Guidelines to buy POS receipt printer for your business

POS (Point of sale systems) receipt printers, when connected to a computer with a cable

interface, receive data from the POS software application running on the computer. The data is

interpreted through the printer's device driver and gets printed. You will have to consider a

variety of factors when selecting the type of POS receipt printer for your business. You will have

to bestow special attention to your software requirements, device drivers, cable interfaces,

receipt cutting, extra features etc.

The types of POS receipt printers available in the market are:

Impact Receipt Printers:

These printers are arguably the most flexible and low-priced of all receipt printers and fairly

widely used. They feature ink ribbons to impact the receipt like any dot matrix printer. They print

2-ply receipts - a copy each for the vendor and customer. You have the option to print up to two

colors- the standard colors are black and red.

Direct Thermal Receipt Printers:

These types of printers, as the name suggests, use heat to create the impression on paper. This

receipt printer does not use a ribbon to print but a special paper. Direct thermal printers have its

advantages as they are economically-priced, with no ribbon to replace, and thus the most

popular type of all receipt printers.

Ink Jet Receipt Printer:

These printers are fast and typically offer two-color printing mostly black and red. They are

versatile and capable of producing graphic-intensive designs and thus fit for printing coupons

and logos for a one-of-a-kind look. These printers are ideal for use in a POS environment where

direct marketing on receipts is the norm.

POS Multi-function Receipt Printer:

These types of receipt printers offer a host of features such as receipt printing, slip printing,

MICR font reading, and check endorsement. These configurations vary by model, and the print

methods can be Thermal, Inkjet to Impact. By virtue of its added advantages, these printers are

more expensive than the standard single-function receipt printers.

Portable Receipt Printer:

These portable receipt printers are mobile units that run on rechargeable batteries. A portable

POS printer will print receipts using Bluetooth wireless technology, or will attach directly to a

PDA-style handheld device to receive the printable data. These printers are understandably

costly. These printers are recommended for use by mobile field sales force taking orders on

PDA devices, hectic large-scale floor sales environment, or any other outdoor marketing

environment.

Please know that some software applications only work with specific receipt printer drivers, it is

therefore necessary for you to check with the software supplier to ascertain the compatibility of

a specific receipt printer with the software. For instance, if your software requires OPOS drivers,

an Epson or POS-X receipt printer should be the right choice.

Please also know that a receipt printer will connect to your PC via a Serial, Parallel, USB, or

Ethernet connection. Please find out the types of cable interfaces available in the market. You

have to check the type of connections found on your computer so that you can select the right

type of interface for your receipt printer.

POS receipt printers are available with either a manual tear bar or an auto cutter for delivering

the paper receipt. This is a question of your personal preference based on the quantum of your

workload.