Frequently Asked Questions
Before buying a system such as Vector you may have a number of questions to ask. Here, we try and answer some of them.
What is an EPOS system?
A true EPOS system is a device at the point of sale which has the capability to identify each item you sell, provide a price for the item and record the sale of the item. In addition it should be able to provide you with information on sales and profitability down to item level, suggest reorders, process orders, print labels and link to an accounts system. A modern EPOS system should have no limits on the number of items it can handle. It should allow information to be retained as long as required. It should be "real time" so that a sale on one terminal immediately updates the information available at all other terminals. It should be simple to use and at least as reliable as a traditional till.
What are the advantages of an EPOS system?
They are many. The prices charged are accurate - no under-ringing. It is quicker than keying in prices. You do not have to price mark every item. You know at the end of the day not only what you took but how much you made and where you made it. You can identify any item which is under priced. The system can work out and apply margins for you without a calculator. You can charge different prices for different types of customers without calculators, books, tables, or trained staff. You can run a customer loyalty club. You do not have to count stock to re-order. In short an EPOS system will increase your margins, optimise your stockholding and save you time.
Do I need to put all the stock lines on before I can use it?
No. You may use the system just like a cash register by entering the price of the item. Vector also has a unique "Autoload" facility where you can enter the items you sell onto the stock file simply by scanning them. This allows you to very rapidly gain the advantage of scanning, accurate pricing and shelf edge pricing.
What about the stock levels?
Many aspects of the system can work without it knowing the level of stock for each item. However so that the system can suggest re-orders it needs to know how much of each item is in stock. This is best input on a supplier by supplier basis so that you can order for your major suppliers using the system as soon as is practical. Vector has a system to let you do that.
I use different prices - can I still use bar coding?
Because of the speed at which the Vector System works many people have the impression that the price is contained in the barcode. This is not so. The price is looked up from a file of products held on the computers hard disk drive. You decide what the price [or prices] of each item will be.
What about non-bar coded products?
Vector has a unique system for dealing with non bar coded or hard to bar code items.
This is called the Quick Menu. Using simple to follow software the user can build his own touch screen multi layer menu on the screen. The number of buttons on the screen, the colours and the layers are decided by the user. The menu is easily changed. Using multi layer menus is fast and acurate. With 16 buttons on the touch screen and four layers an amazing 64 thousand plus items can be accessed within seconds. Buttons can be set to sell multiple quantities of an item and kits of items [ all the furniture etc in a table , chairs, umbrella and barbeque set for example] You may use both systems - the menu and the bar code scan, to sell the same item For example it may be easier to have heavy items [ bags of compost for example] on a menu than to lift and scan the barcode.
What about products with more than one bar code?
Unlike most other systems Vector allows you to have as many bar codes as you like relating to one product. To add a bar code you simply call up the stock record for the item and scan the new bar code. The new barcode is added to any existing bar codes within the system.
I would like to bar code certain products myself - can I?
Vector allows you to produce on demand bar code labels for items which are not pre bar coded. You can also produce labels for a receipt of goods. Using this procedure bar code labels will be produced in the correct numbers for those items within the order which are not pre bar coded.
Vector produces a wide range of label types from outdoor plant labels to jewlery labels.
Why use bar codes anyway?
Numerous tests have shown that scanning bar codes is faster than keying in prices. It is also more accurate with no misrung prices. Worries about staff charging wrong prices are eliminated. You do not need to put the price on each individual item which saves the cost of price marking. You use shelf edge labelling.
My shelves won't accept shelf-front labels - do I have to replace them?
No. There are a number of products which consist of two part plastic strips which fix to the front of shelves and allow price labels to be easily inserted. CSY can supply these items. There are two sizes of labels to account for items with a narrow facing.
What about peg-boarded items?
The Vector System produces tag labels which stick to the flaps at the end of the peg board hooks. Flappers to fit all types of peg board hook are available.
I have special items - can it handle these?
Vector can deal with items sold in decimal fractions, Multi buys, items sold as part of another product [kits]. Vector can record and retrieve the serial numbers of items sold. Vector can handle surcharges with a full surcharge banking system, PML sales and VOC reporting. Vector can handle multiple quantity price breaks. Vector can handle bag to bin sales. Vector is approved throughout the EU for the attachment of weighing scales.
Will it help me increase sales?
As well as helping to keep products in stock in the right quantities Vector has a sales prompt function to help you sell related products and thus increase sales and customer satisfaction. For example prompting you to sell batteries for items which need them.
Do I need special power supplies?
No. The system plugs into a normal 13 amp socket. Four way sockets are supplied with the system. If your premises are subject to power fluctuations or cuts you may consider an Uninterruptible Power Supply [UPS]. This device fits between the system and the power point and smoothes the supply. It also sounds an alarm if there is a power cut and maintains power to the system long enough for you to close it down properly. Only about 5% of installations have a UPS. A UPS costs around £200.
Do I lose everything if the power goes off?
No. The files are stored inside the computer in the same way as music is stored on a cassette. The files are there whether power is being supplied to the system or not. The files are updated at the end of each sale so you will only lose the details of the sale on which you are currently working and this will have to be started again when power is restored.
What about speed - how fast is the update at the end of the sale?
While you are putting money in the drawer and maybe giving change the system makes its saves. With modern systems this will normally have completed by the time the customer leaves the counter.
I sell to both trade and retail - can Vector handle that?
Yes. Vector can produce both receipts and invoices. Invoices are automatically produced for trade customers.
What about different pricing?
Vector can charge retail customers at one price and trade customers another price. In addition there are discounts which can be set for individual customers by range of products or on individual items. Different discounts can be set for different quantities. Staff prices can be set. Even customers who pay cash can have discounts. A discount structure can be copied from one customer to another.
How many stock items can Vector handle?
There is no practical limit to the number of stock items, customers, suppliers etc which can be held on the system. The limitation is based on the size of the disk drive but this would allow many millions of stock item, customers etc to be held.
Do I need to know about computers?
Absolutely not. Vector is like a bank cash machine. Although it is a computer it has been specifically designed to perform one specific task. All operations are run from menus which will appear on the screen when the system is switched on. The menu selections are in plain English. The system is virtually 100% intuitive and is extremely user friendly. It looks like 'Windows applications you may have used but is both easier to follow and more robust than most such applications.