Managing a successful music instrument store can be like music to your ears, but it doesn’t come without a few fumbles. As an entrepreneur, you have to be your own manager, customer service rep, inventory specialist, marketer, and more. Luckily, there’s point of sale (POS) software you can use to ensure you’re running the most successful, profitable, and organized music instrument store possible.
In this blog, you’ll learn why inventory management is so important — and get an overview of seven top musical instrument store point of sale systems you can choose from.
Key Features To Look for in a Musical Instrument Store POS System
Although point of sale systems serve the same main purpose, they’re not all considered equal. They have different features depending on the type of business you have and the special tasks you need your software to perform.
In addition to the basics like processing payments, running reports, and managing inventory, here are some unique features you should have specifically for a musical instrument store:
- Rental tracking: Musical instruments can be expensive, so it’s wise to offer the option to rent. To keep rentals organized, a rental tracking feature helps you monitor how long the instruments have been out, and keep tabs on recurring payments. Never lose track of who has what and when you’re expecting it back.
- Repairs and services: Instruments need lots of love, too. The right POS system will manage repair orders, track parts, and schedule service appointments, making sure every guitar, violin, and saxophone gets the TLC it needs.
- Lesson scheduling: Are you training any budding musicians? With integrated lesson scheduling you can schedule sessions, track instructor availability, and handle payments.
- Sheet music and accessories: From sheet music to strings and reeds, this feature makes managing smaller items simple. Never run out of the essentials that keep musicians playing.
- Special orders: Got a customer looking for something unique? Modern music POS systems can handle custom orders, making sure that every specific request is met — whether it’s a rare instrument or a unique accessory.
- Layaway plans: Big purchases can be daunting. Layaway plans let customers pay off high-value instruments over time, making that dream guitar or piano more accessible.
- Trade-ins and consignments: If you have some gently used instruments, this feature helps you manage trade-ins and consignment sales with ease. Handle pre-loved instruments, giving them a second life — and your customers a great deal.
- Customer relationship management: Keep your customers coming back with CRM features that track their purchases, preferences, and contact information. This is perfect for personalized marketing and follow-ups.
- Multi-channel sales: Whether in-store or online, this feature integrates all your sales channels, ensuring a smooth experience for both you and your customers. Manage everything from one place and keep the music flowing.
Now that you know what to look for in your next point of sale system, you’re probably wondering if there are any providers out there that offer software specifically for musical instrument stores. Keep reading for a look at our top picks.
The 7 Best Musical Instrument Store POS Systems
Finding the right musical instrument store POS system can take a lot of time. Luckily, we’ve done the tedious part for you. Below, we explore seven software options that cater to various needs, from managing sales and rentals to scheduling music lessons.
1. Lightspeed
Lightspeed is a cloud-based point of sale system that is great for well-established businesses with multiple locations. It has everything you’d expect from POS software including comprehensive inventory management, customer relationship management, and omnichannel store management.
Where Lightspeed shines is in their availability of 40 different reports. You get detailed insights into everything from inventory levels to how well your marketing strategy is performing. They are also known for their 24/7 customer service. You will be able to speak to a live person at any time — avoiding the frustration of AI chatbots or FAQs that don’t fully resolve your issues.
They offer a loyalty program that groups customers by class, one-on-one onboarding for personalized service, and a service order scheduling module. But all of these features can come at a hefty price.
Best suited for: Because you cannot schedule repairs, appointments, or music lessons directly in their system, Lightspeed is best suited for a general retail store.
Pricing: Lightspeed has three different plans from Basic ($109/month) to Plus ($289/month). You can receive a discount if you opt for an annual contract. Hardware is sold separately and can be up to $429 if you want offline capabilities.
2. Clover
Clover may make you think of the restaurant industry, but they also have point of sale software tailored to retail and service-based businesses. Clover’s POS software and hardware is highly customizable, but it’s better suited to businesses that typically accept payment in person.
Clover has a large library of third-party integrations like accounting and marketing software. Their flat payment processing fees and distinctive white hardware help them stand out from other systems.
Clover also has Clover Capital — you will be able to access funds sort of like a loan and pay it off using future revenue. Unfortunately, Clover does not offer a solution for scheduling appointments and service orders, and you’d be required to use a third-party app like Appointy or Booking.
Best suited for: Like Lightspeed, Clover is best suited for either a general retail music store or a service-based shop, and a bit more challenging for a musical instrument store that can have both services and general retail sales.
Pricing: Pricing can be as low as $0/month or as high as $190/month. Because of their customizable hardware and software, we recommend contacting them for accurate pricing.
3. Music Shop 360
Music Shop 360 is designed just for music stores, so you know you’re getting a POS system that covers anything a musical instrument store can throw at it. Whether you’re just selling musical instruments or scheduling lessons and repairs, Music Shop 360 can handle it all without third-party integrations that require separate subscriptions.
Music Shop 360’s features designed specifically for musical instrument stores include:
- Rental management: Manage rental inventory including instruments and equipment.
- Class management: Support for organizing and managing music classes, including class reports by instructors.
