Surf Shop Adds BarCodes and POS for Success

Surfers have a reputation for being laid-back, easy-going folk, but that doesn't mean they don't appreciate a fast and efficient checkout line; especially when the waves are pumping. Just ask Dave Clifford, Owner of Charleston Watersport of Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina. Just over 10 months ago, and in his twelfth year of business, he installed his first POS system, Quickbooks POS, and, “having the ability to manage inventory, sales and margins anytime has been well worth the investment.” he says.

Dave purchased his POS system through C&K Systems, a Certified Intuit Solution Provider who has been serving the retail market for over 20 years. During the past 20 years, C&K has grown to be one of the largest dealers  in the mid-Atlantic. And they're still growing – with well over 300 customers in locations throughout the US and overseas.

Charleston Watersport is your typical surf shop; a laid-back, friendly place smelling faintly of sunscreen and surf wax, where locals go to get updates about conditions, and drool over new Orion boards, while tourists rent longboards, kayaks, and SUP boards and everyone, collectively, chills.

Dave's motives behind purchasing his first POS system were simple: get organized. He carries over 4,000 inventory items in his shop, so the addition of current technology to keep track of it has resulted in significant time-savings and peace of mind for Dave.

In order to help keep track of those items, and to speed up checkout,  Charleston Waterfront uses bar codes.  At the register they use a Metrologic MS9535 BT Voyager, a wireless bar code reader.  It has a base that connects via a USB cable and uses BlueTooth technology for its wireless communcation.   The scanner can move up to roughly 10 meters from its base.   For printing bar codes (some items don't have them), they use a Zebra LP2824 tag printer.

Inventory is not the only thing the system tracks. “We can now keep track of preferred customers and those who purchase special orders from us,” he says. The store owners and employees are not the only ones benefiting from the system; since the installation of the POS system, the customers experience improved customer service, and faster checkouts.    

Many businesses already use Quickbooks to keep their books, making the Intuit Quickbooks POS system among the most well-known of POS systems. Being able to integrate point of sale with bookkeeping is a deal closer for many business owners. The Quickbooks Intuit system allows business owners like Dave Clifford to stay on top of business with instant reports on sales, customers and inventory trends, save time managing inventory through automatic updating, keep customers coming back with loyalty programs, gift cards, and personalized reminders.

Intuit claims the system is so easy to install that many business owners can get it up and running in one day. Dave says of his installation experience, “The system was very easy to install with a minimum amount of technical expertise. We actually installed the system in one location and have since moved it to our new location. The hardest part, or rather the most time-consuming, was entering all 4,000+ items. It's a great system! I'd definitely use it again!”

The benefits he's seen since installing the system 10 months ago, have inspired Dave to further pursue technology in his business operations; he aims to add a wireless handheld POS unit in the future and is currently in the process of launching an online component of his store.

Dave certainly got the improved organization he was after, and so much more with Quickbooks Intuit, he now has more free time and peace of mind to chase waves and spread the stoke.

About C&K Systems

C&K Systems is a Certified Intuit Solution Provider and has been serving the retail market for over 20 years. In 2009, C&K was honored  by Inc. Magazine 5000 as one of the fastest growing retail solution companies in the US  and also by the Virginia Chamber of Commerce as one of Virginia's 50 fastest growing businesses.

During the past 20 years, C&K has grown to be one of the largest dealers  in the mid-Atlantic. And we are still growing - We now have well over 300 customers in locations throughout the US and overseas. To better serve our customers, we have sales and support offices in VA, VT, KS, SC and FL. Our corporate offices are located in Chesapeake, VA.

In addition to Intuit Point of Sale Solutions and line C&K offers E-Commerce, Managed Services, Open-To-Buy, Accounting, Etc. 

If you liked this Success Story, you can read more: here.

The Point of Sale News, an online magazine dedicated to the retail industry.

Subscribe to The BarCodeNews Enewsletter   (Get it daily, weekly, or just once a month. We do not sell or rent your contact info. )

   Follow @thebarcodenews on Twitter

   Or, just "Like" us by clicking on the Like button on the menu bar.  ;)  Thanks!