1. Point-of-Sale & Business-to-Vendor Systems Update
Outline of Proposed / Suggested Infrastructure Changes
Kyle Hikalea - Urban Basics & Company
Overview: This report works to outline both the advantages and shortcomings of our existing systems,
including day to day and monthly use-cases for both customers and vendors, as well as proposals for new
systems / protocols to help combat deprecating technologies, such as inventory management, PCI
compliance, reporting automation and marketing outreach.
Point-of-Sale
Existing
• Stores all product information in a Windows-based database. The single machine that this database
resides on (known to our local network as the server) distributes information about the inventory
when requested by other Windows machines.
• This configuration means that the Point-of-Sale (PoS) can continue to function when the store does
not have an active internet connection; although credit / debit cards still could not be processed,
reducing customers to those with cash only. Also, loss of electricity would render the store
inoperable.
• Due to the older technologies used to create and house our Point-of-Sales database, including how
licenses are validated with our current PoS provider (Aimsi from TriTech), if a register loses
network connection, including power, it will be unable to reconnect to the server, as its license is still
in use. The only way to fix this is to restart the server, and thus closing and reopening ALL open
versions of Aimsi across all registers. While uncommon, this issue can be VERY time consuming
and disruptive to those attempting to check out.
• As a software Aimsi is extremely convoluted. While offering an in-depth level of customization, the
scope of Aimsi is far beyond that of our needs, and the amount of data entry required for basic
functions makes administrating the system very difficult.
• Part of using Windows / Mac / Linux based programs is maintaining the operating system that they
are ran by. Unfortunately over time versions are deprecated, and new updates are subject to faster or
improved hardware requirements. While we have updated from Windows Point-of-Sale XP to
Windows PoS 7 previously to maintain security updates and seamless network compatibility
between the registers and the server, the hardware specifications of the register means that it will fall
out of the lifecycle of Windows 10, and thus stop recieving security updates.
Suggested
• A modern alternative to software that is compiled and executed by a Windows PC is a web

2. application. A web application is ran by a web browser, such as Internet Explorer or Chrome, and
stores its database in a server that is accessed via the internet instead of through the local network.
The vendor portal is example of a web application.
• One downside of accessing your information from a remote server is that if the internet is
unavailable so are your products; however you are also not able to accept cards either - potentially
missing transactions either way.
• Contrary to the previous point, however, is the fact that web applications do not require sophisticated
hardware to run, instead running in your web browser. Because of this it has become common
practice to move to mobile / tablet-based point of sale solutions. This removes a number of common
administrative tasks, including maintaining operating system updates, combating system
vulnerabilities and upgrading antivirus regularly to stay within PCI compliance.
• Mobile-based also means that if an iPad or Android tablet was utilized instead of a register, and a
data connection was available, sales could technically still be ran both without an active internet
connection and electricity. This also means that sales would be possible away from the cash-wrap,
both portable around the store and outdoors.
• A more simplistic interface that, while still meeting our needs, improves the speed and methodology
in which we interact with our customers. The ability to quickly search both retail and vendor
inventory for a product the customer desires could be of tremendous benefit - and centralizing
customers / products into a single interface will allow for future marketing initiatives in which we
gather information at the point of sale.
Reference : Existing Inventory Management Infrastructure Outlined

3. Inventory Management
Existing
• Due to the nature of our existing PoS' inventory storage, and the manner in which vendor products
are imported (excel file), the vendor portal must be used to facilitate allowing third-parties to create
products for sale and their information being brought into our inventory.
• Since the validity of our current inventory depends on correct stock management - and vendor
inventories may differ from the PoS' record if a vendor removes an item - the inventory levels of

4. vendor items are not accurate, hindering our ability to offer greater customer service in terms of
matching them with a potential transaction or offering greater then individual quantities for sale
online.
• Inventory maintenance and intake is limited to a stationary machine, either a PoS workstation or the
rover; which currently cannot operate on its own battery. A temporary solution is a power supply -
but as mentioned previously the licensing arrangment dictates difficulty using the software for
inventory on the rover without potentially interrupting the entire PoS system.
• Logistics on arriving inventory is handled by checking shipping manifests against initial orders,
confirming the receipt of each item as it is unboxed. The procedure of intake is managed usually
verbally between the employee placing the initial order and those that recieve the actual shippment at
a later date.
Suggested
• In order to better administrate our retail inventory (while keeping in mind our need to facilitate our
connection with vendors) the biggest criteria when upgrading to a modern PoS system would be that
it's web-based; and thus the inventory would be stored on a web server, and not a local server as we
currently operate.
• Modern web applications may offer API access - essentially a way to create, update and delete data
that's stored in their servers, and normally manipulated through their own interface, for use in your
own application. In this instance an API would be used to replace what is currently the manual
'importing' and 'exporting' of Excel files to and from the PC-based PoS software, Aimsi.
• Sales reporting would no longer be run daily with web-based inventory, enabling real-time updates
of sales progress instead of daily reporting. This would also allow both staff and vendors to keep
stock levels with near 100% accuracy.
• Inventory can be managed from both mobile devices and desktops. Procurement tracking is
managable from within the PoS, allowing direct access to things like tracking information and notes
between employees. This also makes it easier to intake inventory that's new arrivals including
employee communication on what's expected or missing.

5. Customer Relationships
Existing
• We currently gather marketable customer information a number of different way. A customer may
enter our Text-Messaging program using their phone number, sign up online with their name, phone
number and address, or sign up at the register with all of the previously mentioned personal
information.
• While having access to numerous ways of data collecting has been to our advantage in most

6. instances (collecting customer info when they sign up to be on the vendor waiting list, for example) -
It would better suit our needs if all information was stored in a centralized location. This would help
facilitate ALL users being in all relevent programs, not just the one they initially signed up for.
• Previously, maintaining the ability to ship products to our customer was difficult, and the number of
products available to be shipped limited.
Suggested
• Deprecating all promotional programs into one could save both time and employee energy as well as
increase the rate at which we attain new marketable customers. A PoS that offers customer
management inclusive is a great option, in particular if it is still open-ended to use an API and add
customers to the 'Text-Messaging' program.
• A combined customer management system and Point-of-Sale would allow data collection while in
line with little down time. Because all information is stored in a centralized server, this would also
allow us to offer rewards programs similar to that of FiveStar and other loyalty programs.
• Modern, web-based PoS also offer insight into current shipping costs via API. This means online
orders would be easily fulfillable, and the price displayed to customers would include the
CURRENT shipping costs for that particular item. When properly configured the items may appear
for sale on Pintrest, Facebook, your website and more - available through these sales channels to
customers at no extra cost.
Specific Highlights
• Suggested point of sale, after reviewing QuickBooks Online, ShopKeep, Revel and numerous other
web-based PoS systems that offer API access, would be Shopify.
• Currently we spend $200+ a month on licensing and $100 a month on our web server (paid annually
to GoDaddy). Shopify licensing for the same package (covering all registers) is $70 / month, $90
with extensions to facilitate selling online.
• All web security is no longer our responsibility, and is covered under your encrypted connection to
the PoS server. This includes processing payments online and protecting customer information
(excluding our local network).
• Since June, 2015, the Vendor Portal has facilitated the sale of over $367,655.45 in products,
including over 33,071 individual items from 220+ vendors.
• Since June, 2015, Facebook has seen an increased customer reach per post, from 768 to 1,239 -
gained 332 registered retail customers (signed up at the PoS), and 91 text messaging subscribers; an
average of 2+ new contacts a day.
Shopify Demo
https://urban-basics-company.myshopify.com

7. kyle@urbanbasics.co
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