POS hardware planner: test each device before you buy
A terminal photo is not a hardware plan. List each job at the counter, the device that performs it and the evidence that the combination works with the system you choose.
What happens at your counter?
Start with roles, then models
Identify the selling screen, card terminal, scanner, receipt printer and cash drawer. Add label printing, a customer display, a kitchen device or a scale only when the workflow requires it. Record the exact model and connection for anything you own. Include device operating system, browser or app requirements and the network it will use; a product family name alone is not enough.
Separate reuse from confirmed compatibility
Mark each device as owned, to buy, leased or still to confirm. For anything you plan to reuse, test the full combination — the device, its connection and the system — not just whether the plug fits. Shopify publishes its supported hardware by category; other providers have their own lists. VoVi runs in a web browser, so a tablet or laptop you already own can often serve as the register; try your printer and scanner with it during the free trial.
Add one acceptance test per device
- Scanner: correct item, variant and quantity from your real labels.
- Printer and drawer: readable receipt, required opening behavior and recovery after reconnection.
- Card terminal: successful payment, decline and refund through the chosen provider.
- Scale: exact instrument, units, tare and label behavior, with supplier confirmation.
Budget for ownership as well as purchase
Count stands, cables, power, consumables and replacement arrangements. Decide who supports each component and what staff do when it fails. A leased terminal may carry obligations that survive a software change. Keep your final model list and test evidence with the quote, so a substituted device is reviewed before it arrives at the store.