We’re a cutting-edge financial technology company encompassing point of sale, payment processing, and so much more, including our in-house processing platform, Cygma®.
Modern payment and point of sale technology for all types of businesses
Partnership programs custom-built to your needs and situation
Browse educational articles, EPI news, and case studies to learn more about payment processing.
July 13, 2023
POS Essentials
POS (Point of Sale) marketing is the product displays, promotions, and other advertising materials you encounter as a consumer at the checkout counter. The goal of this tactic is to increase sales by making the most of a customer’s final moments in the store, and it’s certainly effective—84% of shoppers have made impulse purchases, with 8 of every 10 impulse buys occurring in a physical store, according to Invesp.
Of course, POS marketing amounts to more than just encouraging small impulse purchases. Effective POS advertising can improve customer experience, foster loyalty, and encourage return visits that often lead to higher sales. As a vendor, you don’t want to miss out on this important transaction opportunity.
We often use POS to refer to point of sale devices, but in a discussion of POS marketing, the term often refers more broadly to the whole environment in which a sale takes place—the checkout aisle is the most familiar example.
You certainly should make sure you’re using your checkout or ordering area effectively—and we’ll provide some tips on that, too—but it’s critical to remember that your POS device is a powerful tool for driving sales. Chances are that you’re familiar with many of the best practices for setting up a checkout environment—displaying cheaper, common carry items like gum, magazines, candy, and bottled water—but you might not be aware of all you can accomplish with your POS system
Another important distinction to make before we dive into strategies is between point of sale and point of purchase (POP). POP is broader—it may refer to an entire convenience store, for example, and can cover all the signage, floor decals, and other advertising material up and down the aisles. Point of sale advertising is much more specific, applying only to the actual site of transaction (the counter, checkout line, or, in some cases, a digital kiosk).
It’s an important distinction to make, since you might see these two terms used interchangeably elsewhere. When it comes to effective POS advertising, it pays to get advice specific to the point of sale.
The main strategy for the physical POS environment is to make sure you’re using the surrounding space efficiently. Many grocery stores share a fairly standard setup—magazines, gum, chapstick, candy, beverages—and these items are tried-and-true. They sell well at checkout, and it’s a good bet to include them there in your store (if they’re appropriate to your industry).
Adding something beyond the old standards, though, can capture attention and drive sales. The right angle for this will vary. Some grocery stores, for example, place scented candles at checkout, a good fit for a customer who’s entertaining and, often, a diversion for customers waiting in line. Browsing and sampling scents to kill time can often result in a purchase. There are an enormous number of options for stocking your point of sale, but planning for your specific audience can make a major difference in your success here.
If your POS can support digital signage, setting up screens at checkout can be another strategic form of advertising. (You can accomplish this with physical signs to an extent, but you won’t have the same flexibility and variety you can present with digital.)
Imagine standing in line, waiting to cash out your order. If there was a sign displaying dynamic and interesting content, you would probably be happy to read along as you wait. This sort of signage is the perfect opportunity to display brand messaging, alert about upcoming promotions, and feature particular products.
POS systems with integrated product catalogs are most common in self-service stores, where customers can use them to ring up items and place orders directly. This is naturally a great way to boost efficiency, but the advertising benefit is critical, too. A POS with this feature gives customers a way to actively and comprehensively see what you offer, and it can be especially effective if you combine product pictures and short descriptions to provide a complete view of your offerings.
Integrated discounts and promotions are one of the major benefits of a good POS and they can play a large role in driving repeat visits. A simple step you can take is to ensure your POS displays relevant discounts and promotional messaging and keep this up to date as your offerings change. Simple awareness of an upcoming deal can go a long way in getting a customer back in the door. Another strategy you can use is to make the interface for applying discounts easy to use. Displaying information about a discounted transaction for the customer to see as it occurs can also be a reward reinforcement that doubles as a checkpoint for the customer to ensure they’re getting their deal.
If you’re looking for a new POS system, make accessibility a priority. Customer-facing systems should be easy to read and use, provide helpful options and information, and account for customers with a diverse range of needs.
Once you have a great POS, you can also use it to provide helpful content to customers while they wait to check out. You might choose to alert customers of an upcoming holiday, for example, and point out where you stock relevant items. If it’s appropriate in your industry, you can try providing tips or suggestions, too.
