Clover Inventory and POS: Pros, Cons, and Alternatives

Your point of sale (POS) system is crucial to your success. And, with how crowded and competitive the market is, finding the right POS solution for your store can be a challenge. 

One solution you might be considering is Clover’s inventory and POS system. Clover is a well-known and respected name among retailers, and for good reason. Their platform includes a lot of the tools a modern retail business owner would need to run a profitable business.

But every business has its unique needs, and every retail POS system has its pros and cons.

In this blog post, we’ll objectively examine Clover’s inventory and POS system. What makes it an excellent option for specific retail stores? What potential drawbacks should you be aware of?

We’ll also give you a shortlist of Clover alternatives to research and include in your decision-making process. 

Clover Inventory and POS Overview 

Let’s start with an overview of Clover’s inventory and point of sale solution. Clover offers an all-in-one solution for retail, e-commerce, and service-based businesses. One key identifier of Clover’s solution is its cloud-based platform.

Clover’s cloud-based back office solution allows for real-time reporting and customizable reports you can access from anywhere with internet access. With this cloud-based access, you can more easily keep your finger on the pulse of your sales performance and make better decisions based on real-time retail POS data. 

Aside from back-office reporting, Clover offers top-of-the-line payment processing. With Clover, you can accept credit, debit, gift cards, NFC, and mobile payments.

Clover also offers a range of customer engagement features, such as loyalty programs and targeted marketing campaigns. You can also use Clover for employee management, with features like shift and schedule management, employee permissions, and sales tracking.

But what about inventory management? How does Clover stack up in this area? Some of Clover’s key inventory management features include: 

• Real-time inventory tracking: Monitor your stock levels in real time to ensure you never run out of popular items or overstock on slow-moving products.
• Inventory automation: Automate your inventory management processes, such as low-stock notifications and reordering, to save time and reduce the risk of human error.
• Advanced product tracking: Keep track of products with variants, their attributes, and all unique combinations like "medium, red, cotton."
• Financial management: Manage inventory expenses with reports that provide insights on item sales and costs.

In addition to its robust POS and inventory management features, Clover also makes it easy for businesses to start selling online. Through integrations with platforms like BigCommerce and Pointy, businesses can quickly launch an online store and manage their inventory from a single dashboard. 

Pricing: 

Clover’s Standard package starts at $1,799 upfront, plus $49.95 per month.

13 Pros and Cons of Clover’s Inventory and POS System

Pros and cons come from our subject matter experts, and reviews from real Clover inventory and POS system users found on third-party review sites like Capterra and G2.

Pros 

Some critical pros of implementing Clover include: 

• Range and quality of hardware options: Clover offers a diverse selection of high-quality hardware, allowing businesses to choose the best fit for their needs.
• 30-day free trial: Clover offers a 30-day free trial, allowing potential users to test the system before committing to a purchase.
• Ease of use: Many users find Clover's interface intuitive and user-friendly, making it easy for staff to learn and operate.
• Simple, familiar product interface: Clover's interface is designed to be straightforward and familiar, reducing the learning curve for new users.
• Payment processing: Clover's integrated payment processing is a convenient feature, helping to streamline transactions and speed up checkout processes.
• Marketplace for apps and integrations: Clover offers a marketplace with a wide range of apps and integrations, allowing businesses to customize and extend the functionality of their POS system.
  
  

Cons 

No solution is without its challenges or flaws. Some of the cons of Clover include: 

• Cost of additional features: While Clover offers a variety of features, the cost of adding these features can quickly add up, making the system more expensive than initially anticipated.
• Higher cost than many other POS systems: Clover tends to be more expensive than many other POS systems on the market, which may be a drawback for businesses with tight budgets.
• Aimed at restaurants: Clover is primarily designed for the restaurant industry, so many features may not be relevant or valuable for retail businesses like hardware stores or general retailers.
• Limited reporting options: Some users have reported that Clover's reporting options are limited, making it difficult for businesses to gain insights into their sales and performance.
• Customer service and support: A number of users have expressed dissatisfaction with Clover's customer service and support, citing long wait times and difficulty resolving issues.
• Required use of proprietary equipment: Clover requires businesses to use their proprietary hardware, which can limit those who prefer to use their own equipment or integrate with other systems.
• Hit-or-miss integrations: While Clover offers a marketplace with various integrations, some users have reported that these integrations can be unreliable or not function as expected.

