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The sporting goods business is a billion-dollar industry that comprises a wide range of products from footwear, apparel to exercise equipment, licensed sports merchandise, etc. According to statisca.com, the annual sales of sporting goods stores in the US are estimated to be around 45 billion dollars. Because of its stable demand and potential, the sporting goods retail business has also developed very quickly with thousands of online and offline stores across the nation and also in other countries.

Managing both online and offline stores with a wide range of products is also a challenge for retailers. In this article, we will recommend some top POS providers for sporting goods stores in 2022.

Sporting goods industry in 2022

According to mckinsey.com, the worldwide sportswear industry in 2020 was severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, with most businesses reporting lower sales. Most sports activities and events were canceled and people also avoided going out as much as possible.

Luckily, from 2022, the demand for sporting goods starts to increase again since almost everyone gets vaccines. However, the industry also witnesses some major changes that can affect the way the business operates shortly. It includes digital commerce, demand for sustainable products, and individual forms of sports.  With online penetration likely to settle at about 25% in 2022, six times greater than before the pandemic, companies, and retailers will need to quickly adapt their business models. Brands must prioritize digital commerce and expedite direct-to-consumer initiatives, while retailers must provide smooth and integrated omnichannel experiences.

sporting goods statistics

Necessary features of POS software for sporting goods stores

Besides all the common features of POS software, sporting goods retail has some unique features and requirements that the POS software provider has to design to meet.

Catalog and inventory management

Sporting goods stores are known for their large inventories, diverse product catalogs, and constantly changing product lines. Sporting goods retailers must be able to keep track of many sorts of merchandise including exercise equipment, apparel, accessories, and others. Products can be further categorized by sport, such as running, swimming, hunting, tennis, baseball, skiing, golf, and more. POS software for this store type must be complex and strong enough to handle a wide range of products and their characteristics.

Besides, the centralized software also has to provide a real-time sync feature to ensure that inventory from both online websites and offline stores is updated and managed in one system.

Multistore management

Since sporting retail business is normally implemented as chain stores. It is essential to have POS software that can help retailers set up and manage different stores in one single system.

Your ultimate guide to choosing the perfect retail POS system

Flexible integration

The POS software should be able to integrate well with the eCommerce platform to sell in different channels with one centralized system. Other than that, it needs to be able to connect with 1) essential hardware to help the staff work faster; and 2) and payment service providers to make sure that customers have diverse options when purchasing.

In-store and on-the-go POS

POS software for sporting goods businesses should be compatible with both in-store POS screens or desktops and mobile devices to allow retailers to sell in many cases and places. Besides, it should be able to process orders without depending on the Internet.

Customer loyalty

It is better if the POS software can offer some features that allow retailers to create promotional programs to build customer loyalty. The sporting goods industry is like any other retail business. It needs promotional or membership programs to increase the retention rate and new customers.

Insight reports

The POS software has to be able to generate customized reports that can track past transactions to devise future strategies, the best-selling products, and identify problems.

Top POS software providers for sporting goods business

Currently, there are some top POS software suppliers for sporting goods in the market that you as retailers can take into consideration.

Must-have features of an integrated eCommerce POS system

Magestore POS

  • Inventory Management: Magestore POS helps sporting goods retailers manage items with different categories and multiple attributes such as size, color, style, or sports brand. It also provides real-time synchronization so inventory from all channels can be updated automatically in one single management system.
  • Multi-store management: Retailers can set up one POS system for various locations from an all-in-one system. Therefore, they can track all transaction history, stock data, and procurement data from all offline stores in order to ensure stock sufficiency by order notice or stock transfer from different stores.
  • Flexible POS system: Magestore POS is compatible with both desktops and iPads. That means retailers can sell in-store and also can use POS in iPad to sell products at sports and outdoor events, skill workshops, or pop-up stores. More importantly, retailers can create and process orders in both online and offline mode with no interruption.
  • Integration: Magestore POS software just works natively with the Magento eCommerce platform. It also integrates with almost all popular payment and hardware providers supporting diverse payment methods.
  • Customer loyalty: Magestore POS can help retailers build up customer loyalty by offering incentives to customers through Magento promotion rules. It can be a seasonal or specialized promotion to increase customers’ demand for sports goods. In addition, retailers also can give customers some reward points as a discount on the next purchase.
  • Reports: Magestore POS can provide all comprehensive reports which are needed for the owner to understand the store performance and future plan including daily reports, sale reports, employee performance, and stock on-hand reports.
shopify pos

