Salon EPoS Software
Our Salon EPoS systems include the Salon Maid EPoS software - a comprehensive, internationally established software solution especially designed for salons. It has a wide range of functionality from point-of-sale processing and stock control to client database with pictures, appointments diary, staff wages / commissions, management reports and much.

Click Here for a full software specification and screen layouts.

Differences between the Salon EPoS Systems
With the S500 Salon EPoS system, you will require your own Windows PC. You simply install the Salon Maid EPoS software, connect the 3 EPoS hardware peripherals to your PC and you are ready to go!

The S1000 Salon EPoS system is a complete solution with hardware and EPoS software running on a conventional mini-tower Windows PC with keyboard, mouse and flat-panel LCD monitor (not a touch screen). An optional stand-alone touch screen can be added to this Salon EPoS system if required.

The main difference on the advanced EPoS systems is the integrated touch screen computer - touch screen systems are much easier and faster for staff to use, take up less space, look smarter and there are less cables involved.

The S1500 Salon EPoS System is a complete touch screen solution featuring the Posiflex Jiva 8000 touch screen system which comes with a 12-month return to base warranty and the Salon Maid EPoS software.

The S2000 pack is a complete touch screen EPoS system solution which features the advanced Posligne Odysse touch screen system with its sleek design that is available in a choice of colours with matching receipt printer. It has a much faster Intel processor. It comes with a 3-year manufacturers warranty, including on-site service (UK mainland) for the 1st year with next working day response. The S2000 includes the new advanced Metrologic Quantum laser barcode scanner as standard and the Salon Maid EPoS software.

A barcode label printer and other types of barcode scanner are optionally available with each of the salon EPoS systems.

EPoS Hardware Only?
If you have your own salon EPoS software or wish to use another EPoS software package, we can still supply compatible EPoS hardware including cash drawers, receipt printers, keyboards, barcode scanners and touch screens for your beauty salon. Our EPoS hardware prices are much lower than most salon EPoS software suppliers due to the high volumes we ship. Contact us for an EPoS system quotation. You'll be surprised at how much money you can save on the exact same EPoS equipment!

Networking Multiple Terminals
You may have multiple workstations (PC's or touch screen terminals) networked together on your Salon EPoS system at one branch. For pricing on the additional stations, peripherals and software licenses, click on your required Salon EPoS system above and then scroll down to the options at the bottom of the page. Alternatively, Contact Us for a Salon EPoS system quotation.

Our EPoS systems can either be till-based or PC-based solutions running under MS-Windows. We can provide all the required components including the EPoS software, touch screens, cash drawers, receipt printers, point of sale barcode scanners, accessories, consumables and other related items as well as full staff training and support services.

All our Salon EPoS Systems can be implemented quickly and cost effectively. EPoS software is available for simple self-installation or with our support services including installation, configuration, staff training and ongoing support/maintenance.

Read our Salon EPoS Systems Buying Advice below

Salon EPoS Systems - Buying Advice

Our Salon solutions fall into 2 types: Cash Registers (Tills) and PC-based EPoS Systems. These are explained in more detail below.

(1) Tills / Cash Registers

Tills provide a low-cost solution for small and medium sized salons. The various components - the software, the keyboard/keypad, the receipt printer, the cash drawer, the operator display and customer display - are all integrated into one neat unit that requires one mains power point.

A very basic cash register starts from arond £65 (+vat). A medium-specification till system for a shop with integrated cash drawer, receipt printer, journal printer, operator display, customer display panel, and a barcode scanner with stock control can be implemented for less than £500 (+vat).

Cash Tills / Cash Registers provide good basic functionality in terms of registering sales, printing the receipt and operating the cash drawers. Some of the more sophisticated tills support barcode scanning, stock control and can be networked together. They are also able to provide sales analysis, stock control and management reports to show revenue, product/service performance, product/service category performance and staff performance.

Some people still have an old-fashioned perception of a cash till as a large, mechanical machine. However, the current high-specification range of modern computerised electronic cash registers can offer sophisticated functionality in a sleek design with integrated stock control, barcode scanning, 2-station printing, VAT/tax tables, stock re-ordering and much more.

