Migrate your retail store
This guide outlines how to migrate your retail store to Shopify. The guide doesn't cover every step in the process of setting up a Shopify store, such as setting up your online store. Learn more about migrating your online store to Shopify with Migrating to Shopify.
You can use this retail migration guide as a starting point and as a reference resource to make sure that you don't forget any key setup tasks.
On this page
- Before you get started
- Step 1: Install the POS sales channel in your Shopify admin
- Step 2: Choose your POS subscription
- Step 3: Log in to the Shopify POS app
- Step 4: Process a POS test transaction
- Step 5: Order POS Hardware
- Step 6: Set up payment methods
- Step 7: Set up Tap to Pay on iPhone
- Step 8: Connect POS Hardware
- Step 9: Customize receipts
- Step 10: Add POS staff
- Step 11: Inventory management with Stocky
- Step 12: Setup Local Pickup
- Step 13: Shipping for in-store customers
- Step 14: (Optional) Set up your online store
Before you get started
Review your eligibility
Only countries where Shopify Payments supports both online and in-person payment processing are eligible to use Shopify hardware. Use the following list to find out if Shopify Payments is available to use with the Shopify POS app and Shopify hardware in the country where your business operates:
- Australia
- Belgium
- Canada
- Denmark
- Finland
- Germany
- Ireland
- Italy
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Singapore
- Spain
- United Kingdom
- United States (Shopify Payments isn't available to US territories except Puerto Rico)
When you process a POS transaction in person using Shopify Payments and a Shopify card reader, you must follow the payment rules for the country you're processing the transaction in. Learn more about country and currency compliance for selling in person.
Additional setup
This guide is primarily focused on tasks to get your retail store set up. You might want to complete some additional setup tasks to migrate your information to your new Shopify online store.
You can complete the following tasks before starting the guide:
You can also complete the following tasks to get your payments and taxes set up:
Step 1: Install the POS sales channel in your Shopify admin
All new stores have the POS sales channel pre-installed. If you removed the POS sales channel or have reopened an old online store, then you need to install the POS sales channel.
Steps:
- From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Apps and sales channels.
- Click Shopify App store.
- Search in the Shopify app store for "Point of Sale".
- Click Point of Sale.
- Click Install.
- In your Shopify admin, to accept the data access, click Install.
Step 2: Choose your POS subscription
You can choose a POS app subscription for each location depending on your needs.
Compare the features for POS Lite and POS Pro
For businesses that mainly sell at markets, fairs, or pop-ups, POS Lite is recommended. For businesses with retail locations or who sell more often in person, POS Pro is recommended.
Shopify offers two POS app subscriptions to fit your retail needs. For more information on pricing, refer to POS pricing. For more information on features, refer to POS features. To compare the features offered between Shopify POS Lite and Shopify POS Pro, refer to the following table:
Manage your POS subscription for each location
You can select your POS subscriptions by location to ensure that your stores have the subscription that best suits their needs.
Steps:
Step 3: Log in to the Shopify POS app
Download the Shopify POS app to your phone or tablet
To download the Shopify POS app, use your device to scan the QR code for either Android or iOS for Shopify POS app from the install page, and tap Install.
The Shopify POS app works with devices which meet the following requirements:
Device | Description |
---|---|
iPad | Generation 5 or higher running iPadOS 15 or higher |
iPad Air | Generation 2 or higher running iPadOS 15 or higher |
iPad mini | Generation 4 or higher running iPadOS 15 or higher |
iPad Pro | All iPad Pro models running iPadOS 15 or higher |
iPhone | iPhone 7 or higher running iOS 15 or higher |
POS Go | POS Go running the latest Shopify-provided software updates |
Android | Phone or tablet running official Android version 10.0 or higher, with Google Play Services enabled |
The Shopify POS app is available for only iOS and Android devices. It's not available for desktop computers.
iOS 14 permission requirements
If you have updated your device to iOS 14 or higher and use third-party Shopify apps, then you might need to activate Cross-Website tracking in your iOS settings. Cross-Website tracking lets third-party Shopify apps that you have installed in your Shopify admin stay connected in Shopify Inbox, Shopify Point of Sale, and the Shopify app.
To activate Cross-Website tracking, complete the following steps:
- Open the Settings app on your device.
- Tap Shopify, Shopify POS, or Shopify Inbox.
- Activate Allow Cross-Website Tracking.
Log in with email
If you're a staff member with an admin username and required credentials, then you can use them to log into the Shopify POS app when you have the Access Point of Sale permissions. The store owner has all permissions by default.
Steps:
- On the Shopify POS app login screen, tap Log in.
- On the Shopify page, type in your admin username and password and then tap Log in.
- If you have two-factor authentication activated for your store, then enter your authentication code.
- Tap Log in.
- Select the correct store and location to complete login.
You can customize the Shopify POS app settings. Learn more about Changing the Shopify POS app settings.
Step 4: Process a POS test transaction
Now that you have set up your hardware, payment methods, and you have added products, you can process a test transaction to ensure you're ready to accept payments from your customers.
Steps:
- Add a product to the cart. To add a product to the cart, tap
≡
> Products and select a product from the list. If your product has variants, then select a variant. If you use barcodes in your store, then you can also scan the product's barcode. - To add a customer to the order, tap the Add customer smart grid tile and select your test customer.
- Tap Checkout > Cash > Exact change.
- Tap Email receipt, Text receipt, or Print receipt.
- Tap Order note and enter Test transaction into the field for your personal records.
- Tap Done.
You can view the test order on the order page by tapping ≡
, Orders, and then selecting the order. You can process additional test transactions if you want to test any other settings.
When you are finished processing test transactions, you can close the tracking session.
Step 5: Order POS Hardware
Review the following table to learn more about what retail hardware you might need depending on your business type:
If you run... | Then you might need... |
---|---|
A pop-up shop, events, casual part-time sales | A supported device + card reader |
A permanent retail location | A supported device + card reader + receipt printer |
Multiple stores or a warehouse | A supported device + card reader + receipt printer + barcode scanner + cash drawer |
You can choose a variety of components for your Shopify POS system, depending on the payment methods you accept, and your business needs.
Any of the options listed allow for more than one register at a single location. There is no limit to the number of POS stations you can have at a given location.
Where to buy hardware
If you're located in the United States and have Shopify Payments activated, then you can choose hardware from Point of Sale channel > Hardware store in your Shopify admin and then checkout using the Shopify Hardware store based on your location.
You can purchase hardware from the Shopify Hardware Stores:
- Australia
- Belgium
- Canada (English)
- Canada (French)
- Denmark
- Finland
- Germany
- Ireland
- Italy
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Singapore
- Spain
- United Kingdom
- United States
Supported hardware
The availability for supported hardware from the Shopify hardware store varies by country. Shopify hardware provides the most optimal integration with the Shopify POS.
If you aren't located in a country with a Shopify hardware store, then refer to the supported hardware page or any of the individual hardware pages for supported model numbers and purchase hardware from a verified third-party retailer of your choice.
Step 6: Set up payment methods
Activate Shopify Payments in the POS app
You need to set up Shopify Payments for your store in your Shopify admin in order to accept credit card payments in person. After you set up Shopify Payments in your Shopify admin, you need to activate it in the Shopify POS app.
Steps:
- From Shopify POS, tap