I am starting a company and wondering where I can buy the best card readers (for debit/credit cards ) , and barcode scanners / makers
I.E what would be the popular companies that make these devices for whole sale
And how much would these devices typically cost.... A link /site/or phone number would be nice.
I am excited since this is going to be my first business.... so I don't want to get ripped of on this stuff
I have the building inspect a OK it. And now the network and computer hardware setup....
so the infrastructure/building is complete , the computer networking/ computer hardware/phone system is done for the inside of the building.
All I need is the cash registers , barcode readers/writters , and credit/debit card scanners.

Anybody know?

 

Have a talk with your bank first, your bank will have "retail bank accounts" where they provide the best type of banking service for this, and many supply the credit card readers and scanners etc free of charge or under some hire/purchase type deal.

If your bank says you are best to buy your own scanners then they may suggest a source, or you can start checking the internet for suppliers.

 

Ok , thanks I will call them when they are open tommarrow.

Curious , do you know how a grocery store like publix or big-y or stop and shop would have their machines set up?

What I mean is would the banks come in to the store and setup/install the readers/barcode devices. Or is it most likely that a big business just buys the devices from a company that makes them. And then calls a bank of america to come in and install or inspect that they are setup correctly for the accounts...

Assume of course bank of america is the bank you are using for your business. But substitute an other bank for example I am using J. P. Morgan Chase & Company

like would company like NCR come in and set it up and then the bank would come in to set it with the correct account

 

I have a friend in this business of credit card processing. His company provides the hardware to read the cards to processes them.

DO shop around as the rates vary and you can get stuck in a contract not in your best interests. DONT sign until you completely understand the terms.

 

Ok, sounds good
Thanks for the tips.

I am also curious typically in large companies like
Food stores i.e (big-y , stop and shop , publix ,...etc)
Target, wall mart ,...etc

How many companies are in the line up before the goods reach the customer.
I think it is called supply chain.

I know their is the manufacturer at the top and in between is the wholesalers (which sell the product from the manufactures) and then the retailers where customers buy the product directly.

I am curious how many wholesalers ( middle man ) are typically used in medium to large retailer business/companies?

For example target is a retailer for customers but do they get their supplies directly from the manufacturer or from a wholesaler. And if from a wholesaler how many chains of them?

FYI
I found that the companies that make the POS (point of sales devices like readers/scanner/atms ,...etc) is called NCR and these guys are the bank of america of point of sales equipment. So I am going to ask them as well as the bank to figure this all out.

 

Sometimes 'OEMs' sell to other manufactures, who brand the OEM's product as their own, and then push it through distribution.

There can be *many* levels before retail. Remember, somebody has to drill the well, so someone else can get the oil, so someone else can refine it, so someone else can make plastic pellets, so someone else can mold it, so someone else can assemble it, etc., etc.

This is one of the many reasons why capitalism rules! You don't have to worry about any of this. Just the prices (and quantities) at which you are buying and selling.

BTW...what kind of business are you starting?

 

It is still up in the air.... don't fully know if I want to go thru with it yet.
Just trying to find out some information on how this all works.
If it does work out it is going to be a outdoor game/fishing type of small business.

I have talk to people about the POS machines and I have that all figured out now.
Their is even free API out their to get familar with how developers develop the software (JAVAPOS is one api)

As for

Sometimes 'OEMs' sell to other manufactures, who brand the OEM's product as their own, and then push it through distribution.

There can be *many* levels before retail. Remember, somebody has to drill the well, so someone else can get the oil, so someone else can refine it, so someone else can make plastic pellets, so someone else can mold it, so someone else can assemble it, etc., etc.

This is one of the many reasons why capitalism rules! You don't have to worry about any of this. Just the prices (and quantities) at which you are buying and selling.

Yes the customer doesn't really have to understand the supply chain.... but a business guy should. Since I would believe manufacture base prices get jacked up by wholesalers or other OEM?
Correct?

I would want to get my store products imported at the cheapest prices.
Typically would that be by buying directly from the manufacture in bulk?

Or would it be better getting it thru a wholesaler in bulk

 

Since I would believe manufacture base prices get jacked up by wholesalers or other OEM?
Correct?

There is money made all along the line. Don't think of it as 'jacked up'. That is a really cynical outlook. The wholesalers provide a service that the mfgrs. cannot.

