How to choose a till without getting it wrong

1. Can I see it working before paying?

A demo with sample data is worth more than twenty brochures. Watch the real flow: open a table or an appointment, add products, charge and print. If you cannot charge in the demo, be wary.

2. What happens if the internet goes down?

Every cloud till needs a connection. Ask what happens exactly: can you keep selling blind? does the sale come back when the connection returns? If your shop has frequent outages, look at something that runs locally or a 4G backup line.

3. Is the printer mine or the supplier's?

Some programs "give" you the printer while tying you into a rental. Always ask: if I leave, is the printer mine? The normal thing is to buy it yourself (80 to 200 €) and for the software to accept any 80 mm thermal model.

4. Where is my data and how do I get it out?

The most important question and the least asked. Insist on knowing which country the servers are in, that there is a daily backup, and that you can export your items, customers and sales in an open format (CSV or Excel). If the answer is "that is not possible", it is not your program.

5. Is there a contract?

A decent till defends itself month by month. If they want twelve or twenty-four months paid up front, ask yourself why they need to tie you in.

6. What does it really cost per year?

Add up the monthly fee, the setup, the modules you genuinely need, the printer and the training. A 10 €/month program with no setup fee can work out cheaper than a 5 €/month one with 200 € setup and three compulsory modules.

7. Will anyone answer when something breaks on a Saturday?

Ask about support hours and channels. In hospitality and retail, Saturday afternoon is when everything breaks. If there is only an email that takes 48 hours, you are in for a hard time.