Last updated on April 16th, 2026 at 10:48 am

As retail brands strive to differentiate themselves from growing competition, the importance of offering memorable in-store shopping experiences continues to rise. While some consumers may prefer to complete all of their shopping on digital channels, brands should still aim to connect with in-store shoppers by offering them personalized experiences they would not receive elsewhere. One method of achieving this involves leveraging an omnichannel point-of-sale (POS).

In this article, we cover the omnichannel POS features that are fueling more interactive shopping experiences.

Table of contents:

• What Is an Omnichannel POS?
• Traditional POS vs. Omnichannel POS
• 6 Benefits of an Omnichannel POS
• How an Omnichannel POS Fuels Sales for Footwear Brands
• Omnichannel POS: A Retail Staple for the Future

What Is an Omnichannel POS?

An omnichannel POS is a modern retail solution with features and functionality that support various sales channels, including brick-and-mortar stores, online stores, mobile apps, and any other touchpoints where customers interact with a business. This system allows brands to manage sales, inventory, and customer data across all channels seamlessly, providing a unified experience for both customers and employees.

Traditional POS vs. Omnichannel POS

A traditional POS is not built to support omnichannel brands. They are typically disconnected from other systems, hard to customize, and make it challenging to integrate new features. Furthermore, they don’t allow brands to capture and utilize real-time data. Today, customers expect highly personalized, convenient experiences, and a traditional POS makes this difficult to deliver. 

On the other hand, an omnichannel POS is built for integrations, unlike its traditional counterpart, and it allows brands to tap into real-time, game-changing data. It’s a complete solution that provides in-store associates with an immeasurable amount of ways to give white-glove service and brands the ability to deliver an overall top-notch experience.

6 Benefits of an Omnichannel POS

An omnichannel POS offers flexibility and convenience, integrating seamlessly with other channels and allowing brands to provide a consistent experience. Below, we discuss the key benefits of the solution.

1. More time with customers

Brands that equip their sales associates with omnichannel POS devices can ensure they spend more time connecting with customers on the sales floor. Having the ability to check inventory on the spot – or facilitate a checkout experience without leaving the shopper’s side – ensures that associates maximize their time with customers. 

Additionally, leveraging omnichannel solutions with inventory visibility helps sales associates find consumers’ requested products at a much faster rate. This translates into shoppers spending less time waiting for their associate to return from the back room and more time engaging with them – and potentially receiving great recommendations for other items to try on.

2. Inventory visibility

Sales associates can tap their omnichannel POS devices to find any size and styling information they need to assist customers without leaving their side. 

Additionally, this capability is especially useful for brands trying to maximize their real estate in stores. Brands with smaller brick-and-mortar locations may want to display only one type of shoe on the sales floor and stow additional styles and colors in the back room. Omnichannel POS solutions can then help associates easily sort through the inventory to find the exact product their shopper is looking for. 

3. Endless aisle transactions

Another benefit of an omnichannel POS and having superior inventory visibility is being able to unlock endless aisle technology. Endless aisle enables staff to access and sell all available products from any warehouse or retail location. In addition to boasting inventory visibility – which lets sales associates view real-time product availability from anywhere in the enterprise – endless aisle also offers customers a slew of order fulfillment options. 

For example, if a shopper visits a brick-and-mortar store and realizes that their preferred shoe style and color is unavailable in their size, a sales associate can leverage endless aisle technology to find another location with that product in stock. The associate can then offer to ship the product directly to the customer’s home or to a nearby store location.

Endless aisle also drives more cross-sell and upsell opportunities, which can increase consumers’ average basket size. By giving sales associates access to the full product catalog at their fingertips, they can browse for complementary items to recommend to shoppers. If a customer is looking to purchase new fashion sneakers, for instance, the associate can use endless aisle technology to see if the store also carries socks in a matching color.

4. Mobile checkout

With this solution, brands can offer mobile checkout. The entire check out process, from scanning products to processing payments, is all completed on a mobile device, which creates a faster, more seamless checkout experience.

Additionally, there’s an aesthetic appeal to using an omnichannel POS for mobile checkout. Rather than having customers see a clunky checkout counter, an omnichannel POS device adds a clean, modern vibe to the checkout and store experience.

