS software for inventory management lets you track your stock levels and sends you reminders when numbers reach a specified level so you will never run out. With options to track order history and track stock right from the purchase orders onwards, you'll always have the right items on hand.
Coupled with advanced configurations such as custom inventory management categories for retail and menu management (including menu modifiers) for restaurants, the inventory modules are one of 1st Pay POS's greatest strengths.
The company even assists you to pre-load the inventory for your business so you can be ready to start using the system as soon as possible.
Hardware
In terms of hardware, 1st Pay POS offers custom solutions based around Insignia Android tablets (10" or 15") and peripherals from Epsom, Star Micronics, Ingenico, and Zebra.
The core tablet-based mobile device is known as the Line Buster because that's exactly what it aims to do.
However, their most popular package is the 1st Pay POS Pro All-in-One register.
Featuring a 15" tablet, integrated cash drawer, and printer, all in a robust and well-designed stand configuration, the register is designed for quick and easy setup and can be expanded by adding an Ingenico keypad card reader.
In addition to the registers, 1st Pay also offers kitchen printers, barcode scanners, and WiFi adapters so you can create extra access points.
Employee Management
Employee management can be key to business efficiency. With 1st Pay POS, you can take a lot of the guesswork out of deploying your staff effectively. Features such as employee time clocks, shift management (and summary reports), Multi-level access privileges, and pin-based cashier/server logins, help you ensure your staff are working on the areas of your business that make the most difference to your company's bottom line.
Customer Support
The company has award-winning customer service and a customer call center based in the U.S. which is available 24/7/365.
On the website, you can enable accessibility for visually impaired clients, open the accessibility menu to activate this feature, with a screen reader, text size, contrast, and font options. There are also dyslexia-friendly settings via the same menu.
Complaints and Limitations
Having only been operating in its current form for a couple of years, the 1st Pay POS itself has not received much in the way of negative reports from customers. Most users seem happy with the features and reliability of the system, as well as the technical support available in case of software or hardware issues.
However, on the payment processing front, the parent company First American has taken an enormous amount of flak over the past few years. The majority of this relates to underhanded and even outright fraudulent practices by some of the independent sales agents who market First American merchant services account packages.
There have been numerous reports of sales agents misrepresenting credit card processing fees, customers discovering hidden fees on their statements, and contract terms not being explained at the point of purchase. Another specific complaint has been about agents recommending the lease (rather than purchase) of hardware, without clarifying the extended contract period and high early termination fees involved.
At the same time, agents themselves have bemoaned a lack of training from the company and some have claimed what appears to the customers to be dishonest sales tactics are actually symptomatic of a lack of understanding on the part of the salesperson rather than malicious intent.
Some of the 1st Pay POS system's best features are those for restaurants, so it's only right to compare them with the food and beverage-specific Toast POS. For business owners in the food service sector, Toast has developed custom solutions for different business sizes and niches, serving clients from food trucks to fine dining establishments.
One great strength of Toast is in developing multiple ordering pathways, from online ordering and delivery to self-service kiosks. Advanced menu and inventory management features (including ingredient-level item availability), and customer relationship management also stand out.
All-in-all, whatever restaurant POS you are considering, it's always worth comparing with Toast to see if they can match or beat what you're being offered.
Like 1stPay POS, Square provides point-of-sale solutions for a wide range of businesses, rather than being specifically aimed at one market.
Their main focus is on supporting the growth of small businesses, although they do have packages suitable for larger companies and even enterprise-level operations.
There are plenty of similarities between the two POS systems, as well as the associated merchant services offered by Square and 1st Pay.
One difference that may affect your decision is the excellent value of Square's most basic and streamlined packages, although these do not include all of the inventory management features, loyalty programs, etc. available with a full-featured package.
Final Verdict
However, if you know existing customers who are happy with the sales experience they received, it may be worth speaking to their agent. There are reputable distributors out there and, if you can find a good one, 1st Pay POS may well be right for you after all.
Tyler Connaghan
Contributing Author