Gift cards are a perfect fit for featured display at your POS, both for customers who are actively ready to buy and customers who might make note of your selection and return later when they have an occasion to purchase one. When it comes to your POS system, make sure you use a tool that makes cashing out with a gift card as simple as any other form of payment to reduce friction for the customer.
Advertising a loyalty program via your POS can go beyond simply making customers aware—you can also provide the opportunity to sign up or activate a membership right from your POS while showing the benefits of joining. Once customers are enrolled, you can continue to demonstrate membership value by showing them how their status saves them money.
The power of advertising with your POS doesn’t only come from direct device-to-customer messaging. POS systems are often equipped with data collection and analytics programs that make them an even more valuable tool for assessing your marketing success and making plans for your future efforts.
A good POS will let you track sales, automatically update inventory info to keep you informed of high-value and low-value products, and identify demographic and seasonal trends that can help you further refine your ongoing marketing strategy.
Marketing at checkout is a smart way to boost sales, but if your POS system can’t help you accomplish all you need to, the impact of your efforts will be limited. To go beyond optimizing just the sales environment, you’ll need a system that’s built to make these strategies easy.
A few important questions to consider:
These are just a few of the important features to consider when evaluating a POS. If you’re still in the market, take a look at Exatouch®, our own system that’s built to make advertising easy.
Want to see how it works for yourself? Schedule an Exatouch POS demo, and bring us your questions about POS marketing!
Our annual conference is this fall! Join us at IMPACT24, October 6–10 in Las Vegas. Here’s what t...
Looking for a POS solution? Prioritize service. Here’s why it matters, plus how to get the most o...
We’ve spent over 20 years perfecting payments for our partner agents and merchants. Learn how we ...
At Electronic Payments, we pride ourselves on providing excellent customer service, and our Techn...
POS systems vary, from the type of hardware to the intended industry. Here are the types you’ll e...
Subscribe to our blog and we'll keep them coming!
We'll deliver new posts right to your inbox as soon as they're published. Stay tuned for ongoing tips, advice, and strategies you can use to grow your business!
Have you ever felt that your concerns were not heard? Or your needs were not met? Or you were let down? Or, have you been overly impressed? Pleased with a tech support call resolution? Or had an awesome experience with one of our sales representative, ISO Offices, or Relationship Managers?
It can sometimes be difficult to get an answer or a sensitive ear for an issue you may be having. Or, you may just need help reaching the right department. Who handles paper shipments? Who programs my equipment? What if I don't like my sales rep? How do I reach your CEO? Sometimes, it just helps having a direct email address which goes to a person that can "get the job done."
The Ombudsman is a position at Electronic Payments that is your conduit to the proper channels and persons that can field your request, answer your need, and receive your compliment. Fill out the form below and we'll try our very best to assist you as quickly as we can.
Comments, compliments, criticisms and problems... Please don't hesitate to let us know!
"*" indicates required fields
We're human, promise! And your issue is important to us. While this is an auto-response, a real human has received this email and will direct it to the right department so you can get the attention necessary to help with your request. We'll be in touch soon. In the meantime, here are several avenues of help we offer:
Technical Support Help Desk (24/7):(800) 966-5520 Option 3
Merchant Support Center:www.merchantsupportcenter.com
Customer Service (M-F, 9am - 6pm EST):(800) 966-5520 Option 4
POS Help Center:help.exatouch.com
Talk to you soon,The Electronic Payments Team
Copyright© Electronic Payments, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Electronic Payments is a registered Independent Sales Organization of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., Concord, CA and Commercial Bank of California, Los Angeles, CA.Electronic Payments is a Registered MasterCard© TPP American Express may require separate approval.
Privacy Policy →|Do Not Sell My Personal Information →
Offer: If an Eligible Business joins Electronic Payments' Cygma platform between 7/1/24 and 9/30/24 and processes a minimum of $500 in Mastercard card transations within thirty (30) days of joining the platform, the Eligible Business will receive a $50 Mastercard Prepaid® Card, while supplies last ("Offer").
Eligibility: This Offer is open only to U.S. businesses that are created under the laws of the U.S. and are incorporated or otherwise considered a valid legal entity in good standing in its state of formation as of the start of this Offer through gift award ("Eligible Business"). For purposes of these Terms, the following parties are collectively considered the "Released Parties": Electronic Payments, Inc. ("Sponsor"), Mastercard International Incorporated ("Mastercard"), Mastercard customer financial institutions, credit unions, alliances, processors (collectively, "Mastercard FI"), and teamDigital Promotions, Inc. ("Administrator"), and each of their respective parent companies, affiliates, retailers, distributors, subsidiaries, Gift providers and advertising/promotion agencies. Void where prohibited by law. By participating in this Offer, Eligible Businesses: (a) agree to be bound by these Terms and by the interpretation of these Terms by Sponsor and by the decisions of Sponsor, which are final and binding in all respects; and (b) acknowledge the Eligible Business is in compliance with these Terms.