Typically, a mfgr does not want to stock a product. That costs money and floor space, and ties up capital. They also don't want to manage multiple small accounts. Too much time for too little profit.

Wholesalers fill the gap between the large manufacturing capability and economies of scale and the small retailers selling a few product at a time. It is a valuable service they offer.

In my business, the final retail price is typically 4 to 6 times the manufacturing cost. As a manufacturer I only get a small portion of the markup. I make my money in volume.

I would want to get my store products imported at the cheapest prices.
Typically would that be by buying directly from the manufacture in bulk?

Or would it be better getting it thru a wholesaler in bulk

Its all up to the manufacturer of the product you desire to sell. There is a loyalty issue. Why would wholesalers want to work for a manufacturer that would undercut them via direct sales to retail or the public?

Now, you could design your own product, have it manufactured any way you want, and sell it anyway you want.

Additionally, if you sell retail, you can try to manage hundreds of different mfgrs, each selling you a different product at different costs with different terms and lead times. And you can try to deal with each of the individual problems they bring along.

Or, you can buy through a distributor and let them manage the 'details'.

You'll learn quickly that wholesalers/distributors can by your best friend!

 

My wife has several home furnishing retail outlets. She travels to a good number of trade shows around the world every year, seeking new and unique products to import. It's all done between her and the manufacturers. There are trades shows put on by the wholesalers, and for the most part you negotiate on volume and place an order. I personally like the local deals the best though. Many of the accessories moving through her stores are supplied by local crafts people. You help them grow their businesses and the rewards can be very good if properly negotiated (licensing/invested interest/financing/etc). The spin offs are great. The wife goes on cruises from volume rebates, and I go fishing/hunting/riding with the locals.

 

Ok , I see how the wholesalers are a convince (i.e frees you up from having to worry about middle stuff)
But wouldn't the cheapest / best prices for a product be obtained by going directly to the manufacture if you had to buy in bulk and you where not worried about keeping track of what the wholesaler people have to keep track of?

Because I would think the highest prices of a product is the closer you get to the customer. Correct me if I am wrong?
For example the customer pays the most, the retailer pays the second most , wholesalers third , ..... manufacture cheapest price.

Or is it not always like that.
I would think each supply chain would be like this only because each is trying to make a small profit to pay for expenses and to make a small profit to stay in business .

In theory each company down the line would have to up the price a little bit to make a profit. Or in rare cases (maybe some non-profit companies) they would keep the price the same as the supply chain company above it. But they couldn't go down in price unless they where taking a loss.
Which I would think in theory would never work 99% of the time... or at least for long term.

Unless ofcourse they jacked up the price on another product that was more popular /sells faster and marked the slower selling product cheaper then the original price.

Don't know but would be interested if somebody could elaborate that knows how this price stuff works in a normal/big supply chain

 

Ok , I see how the wholesalers are a convince (i.e frees you up from having to worry about middle stuff)

Yes.

But wouldn't the cheapest / best prices for a product be obtained by going directly to the manufacture if you had to buy in bulk and you where not worried about keeping track of what the wholesaler people have to keep track of?

Not necessarily. It costs money to run down mfgrs, write PO's, arrange shipping, keep stock, etc. Heard of JIT (Just in Time)? Basically, material and cash move simultaneously though the whole pipeline (in opposite directions) on an as-needed basis, so that no one holds any material for any length of time and therefore keeps investments in inventory to a minimum.

Because I would think the highest prices of a product is the closer you get to the customer. Correct me if I am wrong?
For example the customer pays the most, the retailer pays the second most , wholesalers third , ..... manufacture cheapest price.

Of course. No one in the chain can absorb losses for any extended period of time, and no one is going to want to expend effort with no gain.

Or is it not always like that.
I would think each supply chain would be like this only because each is trying to make a small profit to pay for expenses and to make a small profit to stay in business .

I most cases, profits are good, losses are bad. *Sometimes* it makes sense to incur losses at certain times of the year, like year end. Helps with taxes. But you plan to make it up the following quarter.

In theory each company down the line would have to up the price a little bit to make a profit. Or in rare cases (maybe some non-profit companies) they would keep the price the same as the supply chain company above it. But they couldn't go down in price unless they where taking a loss.
Which I would think in theory would never work 99% of the time... or at least for long term.