LightSpeed POS

  • Inventory Management: It uses custom tags and categories to organize and search products by brands, sport types, names, and other criteria. Besides, it offers product matrices that can help you organize a wide range of sporting goods in the system. Retailers also can import several items at once to save time. Moreover, this POS software can help retailers to track and manage work orders for services like skate sharpening, etc.
  • Integration: Lightspeed POS has its own payment processing system called Lightspeed Payments. However, Lightspeed Payments is available in the US and Canada only. In other countries, Lightspeed POS integrates with almost all local payment solution providers.
  • Multi-store management: Retailers can manage multiple stores from one single system with real-time stock updates and consolidated master orders. Therefore, they can easily maintain stock levels in each location by transferring stock between locations or purchasing new stock when needed. Besides, retailers can keep track of customers’ profiles, purchases, and returns across all locations.
  • Customer loyalty: Lightspeed POS helps managing omnichannel gift cards which are created to get customer loyalty and motivate them to come back. Retailers can issue gift cards in different types, transfer balances and check gift card balances and history without leaving the POS.
vend pos

Vend POS

  • Inventory Management: Vend POS helps retailers easily manage, add, update, and remove products from the system. They also can monitor and keep track of stock levels across numerous locations with a built-in inventory management system. In addition, retailers can order new supplies directly from the POS system. With the real-time sync feature, data from both online and in-stores is always updated.
  • Multi-store management: Vend POS also provides multi-store management features since it helps retailers easily add new locations,  manage stock, procurement, and staff performance across all locations in one single system.
  • Integration: Vend POS is a solution for merchants who want their POS to work on PCs (Windows, macOS) or mobile devices (iOS, Android).
  • POS on the go: Vend may be accessed through a web browser or an iPad app, allowing you to carry it with you wherever you go, whether you’re on the road or have a large number of locations. Vend’s offline mode also enables you to sell in even the most remote locations.
Clover credit card readers – the best for businesses processing over $20,000 monthly

Clover POS

  • Inventory Management: Clover helps retailers keep track of stock by SKUs and variants. Retailers will receive stock notifications from the system when there isn’t enough of anything. When your inventory is running low, Clover will send you an alert. With a barcode scanner, you can scan and instantaneously add to or update your inventory.
  • Build customer loyalty: With Clover POS, retailers can turn normal clients into loyal customers by offering exclusive deals that can only be redeemed after a certain number of visits. Retailers also can give consumers a simple and private way to submit their comments to improve their business. Clover Gift Cards allow you to sell both digital and physical gift cards and increase your earnings.
  • Staff management: Retailers can keep track of the revenue of each person to reward the top people and set up commissions. In addition, the owners can check out busy times to plan employees’ shifts accordingly through the system.
  • Easy payment and exchanges: Clover POS accepts credit, debit, and gift cards, as well as NFC and mobile payments. Retailers can also set up automatic tax rates to be applied to all sales. It also accepts payments in offline mode and processes them when you’re back online.
Quickbooks pos for sport

Quickbooks POS

  • Inventory management: With automatic stock updates, retailers can manage inventory levels across all online and offline stores to avoid overselling both online and in-store. It is also easier to track and manage details like vendor, department, style, size, and color. Therefore, in case of insufficient stock in one location, retailers can be noticed in advance and can take an in-time action such as stock transfer or purchase more without leaving the POS.
  • Reporting: Quickbooks POS can provide an insight report with easy-to-understand data to help retailers identify their strengths and potentials. It also shows the inventory turn data so that you can know which items should be kept in stock at all times and which should be rotated out. In addition, key customer reports also help retailers to identify and reward the most loyal consumers.
  • Customer relationship management: With built-in Customer Relationship Management features, retailers can sort the data by customer behavior to know who are regular customers and what they’re buying. From that information, retailers can create personalized loyalty programs to recognize and reward the most loyal consumers by offering promotions in conjunction with special occasions.

Read more: 51 Best Open Source Business Software for Small Businesses in 2022

To sum up

In general, the sporting goods business started to recover, reshape and develop after the pandemic with many challenges due to changing customer behavior. POS software is a tool for businesses to stay competitive in the market. So finding a suitable POS system to help manage your business is important. We hope that with this article, you can know what is needed and find suitable POS software for your business.

If you’re looking for customizable POS software for your sporting good business, you can contact Magestore experts to get a free business analysis.

Author Irene Luong

Irene is a senior content writer and editor at Magestore with more than 5 years of experience. She often writes about retail operations and system integration to provide in-depth knowledge for retailers. Besides writing, you may find her busy with editing to make every piece of content epic.

More posts by Irene Luong

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