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58 guides on POS systems, processing fees, switching platforms and getting more out of the system you already own.
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Choosing A POS
What is a POS system?
A POS system is the software and hardware you use to sell something and record that you sold it. The recording part is where the value is.
8 min read
Choosing A POS
How to choose a POS system
Comparison charts make this harder than it is. Three steps will get most businesses to the right answer in under two weeks.
9 min read
Choosing A POS
POS hardware explained
There are five basic hardware categories. Which you need is determined by your counter, not by your budget.
8 min read
Payments Basics
9 minWhat Does Payment Processing Actually Cost? | Digital Harvest MarketingThe real cost of accepting cards, what makes up the fee, and how to calculate your effective rate in five minutes.8 minWhat Is Interchange? The Fee Nobody Controls | Digital Harvest MarketingInterchange is the largest part of most processing fees, set by the card networks and paid to the issuing bank.9 minHow To Read A Merchant Statement In Ten Minutes | Digital Harvest MarketingFind your effective rate, spot junk fees and understand what you're really paying — a step-by-step walkthrough.8 minCredit Card Processing Fees Explained | Digital Harvest MarketingEvery fee type you'll see on a merchant account, what it's for, and which ones are worth questioning.8 minWhat Is PCI Compliance And What Do I Actually Have To Do? | Digital Harvest MarketingPCI compliance in practical terms for a small business — the questionnaire, the fees, and how modern POS reduces your burden.8 minChargebacks Explained: How To Prevent And Fight Them | Digital Harvest MarketingWhat a chargeback is, why they happen, how to respond, and the habits that prevent most of them.8 minEMV, NFC And Tap To Pay: What The Terms Mean | Digital Harvest MarketingChip cards, contactless, digital wallets and liability shift — explained without the acronym soup.8 minWhat Is A Merchant Account? | Digital Harvest MarketingThe account that lets you accept cards, how it differs from a payment facilitator, and why underwriting matters.8 minFlat Rate vs Interchange Plus: Which Pricing Is Better? | Digital Harvest MarketingThe two main processing pricing models compared, with the volume threshold where the answer usually changes.8 minCash Discounting And Dual Pricing: Does It Work? | Digital Harvest MarketingOffsetting processing costs by pricing cash and card differently — how it works, where it fits, and what to watch.8 minHow Fast Do I Get My Money From Card Sales? | Digital Harvest MarketingDeposit timing explained: batching, business days, weekends, holds and what actually delays funding.8 minSurcharging Rules And Legality Explained | Digital Harvest MarketingWhether you can add a card surcharge, the state rules and signage requirements, and how it differs from cash discounting.8 minACH vs Card Payments: Which Should You Accept? | Digital Harvest MarketingHow ACH bank transfers compare to card payments on cost, speed and customer experience, and when to offer both.8 minTipping And Tip Pooling On Card Payments | Digital Harvest MarketingHow card-based tipping, tip screens and tip pooling actually work through a POS, and what to set up correctly.8 minPCI SAQ Types Explained: Which One Applies To You | Digital Harvest MarketingThe different PCI self-assessment questionnaire types, how your setup determines which one you fill out, and why it matters.8 minRefunds vs Voids: What's The Difference? | Digital Harvest MarketingWhen to void a transaction versus issue a refund, how each affects settlement and fees, and best practices for staff.8 minPayment Gateways vs Processors: What's The Difference? | Digital Harvest MarketingTwo different pieces of every card transaction, what each one actually does, and why online sellers need to understand both.
Choosing A POS
8 minWhat Is A POS System? A Plain-English Explanation | Digital Harvest MarketingA point of sale system is more than a card reader. Here's what it actually does and what it replaces in a small business.9 minHow To Choose A POS System Without Getting Lost | Digital Harvest MarketingA practical method for picking a POS: find your must-have, compare total cost, and demo with your own data.8 minPOS Hardware Explained: Which Setup Do You Need? | Digital Harvest MarketingStations, terminals, handhelds, kiosks, printers, scanners and drawers — what each is for and when you need it.7 minOffline Mode: What Happens When Your Internet Drops | Digital Harvest MarketingHow POS offline modes work, what the real risks are, and how to prepare before it happens mid-rush.8 minClover vs. Square For Small Business: How To Decide | Digital Harvest MarketingClover and Square both work well. Here's how their strengths differ so you can match the platform to your business.8 minChoosing A POS System For A Business With Two Locations | Digital Harvest MarketingRunning two locations changes what you need from a POS. Here's what to look for before you expand.7 miniPad vs. Dedicated POS Hardware: Which Should You Buy? | Digital Harvest MarketingA tablet-based setup and a purpose-built terminal both work as a POS. Here's how to decide which fits your counter.8 minHow Much Does A POS System Cost? A Realistic Breakdown | Digital Harvest MarketingThe real cost of a POS is software, hardware, and processing combined. Here's how to think about each piece.7 minQuestions To Ask A POS Salesperson Before You Sign | Digital Harvest MarketingThe right questions expose hidden fees and contract terms before you commit. Here's what to ask any POS salesperson.8 minThe POS Buying Checklist: Everything To Confirm Before You Sign | Digital Harvest MarketingA step-by-step checklist covering cost, hardware, contract terms, and support before choosing a POS system.7 minBest POS For A Business With An Existing Website | Digital Harvest MarketingIf you already have a website, look for a POS that connects to it cleanly instead of forcing a rebuild.7 minDo I Need A Full POS Or Just A Card Reader? | Digital Harvest MarketingA card reader and a full POS solve different problems. Here's how to tell which one your business actually needs.