On machines like the Casio TE-2200 and Sharp UP800/UP810 series, the cash drawer section can be dismantled from the main cash register for under-counter mounting. This provides a more sleek looking cash register which can be fixed to your salon reception counter, using less space and looking much better.

With a cash register, you can either just punch in prices to register sales transactions and print a receipt or you can setup all your salon services, products and related information before use. The former method provides you with an instant EPoS solution, the latter will involve some initial time but yield more meaningful sales, management and performance reports.

The disadvantage of tills is that there are only handful of major manufacturers (Casio, Sharp, SAM4S, Olivetti etc) so choice is limited, the software features are hardcoded into the machine so features cannot be readily customised, updated or enhanced and new machines are only released every few years, the character-size limits for product/category descriptions is limited, and the machine (or individual components within the machine) cannot be readily upgraded - it has to be replaced entirely. The advanced cash registers also usually require an experienced person to do the setup and programming, which may not be straightforward on some machines.

For salons, tills do not usually provide a client database or appointments system.

If the EPoS system requirements of a salon business are basic and the budget is limited, then cash registers provide an affordable, low-cost EPoS solution for almost immediate implementation.

Click Here to see our full range of cash registers

 

(2) PC-based Salon EPoS Systems

Most PC-based Salon EPoS Systems, due to the larger size of the screen, are easier for salon staff to use and more user-friendly. Well-designed salon EPoS software will only present the operator with the buttons/options relevant to the immediate task they are performing, so it means staff can interact faster with the EPoS system and provide faster service to your customers with greater accuracy and fewer errors. A touch screen provides a further advantage.

PC-based software for salons also provides the added advantage of provided an integrated appointments system and customer / client database.

PC-based EPoS systems usually consist of separate components - cash drawer, receipt printer, barcode scanner, display pole, magstripe reader etc. This means you can choose the specification of individual EPoS hardware components. For example, you may want a larger-capacity cash drawer or a faster receipt printer, or a different design barcode scanner. An EPoS system with modular components allows you to make these choices.

You can either use a normal PC with a normal VGA or touch screen monitor attached to it, or you can use an integrated touch screen system. On the latter, the PC components (motherboard, processor, memory, hard disk) are usally integrated into the touch screen monitor or in a base unit attached to the monitor. This provides for a much neater format as there are fewer cable attachments and helps give your beauty salon a tidy appearance. Integrated touch screen systems also give your salon a more modern, sophisticated look.

The cost of an integrated touch screen EPoS system is usually determined by 4 major factors:-

(a) the brand - which usually reflects the quality of the design, the durability and reliability of materials used internally and externally, and the warranty/service options available.

(b) the performance specification - the processor, memory and hard disk configuration.

(c) the size of the touch screen (12", 15", 17" etc)

(d) the additional peripherals attached (eg. barcode scanner, magstripe reader, fingerprint sensor etc).

Obviously the EPoS equipment from established international manufacturers with higher specification and on-site support will cost more than lower-specification equipment from less-established suppliers.

From Primemark, a basic salon EPoS system (EPoS software, receipt printer, cash drawer, barcode scanner) for use on your own Windows PC starts from around £429. A complete system with hardware and software starts from around £1495.

Most touch-screen EPoS systems are Windows-based, so it means anyone with basic Microsoft Windows knowledge and experience can connect and configure the various components - receipt printer, cash drawer, barcode scanner and so on.

As for installing the salon EPoS software, this usually depends on the software vendor. The more established, widely-used international EPoS software packages can be readily installed by most users themselves, even on a multi-user network. The less established packages will not have such streamlined installation procedures, and may require attendance by an engineer or remote-access to setup and configure. In either case, for a multi-user system, the tasks of network cabling and configuration of workstations to connect to the network, will most likely require an experienced PC professional to perform them.

Most EPoS software packages have a set startup routine, either via on-screen 'Wizard' or following through a User Guide, to setup the reference data. This would include items such as staff login names, passwords, security levels, product manufacturers, product categories, product details, service details, barcodes, pricing details, supplier details, stock information - current stock levels, minimum/maximum stock levels. It may also include defining requirement such as VAT/tax tables, layouts of forms/reports, and other operational characteristics.

