How to Choose the Right Software for Apparel Industry in 2022

Choosing the right software for your retail apparel store is essential in the current competitive market scenario. Now the question arises, how do you choose the best retail software for the apparel industry business?

An apparel industry software, like a POS system, will allow you to securely process your retail store sales and take care of multiple tasks like managing inventory, managing staff, easing transaction processes, etc. However, when you are deciding which Point of Sale solution to use in your retail apparel store, it is crucial to understand the tools and features you will need to run your business in the near future.

The answer to that question is dependent on several factors. For your retail apparel business, usability, initial costs, ongoing costs, scalability, etc., should be the top factors when choosing the appropriate POS solution.

Points to Remember When Choosing the Right Software for Apparel Industry

Top retail apparel stores are aware of the fact that the right apparel inventory software can give them a leading edge. It is evident to them that a POS solution can be much more valuable than a simple cash register. It can serve as a comprehensive apparel management software to manage inventory, staff, loyalty rewards programs, CRM, etc. Moreover, POS solutions can equip your retail apparel store with tools to entice customers with efficient, personalized service.

Now, the troublesome part is how to choose the right POS software for your apparel store. Many retail apparel store owners find the process of choosing a POS system extremely tiring because there are multiple such POS solutions to choose from.

Below are a few tips you can consider when choosing the right software for the apparel industry.

1) Cost of the POS System:

First things first – the POS system you are looking for needs to fit your pocket. No matter how good the POS software is, it is useless to you if it exceeds your budget. There are multiple factors that impact the cost of an Apparel POS System.

Most important is the POS software fees. Most POS solutions charge a monthly or an annual fee for various plans. The higher the tiered plan, the more the features and the higher the price.

2) Hardware Cost:

Other factors governing your choice of apparel industry software are hardware costs and functionality. Hardware costs incurred will vary as per your requirements, like what payment options are accepted, the number of stores, and the staff you have. Apart from buying, you can also lease or rent the POS hardware based on your budget.

For example, renting your POS hardware makes more sense than buying it outright if you are opening a pop-up shop

3) Payment Options Availability:

When choosing the right software for the apparel industry, make sure that your POS system supports the major payment methods when paired with the right hardware. These payment methods include the following.

• Cash
• Magstripe credit cards
• Contactless payments
• Chip cards
• Gift cards
• Card not present transactions
• Split Payments

4) Various Features and Integrations:

You need to make sure that the prospective POS system for clothing store comprises the essential integrations and features. Some of the necessary features and integrations a POS system must have are mentioned below

• Integrated payment processing
• Centralized reporting and analytics
• Multichannel inventory management
• Staff management
• Flexible order fulfillment
• Multi-store management
• Customer Relationship Management

5) End-user Support:

The best software for the apparel industry also comprises the best customer support through various channels like chat, email, or phone. When choosing apparel industry software, make sure that customer support is free. make sure that customer support is free. Also, ensure that customer support is at your disposal whenever you need it.

Irrespective of whether you have implemented a POS solution for the first time or are changing the POS software, end-user support is much needed.

How Software for Apparel Industry can Help Grow Your Apparel Store Sales

POS solutions can easily enhance your apparel store sales with automated operations. POS solutions not only cover up the loopholes left behind by manual methods, but they also make sure your store is managed in an efficient manner to ensure the smooth operation of your apparel store.

1) Automated Inventory Tracking Through POS:

As an apparel store owner, it will always benefit you to be aware of your store inventory. Manual inventory tracking always leaves space for human errors. Therefore, POS-enabled automating inventory tracking expedites the process while ensuring operational efficiency. This also makes the process consistent and free from errors.

2) POS Enabled Inventory Categorization:

Inventory categorization is needed to ease the troubles pertaining to apparel store management. Managing your apparel store gets multifold easier if you have your products categorized as per customers’ convenience. The customers will find it easy to scout their required products if they are stacked in the right places categorically. Apparel industry software can help you automate the categorization process by making records of the bifurcations you make in your apparel store inventory.

3) Software for Apparel Industry Helps in Demand Forecasting:

Knowing a product’s demand will always prove helpful in improving your apparel store sales. It will allow you to maintain an adequate supply for the same. You can use POS systems to track the sales of your apparel store items and forecast their demand.

4) Apparel Industry Software Provides Smooth Transactions:

It can be quite troublesome to collect every payment manually, bill it and keep track of it can be quite troublesome. Furthermore, it can also cause errors in the cash register maintenance. To avoid this, you can automate the billing process, expedite transactions, and keep track of them using POS solutions. This makes the process free from human errors while keeping it secure at the same time.

5) Notifications for Promotions and Offers:

POS solutions can help you notify your customers about ongoing deals and promotional offers. The Mailchimp integration of some POS solutions allows them to send emails to the registered users regarding any active sale deals at your apparel store. This way, you send out a message to your consumers that you care, thus forging a better relationship with them.

Benefits of Software for Apparel Industry

It is imperative for apparel stores to embrace the digital change being introduced in the post-pandemic world and evolve their business. ARI apparel management software is the best way of doing so. ARI POS solution automates the operations of apparel stores to enhance their sales to drive them towards growth.

1. Improved inventory management for ease of operation.
2. Dynamic categorization of products for better assortment.
3. Tracking inventory to keep the stock in check.
4. Keep a check on the supply chain to avoid unnecessary disruptions.
5. Maintain transactional records with minimum space for errors.
6. Manage customer accounts for a better end-user experience.
7. Provide updates to consumers about the prevailing offers or promotional deals.
8. Manage the loyalty rewards as per the customers’ relationship with the store.
9. Accurate reporting about the sales performance helps in demand forecasting.
10. Optimize the end-user experience by smoothening the checkout process.

Summing it up

Retail apparel store owners face multiple challenges in running their business. Moreover, the competition from the eCommerce domain adds to their woes. However, by choosing the right software for the apparel industry, apparel retailers can bridge the gap between their current store sales and growth. Innovation is needed to refurbish and automate operations and processes of apparel stores to meet the rising consumer expectations.

Choosing the right POS system is one way for apparel stores to overcome the hurdles that exist in the business.