Running Your Business
7 minHow Does POS Loyalty Actually Work? | Digital Harvest MarketingPoints, visits and rewards inside the POS — how enrollment happens, how to size the reward, and how to tell if it's working.7 minWhat POS Reports Should A Business Owner Actually Look At? | Digital Harvest MarketingThe daily, weekly and monthly reports worth your time — and the ones that are just noise.7 minInventory Accuracy: Habits That Keep Counts Honest | Digital Harvest MarketingWhy POS inventory drifts, and the small receiving and counting routines that keep it trustworthy.6 minReducing No-Shows With Deposits And Reminders | Digital Harvest MarketingThe settings and policies that cut appointment no-shows without making clients feel policed.6 minOnline Ordering vs Third-Party Delivery: Use Both, Deliberately | Digital Harvest MarketingMarketplace apps versus your own ordering channel — what each is good for and how to move repeat customers direct.7 minPOS Security And Employee Theft: Practical Controls | Digital Harvest MarketingPermissions, approvals and exception reports that prevent most register loss without turning the place into a police state.6 minSetting Up Gift Cards That Actually Get Used | Digital Harvest MarketingHow to set up physical and digital gift cards in your POS so they get sold, redeemed, and bring people back.6 minUsing POS Data To Set Staffing Levels | Digital Harvest MarketingHow to turn sales-by-hour reports into a schedule that matches labor to demand instead of guessing.7 minMenu And Price Engineering With POS Reports | Digital Harvest MarketingUse item-level sales and margin data from your POS to decide what to feature, reprice, or cut from the menu.6 minRunning A Loyalty Program That Pays For Itself | Digital Harvest MarketingHow to structure loyalty rewards so the extra visits they create outweigh the cost of the rewards themselves.6 minEmail And Text Marketing From Your POS | Digital Harvest MarketingHow to turn the customer list your POS already has into email and text campaigns that bring people back.6 minTaking Deposits And Appointments Through Your POS | Digital Harvest MarketingSetting up online booking, deposits, and appointment payments so scheduling and payment happen in one place.7 minManaging Multiple Locations From One Dashboard | Digital Harvest MarketingHow multi-location reporting, shared catalogs, and centralized settings work when you're running more than one site.6 minTip Management And Payouts Through Your POS | Digital Harvest MarketingHow tip pooling, tip-out rules, and payout timing work when tips are collected and tracked in the POS.7 minSeasonal Inventory Planning With POS History | Digital Harvest MarketingUsing last year's sales data in your POS to plan seasonal stock levels instead of guessing at reorders.6 minCutting Shrink With Cycle Counts | Digital Harvest MarketingHow regular partial inventory counts catch shrink early and pinpoint its cause, without shutting down for a full count.
Switching & Setup
8 minHow To Set Up A Restaurant Menu In A POS | Digital Harvest MarketingModifier groups, screen layout, price levels and 86ing — how to build a menu that stays fast during a rush.7 minHow To Train Staff On A New POS Without Losing A Shift | Digital Harvest MarketingA training plan that works: practice before go-live, cheat sheets, a designated expert and a support day.8 minHow To Switch POS Systems Without Losing Sales | Digital Harvest MarketingA go-live plan that avoids launch-day chaos: timing, parallel testing, data, training and a support day.7 minHow To Migrate Your Item Catalog Or Menu | Digital Harvest MarketingMoving items, prices and modifiers to a new POS without carrying over years of clutter and mistakes.6 minImporting Customer Data Safely When You Switch POS | Digital Harvest MarketingHow to move customer records, loyalty balances and purchase history without losing data or breaking loyalty.6 minWhat To Do With Your Old POS Hardware And Contract | Digital Harvest MarketingReturning leased equipment, canceling your old merchant account, and what to check before you switch.6 minEarly Termination Fees And How To Read Your Contract | Digital Harvest MarketingWhat to look for in a POS or processing contract: term length, auto-renewal, termination fees and hardware terms.5 minSetting Up Receipt Printers And Cash Drawers | Digital Harvest MarketingHow receipt printers and cash drawers connect to a POS, common setup problems, and how to avoid them.6 minKitchen Display System Setup Basics | Digital Harvest MarketingHow a kitchen display system replaces paper tickets, how routing works, and what to decide before setup.5 minConnecting A Scale Or Barcode Scanner To Your POS | Digital Harvest MarketingHow barcode scanners and scales integrate with a POS, common connection types, and what to check first.6 minNetwork And Wi-Fi Requirements For A POS | Digital Harvest MarketingWhat kind of internet connection, Wi-Fi setup and backup a POS system actually needs to run reliably.6 minPOS Go-Live Day Checklist | Digital Harvest MarketingEverything to check the morning you switch on your new POS, from hardware to staffing to a fallback plan.6 minThe First 30 Days After Switching POS Systems | Digital Harvest MarketingWhat to expect and check in the month after a POS switch — from reconciling deposits to fine-tuning the setup.
Start with a conversation.
Tell us how your business runs. We'll help you figure out what actually fits — Clover, Square or a specific configuration of either.