Table of Contents
Essential POS Features for Modern Pet Stores
A POS system for pet stores must handle inventory of food, supplies, and live animals, maintain pet profiles with vaccination records, schedule grooming and veterinary appointments, and sync with an online store. We help pet store owners find the right system by focusing on software that tracks purchases, remembers customer preferences, and supports appointment scheduling, which in turn deepens loyalty and keeps the store running efficiently.
A good POS system should track stock levels for dry and wet food, treats, pet accessories and supplies, and live animals so you never run out of fast-selling items. It should have a customer relations module to create and store profiles of your customers’ pets with information like name, breed, vaccination records, and previous purchases. With such information entered and stored, your staff would be able to recommend products personalized to each customer’s pet. The scheduling feature should manage appointments for grooming, training, and veterinary clinic slots directly on the POS terminal, reducing double-bookings and missed visits.
As your pet store grows, your POS system should be able to manage multiple locations. The Clover Station is one such example of an all-in-one POS system that is popular among pet stores for its reliability and other features. Through our partnership with you for better payment processing, we can help you identify technology that is integrated and fits your growing business.
Key Takeaways
- I would recommend the Clover Station to pet stores that sell product and also offer appointment-based services, such as grooming and boarding.
- The Clover Mini packs the same robust software platform as the larger Clover Station into a compact all-in-one unit.
- The Clover Flex takes the point of sale system for pet stores off the counter, giving your staff a handheld terminal that can move wherever customers need help.
- Revel’s architecture is based on iPads and gives pet retailers a flexible, scalable platform designed for high inventory turnover and multi-location operations.
- ShopKeep built its reputation among independent retailers by offering an intuitive, easy-to-use system that translates directly to running a pet store.
Clover Station
Overview
I would recommend the Clover Station to pet stores that sell product and also offer appointment-based services, such as grooming and boarding. The Station is designed to do retail checkout and also manage service appointments. The system consolidates retail checkout with service calendars, so staff can handle a walk-in sale and book a bath appointment from the same screen. That lets staff ring up products and schedule services from the same interface. It is built to fit businesses that both stock retail items and run appointment-based services. Overall, it unifies sales and service scheduling for pet stores that sell food, toys, supplies and also offer grooming or boarding.
Features
Multi-location management ties separate storefronts together under a single reporting dashboard, giving regional chains visibility into inventory levels, sales trends, and staff performance, while inventory management sits at the core of the system with automatic low-stock alerts that help pet stores reorder before shelves run empty. The Clover App Market lets pet stores add apps such as a grooming appointment app that displays available slots, sends client reminders, and tracks service history against each pet profile, and the system includes built-in customer loyalty programs that reward repeat shoppers with points or discounts, while gift card support generates prepaid revenue.
Pricing
We help qualifying merchants access discounted Clover Station placements, reducing the upfront cost.
Pros and Cons
- Straightforward interface that staff learn quickly, cutting training time for new hires who need to process sales and book appointments.
- Subscription commitment locks the business into an ongoing plan; switching providers mid-term can incur complexity.
Best For
Medium to large pet stores with steady foot traffic and plans to add grooming, boarding, or daycare services gain the most from the Clover Station. For very small boutiques with a single register and lower transaction volume, the Clover Mini offers a compact alternative.
Clover Mini
Overview
The Clover Mini packs the same robust software platform as the larger Clover Station into a compact all-in-one unit. Its built-in barcode scanner, receipt printer, and customer display suit a pet store front desk, mobile cart, or secondary checkout station.
Features
Clover Apps comes loaded with the same inventory and retail tools as the larger Clover Model and is designed to fit the smaller form factor of the Clover Mini. With the smaller size of the Clover Mini, a built-in barcode scanner speeds up inventory lookups and checkout, while the integrated receipt printer and customer display maintain the all-in-one clean layout.
Pricing
Competitive pricing of the Clover Mini hardware, along with current promotions, makes the Clover Mini an attractive option for many pet store owners. In fact, with some promotions, many owners are able to get the hardware placed for free, further reducing the initial cost.
