Hardware for Furniture Stores

Best Hardware Prices

To find the best prices for hardware (printers, bar-code readers, cash drawers, etc), search Google or eBay using a hardware's name and model number, like 'Unitech MS210' - a bar-code reader.

If purchasing on eBay, look for specifics. Is it ok if the equipment is 'refurbished'? Are all cables, drivers, manuals, adapters, etc. included. Check the seller's eBay reputation. Ask the seller questions. Verify money-back or exchange policies.

Computer Systems

Best Furniture Store Software is small in size and as fast as your PC's storage capacity, Windows version, processor and memory will allow. BFSS will run on any Windows system with at least 256 MB of RAM memory, but memory requirements are determined by the amount of information your computer must store and process (not the size of the program processing the information).

Stores with a few thousand inventory entries should have at least 256MB. For large operations storing 10,000 or more inventory items, greater horsepower is needed: 1.5 GHz Pentium IV or AMD processor - not Celeron - 512MB RAM - 3 gigs free disk space - especially for Windows 98/ME which are slow to release virtual memory, especially if virtual memory is limited. Also, lengthy periods of printing will cause the system to run out of resources. The 3-gigs of free space should help to alleviate that.

Based upon our experience over a number of years, we recommend purchasing new systems and peripherals from Dell. Most hardware ships with a one-year warranty. If something goes wrong, Dell will have a technician come to your place of business within 2 business days to get you going again. They also guarantee peripherals (like printers). Sales and service are excellent. A Dell Vostro with 3GB of RAM can be leased for about $15/month. (We are not compensated by Dell for recommending them.)

Printers

BFSS prints price, address and bar code labels, invoices and reports using any laser/inkjet/bubblejet or dot matrix. If you're buying new equipment, Hewlett Packard printers are known for their dependability.

Larger stores prefer to set up more than one printer for administrative tasks - one used exclusively for printing price tags and another for daily routines.

Sales receipts may be printed using a laser-style printer but doing so uses a lot of paper and printer ink and the one-receipt-per-page isn't as professional as might be desired. BFSS supports the use of the Zebra 2824 Thermal Printer for printing 2-ply sales receipts.

If you don't need color printing capability, purchase any Hewlett Packard low-end black-and-white with a paper feed. For a few dollars more, purchase their 5510 All-in-One copier-fax-printer-scanner. If you are purchasing a new computer from Dell, purchase from them for added support and for possible savings on shipping.

Bar Code Scanning

BFSS provides bar-code capability. Price, item number, item description and bar code number are printed on the bar code label. Scanners suggested below have been tested with BFSS and are configured to function 'out of the box'.

The Unitech MS210 handheld CCD Bar Code Scanner is a 'tethered' CCD scanner that incorporates the advanced Unitech decoder and an extremely reliable CCD engine. Featured are the narrow 80mm (3.1 inches) scanning width, 25.4mm reading distance and a resolution up to 0.125mm. This scanner also sports low power consumption for both decoded and undecoded scanners. Built-in decoder features read all major bar code symbologies and reverse bar code labels. Extensive data formatting features are also supported. The scanner has been tested and proven compatible with BFSS and ships with all necessary cables and cords. Three-Year limited manufacturers warranty. $179 - Scanner Stand (for hands-free operation) $29 ~ Free Shipping

The Datalogic Gryphon M100 Linear Image Cordless Bar Code Reader is primarily a POS scanner. Even though it is cordless, there is no keypad so it must be used close to the PC. The Instinctive Reading Distance represents the natural position of the user while reading code. Correct pointing is quick and easy thanks to the distinctive illumination line. The Datalogic Scanner boasts reading quickness and decoding capability thanks to state-of-the-art optics and a decode rate of 270 scans/sec. The scanner has been tested and proven compatible with BFSS and ships with all necessary cables and cords. Three-Year limited manufacturers warranty. $725 ~ Free Shipping

