4 Best Tobacco Point of Sale Solutions [Features, Pricing, & Reviews]

Between staying legally compliant, keeping on top of industry trends, and tracking your inventory — running a tobacco store isn’t easy.

If you’re relying on an outdated system or manual processes, it’s even worse. 

Tobacco point of sale (POS) systems help tobacco stores of any size get a leg up on the competition with features built to improve the customer experience and make managing your stock easier.

With so many systems out there, which one is the right fit for your business?

In this article, we cover:

• The key features you need in a tobacco POS solution
• The top 4 providers in 2024

Key Features of a Tobacco Point of Sale Solution

There are a lot of point of sale solutions out there. Free systems, enterprise-level systems for chain stores, generic retail systems, and industry-specific solutions. Navigating them all can be overwhelming, especially when so many (at least on the surface) share similar functions.

So, what should you expect from a modern point of sale system? 

Beyond handling payments, a POS system provides small businesses with helpful tools to optimize inventory, improve customer retention, and reduce overhead. 

Any POS solution you look at should include these features at a minimum:

• Integrated vendor management and reorder support
• Built-in customer loyalty features and customer relationship management (CRM) tools
• Employee management and performance tracking
• Custom label printing and SKUs
• Sales and inventory reports
• Inventory management tools and real-time stock tracking
• Contactless payment support
• Promotional tools and flexible discounts

However, you’re not just any retailer; you’re a tobacco retailer. That means your store will have unique legal requirements and operational challenges. 

A point of sale for tobacco stores also includes several industry-specific features that will make your job easier (and help keep your business compliant with local laws and licensing rules).

• Age verification: Instead of checking IDs by hand, use ID scanners and other age verification tools to reduce compliance risk and speed up checkout.

• Scan data support: Accurately track and export sales data to take advantage of tobacco scan data promotions.

• High-risk payment processing: Since tobacco stores are considered a “high-risk” business, you’ll need to work with a high-risk merchant account — ideally one that supports online sales.

• Carton-pack inventory: Scan in a carton of cigarettes or a pack of vape refills and scan individual packs and units, reducing data entry and giving you an accurate view of inventory.
• Dual pricing: Tobacco and convenience stores still deal with a lot of cash. Dual pricing encourages cash payments by providing a small discount at checkout.

Many of these features will not be included in a free POS system and general POS systems (or might require paid add-ons). So, before setting up a new system, understand which features are most important for your business.

4 Best Tobacco Point of Sale Providers

Now that you understand the features of a modern tobacco point-of-sale system, let’s discuss the specifics. 

Each provider on this list has unique strengths, weaknesses, and price points — and not all POS systems are a good fit for every business. When evaluating different providers, keep the following factors in mind:

• Budget: How much will the new system cost monthly (along with any hardware costs)? What kind of return on investment (ROI) can you expect?
• Features: What daily tasks do you struggle with? Can the features of a new system make them easier?
• Business goals: Why are you considering a new system in the first place? Are you looking to boost profits, reduce shrinkage, or improve the customer experience? Look for features that align with your long-term and short-term goals.

Before you make a choice, schedule multiple demos. A POS solution may look great on paper, but underwhelm you when you see it in person.

Here are our picks for the four best tobacco store POS solutions.

1. Cigars POS

Cigars POS is our industry-specific solution for tobacco stores, cigar lounges, and smoke shops. We work exclusively with tobacco retailers, providing specialized support and expertise.

Best for: Small to mid-sized tobacco retailers that do not require fuel integration (e.g., gas stations, convenience stores).

Notable Features

• Advanced inventory tools: Combining custom SKUs and barcodes, carton-pack inventory tracking, auto ranking, low-stock alerts, and more, Cigars POS gives store owners an accurate, real-time view of their inventory.

• Built-in customer loyalty: Create a custom loyalty program, including different membership tiers, exclusive discounts, and more.

• Streamlined age verification: Minimize your compliance risk and speed up checkout by scanning IDs for faster age verification.

