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IT Systems for a small shop

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  • 13-08-2013 3:27pm
    #1
    edanto
    Registered Users Posts: 2,809 ✭✭✭


    A friend of mine has a camera shop and he's asked for a little help in overhauling his IT systems. Their existing till/accounting package is very frustrating, so we can consider this a blank slate.

    The main areas we'd like to cover would be POS, Accounts, Helpdesk, CRM & Stock Management, and also potentially web sales.

    I wonder would anyone here have any recommendations for reliable and affordable systems for those functions? The more integrated, the better.

    Quickbooks have a POS platform, but according to a chat rep on their support site it (a) isn't available directly from them here in Ireland and (b) it integrates ONLY with their locally installed Quickbooks Pro and not Quickbooks Online.

    That's a pity, because my favourite helpdesk platform (the shop do repairs) is Zendesk, and it has some integration with Quickbooks Online, but not locally installed Quickbooks.

    Zendesk can also link out to a few CRMs... from awkward to expensive (Sugar/Dynamics/Salesforce). Basic CRM functionality is in some of the other POS systems I've looked at.

    It's quite likely that I'm missing some elephants in the room here beside me, since I don't know much about IT systems for retails, and if anyone has any recommendations (for or against) it'd be much appreciated.


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    #2
    L.Jenkins
    Moderators, Computer Games Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 19,240 Mod ✭✭✭✭L.Jenkins


    Can check out Cefasoft. I've worked with it before and it seems good. http://www.cefasoft.co.uk/


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    #3
    NCG
    Registered Users Posts: 80 ✭✭NCG


    Have a look at Xero. It integrates with many POS systems and indeed with Zendesk I believe.

    You can link through our site at ncg.ie/xero if you wish


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    #4
    YellowSheep
    Registered Users Posts: 384 ✭✭YellowSheep


    Hi OP

    I just cam across this. www. erply.com. Its free for on POS station. The inventory module is good, but only if you deal with "full items" like one bottle, or one pair of shoes. I am going to use the POS feature for my new restaurant and I have it in writing that its free as long as it is one POS terminal.

    Good luck.

    Oliver


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    #5
    edanto
    Registered Users Posts: 2,809 ✭✭✭edanto


    Thanks for the ideas guys. I'll look into each of them.

    Currently, I'm exploring the option of using Magento as the main database of products and customers, and then having other systems hanging off that for POS/Helpdesk/emailing. So far, it looks good in theory but will require a good deal of testing.


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    #6
    ferryman35
    Registered Users Posts: 85 ✭✭ferryman35


    Hi,

    I'd suggest that syou could look at Acctivate.com They have an excellent ERP system that integrates well with QB (all versions I think). The only part I'm not sure of is whether they have a retail POS interface rather than just thier standard 'industrial' one. Good Software, budget friendly, very configurable,many optional features if you have the dough and most importantly - it works! Their support is very good also. Microsoft RMS is also a good product but very expensive here compared to how it is sold in the US


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