1. What is Shopify POS?

Shopify Point of Sale (POS) is Shopify's order management system for brick-and-mortar merchants. With just an iOS or Android tablet or phone and the Shopify POS app installed (click here to install), you can start processing customer orders in your physical store or pop-up shop. Key features include:

• Complete shopping history: Automatically aggregates customer spending across all channels, allowing you to view a customer's complete online and offline shopping records in the background.
• Real-time inventory updates: Inventory is updated in real time whenever a customer makes a purchase online or in a physical store, preventing overselling.

All Shopify store plans include the Shopify POS Lite basic plan, and Ako Marketing also supports offline spending points accumulation. However, if you require more advanced features, such as automatic points redemption, daily sales reports, performance attribution, and unlimited POS employee accounts, you will need to use the Shopify POS Pro plan. Please refer to the Shopify POS Pro plan description to assess whether an upgrade is necessary.

2. POS Functionality Supported by Ako Marketing

• New customer registration gift: New customers can immediately receive a registration gift after registering at the store.
• Offline spending points accumulation: Customers' offline spending will accumulate points, which will be included in the membership upgrade progress.
• Offline points redemption: Customers can use points in their account to offset the cost of purchases at physical stores.
• Synchronized online VIP discounts: VIP checkout discounts enjoyed by customers online can also be automatically applied when making purchases at the store (for example, a 5% discount for online silver card payments will also be automatically applied at the store).
• Points redemption rules are consistent: online and offline points redemption rules are consistent (for example, online points can only be redeemed up to 20% of the purchase amount, and the same rules apply to in-store purchases).
• Automatic point crediting upon return: When a customer returns an item at a physical store, any points already used will be automatically credited to their online account.

3. Preparatory work before starting to use Shopify POS

Step 1: Add a store location

Shopify Store Admin > Settings > Locations > Add Location > Enter Store Name and Address

• If this location is only used for processing offline orders, please do not select "Shipping Operations".
• If the location handles both online and offline orders, check "Shipping Operations > Delivery" and set the shipping fee; if customer self-pickup service is available, please also check "In-store Pickup".

Step 2: Allocate product inventory

Shopify Store Admin > Left-hand navigation bar "Products" > Inventory

Select the store in the top left corner > select the products > use "Bulk Edit" to adjust the inventory, or import a CSV file to update the inventory.

Step 3: Create store staff accounts

Shopify Store Admin > Sales Pipeline > Point of Sale (POS) > Employees > Add Employee > Enter Contact Information.

Set a PIN code for each employee account. This PIN code will be used by the store staff on Shopify POS. It is recommended that each employee set a different PIN code.

Step 4: Add payment options

Since Shopify POS is not yet integrated with Taiwan's payment providers, it currently only supports "Cash," "Gift Cards," or "Store Credits."

🍎Store Credits are Ako Marketing's cashback feature; please refer to the documentation for details.

If you wish to offer payment methods such as credit card readers and LINE Pay, please create a "Custom Payment Method".

Step 5: Install the points discount button

• (Tablet/Mobile) Shopify POS Homepage > Add Title > App > Click "Add" on Ako Marketing and save.
• (PC) Shopify Management Interface > Point of Sale (POS) > Settings > General > POS App > Ako Point Redemption > Add.

4. How to create orders and credit points in Shopify POS

Step 1: Add new customers

On the POS homepage, click "Go to Cart" > "Add Customer," and enter the customer's name/phone number or email address in the "Search Customer" field to add the customer to the cart.

Step 2: Add products

You can manually search for products on the POS homepage or add them to your cart by scanning barcodes.

Step 3: Apply the discount

[Apply store-wide discount]

POS Homepage > Add Title > Discount > Select "Discount Code" > Enter the online discount code.

[Apply personal discount]

To apply a customer's exclusive discount code from the official website: ask the customer to show the discount code, then click the "..." button in the upper right corner of the new order > More actions > Discount > Apply discount code > Enter code.

Step 4: Redeem points and apply member checkout discounts

*This step requires POS Pro solution.

After confirming the order details, click the yellow button with the Ako logo. The system will automatically calculate the points eligible for discount.

Step 5: Select payment method

5. Shopify POS FAQs

How to issue invoices?

Currently, Taiwanese invoice service providers have not yet integrated with Shopify POS. If you have an independent store, please rent an invoice machine to issue invoices (for referrals, please email service@akohub.com).

Can I set my POS orders not to automatically apply member checkout discounts?

Only merchants using the POS Pro plan can use the automatic discount and automatic point deduction functions. If you wish to cancel this, please go to the POS backend > More > Settings > cancel the "Automatic Discount" option.

Can customers choose how many points or cash back they want to receive?

Points Rebate: The system will calculate the points a customer can receive based on the rebate limit set in your Ako Marketing backend.

I'm using POS Lite. Can I manually deduct points for customers?

Yes, but you need to manually calculate the deduction amount. Go to Ako Marketing > Customers > enter the customer's profile to confirm existing points. Then return to the POS homepage > New order > "..." button > more actions > discounts > select "Apply to cart custom discount" > enter the deduction amount.