What is a register?

Point of Sale (POS) Glossary

A register is traditionally the place where customers pay for their retail purchases. Today most registers are connected to a point of sale system and are known as POS terminals. Customers may conduct other store business at a POS terminal, such as placing orders, checking gift card or point balances, and other non-transactional interactions.

Registers may refer to an old-fashioned cash register or a full-fledged POS terminal, including cash drawers, barcode scanners, printers, dual displays, and more. Additionally, a register might also be a tablet or smartphone enabled to process transactions.

Registers have been used in stores for almost 150 years, but changing technology has radically transformed them. Registers that are part of a robust point of sale system play a huge role in business efficiency and customer satisfaction.