Non-profit? Please name one company that is going to manufacture, move goods, or sell product "not for profit" on a commercial basis. No such thing. And if there were, I would not be interested in doing business with them.

 

Non-profit? Please name one company that is going to manufacture, move goods, or sell product "not for profit" on a commercial basis. No such thing. And if there were, I would not be interested in doing business with them.

Why wouldn't you want to do business with them or thru them?
Their price would be the same as the guy above them in the chain... so if they where closer to you I would think the time of transporting ... you would be better off.


Also if you where going directly to the manufacturer is that even allowed if you are not a wholesaler ... like can a retailer by law go straight to the manufacturer to get their products? If you where able to go to the manufacture is their any min amount of products you would have to buy for the manufacture to even want to do business with you?

And if you can go straight to the manufacturer then are you responsible for getting the transportation trucks to pick up the stuff. Or can you pay the manufacture to transport the products to you as well for a fee. I know this wouldn't be an issue if you went thru a wholesaler but curious...
Basically is it the wholesaler that owns the trucks/transportation vehicles for the products or the manufacturers or both. Or do they lease in many case to a trucking company/outsource it and just pay a third party trucking company ...

 

Why wouldn't you want to do business with them or thru them?
Their price would be the same as the guy above them in the chain... so if they where closer to you I would think the time of transporting ... you would be better off.

I am a sincere believer in the profit motive. I want my vendors to want to make a profit. That means they will work to keep my business.

I don't trust anyone who says they are "not for profit". They want me to trust their "good intentions". The road to Hell, and all that...

About all the other stuff...it'll be your business. Do what you want how you want. That's the magic of entrepreneurship. Maybe you'll find a better way and put us all out of business. I hope so...I am pulling for you. Really!

 

I am a sincere believer in the profit motive. I want my vendors to want to make a profit. That means they will work to keep my business.

Well, I understand where your coming from in wanting to make a profit.
A profit usually implies work and work implies energy , and that is what keeps us and the universe in sync energy a balance of energy lossed/gained ...etc

But wouldn't you want the cheapest prices or pay the cheapest amount. Provided the service would be the same in quality... I know from a psychology point of view business people tend to think if it say's non-profit then it is to good to be true.... and alot of times I would have to agree but their are rare cases... and one shouldn't be to keen on over looking based on them think they know it all.

Please don't take this the wrong way.

Also about using manufacturers directly or wholesaler are you response-able for the delivery trucks? (i.e to get the products from the wholesaler or manufacturer to you )
Because if that is the case I would have to hire shipping /trucking/transport companies to transport my products from the manufacture to me.
This would be another expense that could possible be very expensive maybe the wholesaler would do this for you. (That would be a god sent unless ofcourse their prices would be more expensive then just hiring a third party transport company )

 

I won't ever pay the cheapest price. I know what things cost. If a price is too low, it means the mfgr (or someone else) is skimping somewhere.

If I get cheap things, and pass them onto my customers who expect quality, how long do you think they will be my customers?

WRT shipping, generally you pay a cost 'FOB' or freight-on-board. The cost of shipping is included in your purchase price to a certain location. Sometimes its your location, sometimes it isn't. The closure it gets to you, the higher the cost. You always wind up paying, whether directly, or hidden in the product cost. There is no free lunch.

Unfortunately, I have grown tired of this discussion. I wish you luck with your business. You have a lot to learn, and you *will* learn it -- either the easy way or the hard way.

If you want to learn the easy way, study as much as you can before you start a business. Talk to people who have been successful doing it. And listen.

The hard way: just do it. Then do it again. And keep on doing it till you get it right.

 

true I do agree with you on most of what you are saying.
And those would be the to ways of going about it the easy way or hard way.

Or better yet watch a startup company and how it succeeds and fails as well could provide helpful.

But I don't agree with you about the cheapest necessarily being the lowest quality in all cases. But yes, I would agree that cost and quality and time are all related and usually the math would support you on this. But their is that chance where a manufacturer/company sells for really cheap a product just to keep the local stores buying it. And the product could still be hi-grade quality.

Seems you are making that 100% assumption.
But I thank you for the aid... and some knowledge along with it.
All the best to you and your companies.