Depending on how extensive are your product range and list of services, you will need to allow anywhere from a few hours to a few days to perform the setup of the reference information. Some people are put-off EPoS systems by this lengthy initial exercise, but if it is considered as a one-off investment, the ongoing benefits well outweigh the cost and time of setup.

Many off-the-shelf EPoS software packages are intuitive and very easy to use. Most users who have basic MS-Windows application software experience can figure their way around the EPoS software, consulting the on-line help where necessary, and work out how to perform the common tasks on first use. Less established EPoS software from smaller vendors or more sophisticated systems from larger vendors may be more complicated to setup and operate, and a staff training session may be required.

Generally, EPoS software, provides a much wider range of management reports related to stock, sales, staff, suppliers, profit and customers. The ability to print to an A4 printer, with either charts and graphs or statistical reports and summaries, as well as the facility to transfer data between sites and to a head office gives it a considerable advantage over cash registers. Combined with the cosmetic advantage it gives your store, the ability to choose and vary individual EPoS hardware components, the easier use for staff, the faster throughput for customers and the upgrade path to grow with your business, you should try to opt for a Windows-based EPoS system unless your requirements are very basic and/or your budget is very restricted.

 

EPoS System Components

In our standard salon EPoS systems, we have chosen popular EPoS hardware components which are suited to most requirements. However, you may wish to consider changing some of the individual EPoS hardware components in the package based on the considerations detailed below.

Touch Screen

The size of touch screen you choose for your salon EPoS system will depend on your personal preference as well as how much information appears on each screen. If you are operating a small salon with a small range of service and products, then a 12" screen will be sufficient. If you have many products and services, and your EPoS software displays or collects more information, you should opt for a 15" or 17" touch screen.

The difference in footprint (how much space it uses on your counter top or desktop) is not that significant between the different screen sizes, but it will vary from manufacturer to manufacturer based on the design. Remember to check the dimensions of the touch screen, base unit and other components of your salon EPoS system to ensure you can accomodate them in the available space you have.

If you intend to flush-mount your EPoS touch screen into the counter horizontally, then obviously checking the dimensions of the touch screen and the angles through which it can be adjusted becomes very important.

If your salon environment is polluted (eg. dust) or there is excessive water or dirt on the operators fingers, make sure your chosen EPoS touch screen uses the correct technology to minimise damage and facilitate accurate operation. See our Touch Screen section for guidance.

Cash Drawers

Most EPoS cash drawers designed for UK currency have 4 note compartments (for £5, £10, £20 and £50 notes) and 8 coin compartments (for 1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p, 50p, £1 and £2 coins). Some cash drawers have extra compartments for slips/cheques. Cash drawers vary in build quality, overall size and cash holding capacity. Check these parameters are suitable for your business requirements.

The cash drawers we supply with our salon EPoS systems are automatically opened by the EPoS software, with a cable connection to the PC or via the receipt printer. Some cash drawers can also feature a sensor so the software can detect when the drawer is open or closed. Cash drawers with an RS232 interface are designed to connect directly to the PC. Cash drawers with an RJ interface connect via receipt printer. Manual operation cash drawers (with a push button) are also available. Although most cash drawers are provided with a key, we do not recommend using the key for constant operation as it will eventually twist and break. The key is designed to lock the drawer at the end of a shift.

Cash drawers are also available in mini or micro sizes where space is confined, as well as smaller flip-top formats where the cash is accessed from above and the lid folds out. Casing colours vary between beige/white, grey and black. Some flip-top cash drawers are available in a silver coloured lid.

Receipt Printers

Receipt printers for salon EPoS systems are generally available as mini thermal printers or mini impact (dot-matrix printers) with a print width between 57mm and 80mm. Thermal printers print onto thermal paper using a heated print head and dont require any ink ribbons/cartridges. They are also very fast, silent and are capable of printing text and graphics at high speed. Impact printers require an ink ribbon or ink cartridge, make a noise while printing, and may have limited character/graphics capability.

Impact printers are more useful for environments where the temperature is extreme, where thermal paper may not be suitable due to heat/moisture. They are also suited where a higher quality permanent print is required or where you wish to print onto slips, vouchers, coupons, 2-ply or 3-ply stationery.

Recently, colour inkjet receipt printers are also becoming quite popular however, depending on the volume of receipts you print, the cost of replacement ink cartridges should be taken into account..