5. Personalized analytics

As consumers grow more comfortable sharing personal data, such as their height and weight, in exchange for receiving personalized product recommendations and experiences, brands can adjust their omnichannel offerings accordingly. With personalized data, brands can take their customer service and clienteling efforts to the next level, cultivating loyalty over the long-term.

6. Convenience of modern technology

In contrast to a traditional POS system, an omnichannel POS facilitates regular software and feature updates, promoting agility. Further, deploying an omnichannel POS incurs lower upfront costs, as it only requires a mobile device, eliminating the need for bulky hardware units. All software resides on the mobile device, streamlining operations and avoiding potential hardware removal down the line.

How an Omnichannel POS Fuels Sales for Footwear Brands 

In-store shopping still maintains its allure, especially for apparel and footwear products, where the personalized nature of trying on products is still important. In particular, footwear brands are finding omnichannel POS solutions helpful when it comes to equipping sales associates with important customer data and information to find best-fitting products. 

From giving associates mobile devices to facilitate easy checkout experiences on the sales floor to deploying technology that scans shoppers’ feet to identify the best style of shoe for their needs, the opportunities for driving customer loyalty – and sales – are vast with an omnichannel POS.

For instance, innovative scanning technology can now analyze shoppers’ feet with precision, identifying not only the correct size but also the ideal style and fit based on individual preferences and biomechanics. This not only enhances the customer experience by ensuring a perfect fit but also minimizes the risk of returns, thus optimizing operational efficiency and reducing costs.

Additionally, because of the depth of inventory in footwear – there are so many size, width, and color combinations – it’s critical for brands to be able to access and sell inventory from all locations. This is true for buying online and fulfilling in-store as well as buying in-store and fulfilling from another store through endless aisle. Without an omnichannel POS, brands wouldn’t have this flexibility or the ability to maximize sell-through rates.

When store associates are armed with invaluable customer insights and inventory information, they can offer personalized recommendations and assistance, effectively turning each interaction into an opportunity to deepen customer relationships and drive sales.

Omnichannel POS: A Retail Staple for the Future

As the retail marketplace grows more crowded – and brands attempt to reach more global audiences – leveraging an omnichannel POS solution will be critical to success. The ability to tap into features like inventory visibility, endless aisle, and store fulfillment options will enable brands to create more personalized shopping experiences while increasing the likelihood of driving sales. 

Ultimately, consumers dictate the direction of the marketplace – and they increasingly want more experiences with a blurred line between digital and physical shopping channels. To meet the needs of their digitally savvy shoppers, retail brands should invest in a holistic platform that can seamlessly manage inventory, customer data, order fulfillment, product information, and more – and that’s an omnichannel POS solution.

Brands with an omnichannel presence enjoy a higher compound annual growth rate (CAGR) in market share, as discussed in our Guide to Creating an Omnichannel Strategy. 

Interested in finding out how your brand can use an omnichannel POS to transform the customer experience? Speak with one of our experts today.

Last updated on March 23rd, 2026 at 10:56 am

Many consumers have preferences when it comes to in-store versus online shopping. Online browsing typically offers around-the-clock convenience while in-store shopping gives consumers the ability to see and try on items in person. 

One of the downsides to shopping at brick-and-mortar locations is the potential of encountering long lines, especially during peak times. However, as brands continue to digitally enhance in-store shopping for consumers, one retail practice makes a significant impact on providing a seamless and convenient experience: line busting.

What is Line Busting?

Line busting is when store associates leverage mobile technology to help customers quickly move through lines at brick-and-mortar retail locations. Not only does line busting reduce wait times, but it also eliminates overcrowding and promotes wider foot traffic around stores – benefiting both shoppers and retailers.

Line busting tactics that retailers can use include:

• Enabling customers to check out anywhere in the store through a mobile point-of-sale (POS) system, such as an iPhone or iPad with contactless payment options like Tap to Pay on iPhone;
• Promoting BOPIS (buy online pick up in-store) and curbside pick-up options that let shoppers quickly retrieve purchased online orders, reducing the time consumers spend waiting in line; 
• Allowing consumers to check out in-store via a self-service kiosk or mobile shopping app instead of at a checkout counter.