- Reverb integration: Direct integration with Reverb, a popular online marketplace for new, used, and vintage music gear.
- Work orders and repairs: Efficiently manage repair services, including tracking and updating work orders.
- Special orders: Ability to handle custom or special orders, ensuring customer requests are fulfilled accurately.
- Trade-in and consignment: System for managing trade-ins and items on consignment.
- My Music Staff integration: Seamlessly integrate with My Music Staff for lesson scheduling and student management.
In addition to these niche features, you can expect inventory management, reporting, industry-specific integrations, in-house payment processing, and much more.
Best suited for: Any musical instrument store. Whether you are a new music shop or have several locations, Music Shop 360 can scale with your business’ needs.
Pricing: Contact Music Shop 360 for custom pricing.
4. AIMsi
AIMsi is a powerful tool for managing your musical instrument store with ease. It offers seamless sales processing and detailed inventory management, helping you track stock levels and handle transactions efficiently. Whether you're selling instruments or accessories, AIMsi keeps everything organized.
For stores that offer rentals and music lessons, AIMsi has you covered. It manages instrument rentals effortlessly, tracks agreements, and handles billing. Plus, its integrated scheduling feature lets you book and manage music lessons, streamlining both your rental and lesson operations.
AIMsi also provides insightful reporting and analytics. You’ll get valuable data on sales trends, inventory, and customer preferences, helping you make informed decisions and optimize your store’s performance. This all-in-one solution supports your store’s retail and service needs effectively.
Best suited for: Musical instrument store owners that do it all — sell, rent, and repair instruments.
Pricing: Contact AIMsi for custom pricing.
5. Square
Square has solid POS solutions for retail and restaurants, and now, to schedule appointments. Square Appointments is a versatile tool that allows you to manage bookings for various types of appointments and services, including lessons.
You can set up different types of appointments, define the duration of each lesson, and allow clients to book time slots based on your availability. The system also integrates with your calendar and can handle reminders and cancellations, making it a convenient choice for scheduling and managing lessons.
You can sell products online or in-store with the retail capabilities built in as well. If you need to ring up a product and a service in one transaction, Square Appointments can handle it all effortlessly.
Best suited for: Musical instrument stores that offer lessons or repair services. It cannot accommodate rental management and payments without third-party software integrations.
Pricing: It’s free for a Basic subscription that manages a single location. Square Appointments’ Premium subscription is $69/month.
6. Erply
Erply offers a user-friendly checkout experience and supports a range of payment options, making transactions smooth for your customers. While it’s excellent for managing your store's inventory in real time, tracking stock levels, and automating reordering, you’ll need to do a bit of customization to handle instrument rentals.
You can keep track of which instruments are out on loan and when they’re due back, but complex rental management like automated billing and maintenance will require additional tools or integrations.
For scheduling music lessons, Erply POS doesn’t have built-in appointment features. You will need to use a separate scheduling tool to manage bookings, reminders, and lesson times. However, Erply’s strong inventory and customer management features are still very helpful in supporting your store’s overall operations. With insights into sales trends and customer preferences, you'll be well-equipped to run the retail aspects of your store efficiently.
Best suited for: Retail music stores that need basic rental management capabilities. Note that you’ll likely require third-party integrations for more advanced features.
Pricing: There is a free option for single-user accounts. For more advanced functionality or more users, expect to pay $79/month.
7. Rentle
Rentle is a powerful POS solution designed with rental businesses in mind, making it an excellent choice for your musical instrument store. It seamlessly manages both retail sales and instrument rentals, providing a streamlined experience for handling everything from daily transactions to complex rental agreements.
Rentle’s intuitive interface helps you keep track of inventory, so you always know which instruments are available and which are out on loan. Its flexible rental management features allow you to set custom rental terms, track returns, and handle billing with ease.
While its core strength is in rentals and retail, Rentle integrates with scheduling tools to efficiently handle lesson bookings and appointments. This means you can manage your instrument inventory, rental schedules, and lesson calendars.
Best suited for: Musical instrument stores focused on rentals and retail. You’ll need third-party software to manage music lessons.
Pricing: Rentle’s introductory plan is just $39/month. For slightly more in-depth features expect to pay $92/month. Their advanced plan sees a major price hike at $479/month. You can get your first month for $1 and receive a slight discount for committing to an annual plan.
Choosing the best POS system depends on your specific requirements, whether it's handling complex rentals, integrating with lesson scheduling, or optimizing inventory management. Evaluate these options to find the perfect fit for your store’s unique needs. Remember: Be sure to take advantage of any free demos and trial periods.
Everything You Need in One POS Software: Music Shop 360
Finding a musical instrument store point of sale system that seamlessly handles instrument sales, rentals, and lesson scheduling can make all the difference. So which software is best?
Music Shop 360 is designed specifically for music stores, offering a comprehensive solution that covers all your needs without requiring multiple third-party integrations.
With features like rental management, class scheduling, and repair tracking, Music Shop 360 is tailored to streamline your operations and enhance customer satisfaction. Ready to see how it works in action?
Schedule a free demo with Music Shop 360 today to explore how their POS system can transform your store and keep the music playing smoothly.