For many small businesses, moving from a notebook or a basic cash register to a proper point of sale (POS) system is a big step. The right system saves time, reduces losses and gives you information you never had before. The wrong one frustrates staff, slows down the queue and ends up abandoned.
Before you choose, ask these ten questions. They apply to a kiosk, a hardware store, a pharmacy, a restaurant counter and a supermarket alike.
Payments
1. Does it handle the way my customers actually pay?
In Kenya and across much of Africa, that means mobile money as well as cash, and sometimes card and bank transfers. Check whether the system can start a mobile payment from the sale (for example an STK push), record payment references and handle split payments when a customer pays part cash, part M-Pesa.
2. Can it handle credit, invoices and instalments?
If you sell to businesses or offer instalment plans, look for proper invoices with due dates and partial payments, and layaway (Lipa Polepole) support, rather than relying on a separate notebook.
Connectivity and devices
3. What happens when the internet goes down?
Network outages and power cuts happen. Ask whether the register keeps working offline and how sales sync afterwards. Also ask which features need a connection, since live mobile payment prompts generally do.
4. What devices does it run on?
Some systems require expensive dedicated hardware. Others run in a browser or as an installable app on the phones, tablets and computers you already have, working alongside barcode scanners and thermal receipt printers.
Stock
5. How does it track inventory?
Stock should update with every sale. Look for low-stock alerts, stock adjustments with reasons, stock audits and barcode support.
6. Does it support suppliers and purchase orders?
Receiving stock against purchase orders keeps inventory accurate and gives you records for supplier disputes.
7. Can it grow to more than one location?
Even if you have one shop today, check whether the system supports multiple stores or warehouses and stock transfers between them.
People and insight
8. Can I control what each staff member can do?
Individual logins, staff roles and shift tracking with opening and closing cash are essential once you have employees.
9. Will the reports actually help me?
Look for practical reports: sales by day, top products, payment method breakdown, shift activity and profit and loss. Being able to export data (for example as CSV) helps with accountants and tax.
Cost
10. Is the pricing clear, and can I try it first?
Look for clearly published plans, the limits of each plan (stores, staff, products) and a free trial. Ask how you pay for the subscription and whether you can change plans later.
How we answer these questions in Xduka POS
To be transparent, here is how we approach each area in Xduka POS, our own product, with the details on www.xduka.com:
- Payments: cash, M-Pesa, card, bank and STK or hosted checkout through our sister platform Paysasa, with split payments.
- Credit: sales invoices with PIN links and partial payments, plus Lipa Polepole layaways.
- Offline: installable PWA with an offline-ready register; queued work syncs on reconnect, and live payment rails wait until you are online.
- Devices: works across desktop and mobile, with barcode scanning and thermal receipts.
- Stock: product, category and stock management, low-stock alerts, audits, suppliers and purchase orders.
- Locations: multi-store management and warehouses with transfers, subject to plan limits.
- People: role-aware access (owner, manager, cashier, viewer) and shift tracking.
- Reports: sales, payments, shifts, inventory and P&L, with CSV export.
- Cost: published plans, including a free Starter plan and free trials, with no credit card required to start. See our pricing page for current details.
Make the most of a trial
A free trial is only useful if you test real work. Set up your actual store, add your fast-moving products with barcodes, run real sales with each payment method and look at the reports. Involve the staff who will use it every day, because their opinion matters.
One more tip: ask your staff
The people who will use the system every day often spot problems first. Let your cashiers run test sales during the trial and ask them what felt slow or confusing.
Choose the system your staff will use
The best POS for your shop is the one that fits how you actually sell: your payment methods, your network conditions, your stock and your team. Ask these ten questions, test with real work and choose the system your staff will actually use.
Ready to try? Start with Xduka POS, or compare plans on our pricing page.
