4 simple steps to build a cash wrap counter (tips included)

Designing your cash wraps for retail stores can significantly impact your business success. In fact, a combination of cash wrap and POS terminal can enhance customer satisfaction by reducing wait times and keeping customers entertained while waiting. In addition, displaying your cash counter creatively reflects and strengthens your brand identity. From there, it increases customer loyalty and recognition. In the view of your employees, cash wrap can organize their processes and work efficiently to reduce stress. To set up your cash wrap and maximize its potential, follow these 4 steps:

1. Arrange traffic flow

To set up a retail cash wrap, you should consider the store layout and traffic flow. For example, when customers enter a store, most tend to turn right. Therefore, you should put the best-selling items in the back to create the longest path through the store. For example, in the U.S., the cash wrap should be on the left side of the store and ideally facing the front. However, the flow of in-store retail traffic in Australia and the U.K. are opposite.

Tips:

Make sure you keep enough space in the cash wrap counter for customers to pay and employees to work efficiently. As such, you should consult the ADA Standards for Accessible Design guidelines to understand the optimal area (typically 30–40 inches in front of the checkout counter for wheelchair access). Then, you can ask yourself the following 2 questions:

• How much cash wrap do you arrange?
• How does cash wrap fit into your store layout?

2. Choose the suitable retail cash wrap

Next, think about cash wraps for retail stores. You should tailor the type of cash wrap to your space and business. In general, there are 3 most common types of cash wrap configurations.

• Single countertop or checkout counter: Consist of a single checkout counter placed parallel to a wall. Therefore, it takes up the least amount of space and is ideal for small shops.
• Dual cash wrap or two-part unit: Combine one part parallel to the wall and the other facing customers. This cash wrap configuration works well for medium to large stores and offers extra space for merchandise on the counter.
• Three-part cash wrap: Create a U-shape around your cashier counters. It’s suitable for high-traffic stores, and you can have multiple employees at the checkout counter to perform other customer-facing tasks such as gift wrapping and customer support.

3. Implement a POS system for your cash wrap counter

The essential operation of retail cash wraps is payment; that’s the answer to “What is a cash wrap for?” So, after choosing the cash wrap and where to place it in your store, it’s time to select a POS system. Choosing the right system plays a huge role in starting your business. A modern POS solution consists of POS hardware and software.

• POS hardware: Includes card readers, receipt printers, customer-facing display, essential signage such as loyalty program information, and return policy. In addition, retailers often place a POS system on one side of the counter to ensure sales staff and retailers’ space.
• POS software: This is the operating system that keeps your cash wrap running. In addition to the payment function, outstanding advanced features are sales data tracking, inventory, and customer management.

4. Come up with a sales strategy at the checkout counter

How many times have you walked up to the checkout counter and realized you forgot to choose something important? According to a CreditCards survey, 5 out of 6 customers have made an impulse purchase, and 79% of them do it in brick-and-mortar stores. In addition, customers are more attracted to small and inexpensive items, so it can significantly increase your total sales. Thus, the cash wrap counter is a ripe area for customers to make impulsive purchases.

• You can create various mix-and-match categories to entice customers to buy more and stock products that customers don’t usually think about but need (like batteries, candy, cosmetics, pens, notebooks, sunglasses cases, gift cards, warranties, and insurance).
• Also, after deciding category combinations at the cash wrap, test the display for about 3 months.
• Then, analyze their performance against retail data to replace underperforming categories.

Tips:

Complement categories depend on the type of product in your store. However, there are some general questions to ask, including:

• What small products do customers often ask your staff to find?
• What items do your target customers usually need but haven’t thought of buying yet?
• Is there a trial version or mini-size to make valuable add-on items?

For example, if your fashion store sells strapless and backless clothes, you could place accessories like backless pads and sticky cups in your retail cash wrap. Also, no matter what business you’re in, you should always put gift cards in the cash wrap. When seeing gift cards, customers may recall an upcoming birthday or event they need a gift.