Retailers can employ line busting strategies in numerous ways to provide customers with a seamless shopping experience. Read below to learn more about line busting, including its major benefits and what technologies retailers need to implement to make line busting successful.

Top 3 Benefits of Line Busting for Retailers and Shoppers

While line busting ultimately centers on providing greater convenience and saving consumers time, it also boasts several major perks that benefit both retail staff and customers.

1. Shorter In-Store Lines

The potential of encountering long lines during busy times, such as the holidays, back-to-school season, and other peak promotional periods, can deter some customers from even entering a store to browse. However, if time-savvy shoppers spot mobile point-of-sale systems, self-service kiosks, or other self-checkout options scattered throughout the store – and no long lines – they’ll be much more likely to step inside. And when they’re ready to check out, the experience will happen at a much faster rate. 

2. Greater Distribution of In-Store Foot Traffic 

Retailers that use line busting strategies in store will likely experience a greater distribution of foot traffic. If customers can make purchases at various points through the store – either with sales associates carrying mobile point-of-sale devices or through a self-service kiosk – they’ll be less likely to congregate in a particular spot. 

More widespread foot traffic around the store means a greater likelihood of additional sales, especially if shoppers spot items they wouldn’t have seen by the checkout counter.

3. More Time for Sales Associates 

By relying on mobile point-of-sale systems and self-service checkout platforms located through the store, sales associates will gain more time to spend with customers. Associates can then use this extra time to make personalized item recommendations, answer questions, and restock inventory on the sales floor. 

Key Line Busting Strategies for Retailers 

Retailers can capitalize on the top benefits of line busting by executing on the strategies below, which provide further convenience, time saving, and opportunities to make sales.

Mobile Checkout

Retailers can equip their sales associates with mobile checkout solutions to help customers check out anywhere in the store. Instead of instructing shoppers to stand in long lines leading to the checkout counter, associates can weave throughout the sales floor with devices containing contactless payment solutions. This makes it very simple for customers to complete transactions via phone-to-phone payments like Tap to Pay on iPhone – without having to leave their spot.

Mobile checkout ultimately results in more engaged staff and greater employee satisfaction, thanks to more one-on-one interactions, faster payment options, and shorter wait times.

Self-Checkout

In addition to promoting mobile POS options, brands can also target shoppers who prefer self-checkout experiences. These include checking out through the retailer’s mobile shopping app or via self-service kiosks placed around stores.

Consumers who have downloaded the retailer’s app can scan their items with their phones, check out within the app, and then leave the store with their purchases. Not only does this offer more convenience to shoppers, but it also offers many benefits to brands. A seamless mobile app experience enables retailers to more easily collect customer data to later enhance in-app personalization and promotes higher loyalty program usage. 

It also results in more app downloads, which leads to additional opportunities for consumers to shop with the brand in the future. To raise awareness about in-app checkout options, retailers can place signage with instructions and QR codes to download their apps around the store.

Brands can also invest in self-service kiosks to station around their sales floors. In addition to on-the-spot checkout options, these kiosks can also give consumers personalized item suggestions and upsell various services, which frees up time for sales associates.

BOPIS and Curbside Pickup

Brands should also leverage BOPIS (buy online pick up in-store) and curbside pick-up options to target time-strapped consumers. By highlighting BOPIS and curbside pick-up options on both online and in-app product pages, retailers can inform customers that they can avoid in-store lines completely. 

Shoppers who have time to visit the brand’s nearest location to retrieve their items can select the BOPIS option to eliminate wait times. Meanwhile, consumers looking for the utmost convenience can leverage curbside pick-up to get their orders delivered right to their cars.

Ship-to-Home

In a similar vein to BOPIS and curbside pickup, offering a ship-to-home option via self-service kiosks, the mobile app, or mobile POS systems lets customers avoid long in-store wait times. It also enables them to check out on the spot with inventory that may not be available in that store. 

For example, if they need a different size that’s not in stock, they can still complete the sale while the product is fresh in their mind and order the desired size to be shipped directly to their homes. This ensures that the retailer does not lose the sale while also providing the customer with a seamless experience.

