Electronic Point of Sale (EPOS) is a self contained computer system used primarily in retailing where scanning of bar coded products (perhaps at a cash till) relays information to the computer system. This computer (usually a locally based EPOS dedicated machine) will confirm the price of the item back to the point where it was scanned. If the purpose was for a sale, then payment can be processed by cash, bank or credit cards and the customer can be issued an itemized receipt. The EPOS computer will then engage locally, or through the use of a Back Office Server to adjust stock figures appropriately, and record information in relation to this sale. In the case of multiple stores, this information is then usually transmitted from the Back Office Server to the companies Head Office.

 

One of the primary benefits of Electronic Point of Sale, is in relation to enabling efficient stock control. The information that can be extrapolated from EPOS is vast, with significant benefits for business.