Is your tobacco shop’s growth at a standstill? Do you struggle to keep your most popular products in stock? Are long checkout lines pushing customers away?
If these problems sound familiar, an outdated point of sale (POS) system might be to blame.
Upgrading to a fast, modern POS can transform how you manage inventory, check out customers, and monitor your shop’s growth.
In this blog, we’ll explore the top features you need in a tobacco POS system, plus four providers that can help you become your neighborhood’s go-to smoke shop.
What To Look for in a Tobacco POS
First, let’s talk about what a tobacco POS system does.
This powerful tool goes beyond processing sales transactions to help you manage nearly every aspect of your store’s operations — from stocking your shelves to planning marketing campaigns.
Here are some specific features to look for in a tobacco POS system and how to use them:
- Inventory monitoring: Your POS system should monitor your stock levels in real time, helping you stay organized and avoid stockouts. We recommend looking for software that includes carton-pack inventory tracking, which gives you an overview of your inventory by full and partial cartons as well as individual packs.
- Built-in age verification: To protect your store from legal issues and prevent sales of tobacco products to customers under 21, look for a tobacco POS system with built-in age verification. ID scanners are usually the best option for quickly and securely checking customers’ ages.
- Integrated payment processing: You need a POS system with integrated payment processing for fast, safe checkouts. If you sell highly regulated products like CBD, delta-8, and kratom, you might need a specialty service called high-risk payment processing.
- Sales reporting: Your POS system should provide valuable insights into your customers’ shopping habits and product preferences, as well as your store’s overall performance. Look for software that constantly collects data and breaks it down into digestible sales reports with actionable takeaways.
- Marketing: Along with helping you manage the day-to-day tasks of running a smoke shop, your POS system should offer opportunities to grow your customer base. Look for one that offers a built-in loyalty program, promotion options, and email and SMS integration.
All tobacco shops are different, so take the time to identify pain points in your current processes and create your own list of must-have POS features.
4 Tobacco POS Providers To Check Out
Now that you know how to shop for a tobacco POS system, you can start evaluating providers.
With so many options on the market, this process can be time-consuming and overwhelming — which is why we’ve done the hard work for you and curated this list of the top four tobacco POS providers.
1. Cigars POS
Let’s start with one of our favorite tobacco POS providers: Cigars POS.
Cigars POS is one of few providers that caters exclusively to tobacco and vape shops. They promise software to help you run your smoke shop more efficiently and profitably.
Here are some of Cigars POS’ best features:
- Custom barcode labels: You can generate and print barcode labels for unique products like individual cigars to smooth out the checkout process.
- Tobacco scan data reporting: Earn manufacturer rebates and comply with tobacco sale reporting laws with Cigars POS’ reporting suite.
- Automation features: Save time and prevent stockouts with AI-powered features like automated purchase order creation and receiving.
- High-risk payment processing: Expand your selection to include hot new products like CBD and delta-8 with Cigars POS’ built-in high-risk payment processing.
Designed specifically for the tobacco industry, Cigars POS includes everything you need to run your smoke shop.
Explore Cigars POS’ customizable pricing options on their website.
2. Lightspeed
Lightspeed is a provider that offers powerful POS software to retail stores, restaurants, and golf courses.
We’ve included Lightspeed on our list because of their e-commerce tools and flexible integrations. Let’s take a closer look.
- Flexible integrations: Lightspeed’s built-in app store lets you browse and easily add accounting, age verification, and marketing integrations to your POS software.
- E-commerce options: You can use Lightspeed’s native e-commerce platform to help you sell products online and manage omnichannel operations.
- Marketing: You can offer loyalty rewards, send email and SMS messages to customers, and encourage shoppers to leave reviews of your store.
If your goal is to embrace digital marketing and the e-commerce boom, Lightspeed might be the right fit to help you grow your smoke shop.
Lightspeed offers three pricing tiers ranging from $109 to $339, each with different features included.
3. KORONA POS
KORONA POS is another solid tobacco POS option.
This provider caters to specialty businesses and quick-service restaurants and offers software that includes:
- Product analysis: KORONA POS’ reporting suite helps you stock more of the products customers want — and less of the ones they don’t.
- Customer relationship management (CRM): You can build your customer database from the checkout counter to learn about your shoppers and reward them for choosing your shop.
- Employee tracking: You can ask employees to track their time and provide shift feedback through KORONA POS’ software.
While KORONA POS isn’t specifically designed for tobacco stores, this reliable provider offers a well-rounded selection of features to meet retailers’ needs.
KORONA POS’ two main pricing tiers cost $59 and $69/month, with the option to pay additional monthly fees for features like advanced sales reporting.
4. POS Nation
The final tobacco POS system we recommend is POS Nation.
Our feature-rich yet user-friendly software is designed for small businesses in the tobacco, liquor, and grocery industries. Here’s what you’ll love about it.
- Comprehensive inventory management: Track your stock levels in real time and get a breakdown of your inventory by the carton or pack.
- Built-in age verification: Protect your store from underage tobacco sales with a fast, secure age verification scanner.
- Advanced reporting and analytics: Get valuable insights into your customers’ shopping habits, product preferences, and your store’s overall performance.
- Customer loyalty: Generate repeat business and boost customer satisfaction by rewarding shoppers for choosing your tobacco store.
Along with our innovative software and reliable hardware, we offer 24/7 support at no additional cost. Through onboarding and beyond, you can connect with our team of experts to ask questions, solve problems, and make the most of your new tobacco POS.
We offer flexible pricing plans to meet every smoke shop’s needs and budgets, so use our build and price tool to get an instant quote.
Blaze a Path to Tobacco Store Success With POS Nation
Searching for a tobacco POS system that checks all the right boxes? Look no further than POS Nation.
Our software has everything you need to reach your smoke shop goals, including robust inventory management, advanced reporting and analytics, sales-boosting marketing, and more. Plus, our dedicated support team is available 24/7 to help you make the most of these features.
Start your POS Nation journey by scheduling your personalized demo today.
