How to Set Up an iPad Checkout Counter for a Small Shop

Your shop have moved past the old till and you’re now on to the iPad for checkout. The app is all set and the card reader is still in it’s box. You’re at the counter at the moment, working out where everything goes and how to avoid having a complete mess of cables and bits of kit after just one week.

A good tablet checkout doesn’t need a lot of space or a lot of money; it just needs a plan. Follow these steps prior to opening day and you’ll have a setup that’s quick for the staff, easy for the customer and simple to keep tidy.

Step 1 – Map Your Checkout Workflow First

Start with how a sale actually happens in your shop, because the workflow decides what hardware you need and where it goes. Walk through a typical purchase from the moment a customer reaches the counter to the moment they leave.

Write down each step: scanning/finding the items, applying the discounts, taking the payment, printing or emailing the receipt and bagging. Who does what should also be noted. In a small shop one person will probably do it all so the hardware should be within easy reach from one place.

Plan for your busiest times rather than just the slow times. A configuration that’s perfectly fine for one customer may well fall to pieces when you’ve got three customers queuing up and one of them needs to make a return.

Step 2 – Choose Compatible Hardware

Each piece of hardware has to be compatible with your particular iPad model and your POS app so you need to check compatibility prior to buying. The majority of POS app websites will have a list of supported devices so you can use that list to guide your purchasing decisions.

A typical small-shop setup includes:

• An iPad model your POS app supports
• A card reader that pairs with that app
• A receipt printer, if customers expect paper receipts
• A cash drawer, if you take cash
• A barcode scanner, if you sell items with barcodes

Scanners don’t have to be new to do the job well. If you’re weighing options, this look at refurbished barcode scanners explains why many businesses go that route. Buy only what your workflow needs, since every extra device adds a cable, a charger and one more thing to troubleshoot.

Step 3 – Pick a Stand or Enclosure That Fits the Counter

A stand will turn a loose tablet into a fixed checkout station, keeping it at a consistent height and angle and thereby making it less likely to be taken. Always measure your counter space before you go shopping (including the space you’ll need for bagging).

Decide whether the stand should sit freely on the counter or be fastened down. Hardware for an iPad POS system from VidaBox comes in both free-standing and fastened-to-desk countertop mounts, so you can match the mount to how permanent your layout is. Check that any stand or enclosure fits your exact iPad model, and that it leaves the charging port and buttons reachable.

If you’re planning to reconfigure your shop for seasonal displays, then a free-standing stand is the easier option to move. If your counter layout is going to remain static then a fixed mount is the more secure option.

Step 4 – Position the Screen for Staff and Customers

The screen should be facing the person who is using it most (at a comfortable height and angle) and should be free of glare. Get it set up properly and checkout speed for everyone improves.

Set a Comfortable Height

Place the screen where staff can tap it without reaching up or hunching over. Think about customers too, since they may need to sign, tip or enter a PIN. Under the 2010 ADA Standards, a counter with a parallel approach needs a portion of the counter surface that is 36 inches long minimum and 36 inches high maximum above the floor. Check how your counter measures up before you fix anything in place.

Decide on Swivel or Fixed

If the customer needs to see the screen to approve a total or add a tip then you want a stand that can swivel or tilt so that you don’t have to pass the iPad back and forth. If it’s just staff using it, then a fixed-angle stand is fine.

Check for Glare

Check the screen at various times of day. If a window or overhead light is reflecting off the glass and making it difficult to read then adjust the angle or move the screen until it’s clear.

Step 5 – Keep Charging Cables Tidy and Out of the Way

A checkout counter with loose cables looks messy and invites snags, so plan your cable route along with the hardware. Run every cable along one planned path from the devices to the power source.

Find the nearest outlet and decide whether you need a power strip or surge protector under the counter. Run the cables down the back of the stand, along the underside of the counter and away from where the customers are standing or putting their bags down.

Use cable clips, ties or a cable channel to secure the cables in place. Label each plug on the power strip so you can tell the printer from the iPad charger when you need to unplug something. Leave a bit of slack at the device end so the swivel stand can turn without pulling on the cable.

Step 6 – Test the Checkout Workflow Before Opening

A full test run will allow you to find the problems whilst you still have the time to fix them, rather than have customers sit and wait. Allocate an hour prior to opening day to go through every type of sale you’d expect.

Test each of these at least once:

• A card payment and a tap-to-pay payment
• A cash sale, including opening the drawer
• A discount and a return
• Printing and emailing a receipt
• A sale with the Wi-Fi switched off, if your app supports offline mode

Write down every snag you hit and fix it before the doors open. Then run the same test with the person who’ll be working the counter most, since they’ll spot things you miss.

Do a Practice Sale at Your Counter Today

A clean iPad checkout counter starts with working out your workflow and selecting the right hardware. From there it’s all about good placement and a proper test run.

Get going today by working through a typical sale from start to finish on paper. For each step in the process, write down the hardware you’d need. That becomes your shopping list, and it’ll ensure you don’t end up buying any kit that you don’t actually need.

Frequently Asked Questions

What hardware do I need for an iPad checkout counter?

Most small shops will require an iPad that’s supported, a compatible card reader and a stand, and a receipt printer, cash drawer or barcode scanner (whichever is required by your particular workflow). Always check your POS app’s list of supported devices prior to purchase.

Where should I put the iPad on a checkout counter?

Put it at a height that is comfortable for the staff, out of the glare, and with space at the side for bagging. If customers are going to need to see the screen, then you’ll need a stand that can swivel or tilt.

How do I keep checkout cables tidy?

Run each cable along one route down the back of the stand and under the counter. Use clips or a cable channel and label each plug at the power strip.