POS machine is used loosely in the UK for two different things: the till, meaning a screen running point of sale software, and the card terminal beside it. Suppliers use it for both, so the first question on any quote is which one is being priced. The two are charged completely differently, one monthly per till and one as a percentage of sales.
Telling the two apart on a quote
A monthly figure per till with a feature list is software. A percentage with a fixed pence element is card acceptance. A quote that mixes them into one monthly number is a bundle, and the thing to ask for is the split, because it is the only way to compare against a supplier who sells the two separately.
What POS services usually include
Installation, staff training, menu or product build, hardware support and sometimes a care plan with a defined excess. Epos Now's published terms price a care plan excess as a specific figure. These services are real work and worth paying for on a complex build; they are also where a bundled quote quietly gains a few hundred pounds against a self setup alternative.
Hardware, and what it should cost
EPOS Direct publishes indicative component prices for a UK build: a touchscreen terminal, a receipt printer and a barcode scanner each in their own band. Those bands are a useful sanity check against a bundle: if a supplier's hardware line is far above them, the difference is service, financing or margin, and you are entitled to ask which.
Questions people ask about pos machine
Is a POS machine the same as a card machine?
Not necessarily. In UK usage POS machine often means the till, and sometimes the card terminal. Ask which is being quoted, because software is priced monthly and card acceptance is priced as a percentage of sales.
What do POS services cost?
They are usually bundled rather than itemised. Installation, training and a care plan are the common inclusions, and some suppliers publish a care plan excess. Ask for the services line separately if the quote does not show it.
Can I buy the POS hardware myself?
Often, and it is worth pricing. EPOS Direct publishes indicative component bands you can measure a bundle against, though some suppliers require certified hardware for the card terminal and the printer.