Which hardware does each station need?
In a retail store, each station has its own hardware. The table matches each station with the G4POS catalogue model that fits it, based on the product pages. Your client’s software and the number of checkouts then set the quantities.
| Station | Need | Catalogue model |
|---|---|---|
| Checkout | Take payment and show the sale to the customer | JG7000 (10.1-inch customer display) or JG8000 |
| Counter scanning | Read 1D and 2D codes, including QR codes | SC310 |
| Scanning away from the station | Scan wirelessly and keep codes in memory | JCG980 |
| Receipts and cash drawer | Print the receipt and open the drawer | MG80 |
| Labelling | Print labels and barcodes | G4POS RT1500 |
| Inventory and receiving | Count and receive merchandise | G4POS RTP6A (Android) |
| Loyalty and gift cards | Cards in the store’s colours | Loyalty cards and gift cards |
Which terminal goes at the checkout?
The JG7000 and the JG8000 are two Windows-compatible all-in-one terminals, with a 15-inch touchscreen, 8 GB of DDR4 memory and 256 GB of NVMe storage. The JG7000 has a built-in 10.1-inch customer display that shows the sale to the customer as it is entered. The JG8000, with an Intel Core i5-8265U processor, is offered as the server station.
Both have 2 RS-232 serial ports, 6 USB ports, an HDMI port and a Gigabit RJ45 network port. The barcode scanner, the receipt printer and the label printer plug straight into them.
Which barcode scanner suits the checkout?
At the counter, the SC310 reads 1D and 2D codes, including QR codes and PDF417, in manual, continuous or auto-sense mode. It sits on its stand and connects over USB to Windows, macOS, Linux and Android.
To scan an item away from the station, the JCG980 reads 1D and 2D codes and connects wirelessly, through a 2.4 GHz USB dongle or Bluetooth. Its inventory mode stores scanned codes in memory and uploads them to the station later. On its USB cable, it switches to wired mode and charges.
Do you need both a receipt printer and a label printer?
The two printers do two different jobs. The MG80 prints receipts on 80 mm thermal paper at 260 mm/s, accepts ESC/POS commands and opens the cash drawer through its 24 V output. The G4POS RT1500 prints labels and barcodes up to 108 mm wide, in direct thermal, with no ribbon.
Propose the label printer when the store labels its own products. It understands the TSPL, ZPL, EPL and DPL languages: check that the client’s labelling software produces one of them.
How do you equip inventory and receiving?
To count and receive merchandise, the G4POS RTP6A is an Android 14 handheld terminal with a 1D and 2D barcode scanner. Its removable 5,000 mAh battery gives about 15 hours of use. It connects over dual-band Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0, and it withstands 36 drops from 1.5 m without screen breakage.
In a small store, the JCG980’s inventory mode can be enough: staff scan codes in the stockroom, then upload them to the checkout station.
Product page:
When should you propose loyalty or gift cards?
Propose them when the store wants to reward regular customers or sell prepaid cards. The cards in the G4POS catalogue are PVC, printed in colour on both sides in the store’s colours. Each one carries an encoded HiCo magnetic stripe, a barcode and a unique serial number. The minimum is 1,000 cards per order.
Before ordering, check that the checkout station reads the magnetic stripe or the barcode, and that the client’s software manages points or balances.
Buying guide:
Which questions should you ask the retailer?
These six questions are usually enough to build a store quote. The answers fit in one email.
- Which point-of-sale software does the store use, and on which operating system?
- How many checkouts are needed, and should customers see the sale on a screen?
- Does the counter need to read QR codes, for example on coupons?
- Does the store label its own products?
- Are inventory counts done with a handheld terminal?
- Does the store want a loyalty program or gift cards?