There are many brands of receipt printer on the market. However as receipt printing is such a critical operation which could stop your store from trading if it fails, we generally recommend the 3 main brands Epson , Samsung Bixolon and Star Micronics. The Epson TMT88IV is a very widely used thermal receipt printer throughout the retail industry. The Star TSP100 and TSP600 series are also very popular and proven choices. The Samsung Bixolon SRP350 and SRP370 are also used widely.

If you will be printing graphics on your receipt such as your logo, then make sure your chosen EPoS printer supports these features.

If your salon EPoS software supports it, receipt printers can also provide an auto-cutter facility so the receipt is automatically cut when printed so it can be simply lifted off the printer. The alternative tear-bar versions require you to tear-off the receipt manually which can slow you down in a busy retail environmet or, if not pulled correctly, could tear into the printed portion of a receipt. Auto-cutter printer operation is faster and more reliable.

For the salon EPoS systems provided by Primemark, we will ensure the chosen receipt printer has the correct interface for the connection to the PC. If you have your own PC equipment, you should check the interface ports available on your hardware before choosing either USB, RS232 Serial, Parallel or Ethernet interfaces. If you will be using your own salon EPoS software, you should also check which interfaces it can support.

Barcode Scanners

Barcode scanners for EPoS systems can either be hand-held units that can be used by hand and with desktop stand, or they can be fixed-mount units placed on or integrated into a counter.

Laser barcode scanners with wider read heads will scan more items faster and accurately. CCD barcode scanners will require careful close alignment with the barcode and may sometimes require several scan attempts.

See our section on Barcode Scanners for further advice on choosing the right barcode scanner for your EPoS system.

If your salon EPoS software supports it, you may also wish to consider using a mobile PDA with barcode scanner for stock taking.

Credit Card Processing

Established EPoS software packages provide a software module to authorise and process credit/debit card payments, in which case you can connect a Chip and Pin Terminal or Pin Pad directly to your EPoS system. It will connect to the bank either by a dial-up modem and phone line, via an internet connection or through WiFi or GPRS.

If your EPoS software does not provide card processing, then you can operate an independent Chip and Pin Terminal alongside your EPoS system. You will use the terminal to authorise card payments and then record the payment method on your EPoS software. The summary report from your terminal and the payments reports from your EPoS software should be matched at the end of each shift.

The Salon Maid software only supports integrated credit card processing in the USA and Canada. For the UK, Ireland and other countries you may operate your credit card machine alongside the EPoS System.

Forms & Reports

If you will be using your EPoS software to print forms and reports, you may also require a conventional A4 desktop printer for your EPoS system.

Barcode Labels & Tags

Many salon EPoS software packages allow you to generate and print your own barcode labels / tags for your stock. If you intend to use this facility, you will require a barcode label printer and appropriate stationery. See our section on Barcode Printers for advice.

You can either print standard tags with product description, price and barcode, or using Primemark's range of advanced colour label printers such as the Primera LX400 or LX810, you can print full-colour barcode labels with photos and graphics.

Customised Salon EPoS Systems

The above EPoS systems which we have put together as package solutions are among the most popular configurations requested by our salon customers such as hairdressers, beauty salons and nail salons. However, we can also tailor a salon EPoS system and custom make a package for your own requirements. Call us on FreeFone 0800 634 9898 to discuss your EPoS system requirements or use the Contact Us form.

See our list of EPoS terminals which includes the IBM SurePos range as well as other leading brand electronic point of sale equipment.

Primemark only supplies EPoS hardware and peripherals from the major international brands backed with warranty and support. There are plenty of clones of top brand EPoS equipment available, however, use of these lower quality EPoS hardware products can be a false economy if it exposes your business to operational risks in the event of failure and/or reduced performance and reliability. We recommend only choosing EPoS hardware products from established manufacturers that has been tried, tested and proven - at Primemark, due to the high volumes we ship, these top quality EPoS hardware products and EPoS systems are available at exceptionally low prices.

Related EPoS Products:-

Restaurant / Hospitality EPoS Systems | Retail EPoS Systems

Integrated Touch Screen EPoS Systems | EPoS Software | Cash Registers | Touch Screens