Offer Period: The Offer begins at 12:00AM Eastern Time ("ET") on 7/1/24 and ends at 11:59PM ET on 9/30/24, or while supplies last, whichever comes first ("Offer Period"). The designated computer clock of the Administrator is the official time-keeping device in connection with the Offer.
How to Qualify for Offer: During the Offer Period, Eligible Businesses must join the Electronic Payments' Cygma platform (https://electronicpayments.com) and process a minimum of $500 in Mastercard card ("Card") transactions within thirty (30) days of joining the platform. Purchase transactions involving PIN-based Debit and international transactions, or other transactions requiring a PIN for completion, are not eligible for this Offer. Purchases made from international cards, unauthorized card use or those made with lost, stolen or fraudulent cards, or from transactions that require a PIN for completion are void. Only purchase transactions made with an eligible Card for an account that is in good standing at time of purchase and issued by Mastercard to an identifiable Eligible Business (as set forth herein) and that are processed and submitted through Mastercard's U.S. transaction processing system during the Ofer Period are eligible for this Offer.
Gift Details: Upon completion of this process (and verification by Sponsor), a $50 Mastercard Prepaid® card ("Gift") will be emailed to the first two thousand (2,000) Eligible Businesses who qualify. Each Eligible Business will receive their Gift within six (6) to eight (8) weeks after the Offer Period has ended. Limit one (1) Gift per Eligible Business. If the number of Gifts issued exceeds the number of Gifts available, for any reason, including technical, computer, seeding, human or other errors, the Released Parties reserve the right to award the listed number of Gifts based on the time and date stamp in which the $500 in Mastercard card transations are processed. Gift will be awarded in the Eligible Business name. No transfer, assignment, cash redemption, equivalents, or substitution of Gifts, except by Sponsor due to Gift unavailability, or other reasons determined by Sponsor, and then for a Gift of equal/greater value. Offer Gift may not be redeemed for cash. All Gift details not specified in these Terms will be determined in Sponsor's sole and absolute discretion. Gifts details and availability are subject to change and provider's rules and restrictions, and in the event that Sponsor is unable to provide the recipient with his or her Gift, the Sponsor may elect to provide recipient with the approximate value of such item in cash or award an alternate item of comparable or greater value. All Gift(s) are awarded "AS IS" and without warranty of any kind, express or implied (including, without limitation, any implied warranty of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose). Gift recipients will be solely responsible for all federal, state and/or local taxes, and for any other fees or costs associated with the Gift(s) they receive, regardless of whether they, in whole or in part, are used. Unclaimed Gift(s) will be forfeited. The Offer Parties are not responsible for and will not replace any lost, mutilated, or stolen Gift(s) or any Gift that is undeliverable or does not reach the recipient because of an incorrect or changed address. The Released Parties are not responsible for and will not replace any lost, mutilated or stolen Gifts. Mastercard Prepaid® card restrictions apply: http://prepaidcarddisclosure.com/US.
Privacy: The participation in this Offer constitutes your agreement and consent to these Terms, participation in this Offer and your consent for Sponsor to obtain, use, and transfer your business name, business email, business phone number and other information for the purpose of administering this Offer, awarding the Gifts and to comply with applicable legal requirements. Released Parties are not responsible for late, illegible, lost, stolen, incomplete, late, misdirected, mutilated, delayed, garbled, damaged, inaccurate or undelivered Gifts or other communications or information (collectively, "Data"), defect/delay in transmission or communication; inaccurate or incomplete information; theft, destruction or unauthorized access to, or alteration of Data; or for telephonic, human or computer failures, problems or errors, interruptions in service due to system upgrades, repairs, modifications or other causes; failures or malfunctions of connections, satellite, network, cable, Internet Service Provider (ISP), phones, phone lines or telephone systems, traffic congestion on the Internet, technical or mechanical malfunctions, or other malfunctions or errors, whether caused by equipment, programming, human error or otherwise relating to or in connection with the Offer, including, without limitation, errors which may occur in connection with the administration of the Offer, the cancellation or postponement of the Offer, for any injury or damage to any participant's or any other person's computer or other device relating to or resulting from participation in this Offer, or for printing, typographical, human or other errors appearing in these Terms or other Offer-related materials; electronic equipment, computer hardware or software failures; or inaccurate Gift and/or other information, whether caused by equipment, programming, human error, or otherwise. The Released Parties are not responsible for and will not replace any lost, mutilated or stolen Gifts or any Gift that is undeliverable or does not reach the recipient because of an incorrect or changed address. If, for any reason, the Offer (or any part thereof) is not capable of running as planned for reasons which may include, without limitation, infection by computer virus, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures, or any other causes which may corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity or proper conduct of this Offer, then the Released Parties reserve the right at their sole discretion to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Offer in whole or in part. The Released Parties are not responsible for electronic communications that are undeliverable as a result of any form of active or passive filtering of any kind, or insufficient space in an recipients email account to receive email messages.
