Whether you cater to Sunday riders, mountain bikers, amateur or professional racers, one thing is certain — navigating the ever-evolving retail landscape is no easy feat. What if there was a tool that could have you coasting through your daily responsibilities and gearing up for ultimate business success?
Have I peaked your interest? If so, I’d like to introduce you to Lightspeed Retail — a cloud-based point of sale that built its product specifically around the needs of bike retailers and has been helping bike shops the world over build, manage and grow their business for years.
Here are 6 ways this software solutio, which happens to seamlessly integrate with the BikeExchange platform, can help your bike business reach and maintain peak performance.
Quick and simple setup
No need to be tech savvy to use Lightspeed’s web-based POS system. As long as you’re comfortable using an iPad or a Tablet and have a reliable internet connection, you can get started in no time.
Data entry not your thing? Lightspeed Retail comes with over 200 preloaded catalogues from top cycling vendors, turning product entry and description updates into a thing of the past. Whether you’re loading parts, equipment or accessories, all it takes is a click of a button and you’re ready to sell.
Effortless inventory management and purchasing functionality
An organized purchasing process is key to maintaining a well-stocked shop. To nail down a process that works for you, however, you need to know exactly what you have in stock.
Whether you own a single bike shop or many, the right POS should give you all the information you need in order to master the art of inventory management.
Not sure what your best-selling items or brands are at the moment? Wondering where your stock levels are at across all of your locations? Lightspeed Retail’s powerful reporting features provide all the data you need to run a tight operation.
You can check inventory levels from the palm of your hand; set automated reminders that notify you when you’re running low on an item and place purchases with a vendor. You don’t even need to be in the store! Isn’t a cloud-based solution wonderful?
Purchasing options
One of your main responsibilities as a bike shop owner is to provide a top-notch shopping experience to anyone who comes into your store. After all, it’s a pretty important moment when one decides to invest in a new bike.
As for how to keep your shoppers happy? No need to be a retail expert to know that customers value choice. We all want options when it comes to brands, models, sizing and colour, and the same can be said about payment. However, this extends beyond the typical cash, debit or credit question.
A Lightspeed point of sale system gives you the ability to offer your customers so much more — gift cards, layaways, special orders, even store credit, without any hassle.
Serialized items, service and repair tools
One of the main reasons why Lightspeed is such a hit with bike shops is that it renders serialized item management a non-issue. You can set serial numbers for any item or group of items you sell. When someone purchases a bike, for example, its serial number (and/or those of its parts) can be saved to their customer profile. Should that same customer return the next day with a problem or defect, you can easily set up a repair or trace that item back to the manufacturer.
Servicing represents a large chunk of any bike store’s revenue model. Whether it’s a defective brake, a blown tire or a bent frame, accidents happen. You should be there to support your customers.
With Lightspeed, you can create work orders, provide customer quotes, track servicing or repair activity to completion and refer back to this information painlessly.
Mobility
There’s no doubt that your job takes you to all sorts of places. Whether you’re in your shop, leading a group ride or at a trade show, the beauty of a cloud-based POS is that you can take your shop details wherever you go.
Pull reports from anywhere, access product details or check inventory while talking to a customer, process transactions on the spot, create POs at trade shows. All you need is an internet connection, a mobile device and you’re in business.
Scalability and integration
Investing in technology is a commitment that requires long-term thinking. No matter your plans for expansion, you need a POS that can grow with you. From its ability to support multiple stores and unlimited SKUs to its seamless integration with software providers, Lightspeed can accompany your bike shop on whichever path you choose to take.
If eCommerce is the destination you’re headed in, there must be a direct link between your offline and online presence. This is where software integration plays an important role. A valuable one for any bike shop owner is the partnership between BikeExchange and the Lightspeed.
Selling items in store and on BikeExchange’s online marketplace is easy. Forget about wasting time loading product information and adds to each platform. Once you’ve loaded your products into your POS, you can instantly transfer that information onto the BikeExchange platform. Moreover, any changes or adjustments you make in your POS are automatically reflected online. This applies to sales, inventory, discounting and other product updates.
The right POS system could be just the boost your bike shop needs to get a ahead of the competition. For specifics on what to look out for when looking for a point of sale solution for your business, check out our free guide for bike shops.