Related Read: Top 4 Cloud Retail POS Software Options in 2024

5 Alternatives to Clover’s Inventory and POS System

1. Comcash 

Comcash is a top-of-the-line mobile POS system designed for independent retailers. Our solution features a custom Android app with advanced functionality and an easy-to-use interface.

Key inventory features:

• Comcash Counts inventory app can be run on the same device as the mPOS app
• Manage all aspects of retail checkout from a mobile device
• Scan products using a modern Android handheld terminal with a 2D scanner
  
  

Key POS features:

• Modern touchscreen menu for easy search and selection of non-barcoded items
• Flexible POS mounting options
• Accept all forms of payment, including EMV and NFC, using signature capture terminals 
• Powerful back office administration capabilities available on your mobile POS from anywhere

Pricing: Get a custom quote for your ideal solution using our transparent build and price tool. 

2. POS Nation 

POS Nation offers an all-in-one retail point of sale system designed for small- to mid-sized retailers in industries including grocery stores, liquor shops, and general retail. The feature-rich system is easy to use and can scale from a single store to multiple locations.

Key inventory features:

• Mix and match pricing for creative product bundles 
• Case break and carton-pack inventory tracking
• Automatic purchase order generation with reorder thresholds
• Real-time inventory control and metrics
  
  

Key POS features:

• Fast checkout with barcode scanning or touchscreen input to minimize transaction times
• Customer tracking to provide better service using purchasing data
• Employee management with clock in/out functionality and payroll deduction reporting
• Over 55 pre-built reports and Excel export capabilities for customization

Pricing: Get a custom quote using their online pricing tool.

3. Square POS 

Square for Retail is an all-in-one POS system known for its user-friendly interface. This solution is geared toward small businesses and solopreneurs, and offers a wide range of features to streamline business operations.

Key inventory features:

• Real-time inventory sync across all locations
• Smart stock forecasts and reorder alerts
• Inventory counting tool with mobile scanning and bulk updates (Plus plan)
• Automatic barcode label printing (Plus plan)

Related Read: How To Implement Barcode Inventory Management: 6 Tips and Tool

Key POS features:

• Customizable catalog and grid layout for easy checkout
• Integration with Square Online for e-commerce and social media selling
• Advanced features like returns, exchanges, and product bundles (Plus plan)

Pricing: Square’s Plus plan starts at $29 per month plus processing fees.

4. Lightspeed 

Lightspeed offers a POS and payments platform designed for large-scale and enterprise-level businesses. The cloud-based solution offers personalized workflows, intuitive features, and expert support to help retailers streamline their processes.

Key inventory features:

• Multiple-location inventory management 
• Product variants for different sizes, colors, and more
• Order directly from Lightspeed Retail with built-in purchase orders
• Access thousands of products synced from suppliers using B2B Catalog
  
  

Key POS features:

• Manage discounts, promotions, and seasonal pricing in advance
• Automated low-stock alerts and reorder points
• Generate unlimited barcodes with the barcode generator tool

Pricing: Lightspeed’s Standard package starts at $119 per month.

5. Epos Now 

Epos Now is a complete retail POS system designed to meet the needs of businesses in various retail sectors, from car washes to clothing boutiques. They also offer solutions geared towards the hospitality and food service industries.

Key inventory features:

• Full barcode management for importing and updating thousands of products
• Automatic inventory updates synced across online and multi-location sales
• Search inventory matrix by size, color, brand, or relevant product features
• Receive low-stock notifications or enable automatic purchase orders
  
  

Key POS features:

• Integrate with major e-commerce platforms for seamless multi-channel trading
• Access real-time sales insights and reports anywhere on the cloud
• Manage customer profiles that update with each purchase for targeted marketing campaigns
• Accept all card types and mobile payments with Epos Now Payments, offering consistent transaction rates

Pricing: Epos Now’s software starts at $39 per month, but you must contact sales for a final quote. 

Not Pumped About Clover’s Inventory and POS System? Check Out Comcash Instead 

If you've been considering Clover for your retail store but are underwhelmed by their inventory management and POS system, it might be time to explore other options. Independent retailers often need specialized features designed to help small businesses grow and scale. 

That's where Comcash comes in. We designed our all-in-one POS system with retailers like you in mind, offering advanced inventory management, flexible pricing plans, customer loyalty programs, and a built-in CRM. With Comcash, you'll have all the tools you need to streamline your operations, boost sales, and keep your customers coming back.

Schedule a demo of Comcash today and discover how our solution can transform your retail business.