3 min read

How to Know If Your Overpaying for Dispensary POS Software

August 15, 2018

There are several point of sale software systems that cater specifically to cannabis retailers. However many marijuana businesses can easily wind up paying exorbitant monthly rates for subpar dispensary POS software. It’s important to understand the specific needs of your marijuana dispensary before selecting a point of sale system.

In this article we’ll provide a few ways to tell whether or not your dispensary is overpaying for software services and how you can choose an affordable option for your storefront or delivery service.

POS Pricing Plans

It’s always a good idea to reevaluate your pricing plan for cannabis software as your dispensary grows. Often times there are different tiers of pricing that offer different services however some services are essential for all cannabis retailers to maintain compliance. Carefully review the options available in each pricing plan to ensure that you want be paying for a plan that could leave you susceptible to compliance violations.

There a several ways cannabis dispensaries are structured and it’s imperative to select a pricing plan that can accomodate your business model. Whether your storefront that is vertically integrated, a cannabis retailer that offers marijuana delivery, or just a medical marijuana dispensary you need to be sure that the price you’re paying matched the functionality you receive.

Fair Market Value

Unfortunately there are some dispensary POS software providers out there who set their pricing base on the knowledge that cannabis retailers generate high profits on a monthly basis. They inflate their service costs simplify because they develop point of sale software that is specific to the cannabis industry. When you compare the pricing structure of other non-cannabis point of sale services you’ll see a dramatic difference.

Of course there are differences between marijuana retailers and other industry retailers, such as compliance reporting and purchase limits, but this functionality should no balloon the cost of subscriptions. It’s crucial to look for cannabis software that is set at a fair market value. The quality of the service should match the price being paid on a month to month basis.

Uptime vs. Downtime

Another factor to consider when comparing the pricing for dispensary POS software is the reliability of the system. It’s important to compare their uptime versus their downtime. Using a point of sale that is constantly going down will not only hinder transactions but will likely drive away your clientele.

Finding an affordable cannabis software that provides an offline mode that can complete transactions even if the internet or server goes down is preferrable. Downtime can really hurt your profits and business reputation if it happens on a consistent basis. Always ask about the uptime vs. the downtime when shopping for your dispensary point of sale system.

Technical Support

You always want to be reassured that you’ll be able to receive the level of technical support that you pay for. The last thing you want is to be left in the dark about functionality or system errors that prevent you from running your cannabis retailer smoothly. There is nothing more frustrating that reaching an automated system during business hours when you really need answers.

IndicaOnline has 24/7 support and extended our phone hours to ensure that dispensary staff can reach a real person when they call who can help them resolve any issues. If there is a problem after hours and you can’t reach us by phone support, we have a help desk that can explain frequently asked questions. If you still need help you can submit a support ticket and our team will contact you as soon as they receive it.