Best POS system for your garden center: Review the best options

Garden centers in the U.S. are doing well lately. In fact, revenue has been growing by 1.3% each year, with an expected total of $46.2 billion by the end of 2024. But even though more people are buying plants, profit margins are getting tighter. Operating costs are high, and profits are expected to drop to just 4.3%. That means every dollar you make counts more than ever.

There’s also been a big shift toward younger shoppers (especially under 35) who love easy-to-care-for plants like succulents. Plus, DIY gardening is booming, meaning more people are buying tools and supplies for their own projects. This is great news for your garden center, but it also means competition is getting fiercer.

So, what’s the best way to stay ahead of the game and handle all this demand? By using a POS system (check out our POS meaning guide if you’re not sure what that is) designed with  garden centers in mind. With so many stores and online competitors out there, a good POS system can help you keep track of inventory, manage customers, and make your business run more smoothly. Let’s take a look at the best POS system for a garden center and how it can help your business grow!

5 reasons why you need a specialized electronic POS system in your garden business 

If you’re still using an old-school cash register or a clunky system that’s hard to use, it’s time for an upgrade. Here are five reasons why a garden center POS system is the way to go and some key features to look out for:

Better stock control for all your plant types

If you’re running around trying to remember if you’re out of fertilizer or garden tools, it’s time for a break. Your POS system can help sync your inventory management capabilities with your suppliers and send you re-ordering alerts when stock is getting low. So, when your lawn care products are getting close to running out, the system will alert you and say, “Hey, time to restock.” Just sit back, sip your coffee, and let the system handle the “Oh no, we’re out of stock!” panic for you.

Improve customer management with historical data

You know those customers who keep coming back to buy more begonias every year? With customer management tools in your garden center POS system, you can track their purchase history and learn what they love. With an integrated Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and reporting and analytics features, you'll be able to spot if they prefer organic soil over regular, or if their average transaction value is going up each time they visit. POS software keeps a record of everything your customers buy (and when) so you can offer them personalized recommendations or loyalty perks.

Better sync with suppliers thanks to re-ordering alerts

Stock management doesn’t stop at just keeping track of what you have, it also means knowing when to reorder. A POS system can send you re-ordering alerts when certain items, like potting soil or gardening tools, are running low. This feature ensures you’re never caught off guard by a sudden shortage. For example, if you're heading into peak season and notice you're low on lawn care products, your POS system can trigger an order with your supplier automatically, so you don’t have to waste time manually rechecking stock levels.

Mobile-friendly solution for better usability around your center

Running around your garden center with a clipboard and pen isn’t exactly efficient. Enter mobile POS hardware—the cool gadget that lets you process sales anywhere in your store or even out on the floor! Whether you're checking out a customer at the register or helping them in the garden aisle, a mobile POS system keeps everything in check. You can see inventory levels, process mobile payments, and even make sales while you’re out stocking plants or chatting with garden center customers. It’s perfect for small garden centers, pop-up events or independent garden centers where space is tight but operations need to be seamless.

Automate employee management with advanced software integrations

Keeping track of employees’ schedules, hours, and performance can be a major headache—unless you’ve got a POS system that automates all of it. With employee management tools built in, you’ll know exactly who’s working when, how many hours they’ve put in, and whether they’re keeping up with sales targets and their employee performance is thriving. If you’ve got a landscaping team working off-site, the system integrates with your accounting software to give you a bird’s-eye view of labor costs and hours worked without ever touching a calculator.

Top options in garden center POS systems 

Now for our winning contenders in the POS game:

Epos Now 

Epos Now is a top choice for garden centers that need a flexible, all-in-one POS solution. Whether you’re running a small plant shop or a larger garden center, Epos Now’s electronic point of sale allows you to manage sales, inventory, and customer data from one easy-to-use platform. It’s perfect for garden centers that want to streamline operations without the complexity.

The system includes everything you need to get started, with a countertop, stand, receipt printer, and card reader included in the bundle. Plus, it’s cloud-based, so you can manage your business remotely—whether you're on the shop floor or checking in from home.

Our garden center POS integrates seamlessly with popular accounting tools like Sage, Xero, and QuickBooks, making financial management simple and automated. It’s also scalable, allowing you to add more features and devices as your garden center grows.

For payment processing, Epos Now offers flat-rate pricing, so you can manage transactions with ease and without worrying about hidden fees. And with 24/7 support, you’ll always have help when you need it.

Pros:

• All-in-one tablet setup with stand, receipt printer, and card reader
• Quick and easy setup
• Cloud-based, accessible remotely
• Integrates with top accounting tools
• Scalable with 100+ integrations
• Flat-rate payment processing
• 24/7 customer support

POS nation

POS Nation is a POS solution known for its features, making it an option for various retail environments, including garden centers. It offers an intuitive interface, but it can take time to fully grasp all the functions, especially for those with limited tech experience.