Pros and Cons
The Clover Mini’s key advantages include its ultra-compact counter footprint, built-in receipt printer and barcode scanner that streamline daily operations, and easy portability between a front desk and mobile cart. On the downside, the screen is smaller than the Clover Station’s display, which can make detailed inventory management less comfortable. The limited built-in ports restrict direct accessory expansion. However, the cost and space savings of the Clover Mini outweigh these trade-offs for many pet stores.
Best For
The Clover Mini is best suited for pet boutiques, mobile groomers who have a base location, or stores that need a secondary register. The compact design and portability of the Clover Mini make it ideal for situations where space at the point of sale is very limited. We also recommend the Clover Mini to customers who value mobility without sacrificing retail features.
For businesses that require more portable solutions, the Clover family offers a handheld solution as well.
Clover Flex
Overview
The Clover Flex takes the point of sale system for pet stores off the counter, giving your staff a handheld terminal that can move wherever customers need help. It provides the ability to scan items, check inventory and make sales anywhere in the store. Your staff can roam aisles, scan products, check inventory, and ring up sales without sending shoppers to a fixed register.
Features
Connectivity to the cellular network allows the Flex to operate on its own data plan, making it work reliably without store Wi-Fi for curbside pick-up, remote events, or anywhere in a shop with weak wireless. Its built-in thermal receipt printer allows it to print customer receipts on the spot and a built-in camera allows it to read barcodes and be used to look up inventory items and customer accounts. This all-in-one design keeps every tool in one hand.
Pricing
We offer flexible lease or purchase options, and qualifying high-volume pet stores may be eligible for a free Clover placement. Our team reviews transaction volumes to find the most competitive arrangement for your location.
Pros and Cons
True mobility eliminates long checkout queues and lets staff serve customers right in the aisle, building trust and boosting add-on sales. The all-in-one body incorporates a scanner and printer. On the downside, frequent use can drain the battery before the end of a busy day. The cost for the hardware is higher for merchants who do not qualify for promotional pricing. Planning for a midday charge or a spare unit is recommended.
Best For
Pet stores that want to provide curbside pickup, showcase at trade shows, or want to speed up lines during packed adoption events get the most from the Flex. For shops that need complex order routing—like a full-service grooming spa with kitchen-style workflows—a dedicated countertop terminal often delivers a better experience.
Revel
Overview
Revel’s architecture is based on iPads and gives pet retailers a flexible, scalable platform designed for high inventory turnover and multi-location operations. It gives pet retailers the ability to manage higher levels of inventory turnover and to do so across multiple locations. It can manage food, treats and other consumable pet items. It has advanced inventory management and customer engagement features.
Features
Revel has features that help manage perishable inventory by setting up expiration dates. It also provides purchase order management for streamlined ordering, and customer profiles that store information about the customer’s pet, including vaccination records and purchase history. Credit card processing is integrated so you can accept credit cards directly within the software, and an optional grooming module is available through partner integrations. Revel provides tools to help manage inventory and can generate reports in real time.
Pricing
Revel’s monthly software fees are charged per terminal and iPads are purchased separately. We bundle the hardware at wholesale pricing and can include a lifetime warranty on qualifying devices. There are no cancelation fees.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Robust inventory management with expiration tracking and purchase orders
- Scales easily for multi-location operations
- Integrated payments reduce hardware clutter
Cons
- Steeper learning curve compared to simpler systems
- Requires consistent Wi-Fi, which can be a drawback in some pet store environments
Revel is a powerful platform for pet retailers that prioritize inventory accuracy and multi-store growth. Setting up the system and ongoing reliability of the pet store’s wifi connection requires planning.
Best For
Revel can help manage high volume consumable inventory and is a good option for pet chains that need to sync inventory in real time across different locations. The customer profiles also support stores focusing on personalized service and reordering reminders. When evaluating systems to help pet retailers, Revel’s strengths in inventory sync and scalability are key considerations when comparing alternatives like ShopKeep.
