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In-Store Sales (Point of Sale)

The BookWish Point of Sale (POS) system allows you to process in-store cash and card sales directly through the app.

Accessing the POS​

To use the POS system:

  1. Open the BookWish app
  2. Navigate to your Store section
  3. Tap Point of Sale in the store management menu
  4. The POS interface opens with an empty cart
Store Staff Access

Only store owners and staff with POS permissions can access the Point of Sale. See Store Staff Management for managing permissions.

POS Interface Overview​

The POS screen consists of:

  • Search Bar: Search for items by title, ISBN, or SKU
  • Scanner Button: Open barcode scanner for quick item lookup
  • Cart: Shows items added to current sale
  • Totals: Displays subtotal, tax, and total amount
  • Complete Sale Button: Process payment and complete transaction

Adding Items to Cart​

There are three ways to add items to a sale:

The fastest method for in-store sales:

  1. Tap the Scanner Icon (viewfinder icon) in the top right
  2. Point camera at the book's ISBN barcode
  3. The book is automatically found and added to cart
  4. A confirmation message shows the book was added

See Barcode Scanning for detailed scanner setup and usage.

tip

Keep the scanner open for multiple items - it will add each scanned book to the cart without closing.

2. Search and Add​

For items without barcodes or when scanner isn't available:

  1. Tap the Search Bar
  2. Type the book title, ISBN, or your SKU
  3. Press Enter or tap search
  4. If found in your inventory, the book is added to cart
  5. Search bar clears for next item

Search Tips:

  • ISBN search is most accurate (13-digit or 10-digit)
  • Title search looks for partial matches
  • SKU search uses your custom inventory codes

3. Manual Entry (Coming Soon)​

Future updates will allow manual price entry for non-inventory items.

Managing the Cart​

Cart Display​

Each item in the cart shows:

  • Book cover thumbnail (if available)
  • Book title and author
  • Unit price
  • Quantity
  • Line total (price × quantity)
  • Remove button (minus icon)

Adjusting Quantities​

To change item quantity:

  • Add More: Scan or search for the same book again
  • Remove One: Tap the minus circle button
  • Remove All: Keep tapping minus until quantity reaches zero
Inventory Checking

The POS automatically checks your inventory. You cannot add more items than you have in stock.

Removing Items​

To remove an item from the cart:

  1. Tap the Minus Circle button next to the item
  2. Quantity decreases by one
  3. When quantity reaches zero, item is removed from cart
  4. Totals update automatically

Empty Cart​

To clear the entire cart:

  • Tap each item's minus button until cart is empty
  • Or navigate away from POS (you'll be prompted to confirm)

Pricing and Totals​

How Prices Are Calculated​

Item Prices: Pulled from your inventory listings

  • The price you set for each book is used
  • New vs. used pricing is automatic based on inventory record
  • Condition-based pricing (if you use different prices per condition)

Tax: Automatically calculated

  • Default tax rate: 8% (configurable in store settings)
  • Applied to subtotal
  • Rounded to nearest cent

Total: Subtotal + Tax

Cart Summary​

The bottom section shows:

  • Subtotal: Sum of all item prices
  • Tax: Tax amount (8% default)
  • Total: Final amount to collect

Example:

Subtotal:  $24.50
Tax:       $ 1.96
─────────────────
Total:     $26.46

Applying Discounts​

Manual Discounts (Coming Soon)​

Future updates will support:

  • Percentage discounts
  • Fixed amount discounts
  • Promotional codes
  • Employee discounts

Current Workaround​

To apply discounts now:

  1. Calculate discount amount manually
  2. Collect the discounted total
  3. Note discount in sale notes (after completion)

Using Trade Credit​

Trade credit allows customers to use store credit earned from trade-ins:

Checking Trade Credit Balance​

  1. Search for customer's account (coming soon)
  2. View their trade credit balance
  3. Apply credit to current sale

See Trade Credit for detailed trade credit management.

info

Trade credit feature requires customer to have a BookWish account and trade credit balance at your store.

Completing a Sale​

Standard Cash/Card Sale​

When ready to complete the sale:

  1. Review the cart items and total
  2. Tap Complete Sale button
  3. Confirm the payment method:
    • Cash
    • Card (external terminal)
    • Trade Credit (if applicable)
  4. Collect payment from customer
  5. Sale is recorded and receipt generated
warning

Currently, card payments are processed through your external card terminal. The BookWish POS records the sale but doesn't process card payments directly.