Must-Have Line Busting Technologies

Retailers seeking to bring their line busting strategies to life should employ two specific technologies: mobile POS systems and mobile shopping apps.

Mobile POS 

A mobile POS system is essential for retailers’ brick-and-mortar locations. It ultimately offers unbeatable convenience for customers, as it enables them to make purchases anywhere in the store. The result is a seamless checkout experience.

Mobile POS systems also enable sales associates to leverage customer data – such as their size and style preferences and even past purchase history – to provide personalized recommendations. This is especially useful for retailers employing line busting strategies, as shoppers may not all check out at the main counter, where some brands feature smaller items that can be added to purchases at the last minute. Instead, sales associates with mobile POS devices can cross-sell and upsell products or services to give customers a truly individualized experience.

Mobile Shopping App

A native mobile shopping app is one of the most important technologies in a retailer’s commerce toolkit. Not only does it let customers shop anytime and anywhere, it also serves as a useful in-store shopping companion. Consumers can enable a location-based store mode feature in the app to easily retrieve pick-up orders, scan products for pricing, access real-time inventory, request help from a sales associate, and check out once they’re ready.

Line Busting: Offering More Convenience and Shopping Options

Ultimately, line busting offers massive advantages for retailers looking to boost their profits and improve the customer experience. While line busting boasts many perks, its convenience for both sales associates and shoppers is unparalleled. 

Leveraging technologies like mobile POS systems and self-service kiosks enables store staff members to better perform their job duties while providing customers with plentiful shopping options. Additionally, providing customers with a plethora of checkout and payment options gives them more flexibility to shop however and whenever they want, which can result in more frequent transactions.

To discover mobile POS and mobile shopping apps and start line busting today, speak with one of our experts today.

Last updated on July 25th, 2024 at 05:01 pm

The retail sector experiences many changes as the marketplace evolves. However, one aspect of retail is currently undergoing a resurgence in popularity – outlet stores. The reason? Omnichannel’s ability for brands to reach customers anytime, anywhere.

Like most retailers, outlet stores saw a slump in foot traffic during the pandemic’s peak. That slump has now transformed into a rapid increase, thanks to several factors. 

One factor is the uncertainty around the economy, which often results in less personal spending. Another centers on consumers’ willingness to visit more open-air-style shopping centers. These types of shopping centers, which benefit from outdoor air flow, typically house outlet stores.

These factors all play into outlet stores’ recent popularity. However, omnichannel holds a unique ability to satisfy consumers’ constantly evolving expectations. Without omnichannel, retailers would be unable to reach faraway customers. Brands can also leverage outlets to entice value seekers, offload excess inventory, and provide customers with a seamless shopping experience.

Read below to learn about the benefits retailers see from expanding their outlet store presence and how omnichannel can help power this expansion. Also, check out our 6 steps to success for franchise retailers seeking to leverage omnichannel platforms.

What Are Outlet Stores?

Outlet stores sell lower-priced merchandise directly to the public. Instead of offloading unsold inventory to an off-price retailer such as T.J. Maxx or Marshalls, some brands choose to invest in outlets or factory stores to appeal to loyal bargain seekers as well as new customers. 

Certain brands opt to manufacture outlet-specific merchandise that may contain a difference in materials from items stocked in full-line retail stores. Others may use outlets to sell previous seasons’ products. All outlets boast one assurance, however: their prices are competitive. And to ensure their prices stay profitable, retailers typically open outlets in more remote locations to keep real estate costs low.

How Outlet Stores Help Boost Retailers’ Bottom Lines

While brands should strive to maintain their full-service retail stores’ presence, investing into outlets yields several significant benefits that full-service locations may not provide. These benefits offer the potential to reach untapped markets and customers, ensure that inventory remains underneath the brand’s umbrella, and enable consumers to access a wider selection of products and shopping experiences.

