Vape shops in New Zealand need specialized POS systems that handle unique industry requirements. Selecting the right POS system for your New Zealand vape shop represents a crucial business decision that impacts daily operations, customer experience, and regulatory compliance. This guide examines the eight best POS systems for vape shops, with essential features including inventory management, age verification tools, and regulatory compliance capabilities.
Keep reading to select the right POS solution that will streamline operations and help your vape shop thrive in this highly regulated market!
Highlights:
- The vape market in New Zealand is tightly regulated and rapidly growing, with a strong focus on age-restricted sales, product variety, and compliance with local vaping laws.
- A POS system for NZ vape shops should support ID verification, detailed product categorization, real-time inventory tracking, and multi-payment processing to handle both regulatory demands and customer expectations.
Vape Market in New Zealand and Important Regulations
New Zealand’s e-cigarette market is valued at NZ US$377.5 million in 2025, with a projected annual growth of 3.37% through 2029. The market generates approximately US$81.04 per person, significantly smaller than the United States’ leading market position of US$9 billion. Demand continues to rise as consumers seek alternatives to traditional tobacco products amid strict regulations and health awareness.
The growing popularity of vaping in New Zealand stems from increasingly stringent tobacco control measures and heightened public consciousness about the health risks associated with conventional smoking. This shift in consumer behavior has created a robust market for vape retailers across the country, despite operating within a heavily regulated environment.
Key regulatory requirements based on the Ministry of Health – Manatū Hauora include:
- Removable batteries: All vaping products must feature removable batteries
- Child-safety mechanisms: Required on all vaping products
- Flavor restrictions: Products must comply with variant name restrictions
- Nicotine limits: Standard products capped at 20 mg/ml; reusable devices with nicotine salts limited to 28.5 mg/ml
- Labeling requirements: Single-use products must meet clauses 1, 1A, and 24A of Schedule 5; reusable products must comply with clause 1 of Schedule 5
Vape shops should note the June 17, 2025, deadline for product notifications to maintain compliance. These regulations directly impact inventory management and point-of-sale requirements, making specialized POS systems particularly valuable for New Zealand vape retailers who must track product compliance across multiple categories while maintaining proper age verification protocols and detailed sales records.
Key Vape Shop POS Features
The best POS systems for vape shops should offer several tailored features to handle the industry’s unique requirements in New Zealand.
- Cloud Solution: Cloud-based systems provide access to business data anywhere, enabling remote monitoring and management. They automatically back up data and reduce hardware requirements.
- Inventory Management: Effective inventory tracking prevents stockouts and overstocking. Look for systems that manage product variants, batch tracking, and automatic reordering capabilities specific to vape products and compliance requirements.
- Customer Loyalty Programs: Build repeat business through integrated loyalty features that track purchase history, reward points, and personalized promotions while maintaining age verification records.
- Integration with Payment Processing: Seamless payment processing reduces transaction times and errors. A good system handles multiple payment methods, including digital wallets and credit cards.
- Staff Management: Track employee hours, sales performance, and register activities. Permission controls ensure appropriate access levels for different staff roles.
- Sales Reporting: Comprehensive analytics help identify top-selling products, peak business hours, and profit margins. Reports should be customizable to monitor compliance metrics specific to vape retailers.
- Updates and Security: Regular software updates maintain security and compliance with changing regulations. Ensure your system provider stays current with New Zealand vaping legislation.
- Ongoing Technical Support: Reliable customer service resolves issues quickly. Consider providers offering 24/7 support, especially if your shop operates extended hours.
- Ease of Use: Intuitive interfaces reduce training time and minimize errors. The system should streamline age verification processes and regulatory compliance tasks while maintaining efficient checkout procedures.
8 Best POS Systems for Vape Shops in New Zealand
Here’s our analysis of the top 8 POS solutions that serve New Zealand vape retailers, based on features, cost, and user feedback.
ConnectPOS
ConnectPOS offers tailored functionality designed explicitly for vape retailers. The vape POS system offers thorough product categorization with extensive variant options for flavors, sizes, coils, batteries, and nicotine levels, creating accurate product organization that enhances the customer shopping experience.
- Flexible Payment Processing – The POS accommodates diverse payment options, including cash, cards, split tender transactions, and integrated payment gateways. This flexibility simplifies the checkout process while meeting various customer payment preferences.
- Built-In Compliance Tools – ConnectPOS includes age verification workflows, ID scanning, and transaction logging to help vape retailers stay aligned with local regulations.
