FAQs « CoPOS

Frequently asked questions about the CoPOS Point-of-Sale System

Why CoPOS?

CoPOS is a point-of-sale system that provides a cost-effective way to meet the operational and informational needs of consumer co-ops. CoPOS provides everything you’d expect from a full-featured point of sale system.

As part of the package, we provide inventory tracking, margin analysis, patronage, prepayments, IOUs, along with interfaces to several vendors and integrated credit card processing.

We are also a good solution for small, non-cooperative grocery stores.

How did CoPOS get started?

CoPOS began as an outgrowth of a point-of-sale (POS) system developed by Ken Geiger. His POS system, unique to co-ops, began at Bluff Country Co-op in Winona, Minn. and expanded to other local co-ops and beyond. CoPOS is now used by over 65 co-ops and small grocers nation-wide.

What is the installation process?

The installation process consists of four steps:

1.) CoPOS conducts an uptake interview. The uptake interview provides the information and details about the operation of your store and usually takes less than one hour.

Base operational parameters such as sales tax, store address, etc.
Discounts and membership structure.
Departments and their related properties.

2.) CoPOS provides you with our standard CoPOS Item Template and Membership Template. The store is responsible for populating these templates. The information in these templates provides the data that will be loaded into the database. (CoPOS can usually get your store’s purchasing history from UNFI, which saves you time.) We suggest that you enter as many items as possible prior to going live. Accurate pricing is a must.

3.) CoPOS orders the hardware agreed upon in the final estimate. We assemble, configure and test all hardware prior to shipment.

4.) CoPOS schedules a go-live time. The quote specifies two days for setup and training. We are generally able to get the equipment set up in one evening.

Which preparations are the store responsible for?

Prior to installation, the store is responsible for:

All wiring, including both network and electrical. We can provide specs for the network, but will not do the actual wiring.
Preparation of the counters and/or checkout lanes.
Providing an Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) for each station.

Does CoPOS provide POS-specific hardware, such as scanners, scales, etc.?

Yes. CoPOS provides all hardware peripherals necessary for all the Point of Sale software. This includes scanners, scales, receipt and label printers, as well as all of the computer-related hardware, such as terminals, monitors, keyboards and servers.