Intuit dropped QuickBooks Desktop Point of Sale! (POS)

Can we continue to use POS after Oct 2023? Yes! 

Intuit announced at the end of February 2023 that they no longer sell their POS product. They discontinued Support and all Connected Services for its final POS Version 19 on October 3, 2023.

The following connected services were turned off on October 3, 2023:

• QuickBooks Point of Sale Payments
• QuickBooks Point of Sale Givex Gift Card Service
• Mobile Sync and GoPayment
• Store Exchange
• E-commerce integration with Webgility
• Support Plans, including Live Support (phone, email, chat)
• Vendor Lookup Service

Can we continue to use POS after October 3, 2023?

Yes! You can use any version of the Desktop POS you purchased. Sticking with POS may be critical if you interface with QuickBooks Desktop accounting or need time to research the best migration path carefully. And don’t forget; you own your inventory and sales data file. Back it up offsite at least daily and protect it like gold.

With that said, you must be prepared in case you repair or replace a PC and need to reinstall the software. It may not be clear from Intuit that while you may have access to the POS program in your Intuit (CAMPS) Customer Account Management Portal, the release patch files will disappear, making it worthless. So, in addition to keeping a copy of the program installation file, your owner information, license number, product code, and validation code in a safe place, the critical file to have on hand is the final release patch file. Version 19 is release 11.

What else do I need to consider?

Except for Intuit’s POS Payments, determine if your configuration uses any of the other connected services listed above from Intuit. I’ve heard that there are other 3rd party options available for Support and to replace Store Exchange and the Webgility integration. I will update this article as I learn more. Absent replacing these services, you have seven months to do your due diligence to find the best migration path to another program. Intuit recommends Shopify and is offering a migration path. 

Wait. We don’t HAVE to use Intuit’s POS Payments?!

Nope. While a store can take credit cards outside the POS software, entering the amount due in a little terminal is prone to keying mistakes. Best to use a credit card merchant that works inside the POS program. Most think that Intuit Payments is the only one. However, nine years ago, I found a POS add-on, and all my POS stores use them. My clients welcomed reduced fees plus the ability to avoid the upgrade cost to Version 19 by continuing to use their older versions!

Which integrated merchant service do you recommend for POS?

For the seasoned owner, the thought of finding or changing merchant services can bring them to a fetal position. I find it a cutthroat business and avoided consulting in this area for decades. But then, with the advent of eCommerce and cloud software came “flat rate” services such as Stripe, PayPal, Square, and Intuit Payments. These can be great for businesses with low transactions, but they get you with their per-transaction fees. They also give great incentives to software companies, so notice that they may be the only services available with your choice of online software.

But traditional “brick and mortar” stores typically use a tiered service, where the fees depend on several factors such as the type of credit card taken (business, personal, rewards, debit), swiped vs. keyed, etc. Add to this the processor’s monthly and per-transaction fees. Businesses with a high number of transactions and high monthly receipts benefit the most from a tiered service. Unfortunately, many businesses don’t realize that the slew of “interchange” tiered fees are set and non-negotiable by credit card companies. What you can negotiate are the processor’s setup and monthly fees.

I looked for fair and non-roller coaster fees, no long-term contracts, and assigned human support reps.

But I wanted more.

If my clients were going to consider changing credit card processors, I wanted more for the back office. I wanted accounting software integration. In 2014, I discovered a tiered processor with an add-on for QuickBooks Desktop. I found this company to have stellar Support, and its software combines taking a credit card and posting the payment to QuickBooks into one step. Also important to me was preventing clients from writing down customer credit card numbers from phone calls and storing card numbers in unsecured software! They then became my recommendation for POS due to their integration.

Ok, who is it, and how do I get a quote?

My favorite processor is now the parent company of a new online customer A/R self-service program called PayInvoice.

Link to more info and quote request.

What can I expect during the quote process?

We will ask for a copy of your most recent credit card statement from Intuit (yes, it is available) or another processor to obtain a quote and personal demo. I’ve never had another service beat PayInvoice fees. Most tiered processors charge a one-time setup fee due to the personal hands-on attention needed to process the application, gain credit approval, set up and train, and provide an assigned support person. So, expect a setup fee in most quotes.

When it comes to a fee for the POS integration, it depends.
There is no monthly fee with monthly credit card receipts of $30k or higher. For smaller stores, they may quote $95 per month for POS. I have a seasonal gift shop exceeding $30k monthly, except for the months of January and February. They provided a year’s worth of statements, which aided in the quote process.

What about equipment?

Unfortunately, companies such as Intuit and others such as Heartland add proprietary software to their equipment, so re-programming may not be possible. Again, negotiating discounted or free equipment depends on the average sales volume. Providing an image of the swiper and model # is helpful.

The best news is that you can extend the life of your QuickBooks Desktop Point of Sale.