- Real-Time Inventory Management – ConnectPOS delivers immediate inventory visibility with automatic low-stock alerts, demand forecasting, and streamlined reordering capabilities. These features help prevent popular items from selling out during busy periods, maximizing sales opportunities.
- Data-Driven Business Intelligence – Advanced reporting tools provide detailed analytics on purchase histories and customer preferences, including product types, flavors, and nicotine levels.
- Self-Service Technology – The system includes customizable self-checkout kiosks with integrated ID-scanning capabilities designed explicitly for e-cigarette products. This innovation reduces wait times while maintaining regulatory compliance for age verification.
- Customer Loyalty Solutions – ConnectPOS recognizes and rewards regular customers through store credits, points programs, and personalized incentives. Therefore, vape shops can build a loyal customer base and encourage repeat business in the competitive New Zealand market.
- Multi-Outlet Support – For vape retailers expanding across multiple locations, ConnectPOS offers centralized management of stock transfers, pricing updates, user permissions, and reporting across all stores.
Clover POS
Clover stands out among the best POS systems for vape shops requiring extensive customization options. The platform delivers several standout features tailored to the vape retail environment:
- Advanced Inventory Management – Clover’s advanced inventory management includes real-time stock level tracking, product variation management across flavors, strengths, and brands, plus expiration date monitoring to prevent losses.
- Customer Loyalty Tools – The system excels in customer loyalty tools with a point-based reward system for purchases, robust customer retention programs, and targeted marketing campaign capabilities.
- Regulatory Compliance – Clover incorporates ID scanning for age verification along with support for multiple payment methods, addressing the strict age requirements for New Zealand vape retailers.
- Business Intelligence – The system provides comprehensive sales reporting, detailed inventory analysis, and insights into customer purchase patterns. These analytics help shop owners make data-driven decisions about product selection, pricing, and marketing strategies.
KORONA POS
KORONA POS provides an efficient solution for vape shops seeking streamlined operations and enhanced customer experience with essential features.
- Data-Driven Decision Making – The system offers comprehensive reporting capabilities that generate customized sales, inventory, and customer reports specifically designed for smoke and vape retailers. These analytics provide valuable insights for inventory planning and business strategy development based on actual sales data.
- Regulatory Compliance Tools – KORONA excels in regulatory compliance with robust age verification tools for both in-store and online transactions, helping New Zealand vape shops meet strict legal requirements.
- Employee Management – The system also features employee management functionality, including time tracking and permission-based access controls to protect sensitive information and prevent unauthorized register use.
- Superior Inventory Management – Inventory control stands out as a particular strength, with features to track stock levels across product variations, monitor expiration dates, and implement automated reordering.
- User-Friendly Interface – The straightforward interface and focused feature set make KORONA particularly suitable for vape retailers who prioritize operational efficiency and compliance without unnecessary complexity.
Lightspeed POS
Among the best POS systems for vape shops, Lightspeed Retail is an exceptional POS system with robust business tools, from detailed inventory sheets to advanced promotional capabilities including SMS marketing and promotional engines.
- Advanced Inventory Control – The system features real-time tracking, detailed product categorization, expiration date monitoring, and automated reordering for various product variations such as tobacco, vapes, and accessories.
- Enhanced Selling Restrictions – Lightspeed offers customized selling restriction features that regulate high-risk product sales. The system can prevent bulk purchases by establishing quantity limits and uses ID-scanning technology to verify customer age for compliance with New Zealand regulations.
- Regulatory Compliance Features – The platform ensures Retail Access Control Standards (RACS) compliance through integrated ID scanning for age verification.
- Flexible Payment Processing – Lightspeed accommodates diverse payment methods including credit cards, debit cards, cash, and mobile payment options, providing convenience for customers while streamlining the checkout process for staff.
Shopify POS
Shopify POS stands as the ideal system for vape shops aiming to expand their presence across multiple platforms, seamlessly connecting online and offline retail experiences.
- Streamlined Inventory Management – The system provides robust inventory tools featuring barcode scanning for efficient tracking of diverse products including cigars, tobacco, vapes, and accessories.
- Online Age Verification – Shopify offers age-verification tools through add-on services, primarily designed for online sales.
- User-Friendly Implementation – The platform features quick setup processes and an intuitive interface that requires minimal staff training.
- Unified Commerce Platform – Shopify excels in providing seamless integration between its POS system and eCommerce platform, allowing vape shop owners to manage both online and in-store sales through a single dashboard.
- Customer Relationship Management – The system tracks customer profiles, purchase histories, and loyalty programs, therefore, vape retailers can create personalized promotional offers and build stronger customer relationships through targeted marketing initiatives.