ShopKeep
Overview
ShopKeep built its reputation among independent retailers by offering an intuitive, easy-to-use system that translates directly to running a pet store. Our software is designed to be easy to learn, and can have your team comfortable with it in hours, not days. So you spend more time on customer care and less on troubleshooting.
Features
Features that benefit pet stores include inventory management with variant support for different pet food brands and sizes, automatic low-stock alerts that prompt timely reorders, detailed sales reporting with category-level insights, integrated payments that streamline the checkout process, and a customer-facing display that builds trust and speeds up transactions. All of these help improve the day to day operation of your store.
Pricing
ShopKeep is a monthly subscription service. With us, we help you secure lower rates for wholesale processing, which ultimately helps you lower your operational costs.
Pros and Cons
The big pros of ShopKeep are a user interface that’s easy to learn and fast to use, and customer support that’s very responsive, both of which are very appreciated by pet store owners. The big cons are an inability to schedule grooming appointments within the POS itself and a smaller hardware catalog compared to competitors. For stores focused on retail as opposed to grooming, these cons are moot. And if you partner with us, we can install other companion tools to close any gaps, and offer you wholesale processing rates.
Best For
ShopKeep is best for quick, no-fuss single-store pet boutique startups that prioritize an intuitive interface and reliable support over an exhaustive feature list. The interface is very easy to learn and quick to use, and their customer support is very responsive, both of which contribute a lot to the ease of use of the system.
As great as ShopKeep is for quick launches of single-store boutiques, other POS systems give you specialized tools for grooming and multi-unit management, and we’ll cover those next.
Lavu
A point-of-sale (POS) system built for pet stores with grooming appointments is based on the service industry and can schedule appointments, work with walk-in customers, and process retail sales. Lavu, originally designed for the hospitality industry, can now be used for grooming appointments and workflows.
Overview
Lavu sees all appointments as timed events, so grooming appointments are the focus of the workflow. Retail sales are integrated and work seamlessly with grooming appointments. Lavu can support transactions that contain a mixture of service and product sales.
Features
Lavu offers appointment scheduling, check-in and check-out functions to groomers, and serves add-on functions that allow groomers to upsell additional services. Lavu can process payment for all grooming and retail product services.
Pricing
Lavu works on a customizable subscription model. Through our relationship with Lavu, we provide competitive processing rates and merchant account support tailored to grooming-heavy operations.
Pros and Cons
- Pros: Strong service management keeps grooming appointments organized and reduces no-shows with automated reminders. Mobile ordering capability lets groomers update services from a tablet or phone at their station.
- Cons: Inventory tracking is less robust than dedicated retail platforms; stores with large product selections may need the retail add-on to manage stock properly.
Best For
Lavu is well-suited to pet stores that operate a dedicated grooming salon or a mobile grooming van while also selling pet products. Lavu’s service-first architecture supports the grooming side without sacrificing the ability to ring up retail, making it a practical fit for mixed-service operations.
Linga
Overview
Situated in a quick-service environment where the customer experience relies on speed and simplicity, Linga offers a POS solution to the challenges of accelerated service. Linga’s order flow design keeps service moving, and shortens wait times.
Features
Linga attributes a high value on quick and efficient service. A kitchen display system routes food and treat orders immediately, while order throttling controls the pace of a rush to manage orders for a lunch line. An integrated loyalty program and payment processing system reward and serve customers, respectively, without adding extra equipment. All these features allow a pet bakery to easily manage high-volume treat orders without bogging down the register.
Pricing
Linga operates on tiered monthly plans. For a personalized assessment that accounts for a hybrid retail and service model, our team at The POS Brokers can recommend the right plan for your pet store.
Pros and Cons
Linga is strong in order flow, particularly for services with high volume and peak periods like treating counters. It also has a multilingual interface that helps serve diverse neighborhoods. However, it lacks traditional retail POS features, and built-in retail controls compared to other dedicated POS solutions. These limitations are often acceptable for stores that prioritize quick transactions over retail inventory management.
