Here are some tips when you are looking to purchase a receipt printer for your point of sale system.
Firstly, remember that a receipt printer should last you for many years.
I would say get a brand with local support, at least Australian support. If something goes wrong, it's a great help to be able to call someone. Even if someone in the store knows that receipt printer well, who says that this person will be available in a few years' time.
Then check the print quality – that is something everyone will notice. If nothing else a lousy receipt sends a bad message to your client about you.
I have very sensitive ears, so I will check how noisy the printer is, if it's too vocal this is something I do not want to live with for next few years. Furthermore, this can get you in trouble is one of your people has tinnitus.
If I like it then, what I would ask is to see is the documentation in the manual, some of the manuals in Chinglish (Chinese/English) are impossible to understand while some manuals are just not good enough. Even if the vender offers to install the receipt printer for you, which is great but that receipt printer will probably in its lifetime will go through a few installations and after the first time, you are on your own so you will need the manual.
If you want to use this receipt printer for a range of software, please check with the suppliers of these software packages. I have noticed that a receipt printer can be very much hit-and-miss on software, and it can be very frustrating to have a receipt printer that doesn't work with only some of your system.
I prefer receipt printers that use cable as we have had problems with receipt printers over a network and with the newer range of receipt printers that use WIFI instead of cables, I can predict a lot more such problems, particularly if you are in a shopping centre.
If you are in an area that has bad power, consider a UPS because otherwise the receipt printer will often get a "red flashing light" and worse switches off in the middle of printing.
Finally be prepared for some headaches regarding the setup. You are going to do the installation yourself, I suggest that you use the installer and not let your computer automatically select the correct driver so make sure you get an install CD and/or the manufacturers download location.
Like always if you need help gives us a call...
