Queues are the silent killer of retail, says Robin Anderson, Head of Product Management at Tribe Payments. Whether you’re the shopper stuck in line or the business owner watching potential customers abandon full baskets, the frustration is universal and costly.

And yet, despite huge advances in payment technology, many retailers remain shackled to outdated, clunky point-of-sale (POS) terminals that actively hinder the sales process.

But there’s a quiet revolution underway. SoftPOS (software point of sale) is turning the humble smartphone into a powerful payment tool. No extra kit, no fiddly cables, no delay. Just an app, and you’re ready to take payments anytime, anywhere.

Why are we still queuing?

The average shopper will spend over a year of their life queuing. Every unnecessary minute in a queue increases the risk of customer abandonment. They don’t just complain; they leave. And they don’t always come back.

Our research shows that 28% of merchants are still using legacy POS systems incapable of accepting modern payment methods, such as contactless wallets and QR codes. In practical terms, that means they’re literally turning away customers at the point of sale.

Beyond that, these ageing systems can’t support real-time data collection or integration with wider CRM tools. They’re expensive to maintain and painful to update. For many retailers, they’re not just outdated; they’re actively damaging.

Changing the game

SoftPOS turns any Android phone or tablet into a compliant, secure payment terminal. Staff can process transactions on the shop floor, at pop-ups, during service calls or at outdoor events. Suddenly, the fixed till isn’t the only place you can do business. From queue-busting in peak hours to enabling fully mobile teams, SoftPOS lets payments happen exactly where and when the customer is ready to pay.

Security, understandably, is a common concern. But SoftPOS meets the same PCI DSS standards as traditional terminals. Encryption, tokenisation and secure PIN entry on glass are all built-in, making it suitable for higher-value purchases too. With PCI MPoC standards now in place, these app-based systems are proving they can match – and often surpass – the security of hardware terminals.

Big impact for small businesses

While major retailers are using SoftPOS to enhance flexibility and reduce friction, the impact on smaller operators may be even greater. Traditional POS solutions come with upfront hardware costs, licence fees and integration headaches. By contrast, SoftPOS is affordable, fast to set up and easy to scale.

For a sole trader or micro-business, the ability to accept a tap-to-pay transaction with nothing more than a phone is transformative. It levels the playing field, offering the kind of sleek, modern payment experience customers expect, without the typical overheads.

Data that drives decisions

Perhaps even more powerful than the payments themselves is the data SoftPOS unlocks. Traditional terminals have been questionable when it comes to delivering actionable insight. At best, data is delivered in slow batch reports. At worst, it’s entirely siloed and disconnected from customer behaviour.

SoftPOS integrates directly with Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tools, loyalty platforms and analytics dashboards. That means every transaction becomes an opportunity to learn, refine and personalise. Offers can be targeted, trends spotted early and marketing made more meaningful.

In fact, 63% of the merchants we surveyed said better personalisation would help grow their business. SoftPOS places that capability within reach, especially for businesses that previously lacked the infrastructure to collect or use this kind of information effectively.

More than a convenience story

For acquiring banks (i.e., financial institutions that process payments on behalf of businesses) and payment service providers, the third parties that help merchants accept payments more easily, it represents a new route to market. This is particularly true in regions or sectors where cost and complexity have long been barriers to digital payment adoption.

For retailers still tied to old systems, now is the time to pause and reflect.

How many customers are being lost because queues are too long? Are you offering the payment methods your customers want to use? Could your team sell more if they weren’t tethered to a fixed terminal? And, crucially, what could you do with deeper, real-time insight into customer behaviour?

In most cases, the solution is already in your pocket. SoftPOS isn’t just another fintech trend. It’s a practical, affordable and scalable solution to some of retail’s most persistent problems. It removes friction from the customer experience, empowers staff to sell more effectively and delivers the kind of data retailers need to compete in an increasingly digital marketplace.

Those who adopt now won’t just keep up, they’ll lead. Because in today’s hyper-competitive retail environment, doing nothing is the most expensive decision you can make.