Best For
Linga is best suited for pet stores that have a bakery counter and/or coffee counter, or that operate a self-service dog wash that relies on a queue for service. Linga’s quick service design helps facilitate efficient service throughout the day for these types of stores.
SmartSwipe
Overview
With SmartSwipe, pet businesses can add mobile POS capability to their smartphones or tablets. Combined with the SmartSwipe app, pet businesses can process chip, swipe and contactless payments on the go.
Features
In addition to processing EMV chip, magnetic stripe, and contactless NFC payments (so you can take any card or digital wallet), the SmartSwipe app offers a basic inventory tool to list staple products and a customer database that records contact details and purchase history. The app works on both iOS and Android, allowing your team to use the devices they already own without additional hardware purchases.
Pricing
The SmartSwipe app is free, and only transaction fees are charged. A card reader, offered through The POS Brokers, is rebated, meaning many accounts do not pay anything upfront for the reader.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Ultra-portable: the reader fits in a pocket and the app runs on any smartphone, enabling payments anywhere.
- No monthly fees: you pay only per transaction, keeping fixed costs at zero.
- Quick setup: download the app, pair the reader, and start processing in minutes.
Cons:
- Inventory features are basic, supporting only simple product lists — not deep SKU management.
- No grooming-specific scheduling or client profile tools are included.
While perfect for mobile sales, it does lack the back office functionality to run a full retail pet store.
Best For
For mobile pet vendors and grooming vans that need to take payment on the go, SmartSwipe is a great option. It can also be used as a backup terminal for when the primary POS goes down. For a different set of features and functionality, pet stores can also look at UpSolution.
UpSolution
Overview
UpSolution is a POS system with an inventory management engine that allows pet stores to track perishable pet items (food, treats, and supplements) by their expiration dates to help prevent spoilage and increase stock of fresh items. This helps to gain and retain customer trust, and improve sales.
Features
With the features in UpSolution, pet stores are enabled to manage their inventory and customers effectively. Expiration tracking alerts staff of sell-by dates, and purchase order creation facilitates auto-restocking based on reorder levels. Vendor management centralizes supplier details, and customer profiles record purchase histories to enable personalized service. Loyalty programs encourage repeat shopping.
Pricing
Pricing is a monthly subscription with per-register charges. Hardware bundles are available from our team.
Pros and Cons
The inventory features of UpSolution help track multi-vendor stock and expiration, and its loyalty features facilitate repeat business. It has no built-in grooming or boarding bookings, and its app store is smaller, which can limit add-on functionality. For stores that rely on appointment-based services (grooming and boarding), these gaps may require third-party solutions.
Best For
UpSolution is best suited for pet stores where perishable-goods management is the primary focus, rather than those that depend on appointment-based grooming or vet services. As we look at other POS options, solutions that link retail and appointment scheduling are interesting to consider.
Bevo
Bevo is a POS system designed for pet stores that seamlessly combines retail product sales with service scheduling for grooming and boarding.
Overview
Bevo’s dual retail and service architecture allows shops to control booking and sales from a single location. The system was designed to help pet businesses that offer a range of services and retail products to process mixed revenue streams through a single, unified interface.
Features
Bevo includes tools that unify daily operations:
- Service booking with a calendar view that lets staff view and manage appointments for grooming, boarding, or daycare.
- Product sales in the same interface, keeping inventory and checkout consistent for pet food, toys, and accessories.
- Integrated payment processing, reducing the need for separate terminals and simplifying end-of-day reconciliation.
Pricing
Bevo charges based on the number of users on an account. We can work to negotiate a better rate for eligible accounts and evaluate requests for free hardware placement.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Unified platform that combines retail point-of-sale and service booking in one interface, reducing operational complexity.
- Strong alignment with grooming and boarding workflows, making it a natural fit for pet service businesses.
Cons:
- Lower brand visibility in the market, which can affect perceived credibility or support expectations for multi-location chains.
Best For
Bevo is ideal for independent pet stores that combine retail product sales and in-house pet grooming and boarding services and want a single system to manage all sales and appointments. With Bevo, pet stores can eliminate the need to use multiple systems for retail and service and simplify their operations.
