by Alexander Lourenco

Created on: May 12, 2008   Last Updated: May 20, 2008

Cash registers are an important function of businesses today, and since their invention in 1879, cash registers have become almost symbolic of the fast exchange of merchandise and commerce throughout the world. They are efficient and effective in ways ranging from stopping employee theft to maximizing profits by checking more people out more quickly.

As a small business owner, however, you may be swamped by all the options available to you. Retail cash registers can be hard to buy- Which will be the most cost-effective for your company? Let's find out!

1)Royal 101cx 109.95$

This Royal cash register is perfect for small businesses who have only a few employees and item types and don't need to spend hundreds of dollars on features they really don't need.

Features:

99 Price Lookups (PLUs) for quick sales

8 different department labels for efficient sales analysis

4 employee system- keep track of who sold what!

Locking cash drawer

2)Royal 583cx 199.95$

For businesses who need to take the next step with expanding items, departments, and employees, the Royal 583cx is a good mid level retail register for expansion. It is compact yet powerful, and its 1000 PLU capacity makes it a good deal more flexible than other products in its price range.

Features:

1,000 PLUs

20 Departments

26 employee system

Fast thermal printing

Locking cash drawer

3) Casio TE-2000 299.99$
The Casio TE-2000 has the most bang for the buck in terms of retail ability. Priced at 300$, it performs many of the functions needed for a midlevel business without the limitations of the cheaper registers!

Features:
2,000 PLUs
96 Departments

40 Employees

Serial port to connect PC or scanner
Fast thermal printing
Drop-in paper loading

Graphic and logo printing

4) Sharp XE-A505 379.99$

Has your business swelled? Do you need to process many customers efficiently or keep track of thousands of items? Then the Sharp XE-A505 is perfect for your needs! This cash register was born and bred for heavy-duty retail, and its built-in bar code scanner lets you process items faster than ever!

Features:

7,000 PLUs

99 departments

Bar Code Scanner

Fast thermal printing

PC Link software (USB / SD Card)
for easy updating

Can put company logos on receipts
SD card reader for quick data transfer

Quickbooks
link to integrate transactions.

5) Sharp UP-600 879.00$
This Sharp cash register is perhaps the most powerful cash register for retail available. It has an Ethernet port to expand and connect with other PCs and cash terminals, to a total of 64. It has a built-in card reader and potentially limitless PLUs, departments, and employee IDs due to its expandability via Ethernet.

Features:
Ethernet connectivity

Bar code scanner

Full range of codes, including PLUs and UPCs
Back Office Software Solution - optional SDW software can upgrade polling and programming functionality

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