The Datalogic TopGun PT2000 is a Cordless Bar Code Reader for warehouse use. Its convenient size fits comfortably in the hand. Better yet, it weighs only 12 oz. (360 grams) including batteries! The PT2000 gives the flexibility to choose the appropriate input device for the application, whether it's a wand, CCD, 5V laser, or I.D. Badge scanner. Its four-line by 16-character LCD display provides easy readability and 34 splash resistant alphanumeric keys, including four programmable keys, give you the option of keying in data. In addition, the PT2000 offers up to two megabytes of data storage, making even the largest applications portable. Three AA alkaline or a rechargeable Nicad battery pack power the PT2000 for up to 12 hours of continuous use (20,000 scans with a 5V laser or CCD). Should the batteries fail, a lithium backup battery is built into the unit for up to 10 days of memory storage. The PT2000 features a built-in AT, PS/2 interface, so you can use it as a keyboard wedge for those applications requiring fixed station scanning. Backed by a one-year warranty, this durable unit is rugged enough to withstand multiple drops to concrete. Its compact size, ergonomic design and long battery life make the PT 2000 an excellent choice for use in a variety of environments including inventory control, point-of-sale or any application where field data collection is required. PT Dock Designed specifically for use with the PT2000, the PT Dock provides a connection between your PSC portable and your computer without sacrificing the convenience of portability. The PT Dock allows you to transmit data to and from the host system, using serial or keyboard wedge communications. The PT Dock also recharges the Nicad battery pack and lithium backup battery.

Cash Drawer and Receipt Printer

A cash register is different from a cash drawer. BFSS support a cash drawer. A cash register records sales and provides a printout at the end of the day for balancing the cash drawer. All cash registers have a cash drawer. A cash drawer is a place to put money. A cash drawer can be used without a cash register. BFSS uses your computer and receipt printer in place of a cash register.

Cash drawers coordinate with receipt printers. A receipt printer prints one or two copies of a receipt (on roll paper) showing the details of the sale: date, items, quantity, price, subtotal, tax, total amount. One copy of the receipt is for the customer. The other is for the store owner.

 The Cash Drawer Balance feature tracks each sales person's sales balance in real time and determines how much cash should be in the till at any time.

The POS cash drawer is Logic Controls' CR3000E. It has a footprint of only 15.7 x 16.1 x 3.3 inches and has an internal cash tray that rivals much larger drawers through efficient use of internal space. Five bill and six coin compartments can be easily adjusted. Precision-machined parts and ball bearings guides assure wobble-free drawer movement. All drawers have contemporary styling, a large media slot, three-position key lock and no exposed screws for extra security. $179 ~ Free Shipping

The Epson TM-U220 Receipt Printer is the enhanced, more powerful successor to Epson's best-selling TM-U200 family. It is an ideal low cost dot matrix receipt printer for point-of-sale applications. It is very fast, printing at speeds of 4.7 lines per second. Other features include automatic alerts when the printer is out of paper, the ability to print one original receipt plus a copy, and a two-year warranty. Easy to operate - Faster print speed - Drop-in paper loading - Two-color black and red printing - Impact logo printing in black - Flexible paper widths. A 10' parallel cable is included for $329 ~ Free Shipping Spec Sheet

Thermal Printers

BFSS includes the ability to printer 4" thermal labels using the Zebra 2844 Thermal Printer.

Thermal printers are used to print bar code labels. The printer and labels aren't cheap but the cost per label is less in the long run because no ribbon is required.

Direct thermal printers use a thermal printhead that applies heat to a chemically-treated paper, creating lines, text and graphics. The disadvantages are that direct thermal labels fade with age and will turn black if exposed to heat or strong sunlight, and the printhead doesn't last as long.

Outdated thermal labels (used by Consignpro  Liberty) use 'notches' to advance labels through the printer. There are only 500 sets of two tags on these older 2-across rolls. Tags are wasted because a minimum of 2 tags must be printed each time.

The new Horizontal Tags are cost and time efficient. They have 1500-2000 labels on a roll. A black line across the back forces the printer to print before moving forward, so there is no waste.

Zebra's space-saving 2844 Direct Thermal Printer offers efficient and reliable 4-inch-wide desktop labeling at an affordable price. The LP 2844 supports parallel, USB and serial interfaces. This simple to operate, low maintenance printer reduces training requirements and operating costs, and provides flexible solutions through a variety of options and accessories. $395 Free Shipping