Pros

• Budget price
• Customer service and tech support
• Provides sales insights

Cons

• Some users struggle with extracting the data they need from reports
• Inventory spot-checking can be tricky to teach and execute properly
• Some tasks can feel complicated, with multiple quirks and commands that require a learning curve

RetailEdge

RetailEdge allows users to manage inventory and has reporting features, making it an option for small to medium-sized businesses. It's budget priced for what it delivers but may have some quirks when it comes to customization and reports.

Pros

• Easy to use
• Budget option compared to some POS software
• Offers customer support

Cons

• Users feel frustrated that they can’t charge processing fees
• The reporting dropdowns can be a bit slow, requiring users to click multiple times to get the data they need.
• Some reports show data from all locations, even when user access rights should limit it.
• When receiving check payments, there is no field to enter the actual check number, which can be inconvenient for some businesses.

Rapid Garden

Rapid Garden POS is a POS solution tailored specifically for garden centers, nurseries, greenhouses, and landscaping businesses.

Pros:

• Designed for nurseries, garden centers, and landscaping businesses.

• Offers Inventory management features
• Multi-functionality offers.
• Customer loyalty programs

Cons:

• It’s less established compared to some of the bigger names in the POS world, meaning it does not have as many user reviews or a large user base for support.
• Rapid Garden may not scale as effectively for larger, multi-location businesses, as it doesn't offer the same level of flexibility or features as some bigger, more established POS systems.
• Some users may find that it lacks the advanced features or integrations offered by larger POS systems, such as detailed reporting or third-party integrations.

Tips to evaluate the right POS solution for your business

Here are some of our top tips help you weed through your POS options and find the right fit for your garden center:

The size of your inventory

If you’re running a small garden center with a few plant varieties, tools, and maybe some gardening books, you might choose a system that’s flexible enough to offer that simplicity without breaking the bank.

And if you’re running a larger operation - say, a full-service garden center with hundreds of plants (including hard-to-find roses, seasonal blooms, and landscaping supplies), you’ll need a POS system that can keep track of it all. The more inventory you have, the more you need a system that can track each plant species, tools, fertilizers, and decorative items separately, while also keeping tabs on things like bulk purchases and sale items.

To really know the size of your inventory and how complex your needs are, you’ll need to:

• Take stock of your current inventory: Start by counting your products. Even if you’re only dealing with a few varieties of plants and maybe a handful of gardening tools, you need to rely on your POS system to serve your customers every day. Very basic systems can let you down when you most need them.
• Look at how you manage stock now: Do you find yourself making lists or using spreadsheets to track things? If so, it might be time to level up. Spreadsheets can work when you’re just getting started, but they can get messy when you have bulk purchases or large amounts of inventory. If you can’t keep up with inventory counts and end up double-buying something or running out of stock during peak season, it’s a good sign that your current system isn’t cutting it.
• Think about future growth: How much are you planning to expand your product range? If you're expecting to add more items, especially high-ticket ones, you'll want to choose a POS system that’s scalable.

Your target audience

If your customers are mainly home gardeners looking for plants and tools, you need a POS system that offers simplicity and reliability, but with all the security that your customers expect. . 

Alternatively, if you’ve got landscapers or contractors buying in bulk, you’ll need something robust enough to handle big transactions, wholesale pricing, and vendor management.

If you have a website that allows your customers to shop online, you’ll want a POS system that integrates with your website. That way, you won’t run into any headaches when someone buys online and picks up in-store. Plus, if they’re regulars, a system that tracks their purchase history and gives them loyalty rewards will keep them coming back.

Also, think about how people like to pay. Some like cash, others want to use mobile payments. A POS system that can handle it all makes life easier for you (and your customers). Keep all that in mind, and you’ll pick the perfect system for your garden center.

Remember there are different types of POS systems, so you want the one best for you.

Pricing and budget

Think about how much you’re willing to invest in a POS solution and the features you really need.

If you’re planning on growing or have big plans to expand, consider investing in a more advanced POS system. Some systems may have a higher upfront cost but will save you time in the long run with features like real-time inventory tracking, supplier management, and employee performance tracking.

Also, look at and factor in any ongoing costs. You'll need to look out for any monthly fees, or charge per transaction. Don’t forget to factor things like mobile POS hardware or third-party integrations too.

User-friendliness and scalability

It shouldn't take a tech PhD from any Ivy League school to use your POS system. You want something that’s intuitive and doesn’t require hours of training just to ring up a sale. Look for a POS system with a simple, clean interface. A system that’s easy to use means your team can jump right in without getting stuck, and you can get on with running your garden center, not troubleshooting tech problems.

Now, let’s talk scalability. As your business grows, your POS system should grow with you. Whether you’re adding more products, new locations, or branching out into landscaping services, you need a system that can handle the extra load. A good POS solution can scale up easily (think adding more inventory, managing multiple locations, or even setting up online sales) without a major headache.