POS Scales
Implementing a top-of-the-line POS scale will streamline and maximize efficiency, making the investment a no-brainer.
That's because when your business sells products based on weight, like a grocery store or restaurant, any margin of error will make a big difference in your bottom line over time.
Also, trying to keep track of the number of individual purchases can be a nightmare, especially if you're working with a manual system.
Continue reading below as we explore the ins and outs of POS scales.
Header | Best For | Top Features | Types | Best Manufacturers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Grocerys stores, delis, seafood markets, health food stores, convenience stores, frozen yogurt shops, salad bars. | Integrated scanners, bulk item scale, built-in POS | Price computing scales, weight-only scales, scanner-scale combo | Honeywell, Acom, Brecknell, Rubbermaid, CAS |
What Are POS Scales?
A POS scale is a digital weighing device that is made to tether to a point of sale system. A POS scale will come complete with a connection port, allowing you to connect your specific device to the terminal.
When you place an item on your POS scale, it automatically calculates the cost based on how much it weighs. Using a digital POS scale can help you accurately price your goods and keep track of your inventory as you sell items.
What Types of Businesses Benefit From POS Scales?
Grocery Stores
If you own a grocery store, then it is likely that you sell tons of weighted products. To accurately price and sell these products, you can use a POS scale.
The best supermarket POS systems make use of POS scales to weigh a number of different products, including produce, nuts, coffee beans, candy, herbs, and salad bar items.
If you integrate your POS scale properly with your other hardware products, such as your printer, you can even print label barcodes for the different items that you weigh.
When you use your printer to make these product barcodes, you can send customers to the front with the cost of the items attached so that they can check out their products in the normal position.
Delis
Delis often use quality scales with top-notch features to sell products with accuracy.
POS scales are very popular within the modern deli business, as delis can use this hardware to keep track of their products and sell meats accurately. A deli owner might use a POS scale to track bulk amounts of meat or spreads.
Every deli POS system should be outfitted with a quality POS scale. You can weigh the product that you are considering tracking and create a unique key code for that time. The point of sale system will keep track of that key code and print a bar code for identification.
Seafood Markets
Seafood market business owners, very similar to delis and supermarkets, use POS scales, as many natural seafood products are sold based on weight. Keeping track of your stock with scales is imperative if you want to have a solid grasp on your business.
With a high-quality POS scale, you can keep track of both fresh and frozen seafood product information.
Health Food Stores
In addition to regular supermarkets, health food stores will often use POS scales like a supermarkets business does, selling things like supplements based on their weight. Most health food stores have a lot of items sold by weight, meaning you need to be able to sell them accurately with a scale.
Convenience Stores
Point of sale systems are crucial for a fast-moving convenience store business.
Convenience stores often deal with people that are in a rush. Investing in a POS scale system that can accurately weigh and process your customer's purchases quickly is very important if you want to expedite the way your business runs.
Choose from the top 5 POS brands with the help of our convenience store POS system article.
Frozen Yogurt Shop
We can't even remember the last time we went to a frozen yogurt business that didn't sell its yogurt based on weight.
Having a POS scale for your yogurt shop is pretty much mandatory these days, especially when you consider the fact that yogurt stores are a self-service business.
Salad Bar
Similar to the way that a deli will prepare meats, salad bars often need to use POS scales to determine transaction amounts. Customers will often start by filling up a box or container with the ingredients that they want. The point of sale systems scale will then weigh the item and determine how much it costs based on the weight.
Type of POS Scale
There are three main types of POS scales to be aware of for weighing and pricing products, including price computing scales, weight-only scales, and scanner/scale combos (scanner scales).
Typically, type of point of sale scale that you choose comes down to your budget. Of course, you should also figure out what kind of POS scale features your business needs.
Price Computing POS Scale
These types of scales are wonderfully complex, perfect for POS integration or use as standalone pieces of hardware.
You can integrate a price computing scale with a POS database, allowing you to easily calculate the prices of your products and document your items and products as you sell them.
It should be worth noting that price computing POS scales can be a bit costly compared to the other products in this category, which is why we recommend them for those with high-end point of sale systems.
On average, you will spend as little as $400 on one of these POS scales or as much as $1,000.
Weight-Only POS Scales
Weight-only POS scales are the cheapest hardware option compared to the others on this list. Simply put, these are electronic scales made to weigh items and nothing more. You can use them to weigh products, though you still have to transfer the weight and cost to a third-party device. These hardware devices do not integrate with POS systems like other peripheral-based scales.
Essentially, if you don't need a ton of features and you are not one of the business owners running a high-capacity storefront, then choosing a weight-only scale might be the best-case scenario.
This POS scale option is affordable and perfect for a business that is looking to implement weighing scale systems in multiple stores. For one of these scales, you will typically end up spending anywhere between $400 and $600.
Scanner-Scale Combo
In need of some fancy scanners with your scales?
The cool thing about scanner-scale combo hardware devices, otherwise simply known as scanner scales, is that you get the best of both worlds, including the scale and QC/bar code POS system scanner.
If you want a self-service point of sale application or cashier-less checkout at your store, then having a scanner-scale combo is important.
These hardware devices use laser scanners that ready bar codes.
You've probably seen these at mid to high-end grocery stores or sitting alongside checkout stations.
The scanner-scale combo is definitely the most complex of the POS systems out of the three, which also makes them one of the most expensive choices out there today.
With that said, if you have any items that are sold by weight, the scanner and scale combination is going to be the most accurate addition to your POS terminal or POS system.
Top Manufacturers of POS Scales
Just as there are many POS system manufacturers on the market, there are also many POS scales on the market to choose from. Most of the time, it is a good idea to purchase POS Scales as peripherals to POS systems, meaning if the POS company offers a scale, you should opt for it. The beauty of doing it this way is that you know the compatibility will work.
Creating a full, all-in-one POS system that is completely unified eliminates any potential errors that you might run into in the future.
It is important to do research prior to jumping in and making a purchase, as POS scales can be quite expensive. Determine your needs and then begin searching for the best POS scales that fit your perfect match.
Here are some of the most popular manufacturers of POS Scales on the market today:
Final Thoughts - Which POS Scale Should You Get For Your Business?
When integrating your POS system with a POS scale, you should know that different manufacturers have different requirements.
It is crucial that you do your research to prevent purchasing a scale that is not compatible with the POS system you currently use.
Other aspects to consider include: item type that you will be weighing with your POS scale, the size of the weighing tray, and whether or not it can connect with other pieces of hardware, such as a cash register, using the included peripheral.
Integrating a scale into your business makes "sold-by-weight" sales more accurate and keeping track of inventory much easier.
Tyler Connaghan
Contributing Author
