Stawi Biz

Retail software in Tanzania: what a shop really needs

Most shops look at the list of features first and the daily problem second. Do it the other way round: write down what goes wrong in your shop every week, then pick the software that fixes those things.

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Seven things a shop needs from its software

  • Stock that updates itself when you sell and when you receive, so you stop counting by hand.
  • Cash and mobile money in one till, with the totals shown separately at the end of the day.
  • Customer debts with names and amounts, not a page at the back of a book.
  • Selling that continues when the internet is down.
  • Separate access for each staff member, so you can see who sold what.
  • Receipts a customer can keep, on paper or on WhatsApp.
  • Reports you can read on your phone without sitting at the shop.

Questions to ask any vendor

  • What happens to my sales when the internet drops, and what happens when it returns?
  • Can I load my product list from Excel, or do I type every item again?
  • Can I stop a staff member from seeing profit or changing prices?
  • Can I take my data out if I leave?
  • Is there a free trial I can use with my own products, not a demo with sample ones?

Phone, computer or both?

A small shop often starts on a phone and moves to a computer at the counter when it grows. Check that the software runs on both, and that the same shop opens on either. Stawi Biz runs on Android phones, on a computer, and in the browser, with the same stock and sales on each.

More than one shop

If you have a second branch, or a wholesale shop next to a retail one, check that the software keeps their stock apart and lets you see both from one owner login. Stawi Biz supports several branches under one owner.

What is the best retail software in Tanzania?

The best one is the one your staff will actually use every day. Test two or three with your own products during their free trials and compare how fast a sale is and how clear the stock and debt figures are at the end of the week.

Can I move my product list from Excel?

Yes. Stawi Biz reads a spreadsheet with your product names, prices and quantities, and a barcode column if you have one, and creates the products for you.

Does it work if my shop has weak internet?

The Stawi Biz till keeps selling offline and sends the sales through when the connection returns.

Can I try it before paying?

Yes, for 14 days, with your own products and no card.

What is a POS system?The Stawi Biz POS for shopsStock managementPlans and prices

Test it on your own shelf.

Load your products, sell for 14 days, and see if your stock and debts finally add up. Free, no card.

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