So you've chosen the SimplEPOS package for your EPOS needs, now you have to sort out your hardware. This guide will help you choose the hardware that's best suited to your business.

The good news is that it won't cost you the earth. A complete kit to convert a standard Windows PC into an EPOS terminal will cost you from only £529 (including the software, CCD barcode scanner, impact receipt printer and cash drawer). Complete systems (based on our integrated touch screen terminal) are available from only £1964. And don't forget that we offer free email support. We're confident that you'll struggle to find prices this low anywhere else.

You can now buy complete kits for your PC and complete integrated systems from our on-line store - click here to jump straight to the right section.

The computer

Naturally you'll need a computer to run the SimplEPOS software on. Faster is always better, but SimplEPOS shouldn't be that demanding on your system, so there's no need for a high end machine. Often an old home PC or second hand wonder is up to the job.

If you'd prefer an integrated touch screen EPOS unit then why not consider a DigiPoS Frontier terminal. These all-in-one EPOS terminals provide a compact, cost effective solution ideal for any size retail environment. They combine a powerful 2.4GHZ base unit with a 15" high quality touch screen monitor and 2x20 character customer display. These superb machines are an ideal solution for the small to medium sized retailer, available for only £1964 as a complete solution including software and peripherals.

The Keyboard

As we mentioned earlier, although this is no longer essential for SimplEPOS (the software can utilise the function keys on the top of a standard PC keyboard for POS command short-cuts) it is recommended that you use a programmable POS keyboard. We stock the Tipro Mid 96 keyboard specifically for SimplEPOS users :

This is a robust keyboard with a QWERTY and numeric keypad and preconfigured keys for each POS command in SimplEPOS (all you need to do is plug it into your PC) This is a high quality, professional looking keyboard.

The Tipro Mid 96, pre-programmed and labelled for use with SimplEPOS, is priced at £129.

The Barcode Scanner

The main, most obvious advantage of using an EPOS setup over a till is that you can scan barcodes on products to speed up transactions at the point-of-sale. Choosing a suitable scanner is very important :

Either the Tysso CD-83 CCD scanner or the Metrologic Voyager are both suitable for low scale operations. The CD-83 is a robust, CCD, triggered scanner whereas the Voyager is a triggerless, laser scanner (offering more aggressive scanning performance) and can either be used in its stand or handheld. The CD-83 is available for £39, the Voyager at £111.

For those who need faster transaction processing, we also stock the Metrologic Orbit. This little guy is a counter mounted, presentation scanner with an agressive, omni-directional scan pattern. An adjustable head allows you to angle the scanner for optimal performance. The Orbit is priced at £260.

The Receipt Printer

With SimplEPOS the receipt printer not only allows you to print receipts for your customers, but also provides an efficient means to print your reports without the need for an additional printer. The reports generated by the system are all formatted at a suitable 40 column width for this reason.

Our most popular (and the most recommended) receipt printer is the Epson TM-T88Iv. This is a thermal printer, quiet and fast in operation, with an automatic cutter. Available with either an RS232 or parallel interface (please specify at time of order). The TM-T88Iv is priced at £198.

Alternatively, those on a budget might like to consider the Epson U220(D). This is an impact printer with a manual cutter. Again, either RS232 or parallel interfaces are available with this printer. The U220(D) is priced at £168.

The Cash Drawer

Our ECD cash drawers are ideal for use with SimplEPOS. All come with a receipt printer kick cable to plug into the back of your Epson receipt printer without the need for a direct PC connection or external power supply.

The size of cash drawer is worthy of a little thought. The CDJ-400 is often adequate for the average small business. The CDY-410 gives a little extra space which is worthy of the price difference. For those who are considering a bigger drawer the CDO-435 is worth a look and may last your needs for longer :

The CDJ-400 is priced at £72, the CDY-410 at £74 and the CDO-435 at £81.

The Display Pole

Why bother with a display pole ? Well, you certainly don't have to but it is nice for your customers to see the transactions being processed, it certainly looks more professional and, also, it helps deter staff theft.

The FV2029 is a nice, compact, good looking display pole with a clear to read display. A highly recommended unit at £74.

If you're after a slightly larger display then there's always the FV2021. The characters are slightly larger (11mm instead of 9mm). These units weigh in at £84.

The Label Printer

Depending on your business you may have some (or indeed a lot of) products which don't have their own barcodes. This can slow things down at the point of sale as you have to lookup the PLU code for the product (which is, of course, one option).

A far better solution is to use a label printer. These allow you to whizz off your own labels and barcode up stock which otherwise you'd have to process manually.

The Zebra LP2844 is ideal for this purpose. SimplEPOS provides built-in support for this printer, allowing you to print 57mm X 32mm stock labels, as required, direct from the stock database. As label printers use label rolls (rather than sheets) you can print as few (or as many) labels as you like without the mess and inconvenience of label sheets.

We're happy to be able to offer this Zebra printer to users of SimplEPOS at the special price of £205 (including power supply and comms cable). An ideal add-on to your EPOS solution.

SimplEPOS tour

Interested in a SimplEPOS setup for your business ? Why not take a tour for a more in-depth look at the capabilities of the software. At the end of the tour you can download a demo copy to try out for yourself.