The moment and the place where a retail transaction is completed is the point of sale. It includes the physical counter or terminal and the hardware and software that record the sale and process payment.

Modern point-of-sale systems scan items, calculate totals and tax, accept multiple payment types, and update inventory. They may also capture customer information or apply loyalty rewards. Speed and reliability at the point of sale directly affect queue length and customer satisfaction.

Retailers choose systems based on integration with inventory and accounting, ease of staff use, and reporting capability. Mobile point-of-sale devices allow transactions to occur anywhere on the sales floor. The point of sale remains the critical conversion moment in every store visit.

Everything the customer has done in the store culminates here.