Latest Blog | Wil-U

How Charity EPOS Systems Transform Charity Shops | Wil-U

Written by Stuart Watts | Apr 13, 2023 3:52:00 PM

A charity shop EPOS system can transform your charity shop retail operation in numerous ways, improving efficiency, accessibility, and revenues. In this article, we look at how EPOS systems are used in charity retail and the benefits of adopting a digital automated system for your charity shops.

What Does An EPOS System Do?

An EPOS system is a computerised cash register that tracks sales, manages inventory, and processes payments securely. It helps retailers keep better control over cash flow and stock levels and provides customers with a seamless purchasing experience. A charity EPOS system is designed to help Third Sector organisations overcome the challenges of online and high street charity retail, helping charities accept donations, manage Gift Aid submissions, accurately price donated goods, and generate a range of reports.

The main advantage of adopting a charity EPOS system is that it streamlines processes at all levels of retail, making it faster and easier for you to achieve your fundraising revenue goals and minimise your operating overheads. For example, a charity EPOS system will enable you to sell stock more efficiently and collect donations digitally through various payment options both in-store and online, allowing users to donate and pay directly through a debit card, credit card, or Apple Pay/Google Pay, and submit Gift Aid forms to HMRC at the click of a button.

When implemented correctly, a charity EPOS system is an essential tool for optimising your retail operation, enhancing the donor and volunteer experience, and building trust with stakeholders.

Benefits Of Using An EPOS System In Your Charity Shop

There are three main benefits of implementing an EPOS system in your charity shop, even for organisations that operate a traditional charity retail business model.

1. Streamlined Gift Aid Management

A charity EPOS system includes a variety of Gift Aid management and automation tools that can streamline the Gift Aid submission and reporting process and increase the value you receive from items sold in-store.

2. Increased Security

Modern charity shop EPOS systems will safeguard your charity and donors from the risk of cyber-attacks. In 2022, over 26% of UK charities experienced an attempted cyber-attack, so having a secure retail transaction system in place is now more important than ever, as cybercriminals become more sophisticated in their methods. A cloud-based EPOS solution will safeguard your sensitive financial data and protect it from unauthorised access.

3. Improved Stock Control

An EPOS system makes it easier to keep track of donations and charity shop inventory in real-time, making it more straightforward to manage donated and purchased stock items and see what types of products sell best in-store and online.

Charity Shop EPOS Systems From Wil-U

At Wil-U, we provide a complete EPOS solution for charity retailers, allowing you to monitor real-time sales, view detailed reports for each shop and online retail channel, and even compare which items and categories sell best in different locations through a cloud-based Control Centre, whether you operate one shop or hundreds across the country.

To find out more, please click here to get in touch with one of our experienced team and arrange a free demonstration of our charity retail system.

Image Source: Canva