• Dual pricing: Set a discount rate on your system, then offer customers paying in cash a discount with a single press of a button at checkout.
• Helpful reporting tools: Take advantage of tobacco scan data promotions and gain insights into your bestsellers, peak hours, and more using our reports.

Pricing

Cigars POS offers several pricing tiers starting at $69/month. We are used to working with small businesses and different budgets, so get a custom quote by using our pricing configurator tool.

Reviews

Cigars POS is a new player in the game and is not yet listed on Trustpilot, but we have a 5-star rating on Google and over 50 reviews. Hear directly from our customers to understand why businesses choose Cigars POS.

2. Square POS

Square POS is a widely used retail POS system across various industries. Square POS is a good, beginner-friendly solution with a highly customizable interface and features. 

However, it’s worth noting that Square does not allow online tobacco sales.

Best for: Tobacco stores that need a simple, user-friendly POS system and do not sell their products online.

Notable Features

• No long-term contracts: Square has several free plans (with limited functionality) and does not lock customers into long-term contracts.

• Modular system: Square’s system allows you to pay and add specific features, so you can upgrade your system with only the features you need.

• Mobile POS terminal: Square offers customers a variety of sleek, user-friendly hardware, allowing them to process transactions anywhere in the store.
• Flat payment rate: Square processes payments at a flat rate of 2.6% + 10 cents per transaction.

Pricing

Square’s most popular retail plan starts at $89/month per location and includes discounted payment processing fees.

Reviews

Square currently has a 4.3 rating on Trustpilot.

3. KORONA POS

KORONA POS supports both general retailers and high-risk businesses with software built to scale with your business.

Best for: With franchise-level support and advanced reporting, KORONA POS is a great fit for larger businesses with multiple locations.

Notable Features

• Robust loss prevention: KORONA POS helps minimize theft and shrinkage with detailed employee reporting and access controls.

• Advanced KPI reporting: KORONA POS monitors your key performance indicators (KPIs) and provides detailed reports on sales by time, item, price, and more. 

• Automated reordering: Streamline reorders by setting automated order placements based on product par levels.
• Franchise-level support: Manage multiple stores from a single system with robust multi-location management features.

Pricing

KORONA POS’ Plus plan for retailers is $79/month per terminal.

Reviews

KORONA POS currently has a 4.4 rating on Trustpilot with 11 reviews.

4. POS Nation

POS Nation is a general retail solution with over 10,000 customers, including high-risk businesses like tobacco and liquor stores.

Best for: Small and mid-sized tobacco retailers that need a user-friendly solution at one or multiple locations.

Notable Features

• Custom tax setups: Set multiple tax rates and exemptions for smoke shops that sell a variety of merchandise or have locations in different areas.

• Advanced inventory: Monitor inventory in real time as you make sales, break down inventory by carton or pack, and see bestsellers with auto ranking features.

• 24/7 support and training: POS Nation helps customers get comfortable with a new system by offering onboarding help and 24/7 support.
• Pre-built reports: Make smarter business decisions and better understand store performance using over 55 prebuilt reports.

Pricing

POS Nation offers custom quotes for small businesses based on your business size, hardware needs, and more. Visit their pricing page to learn more. 

Reviews

POS Nation currently has a 4.7 rating on Trustpilot with over 1,400 reviews. 

See Why a Growing Number of Tobacco Stores Trust Cigars POS

Investing in a new tobacco store point of sale can be daunting. With so many providers out there, the key aspects to consider are:

• Usability: You’ll be using a new system every day, so choose a system that feels comfortable.

• Growth: Use a system that supports your growth with customizable software insightful reports, customer loyalty, and other added-value features. 
• Support: Be confident that your provider has your back when things go wrong or you need help. 

Most importantly, work with a POS provider you can trust. Cigars POS is a specialized system that helps small, independent tobacco stores, cigar shops, and vape shops prosper. 

With unique features built to handle the challenges of tobacco retail and an expert support team, we aim to be both a reliable technology provider and a trusted partner in your business.

Schedule a customized demo to see how Cigars POS can improve the customer experience, boost profits, and help your business grow.