Square POS
Square is among the best POS systems for vape shops prioritizing cost control while still accessing essential business management tools. Its pricing structure makes it particularly appealing for new or smaller retailers.
- Intuitive Interface – The system features a straightforward, centralized dashboard that simplifies customer interactions, invoice distribution, and comprehensive management of staff and inventory through a single platform.
- Customer Relationship Tools – Square’s Customer Directory enables effective relationship management by organizing customer data including contact information and transaction patterns.
- Practical Inventory Controls – The inventory system tracks stock levels, implements low-stock alerts, and manages product variations across flavors and nicotine strengths.
- Competitive Pricing Structure – Square offers an appealing financial model with no monthly subscription fees, charging only a small percentage of transactions.
- Integrated Fraud Protection – The complimentary Risk Manager feature uses machine learning and analytics to identify suspicious patterns. That allows shop owners to block problematic cards, emails, and IP addresses.
Cigars POS
Cigars POS stands out as a specialized point-of-sale system created specifically by and for tobacco retailers. This focused approach delivers an all-in-one solution tailored to the unique requirements of tobacco shops, cigar lounges, and vape stores across New Zealand.
- User-Friendly Design – The system prioritizes ease of use with an intuitive interface designed specifically for the tobacco retail environment. This specialized design reduces training time and operational errors common with general retail POS systems.
- Complete Inventory Management – Cigars POS includes robust inventory tracking capabilities designed specifically for tobacco and vape products, allowing retailers to manage diverse product categories, variants, and stock levels effectively.
- Performance Analytics – The platform offers detailed business analytics that helps shop owners track sales performance, identify trends, and make data-driven decisions about product selection and pricing strategies.
- Customer Engagement Tools – Built-in loyalty program features enable vape retailers to reward repeat customers, track purchase histories, and implement targeted marketing initiatives to increase customer retention.
- Regulatory Compliance – The system incorporates specialized age verification tools designed to meet New Zealand’s strict requirements for tobacco and vape sales, helping retailers maintain compliance with minimal effort.
- Custom Label Functionality – Integrated label printing capabilities allow for customized product labeling that meets regulatory requirements while enhancing the professional appearance of the merchandise.
- Scan Data Reporting – Cigars POS streamlines operational reporting with built-in scan data functionality, simplifying record-keeping requirements for tobacco and vape retailers.
How to Choose a Vape Store POS System
Selecting the right POS system for your vape shop requires evaluating several critical features that address industry-specific needs. Take a look at the essential elements when making your decision.
Key Features:
- Inventory Management: Track stock levels, manage product variations (flavors, nicotine strengths), and set automated reorder points to maintain optimal inventory.
- Age Verification: Implement robust verification tools that restrict sales to appropriate age groups and ensure compliance with New Zealand regulations and RACS requirements.
- Payment Processing: Support multiple payment methods including credit cards, debit cards, and cash transactions.
- Customer Management: Create detailed customer profiles, monitor purchase history, and deploy loyalty programs that encourage repeat business.
- Reporting and Analytics: Generate comprehensive sales, inventory, and customer reports tailored specifically for vape retailers.
Further Considerations
- Customization: Look for systems that adapt to your shop’s unique requirements, particularly for age restriction implementation.
- Integration Capabilities: Ensure compatibility with your existing business tools such as accounting software and eCommerce platforms.
- Online Age Restrictions: For shops with websites, consider POS systems that support ID verification and age restriction pop-ups to prevent underage sales.
- Scalability: Choose a solution that accommodates business growth, allowing additional registers, locations, or expanded product lines without major system changes.
In Conclusion
Each of the best POS systems for vape shops we’ve reviewed offers unique strengths tailored to different business needs and priorities. When evaluating these options, consider your specific requirements around inventory management, age verification, customer engagement, and reporting capabilities. The ideal system should align with your shop’s size, budget, and growth plans while ensuring seamless compliance with New Zealand’s strict vaping regulations.
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FAQs: Best POS Systems for Vape Shops
Q: Which POS features matter most for vape retailers?
A: Key features include age verification, inventory tracking, batch number management, and customer loyalty programs.
Q: What is the average cost of a vape shop POS system?
A: Monthly costs range between NZ$50-150, depending on features and number of terminals. Setup fees typically add NZ$200-500.
Q: Do I need special hardware for vape shop POS?
A: Basic requirements include a terminal/tablet, barcode scanner, cash drawer, and receipt printer. Specialized ID scanners help verify customer age.
Q: Can these best POS systems for vape shops track nicotine content?
A: Yes. Most vape-specific POS systems let you log nicotine levels, flavor profiles, and batch numbers for compliance.
