If you are looking to upgrade the memory in your computer, I found MemorySuppliers.com to be very helpful in finding, selecting and ordering. They are well worth looking to for you memory needs.

They assisted me when I was looking for memory for a Dell Dimension 8100 desktop with RamBus memory. RamBus appears to be one of those real great ideas that works well, but lost due to price and acceptance (much like the Betamax).

Dell ‘found’ some 256 meg chips, but could not come up with any other sizes and/or quantities. Since Rambus on this Dell required installation in pairs, I had to look elsewhere and MemorySuppliers.com was that place.

With computers being so common place these days, retailers often purchase hardware and then attempt to make it work with software. While this is typically not too difficult with standard Windows software, POS Software can be some what different as it performs specific tasks and can require/support specific hardware.

Imagine purchasing a part for ‘a’ car and then trying to get it to work with ‘your’ car. No one would purchase a random part for a car without verifying it is the correct part for ‘their’ specific make and model, however, many retailers will do this with computer hardware and then ask ‘why doesn’t work?’.

It is always good to remember that your POS Software is a vital part of you business and to verify requirements/support for hardware prior to purchasing the peripheral. Think of your POS Software vendor as your partner in charge of helping your business run smoothly. The more questions you ask prior to hardware purchases, the smoother things will go. Planning and Preparation are always rewarded and often avoid frustration.

Retailers, whose margins are under more pressure than most other industries, have experienced some tough cost cutting years. While some closed their doors, others embraced new technology developments to turn their operations around. Not surprisingly, the point of sale system has become the focal point of the retail operation. This is where errors in retail transactions can be controlled, and it is where the customer’s last impression is made by checkout time, accuracy, and ease of transaction.

Also, today’s point of sale systems have become instrumental in gathering customer data to use in the four major marketing decisions that store managers must make: product, price, place, and promotion. These are the variables that can be worked with to attract and retain customers.

Photo Pro – Dave Johnson discusses how he is changing his business model to better adapt to today’s market requirements with ProphetLine.

“Sales associates don’t make errors if I’m not available. Discounts, specials, and pricing are all accurate providing for greater gross margins with the ProphetLine POS system.” Dave Johnson, owner, Photo Pro. “Any business that is challenged by working hard but not being profitable, this system can turn it around. By managing the store operation, the system paid for itself in less than a year.”

ProphetLine software is used to manage both his retail store and photo finishing business. When an item goes up in cost, the system immediately and automatically transfers the increase. Pricing is increased or decreased, whatever is determined as appropriate. It allows you to look at an item, see if the gross margins are correct, and if not, make an immediate adjustment. Then it controls the inventory on the backside. It moves and tracks a product through its life cycle.

Tony Miresse – Art’s Cameras Plus extols the virtues of the gift card function to increase repeat sales. Art’s uses the gift card function, not only as a “gift” purchase, but as a promotional vehicle. For example, instead of giving a discount on a product, Art’s gives the customer a gift card at a certain value to use in the store on a future purchase. This brings the customer back. For example, a customer buys a camera, they are given a $50 gift card, and this brings them back into the store to become a repeat customer.

If you are interested in retail technology, then New York in January is the place to be. Everyone that’s anyone will be there showing their product line at the NRF Big Show. From POS Software to gift card solutions, there is something for everybody. If you need a free expo pass, give me a call or email and I’ll make sure you receive one. They are normally a $100. value and you want pay a dime, what a deal. The show is January 15th and 16th at the Jacob Javits Convention Center.

A very Happy Thanksgiving wish to ProphetLine POS Software users and all small retailers. We find ourselves in the midst of a good economic period for large corporations, but sometimes difficult for the small retailers. Consumer confidence is iffy, world unrest and terrorism dominates the headlines. But you still have a retail business to run. There are issues that you can control and those that you cannot. The challenge is for you to put effort into what you can control, put the past behind and seize new opportunities in the future.

As much as times change, retailers are still faced with the problem of creating more revenue out of the existing square footage they occupy. Information gathered with point of sale software is a vital part of the process of generating business opportunities by making available information allowing you to open new markets, attract new customers and find new ways to optimize revenue. Most POS systems can manage to do the basics, like perpetual inventory, billings and compile various lists. To succeed in today’s business climate, you have to have a system that gives you the ability to build your business around processes that generate more revenue out of existing customers, services, products with better margins and utilize the Internet as an extension of your POS software. The reports you generate from your POS software must be precise accounts of your customers buying habits in the past, an accurate projection of their future purchases and the inventory levels required to satisfy their needs. Buying more inventory than necessary or purchasing the wrong piece selection is a formula for disaster. Prior to purchasing extensive amounts of inventory or investing in new fistures or equipment, a store must review their sales performance by department, by vendor and formulate a sales plan or revise an existing plan. Based on trends, the sales plans are adjusted upward or downward so that the right amount of investment is made in each department.

Data gathered at the Point Of Sale can provide valuable information, such as which customers are profitable and which ones only do business with you when there is a sale or they have no other choice. The bottom line is the need to better understand your customers and use this information for promotions to different customer groupings.
No matter what size your company, building and nurturing a base of Loyal Customers through targeted marketing efforts contributes to a better bottom line. Information gathered with POS Software is how the most profitable companies separate themselves from the pack.

Controlling inventory investment is a primary reason retailers purchase POS Software/Retail systems. Properly “timing” inventory means gaining control over cash flow. A well-planned Open-to-Buy lets sales revenue pay for incoming merchandise rather than having to borrow money.
An Open-to-Buy serves as the “budget” for inventory, sales and purchases. The Open-to-Buy report is the “financial statement” for your inventory.
Open-To-Buy has helped many retailers gain financial control of their businesses. With ProphetLine’s Open-To-Buy Module added to your system, you will be able to develop and execute your buying plan easily and accurately. With a properly managed buying plan, you can improve your stock turn rates, cash flow, gross profits and return on inventory investment.
At the end of each month, you can identify and respond to trends as they develop. You can achieve optimum stock turn rates, while keeping inventories at the proper level to support expected sales. Isn’t that better than kicking yourself at the end of the year?
Most retailers know they should utilize an Open-to-Buy, but do not know how to properly develop and exercise an Open-to-Buy Plan. We can help there, too. Our on-staff retail consultants have extensive experience in OTB planning, implementation and reaction.