Point of sale (POS): Understanding POS systems

A cash register only stores money and records sales. A POS system manages inventory, tracks customer data, and integrates with other business software.

Most POS systems need internet connection to process payments. Some solutions offer offline modes for temporary use. Adyen offers offline payments when there is a temporary loss of connectivity.

While the physical POS terminal is for in-person sales, the underlying software often connects to your ecommerce platform to unify your data.

A cloud-based POS stores your transaction and business data on remote servers. This allows you to access your sales information from any device with an internet connection.