POS System Comparison for Pet Store Owners
Now that you’ve seen Bevo, let’s compare it with other POS systems for pet stores.
| Feature | Clover (Station/Mini/Flex) | Revel | ShopKeep | UpSolution | Bevo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary Focus | Versatile all-in-one platform | Robust enterprise solution | User-friendly retail | Cloud-based adaptable POS | Pet-specific with grooming and retail |
| Inventory Management (Expiration Tracking) | General inventory | Advanced inventory | Basic inventory tools | Customizable inventory | Dedicated pet inventory management with expiration tracking |
| Grooming Integration | Not grooming-focused | Grooming integration not standard | No built-in grooming features | Possible through custom modules | Integrated grooming scheduling and management |
| Mobility | Yes | iPad-based | iPad-based | Web-based, mobile-friendly | Tablet-compatible |
| Hardware Options | Station, Mini, Flex terminals | Countertop terminals | iPad stand, card readers | Varies by implementation | Pet-store POS terminals |
| Pricing Structure | Competitive per terminal; volume discounts | Higher-tier enterprise pricing | Subscription-based for small stores | Subscription models; contact for quote | Industry-specific rates; enquire for details |
Choose the system that fits your store.
Frequently Asked Questions
Pos system for pet stores near texas
Yes, The POS Brokers sells POS systems that you can buy. They offer hardware including Clover terminals, card readers, and accessories, along with software platforms like Lavu, Revel, and ShopKeep. Purchases come with lifetime warranty on qualifying hardware and setup support. They ship to all 50 states.
Pos system for pet stores near california
The POS Brokers provides POS systems for pet stores nationwide, including Texas, shipping to all 50 states. They recommend Clover Station, Mini, Flex, Revel, ShopKeep, and Lavu, each with pet-specific features like inventory tracking and appointment scheduling. Their hardware ships from Simi Valley, California.
Can you get a free POS system?
The POS Brokers, a California-based firm at 380 Forelock Ct, Simi Valley, CA, supplies POS systems for pet stores statewide. They offer Clover, Revel, ShopKeep, and Lavu, shipping to any California address. Pet stores can get inventory management, appointment tools, and payment processing.
Can you buy your own POS system?
Yes, The POS Brokers provides free POS system placements for qualifying merchants. For example, qualifying high-volume pet stores may receive a free Clover Flex, and promotions allow free Clover Mini hardware. Terms are noted on product pages, based on transaction volume and processing agreements.
Getting Started with Your Pet Store POS System
Choosing the best POS system for pet stores hinges on your store’s size, inventory, and budget. Once those factors are clear, getting started with POS Brokers is simple and risk-free. Many merchants qualify for offers that include no setup fee and no cancellation fee, so you can test the platform without long-term commitment. Qualifying hardware comes with a lifetime warranty, and our team provides support 24/7—including nights and weekends—to ensure you’re never left without help.
We offer same-day setup and next-day deposits, so your business can start processing quickly. Contact us today to explore free or discounted hardware options and get a quote tailored to your pet store. Note that merchant must qualify for free or discounted hardware; by clicking “Get Pricing” you consent to marketing calls and texts, and you may opt out at any time. We do not sell your contact information—your data is used solely for order fulfillment and marketing per our privacy policy. Shipping carriers may experience delays, and we disclaim liability for carrier delays.
Choose Your Pet Store POS
You’ve now seen how Clover, Revel, ShopKeep, and other top POS systems stack up for pet stores. The right choice depends on your store’s specific needs—whether you prioritize inventory management, grooming scheduling, or mobile payments. You can qualify for free hardware and enjoy no setup fees, no cancellation fees, and a lifetime warranty on qualifying equipment. Our team helps pet store owners like you compare all available systems and secure transparent pricing. Explore the full range of POS solutions side-by-side to find the perfect match for your business. The transition to a modern POS can save you time, reduce errors, and boost customer loyalty. Take the next step by browsing all the hardware options we offer.
