---
title: Point of Sale (POS) for Pharmacies & Shops | poso
description: poso POS: scan barcodes, sell packs or loose units, take cash, mobile money and card, print receipts, and keep selling when the internet drops.
url: https://www.poso.co/features/point-of-sale/
updated: 2026-10-29
---

Feature · Point of sale

# A till that sells in seconds.

The poso point of sale is built for busy counters: scan, take payment, hand over the receipt and serve the next customer. It keeps selling when the internet drops.

**Short answer:**
The poso point of sale (POS) runs in a web browser on a computer or tablet. It scans barcodes, sells by pack or single unit, takes several payment methods per sale, prints or emails receipts, handles returns and keeps selling offline. Every sale updates stock, picks the right batch and posts to your accounts automatically.

## What the till does

### Fast product search

Scan a barcode, or type part of a name or code. Favourite products sit on the screen as buttons for one-tap sales.

### Packs and single units

Scan a box barcode and poso adds the whole pack. Sell single strips or tablets from the same stock.

### Several ways to pay

Cash, mobile money such as M-Pesa or MoMo, card, bank transfer or customer account, even split across one sale.

### Receipts

Print on a receipt printer or email the receipt. Your shop name, address and tax number appear on every one.

### Returns and refunds

Find the original sale, return the items and refund or credit the customer. Stock goes back automatically.

### Discounts with control

Give line or order discounts. Managers can limit who may discount and by how much.

## Cash control and closing the day

Each cashier opens a session with a starting float and closes it with a cash count. poso compares counted cash with expected cash by payment method and shows any difference, so shortages are spotted the same day, not at month end. The closing report lists sales by product and payment method.

- Opening float and closing count per session
- Expected vs counted cash, by payment method
- Cash in and cash out (for example, paying a delivery in cash)
- Sales by cashier, product and payment method

## Batch-aware selling

For products tracked by batch, the till sells the batch that expires first ([FEFO](https://www.poso.co/guides/fefo-vs-fifo/)), so old stock leaves the shelf before new stock. The sale keeps the batch number, which helps if a supplier recalls a batch. See [batch and expiry tracking](https://www.poso.co/features/batch-and-expiry-tracking/).

## Mobile money and cards

Create a payment method for each way your customers pay: M-Pesa, MTN MoMo, Airtel Money, card or bank transfer. The cashier picks it at checkout and the money is recorded against the right account, so you can match it to your mobile money or bank statement. poso records these payments; it does not move money itself, so you keep your existing till number or card terminal.

## Hardware

| Device | Needed? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Computer, tablet or laptop | Yes | Any device with a modern browser (Chrome, Edge, Firefox or Safari). |
| Barcode scanner | Recommended | USB or Bluetooth scanners that type like a keyboard work out of the box. |
| Receipt printer | Optional | Prints through the browser. Receipts can also be emailed. |
| Cash drawer | Optional | Usually connects to the receipt printer. |
| Customer display | Optional | A second screen can show the customer what is being rung up. |

## Loyalty and promotions

Run loyalty points, discount codes and simple promotions such as "buy two, get one free". Popular in [beauty and cosmetics shops](https://www.poso.co/cosmetics-shop-software/), useful anywhere you have regular customers.

## Point of sale questions

### Can the poso POS work without internet?

Yes. Once the till has been opened while online, it keeps selling during outages and syncs the sales when the connection comes back. See [offline selling](https://www.poso.co/features/offline-pos/) for the details and limits.

### Can I use poso on a tablet or phone?

Yes. The till runs in the browser on tablets and larger phones. A tablet with a Bluetooth scanner makes a compact counter.

### How many tills can I run?

As many as you need. Each counter can run its own till, all sharing the same stock and products.

### Does the POS work for wholesale orders too?

For counter sales, yes. For larger orders with quotations, delivery notes and invoices on credit, use sales orders. See [wholesale software](https://www.poso.co/pharmaceutical-wholesale-software/).

### Is a pharmacy POS different from a normal POS?

A pharmacy POS adds batch and expiry awareness, packs and units, and tighter stock control. Read [what a pharmacy POS system is](https://www.poso.co/guides/what-is-a-pharmacy-pos/).