Force Majeure: In the event the Released Parties are prevented from continuing with the Offer by any event beyond its control, including, but not limited to, fire, flood, pandemic, epidemic, earthquake, explosion, labor dispute or strike, act of God or public enemy, communications or equipment failure, utility or service interruptions, riot or civil disturbance, terrorist threat or activity, war (declared or undeclared), interference with the Offer by any party, or any federal, state, or local government law, order, or regulation, order of any court or jurisdiction, or other cause not reasonably within Released Parties' control (each, a "Force Majeure" event or occurrence), the Released Parties shall have the right to modify, suspend or terminate the Offer.
Release: By participating, participants agree to be bound by these Terms and agree that Released Parties and their designees and assigns and all of their respective officers, directors, employees, shareholders, representatives and agents shall have no liability and agree to waive, release, indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Released Parties from and against any and all claims, liability, costs (including attorneys' fees), losses, damages, fines or injuries (up to and including bodily injury and death) of any kind arising out of or related to: (i) participation in the Offer; (ii) any acceptance, possession, misuse or use of any Gift (including, without limitation, losses, damages or injuries to consumer's or any other person's equipment or other property, or to their persons; (iii) the Released Parties' violation of rights of publicity or privacy, claims of defamation or portrayal in a false light or based on any claim of infringement of intellectual property; and (iv) any typographical, human or other error in the printing, offering, selection, operation or announcement of any Offer activity and/or Gift.
Disclaimers: The Released Parties are not responsible for the actions of participants in connection with the Offer, including participants' attempts to circumvent the Terms or otherwise interfere with the administration, security, fairness, integrity or proper conduct of the Offer. The Released Parties reserve the right, at their sole discretion, to disqualify any Eligible Business found to be tampering with the participation process or the operation of the Offer, or to be acting in any manner deemed by the Released Parties to be in violation of the Terms, or to be acting in any manner deemed by the Released Parties to be unsportsmanlike or disruptive, or with intent to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass any other person and void all associated redemptions and/or registrations. CAUTION: ANY ATTEMPT BY A PARTICIPANT, YOU OR ANY OTHER INDIVIDUAL TO DAMAGE OR UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THE OFFER IS A VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS, AND SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, THE RELEASED PARTIES RESERVE THE RIGHT TO SEEK DAMAGES AND OTHER REMEDIES (INCLUDING ATTORNEYS' FEES) FROM ANY SUCH PERSON TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW. Sponsor reserves the right, at its sole and absolute discretion, to disqualify (or terminate the Gift of) any individual who is found to be, or suspected of, acting in violation of these Terms, or to be acting in an unsportsmanlike, obscene, immoral or disruptive manner, or with the intent to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass any other person. Sponsor can void Offer from any Eligible Business believed to exhibit fraudulent behavior or any attempt to corrupt or impair the administration, security, fairness or proper administration of this Offer.
Choice of Law: All issues concerning the construction, validity, and interpretation of these Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Florida (and federal laws, as applicable), without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules that would result in the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the laws of the State of Florida and applicable federal laws.
