Though software such as Intuit POS, which integrates with QuickBooks, may be just right for the local stationery shop, small businesses with multiple locations are wise to consider centralizing their POS systems to simplify reporting, data analysis, and inventory management. That's the challenge faced by the shoe seller in the case study, below.

Taking centralization to another level, some vendors are experimenting with emerging cloud-based POS systems, such as those provided by Oracle. Yet brick-and-mortar retailers are among the last small businesses to adopt new POS technologies.

"The needle hasn't moved very much," says Leslie Hand, research director for IDC Retail Insights. Nevertheless, she has seen more small businesses renewing their POS systems recently. And retailers have also been pushing to increase LAN and bandwidth limits inside their stores, often to support a move toward mobile POS and kiosks.

Cathy Jean Shoes sells women's pumps, sandals, and boots at 46 retail stores around the United States. Yet despite the brand's broad reach, its 200 employees continued to track sales and orders on paper.