When it comes to retail, few businesses feel the effects of seasonal change more than sporting goods outfits. From indoors to outdoors, and summer to winter, the weather has a tremendous influence on the activities we do. To keep up with the constant changes, many companies have switched to dedicated Sporting Goods POS Software.
By using a fully integrated POS system that's capable of providing complete business management solutions, it saves time for everyone involved:
- Front-end employees
- Back-end accountants
- Customers
1. As the Seasons Change
Sporting goods companies, whether they're a small business with one outlet or a nationwide chain, typically get a few short months to market equipment, clothing and footwear for a particular seasonal activity. Once that window closes, it all has to change and floor plans need to be reconfigured to optimize the next seasonal trend.
Sporting goods POS software will allow you to manage stock levels effectively by setting seasonal high and low values. Not only does this keep you from running out of ice skates during the mad rush before hockey season, it'll also keep you from tying up capital in an overstocked product, such as having too many wake boards in December.
- This type of system will also help you determine:
- What your best selling items are
- The value of your overall inventory
- The colours, styles and sizes that are selling best
- Which departments and types of sporting goods are selling best
2. Consignments and Trade-ins
Many sporting goods stores understand the cyclical nature of their industry and have begun offering the value-added service of trade-ins and consignments. Children sometimes grow at alarming rates, and parents can't always afford to buy brand a new pair of soccer cleats every year.
Having a used department not only provides a cheaper option to buy, it also offers parents a chance to recycle their older items. This is a huge win for storeowners as it offers a chance for repeat business, and allows them to cater to multiple demographics.
A comprehensive POS program such as Windward System Five allows is readily configurable to handle trade-ins and consignments, as well as the tracking and sale of used equipment.
3. Tapping Into the Rental Market
Sports such as skiing and snowboarding in winter, and bike rentals in summer, are popular among recreational enthusiasts, however, they don't always own their own equipment. By programming a rental component into your sporting goods POS software, you'll easily be able to track rental availability and get your customers fitted with the required equipment quickly.
For advice on how to select POS systems for other rental businesses, read our post: Four Tips for Choosing the Best POS System for Rental Company.
4. Get Your Service Department in the Game
Customer satisfaction is the name of the sporting goods game, and one way to keep people coming through your doors is by offering a service department. This can be anything from sharpening skate blades to restringing a tennis racket.
POS software that issues claim checks simplifies the process for both the store and the client, as orders are easily searchable once they're entered in the system.
Looking for reliable sporting goods POS software? Windward System Five is readily configurable to handle all of your industry-specific business operations such as equipment rentals, consignments, service department tracking and seasonal inventory. Call us to learn more.
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