Arbitration: Except where prohibited by law, as a condition of participating in this Offer, Participant agrees that: (1) any and all disputes and causes of action arising out of or connected with this Offer, or any prize awarded, shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, and exclusively by final and binding arbitration under the rules of the American Arbitration Association and held in New York County, New York; (2) the Federal Arbitration Act shall govern the interpretation, enforcement and all proceedings at such arbitration; and (3) judgment upon such arbitration award may be entered in any court having jurisdiction. In arbitration, there is no judge or jury and review is limited. The arbitrator's decision and award is final and binding, with limited exceptions, and judgment on the award may be entered in any court with jurisdiction. The federal or state law that applies to these Terms will also apply during the arbitration. Disputes will be arbitrated only on an individual basis and will not be consolidated with any other proceedings that involve any claims or controversy of another party, including any class actions; provided, however, if for any reason any court or arbitrator holds that this restriction is unconscionable or unenforceable, then the agreement to arbitrate doesn't apply and the dispute must be brought in a court of competent jurisdiction in New York, New York. The Sponsor agrees to pay the administrative and arbitrator's fees in order to conduct the arbitration (but specifically excluding any travel or other costs of Participant to attend the arbitration hearing). Either party may, notwithstanding this provision, bring qualifying claims in small claims court. In the event there is a discrepancy or inconsistency between an arbitration provision contained in any Card terms and conditions, and the terms and conditions of these Terms, these Terms shall prevail, govern and control and the discrepancy will be resolved in Sponsor's sole and absolute discretion.
Limitation of Liability: BY PARTICIPATING, EACH PARTICIPANT AGREES THAT TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW: (A) ANY AND ALL DISPUTES, CLAIMS AND CAUSES OF ACTION ARISING OUT OF OR CONNECTED WITH THE OFFER, OR ANY GIFT AWARDED, WILL BE RESOLVED INDIVIDUALLY, WITHOUT RESORT TO ANY FORM OF CLASS ACTION; (B) ANY AND ALL CLAIMS, JUDGMENTS AND AWARDS WILL BE LIMITED TO ACTUAL THIRD-PARTY, OUT-OF-POCKET COSTS INCURRED (IF ANY) NOT TO EXCEED FIFTY DOLLARS ($50.00), BUT IN NO EVENT WILL ATTORNEYS' FEES BE AWARDED OR RECOVERABLE; (C) UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES WILL ANY ENTRANT BE PERMITTED TO OBTAIN ANY AWARD FOR, AND ENTRANT HEREBY KNOWINGLY AND EXPRESSLY WAIVES ALL RIGHTS TO SEEK, PUNITIVE, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, LOST PROFITS AND/OR ANY OTHER DAMAGES, OTHER THAN ACTUAL OUT OF POCKET EXPENSES NOT TO EXCEED FIFTY DOLLARS ($50.00), AND/OR ANY RIGHTS TO HAVE DAMAGES MULTIPLIED OR OTHERWISE INCREASED; AND (D) ENTRANTS' REMEDIES ARE LIMITED TO A CLAIM FOR MONEY DAMAGES (IF ANY) AND ENTRANT IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT TO SEEK INJUNCTIVE OR EQUITABLE RELIEF. SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW THE LIMITATIONS OR EXCLUSION OF LIABILITY, SO THE ABOVE MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.
Miscellaneous: The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of these Terms will not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision. Headings are solely for convenience of reference and will not be deemed to affect in any manner the meaning or intent of the documents or any provision hereof. In the event that any provision of the Terms is determined to be invalid or otherwise unenforceable or illegal, the other provisions will remain in effect and will be construed in accordance with their terms as if the invalid or illegal provision were not contained herein. The Released Parties' failure to enforce any term of these Terms will not constitute a waiver of that provision. Participants agree to waive any rights to claim ambiguity of these Terms. Headings are solely for convenience of reference and will not be deemed to affect in any manner the meaning or intent of the documents or any provision hereof. In the event there is a discrepancy or inconsistency between disclosures or other statements contained in any Offer-related materials, privacy policy or terms of use on any website, social media platform or application and/or the terms and conditions of the Terms, the Terms shall prevail, govern and control and the discrepancy will be resolved in Released Parties' sole and absolute discretion. The Terms may be modified and/or we may cease offering the Offer at any time. YOU AGREE THAT WE MAY NOTIFY YOU OF OTHER TERMS BY POSTING THEM (OR IN ANY OTHER REASONABLE MANNER OF NOTICE WHICH WE ELECT), AND THAT YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THE OFFER AFTER SUCH NOTICE CONSTITUTES YOUR AGREEMENT TO THE NEW TERMS. These are the terms and conditions that are applicable to the Offer, which may be revoked by Sponsor, including the reduction or elimination of Gifts, at any time, for any reason, with or without notice.
Sponsor: Electronic Payments, Inc., 7800 Congress Avenue, Suite 112, Boca Raton, FL 33487.