Glossary A–ZLetter P
Point of sale (POS)
The point of sale is the place where a purchase happens: in the narrow sense the till, in the wider sense the entire sales floor.
Advertising and information there reach people immediately before they decide to buy. A related term is point of purchase, the spot where the decision is made, usually the shelf.
Screens at the POS show offers at the checkout, product videos at the shelf or the menu above the counter, for example. They can be linked to the merchandise management system or the till so that prices and stock levels are correct. In retail they sit alongside printed displays and electronic shelf labels.
Operators should keep content at the POS short, because customers there are busy with their shopping. Prices on screen are subject to the same obligations as prices on paper. Screens at the POS should also not block walkways or obstruct the staff's view.