• Clearing Excess Inventory: Brands can offload the previous season’s unsold inventory, albeit at lower prices. Rather than dispose of the inventory, retailers can ensure that some pieces still reach their loyal brand enthusiasts.
• Appealing to Deal-Seekers: Value shoppers have always been an important part of the marketplace. In today’s digital era, consumers can access more online resell services than ever. To compete against the eBays of the commerce ecosystem, brands must appeal to deal-seekers directly. 
• Reaching Faraway Customers: By offering access to outlet merchandise via digital channels, brands can more easily reach customers in faraway locations. For example, more remote brand enthusiasts can now place orders via a mobile app or website. This then eliminates the potential for those shoppers to purchase items at a competitor boasting a more local presence.
• Easy Returns: Many retailers now allow customers to return items at either a full-service store or an outlet. The guarantee of easy returns can sometimes be alluring enough to cinch a sale from an uncertain customer. 

Omnichannel and Outlet Stores: Boosting Retailers’ Reach

Omnichannel platforms play a large role in supporting the renewed popularity of outlet stores. From order fulfillment to omnichannel insights to powering a greater footprint, the benefits are significant. 

Here’s how omnichannel is helping retailers boost their profit margins via outlet stores.

Endless Aisle Order Fulfillment 

Endless aisle technology gives retailers the ability to access and sell items from any of their locations or distribution centers. It also lets sales associates view the full inventory catalog and help customers find sizes or styles unavailable in a particular store. 

For instance, a customer may visit an outlet and find an enticing item but need a different size than what the store has available. With an endless aisle solution, the associate can locate other stores that have it in stock. They can then ship the item directly to the customer’s home or arrange for them to pick it up at another location.

Offering shoppers access to larger product assortment can only benefit retailers. Deploying an endless aisle omnichannel strategy gives shoppers the option to buy outlet items at a regular store and vice versa. This ultimately helps retailers integrate all store inventory and provide consumers with a true endless aisle shopping experience.

BOPIS Shopping Options

Additionally, outlet stores significantly drive BOPIS (buy online, pick up in-store) options. Brands can drive more store traffic by enabling customers to place orders online and pick them up at a local outlet. And, if shoppers happen to see other interesting items when they visit the outlet, the potential for more sales increases. Brands can also offer BOPIS options between outlets and full-service retail locations to give shoppers more flexibility – and drive foot traffic to both types of locations.

The same principle holds true for exchanges. Cross-channel returns and exchanges stemming from a single system ultimately provide an easier experience for the customer. They also give retailers important information about consumers’ shopping habits.

Real-Time Inventory Management

Outlet stores carry a large variety of styles. This helps brands easily learn which items sell well – and which pieces resonate specifically with outlet shoppers. As economic headwinds continue, retailers may want to stock more affordable pieces that attract value shoppers. 

Real-time inventory management also enables brands to offload their items to their own outlet shops. Keeping merchandise under the brand’s umbrella is often preferable to selling it to a third-party off-price retailer. Additionally, inventory management helps retailers keep track of their stock across all outlet and full-service stores, which likely span many locations.

Promotions and Customer Loyalty Programs

Many retailers offer loyalty programs that enable shoppers to earn points on purchases and receive other perks, such as free shipping options. Thanks to omnichannel platforms, these loyalty programs can span both full-service retail stores as well as outlets, resulting in a true integrated experience for customers. 

Integrated loyalty programs also let shoppers view inventory across stores and get notified about promotions at both full-service retail shops and outlets, which could prompt in-person visits to locations they may not have otherwise discovered. 

Mobile Point-of-Sale Payment Options

These days, many sales associates in outlets carry mobile point-of-sale (POS) systems. These systems allow shoppers to check out at various points through the store. Rather than face a long line at the checkout counter, customers can approach an associate as they walk around the shop. Thanks to mobile devices with tap-to-pay functionality such as Tap to Pay on iPhone, the checkout process can occur on the spot. 

Mobile point-of-sale systems also support many other ways to pay, leading to more convenience for customers. They can check out using physical cards, store gift cards, digital payment services like PayPal, Apple Pay, and even BNPL services. 

Omnichannel and Outlets: The Halo Effect

While all retailers must invest in a strong digital footprint, it still pays to maintain brick-and-mortar experiences. And, by expanding their outlet stores, brands can reach consumers they may not have reached otherwise. This also yields the potential for consumers to make a purchase online and later visit a nearby outlet for additional purchases.

