The popularity of thrift stores is growing — and fast. In 2023, 40% of apparel items were purchased secondhand. That’s a big shift. Whether it’s for sustainability, timeless craftsmanship, or finding a deal on designer, you’re likely seeing more customers.
From volunteers behind the counter to inventory coming from donations, your needs are different from traditional retail stores. The right point of sale (POS) system makes a significant impact on how smoothly everything runs. Here’s a breakdown of the thrift store POS features that can help your shop run more efficiently and make life easier for your team and your customers.
Before, thrift stores weren’t seen as the most modern or fun places to shop. They often looked haphazardly thrown together and dated — but times have changed, just like their primary customer base. Thrift stores have unique needs, like managing donations, working with volunteers, and handling inventory that changes constantly.
A POS system designed for thrift stores makes it easier to track everything from donations to sales, and manage discounts. It helps keep your store running smoothly, even when you have a mix of part-time staff and fluctuating inventory.
Let’s look at the key features that can make a real difference for your store.
Related Read: How To Choose a Thrift Retail POS System: 5 Top Providers [Features & Pricing]
Volunteers are the heart of most thrift stores — and they’re often the ones at the register. But they’re not full-time retail employees, and many of them don’t have formal training or tons of tech experience. A good POS system must be simple enough to learn in minutes, not hours.
Let’s say it’s only your second day volunteering. A customer asks if they can split their payment between cash and card. You haven’t done that before, and everyone else is tied up helping customers or sorting donations in the back. No one needs a 10-minute crash course just to process a sale. A well-designed POS system makes it easy to walk someone through the basics in under three minutes.
Volunteer and retail turnover is high. If your system is confusing — or if you’re not using a POS system at all — you risk slowing down the line or losing the sale entirely. The right thrift store POS features allow anyone to jump in and help without holding up the entire store.
Related Read: 8 Volunteer Retention Strategies for Thrift Stores
Thrift stores often have creative ways of offering discounts, and your POS needs to keep up with those unique strategies. Many thrift stores use color-coded price tags to indicate how long an item has been on the shelf. Older items may be marked down to make room for new donations, and a flexible POS system automatically applies these discounts without you having to manually adjust prices every time.
For example, let’s say you’re running a department-wide sale because you have a surplus of items in a certain category. A POS that can handle bulk discounts quickly (like 20% off all books or clothing) saves you time and effort while keeping your prices consistent.
For stores offering special promotions for volunteers or seniors, applying these discounts at checkout with a click of a button streamlines the process, which makes both volunteers and customers happier.
If your thrift store is a nonprofit, chances are donations play a huge role in your operations. A POS system that integrates donation features like roundups can bring in additional funds without any extra effort on your part. For instance, when a customer’s total comes to $5.85, a simple prompt on the register asks if they want to round up to $6. That extra change may seem small, but over time, it can add up to hundreds of dollars per month.
What’s even better? A POS system that reminds cashiers to ask for roundups ensures you don’t miss any donation opportunities. This feature makes the process effortless for your cashiers, and you don’t have to worry about asking customers each time.
Some POS systems even allow customers to complete the roundup themselves at checkout, making it easier for both parties. Whether it’s $0.15 or $1.00, every little bit adds to your bottom line and helps fund your mission.
Related Read: 5 Reasons To Run a Roundup Donation Program
In thrift stores, customers often purchase large items like furniture, appliances, or heavy tools, but they may not have a way to take them home right away. Instead, they pay for the item and pick it up later. Traditionally, this requires printing out a sold slip or keeping track of the item manually, but a modern POS system simplifies this process.
The best POS systems allow you to print sold slips directly from the transaction page. This makes it easy for customers to confirm their purchase, and it reduces paperwork for your staff. Plus, it helps you track when the item is going to be picked up, so you can stay organized and avoid double-booking or forgetting about paid items. No more manual logs or miscommunication when it comes to large-item purchases.
One of the key differences between thrift stores and traditional retail is that your inventory is primarily made up of donations. These are known as in-kind donations — non-cash contributions where people give goods instead of money.
Managing these donations effectively is tricky without the right system. A POS system that tracks in-kind donations gives you an accurate, up-to-date record of what’s been donated, where it’s coming from, and when.
Tracking donations can give you insight into which areas are contributing the most, whether it’s by geographic region or particular types of goods (like clothing, electronics, or furniture). This helps you plan your staffing needs and market accordingly to keep the flow of donations steady. If you offer a donation pickup service, having a POS system that can manage scheduling and routing for pickups makes the whole process much smoother for you and your donors.
Though many thrift stores primarily sell donated items, a small selection of purchased products can make a big difference in your store’s revenue. These can include new items like socks, underwear, cleaning supplies, or even small household tools. When you’re selling a mix of donated and purchased goods, your POS system needs to differentiate between the two and track them separately.
If you’re selling new socks alongside donated clothing, it’s important to track the cost of goods sold (COGS) to guarantee your inventory stays profitable. A POS system that allows you to manage both your purchased and donated products separately helps you stay organized and avoid mistakes. Plus, it makes inventory management easier, so everything is accounted for correctly.
Thrift stores rely on a constantly-changing inventory. New donations come in every day, and it’s important to stay on top of what’s on your shelves and what’s in the back storage room. A POS system with real-time inventory tracking helps you manage donated and purchased items easily.
Imagine your store receives a huge donation of books, but you’re not sure how many copies of the same title you have in stock. With a good POS system, you can quickly check your inventory and find out exactly what’s available.
This feature helps you track what’s sold and make sure you don’t overstock items or sell products you don’t have. Real-time tracking also allows you to keep your pricing up to date and ensure that no item is left behind when it’s time for inventory audits.
When you run a thrift store, there’s a lot going on. You’re managing donations, sales, volunteers, and inventory — so keeping track of everything can feel overwhelming. A POS system that generates detailed reports can help you keep everything organized and make better decisions for your store.
For example, reports that show donation trends can help you understand what times of year you’re getting the most donations and what types of items are most popular. Sales reports allow you to identify which categories of items are moving the fastest, so you can adjust pricing or promotions accordingly.
Whether it’s tracking revenue from specific items, monitoring volunteer hours, or reviewing sales patterns, simplified reporting gives you the data you need to make informed choices and keep your store running smoothly.
Thrift stores may be nonprofits, but that doesn’t mean you have to limit your customers’ payment options. Today’s shoppers expect to be able to pay using a variety of methods, whether it’s credit cards, debit cards, mobile payments, or digital wallets like Apple Pay. A modern POS system can handle all of these payment methods, allowing your customers to choose the most convenient option for them.
When your POS accepts all forms of payment, it makes the checkout process quicker and easier, which improves the overall customer experience. No more missed opportunities due to outdated cash-only policies. Plus, providing multiple payment options can help you reach a broader audience, especially as digital payments become more common.
All businesses can benefit from a solid POS system, especially thrift stores. In a booming industry, it always helps to have an extra set of hands or added tools to simplify your business operations. With these thrift store POS features, you can manage more donations and ultimately increase sales.
If you’re looking for a POS system designed specifically for thrift stores, ThriftCart is the solution.
ThriftCart handles all the essential features that thrift store owners need, including:
With our software, you can simplify your daily tasks and improve your thrift store’s efficiency. Ready to see how it works? Schedule a free demo today to discover how ThriftCart can help your store run smoother and grow faster.