After Sale Completion​

When sale is completed:

  1. Cart Clears: Ready for next customer
  2. Inventory Updates: Sold items deducted from stock
  3. Sale Recorded: Transaction saved in sales history
  4. Receipt Available: Digital receipt can be shown/emailed

Sale Confirmation​

You'll see a confirmation message showing:

  • Sale number
  • Total amount
  • Items sold

Payment Methods​

Cash Payments​

  1. Complete the sale in POS
  2. Select Cash as payment method
  3. Collect cash from customer
  4. Make change if needed
  5. Put cash in register

See Cash Drawer Management for cash handling procedures.

Card Payments​

  1. Complete the sale in POS
  2. Select Card as payment method
  3. Process payment on your external card terminal
  4. Wait for approval
  5. Provide customer receipt from card terminal
info

The POS records the sale amount but doesn't process card payments. Use your Square, Clover, or other card terminal for actual card processing.

Trade Credit​

  1. Complete the sale in POS
  2. Select Trade Credit
  3. Enter customer's account
  4. System applies trade credit balance
  5. Customer pays any remaining balance with cash/card

Mixed Payments (Coming Soon)​

Future updates will support split payments (e.g., partial trade credit + cash).

Sale Numbers​

Each sale gets a unique sale number in this format:

[STORE]-[TIMESTAMP]-[RANDOM]

Example: ABC-12345678-123

  • First 3 letters: Your store code
  • 8 digits: Timestamp
  • 3 digits: Random number

Use sale numbers to reference transactions in your records.

POS Best Practices​

Speed and Efficiency​

✓ Use barcode scanner for fastest entry ✓ Keep scanner open when adding multiple items ✓ Arrange books with barcodes facing up before starting ✓ Pre-stage items for large purchases ✓ Clear cart between customers

Accuracy​

✓ Verify quantities before completing sale ✓ Check prices match your expectations ✓ Confirm total with customer ✓ Review cart before finalizing ✓ Issue receipts for customer records

Customer Service​

✓ Face the screen toward customer (if tablet/phone allows) ✓ Announce total clearly ✓ Thank customers after purchase ✓ Offer receipt (digital or printed) ✓ Ask about book recommendations

Inventory Management​

✓ Check stock before adding to cart (automatic) ✓ Update inventory regularly ✓ Note low stock items after sales ✓ Reconcile daily between POS and physical stock

Troubleshooting​

Book Not Found​

If a scanned/searched book isn't found:

  • Not in inventory: Add the book to inventory first
  • Wrong ISBN: Check barcode and try manual search
  • SKU mismatch: Verify your SKU matches inventory record

Scanner Not Working​

If barcode scanner isn't working:

  • Check camera permissions for BookWish app
  • Try manual ISBN entry in search
  • Ensure good lighting on barcode
  • Clean camera lens

See Barcode Scanning for more troubleshooting.

Price Incorrect​

If displayed price doesn't match your expectations:

  • Check inventory listing for that book
  • Verify condition (new vs. used)
  • Update inventory price if needed
  • Cannot override price in current version

Sale Won't Complete​

If Complete Sale button doesn't work:

  • Ensure cart has at least one item
  • Check internet connection
  • Verify store account is active
  • Try closing and reopening POS

Sales History​

To view past sales:

  1. Go to Store Management
  2. Tap Sales History
  3. View list of all POS transactions
  4. Filter by date, staff member, or amount
  5. Tap any sale to see details

Sales history shows:

  • Sale number and date/time
  • Items sold
  • Payment method
  • Staff member who processed sale
  • Customer (if known)
  • Total amount

Reporting​

Daily Sales Report​

Get daily totals for:

  • Total sales amount
  • Number of transactions
  • Items sold
  • Payment method breakdown
  • Staff member breakdown

See Cash Drawer for end-of-day reporting.

Sales Analytics​

View sales trends over time:

  • Daily, weekly, monthly totals
  • Best-selling books
  • Peak sales times
  • Average transaction value

Access in Store Analytics section.

Security and Permissions​

Who Can Use POS​

Only users with proper permissions:

  • Store Owner: Full access
  • Store Staff: Must have POS permission enabled
  • Managers: Usually have POS access

Tracking Sales by Staff​

Each sale records which staff member processed it:

  • Useful for commission tracking
  • Accountability for cash handling
  • Performance metrics

Access Control​

To manage POS access:

  1. Go to Store Settings
  2. Tap Staff Management
  3. Edit staff member permissions
  4. Enable/disable POS access

Next Steps​