Over-paying software vendors for hardware does not improve the product or service. It does not extended warranties. . As a matter of fact, in some cases, software vendors refuse to support hardware or charge for hardware support (Consignpro: $45 for printer help; Liberty: $45 for printer help, another $45 for scanner help). About software vendors' inflated 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.

Chances are you'll find the same equipment with the same warranties and guarantees and you might even get free shipping and a provider who will support the products they sell without trumped-up fees.

Bar Code Scanning

BCSS provides bar-code capability in the Deluxe and Diamond editions. Price, item number, item description and bar code number are printed on the bar code label (on sheets of labels or on thermal labels).

The scanners listed below have been configured to work with BCSS. They were chosen for their reliability and affordability and they are available from BCSS at a reasonable price.

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 BCSS Diamond and ships with all necessary cables and cords. Three-Year limited manufacturers warranty. $208 including Scanner Stand (for hands-free operation)   Brochure    Configuration Manual    Spec Sheet ;   Users Manual

The Datalogic Gryphon M100 Linear Image Cordless Bar Code Reader provides optimal reading performance through a natural instinctive reading approach and innovative reading feedback. Use it where mobility is required. 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 BCSS Diamond and ships with all necessary cables and cords. Three-Year limited manufacturers warranty. $725    About Datalogic    Contact    Product Page/Specifications    Search Site    Support

Cash Drawer and Receipt Printer

A cash register is different from a cash drawer. BCSS 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. BCSS 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 Instant Cash Drawer Balance feature tracks each sales person's sales balance in real time and determines instantly how much cash should be in the till at any time.

Any time during the shift, open the 'On Shift' screen in BCSS to view the balance. The amount of money in the Cash Drawer should equal the balance.

Open the same screen at the end of the shift and balance the Till against the total shown.

Click on 'Close Out' to return the balance to zero in preparation for the next shift.

It is possible for more than one Employee to use BCSS at the Point of Sale. All Employees can track balances separately at the same time, logging in back and forth as needed.

At the end of day, separate totals are available for each Employee when logged in. Totals for an Employee will not show when that Employee is not logged in.

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   Contact   FAQ   Product Page ;   Software ;   Support and Download ;   Tech Support ;   Users Manual ;   Warranty

The Epson TM-U220 2-Color 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 $429    About Epson   Contact   Product Page   Service   Spec Sheet    Tech Resources

Complete Computer Systems

Our Best Consignment Shop Software is small in size and as fast as your PC's storage capacity, Windows version, processor speed and memory. BCSS will run on any Windows system with at least 256 MB of RAM memory, but memory requirements are determined by the amount of data your computer must store and process (not the size of the program processing the information). Windows Vista requires almost 1 gigabyte of RAM and 2 gigabytes is recommended so give your shop plenty of computing power. Otherwise you might think something is wrong with the software you're using.

Shops 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 95/98/ME which are slow to release virtual memory no longer in use, 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 Dimension 2400 with 512MB of RAM, can be leased for about $20/month, and at your request, may come complete with BCSS installed by Dell! (We are not compensated by Dell for recommending them.)

You may also purchase (or lease) a new Dell computer with BCSS pre-installed. This is a convenience, not a cost advantage (as you must still purchase the software) but it is Dell's endorsement that BCSS is "Dell Approved".

Printers

BCSS prints price, address and bar code labels, invoices and reports using any laser/inkjet/bubblejet or dot matrix. Labels may also be printed (one at a time or in batch) using a thermal printer. If you're buying new equipment, Hewlett Packard printers are known for their dependability. Please go here for label information.

If color printing is not necessary, 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, consider Dell for added support (from Dell) and for possible savings on shipping.

Thermal Printers

BCSS prints 4" thermal labels (1, 2, 3 or 4" high) using the Zebra 2844 LP Thermal Printer (our price: $429, 877-669-0854).

Direct thermal printers use a thermal printhead that applies heat to a chemically-treated paper, creating lines, text and graphics.

The new 4" Horizontal Tags are cost and time efficient. A black line across the back forces the printer to print before moving forward, so there is no waste.

(Buy tags from Markat CC, markatcc@att.net, Toll Free 888-947-7734. We are not compensated for recommending them. We do so because they know what tags are used with our software and will deliver the correct tags to you - very valuable service and their prices are lower than most.)

The printer is $429 and the 1" x 4" labels are $13 for 1310. The printing cost per label is less than printing sheet labels in the long run because no ink or ribbon is required and there's less label waste. It is also much easier to print one or several labels using a thermal label printer.

The disadvantages are that direct thermal labels fade with age and will turn black if exposed to heat or strong sunlight, and the printhead must be replace occasionally.

Outdated thermal labels (used by Liberty and Consignpro) 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.

There are various models of the Zebra printer, none of which are necessary for common consignment shop operations:

• The Zebra 2844 TLP is a Thermal Transfer Printer. It uses a ribbon. The printer melts the surface of the ribbon and applies the melted medium to the paper. LP printers apply heat directly to the paper.
• The 2844 has 256k SRAM, 512k Flash and No real-time clock
• The 2844Z has 8MB SDRAM, 128MB Flash and a real-time clock

Zebra's LP 2844 Direct Thermal Printer offers 4-inch-wide desktop labeling with USB, serial and 10/100 Base-T Ethernet connectivity. Print resolution is 203 dpi and flash memory is 512 KB. The warranty is 1 Year Limited covering parts and labor. $349 | Options: Printhead Kit, Memory Upgrades, Cables    Accessories    Parts and Printheads    Product Page Printer Driver (The 2844Z model has a 32-bit processor and 8MB of RAM.)    Software    Spec Sheet    Supplies

USB Memory Sticks (Flash Drives)

A memory stick or 'flash drive' is a data storage device that plugs into the PC's USB (universal serial bus) port. Flash drives are faster than floppies, hold more data and are more reliable because they do not have moving parts. For most consignment shops, capacity of 64MB is usually sufficient.