The International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) uncovered a phenomenon called the “Halo Effect.” The Halo Effect measures brick-and-mortar stores’ direct impact on brand awareness and digital engagement. This phenomenon then breaks down into “halo events.” These occur when customers buy an item online before making an in-store purchase – all within a 15-day period.

The business of expanding outlet stores significantly increases retailers’ chances for greater brand awareness, especially in more remote markets. It also drives more potential for the Halo Effect to happen, which ultimately results in higher customer spend.

To learn more about how omnichannel platforms can help brands with their outlet strategy, speak with one of our experts today.

Last updated on February 12th, 2020 at 10:09 am

At the root of its definition, omnichannel means always connected. Retailers that deliver a true omni experience have access to data and insights about customers, inventory and orders in real-time. It’s this ability to maintain an accurate 360-degree view of data then act on it that allows retailers to drive the seamless shopping experiences consumers expect.

Let’s dig into the expectations for a connected shopping experience, the benefits of being connected, and what you need to do to realize your vision for the store of the future.

Customers Expect In-store Mobility

The ubiquity of smartphones has opened up access to information unlike ever before. A report from BRP found 63% of consumers rely on mobile phones while shopping in-store. They use their devices to compare online and in-store prices, search for coupons and offers to get the best deals and check product availability, among other things.

This has changed retail as we know it. Consumers who are more connected and more informed are also more demanding. For example, if shoppers can order online with one tap, or get a product delivered in a day, why would they come in your store? They already have all this data at their fingertips, so what value does a store associate bring?

With a mobile point of sale (POS) system, a whole lot. From product discovery to order to receipt, customers can experience the same level of customer service in-store as they receive around-the-clock online.

The Benefits of A Connected Associate

The case for the connected store has never been stronger for customers and associates. Customers carry their devices everywhere and they expect sales associates to do the same. According to BRP’s report, 83% of shoppers said they expect retailers to provide stores associates with devices to do things like look up inventory.

Being connected is no longer a nicety. It’s a requirement of modern customer service and is core to associate productivity and brand profitability. Think of all the things a mobile-powered associate is:

• A POS for checkout and returns anywhere in-store.
• The ultimate personal shopping assistant with a 360-degree view of customers.
• A living website with a total view of inventory and the ability to digitize every touchpoint.
• Instant onsite customer support who can help in every retail scenario.

When store associates become mobilized, they can freely move about the entire store’s square footage. With access to accurate, consistent and timely data, associates can clientele from every corner, creating personal relationships that often result in greater lifetime customer value. They can also sell more product at full price and ensure fewer markdowns – this endless aisle capability can raise some same-store sales by 15 to 30%.

Connected mobile apps also increase associate productivity during those moments they’re not interacting with customers. This increased productivity is especially realized with tasks like inventory receiving and cycle counting – two traditionally labor-intensive duties that are made more accurate and efficient with mobile.

Architecting In-store Connectivity

We’ve talked about connectivity in the sense of connecting consumers, store associates, inventory information and stores to each other. However, network connectivity is also an essential lifeline for brands building stores of the future. With such high expectations for mobility, it’s critical that connectivity in-store is not only stable but on 100% of the time. Why? Because it can be costly for a retailer to be offline even if just for a minute. Industry analysts calculate that for each minute a POS system is down, it costs the retailer $4,700.00.

If you want to deliver a superior customer experience that’s always-on, you can’t rely on a landline-based network. You need a failover solution that kicks in immediately when problems arise – LTE is an answer when Wi-Fi is down.

Even more, you need to separate the networks used by associates for retail operations and by customers for browsing. Think about the number of people downloading videos in-store and using Wi-Fi for personal tasks. The end result is latency and drag, which can get in the way of associates accessing the information they need to do their job and do it well. 

A solution that might work for your brand is a Network-as-a-Service. Like having all of your data connected and visible, you can have a single source of truth for all your network services – from POS to digital signage to Wi-Fi. If your IT team runs lean or is looking for efficiencies, this may be an option to consider. 

Always Connected, Always Omnichannel

Every use case for true omnichannel depends on mobile connectivity. Reach out to our team to learn how to build a connected store.