Sharp ER-A247 and ER-A347 review

Sharp ER-A347 cash register

A class leading display, stylish new design and versatile capabilities make the ER-A347 and ER-A247 cash registers built for a business ready to grow. Utilizing a large operator display and a re ned menu based management system, the ER-A347 and the ER-A247 sets a new standard in commercial cash register design. Managing your retail business has never been easier with advanced features including: separate receipt & journal printers, an option to connect a scanner, credit card payment interface, SD card slot for sales / register data transfer and even a QuickBooks® transfer tool for the PC. The ER-A347 and ER-A247 is the ideal price and performance answer to your register needs.

Sharp ER-A347 Features

• Directly hardwire a credit card terminal - cashiers won't have to type in transaction amounts.*
• Professional metal cash drawer - with 5 bill and 6 coin compartments
• 2 Displays - Include one operator and one customer for easy viewing.
• Thermal Printing - For fast print speed and quiet operation (12 lines per second).
• SD Card Slot - For easy data backup/transfer/cloning.
• Automatic Tax System - For up to 4 individual tax rates or a tax table.
• PC Link software (via SD Card only) - For easy programming.
• Graphics Tool - As part of PC-Link software; adds a logo or graphic to receipts.
• Quickbooks^® Pro^® - Link to the famous accounting software to integrate transactions (verisons 2010-2013 supported).
• 99 Pre-Programmed Departments - Easily separate product types.
• 7000 Price Look-ups - For quick and accurate entry.

Sharp ER-A247 Features

• Directly hardwire a credit card terminal - cashiers won't have to type in transaction amounts.*
• Professional metal cash drawer - with 5 bill and 6 coin compartments
• 2 Displays - Include one operator and one customer for easy viewing.
• Thermal Printing - For fast print speed and quiet operation (12 lines per second).
• SD Card Slot - For easy data backup/transfer/cloning.
• Automatic Tax System - For up to 4 individual tax rates or a tax table.
• PC Link software (via SD Card only) - For easy programming.
• Graphics Tool - As part of PC-Link software; adds a logo or graphic to receipts.
• Quickbooks^® Pro^® - Link to the famous accounting software to integrate transactions (verisons 2010-2013 supported).
• 99 Pre-Programmed Departments - Easily separate product types.
• 7000 Price Look-ups - For quick and accurate entry.

*Interface with Hypercom T4220 (version3.3.x) terminal only, check with your credit card processor for compatibility.

There are still a few Sharp ER-A320 cash registers left

Sharp ER-A320 Cash Register

The POS and Cash Register online store still has a handful of Sharp ER-A320 cash registers left that are new in box. The ER-A320 was discontinued mid 2012 even though it was one of the best selling Sharp cash register ever.

The ER-A320 is a work horse of a machine. This machine was very simple, durable and cost effective it's a shame it is gone. This was not a result of Sharp buy rather Epson who made the printer stopped production of the printer used in the A320.

As far as I know there is not yet a direct replacement for the A320 however rumors have been flotaing around that a new model is on the way? The closest thing to a replacment right now is the Sharp ER-A247 or the ER-A347 both of which are great cash registers however pretty different from the A320.

So long Sharp ER-A330 Cash Register

The Sharp ER-A330 is meeting the same fate as the ER-A320 Both of these models have been work horses of the Sharp Cash Register line however the printer they use is no longer made by Epson so Sharp has to pull the plug. Parts will be available for years and years and should become an issue for quite awhile.

Sharp has not released a replacement for these two models. The did release the ER-A247 and the ER-A347 which are great registers however they both use thermal paper and have quite a few more features than either the A320 or A330



Sharp ER-A330 Cash Register

Is it goodbye for the Sharp ER-A320 Cash Register

For a very long time the Sharp ER-A320 cash register has been one of the best selling cash registers on the market. The A320 has been a workhorse and easy to use, takes abuse and keeps coming back for more.

Well all good things must come to an end as is the case with the Sharp ER-A320 cash register  In this case it is not Sharp's fault as Epson who makes the printer for this model stopped making the printer and Sharp had no choice but to end the A320's life. There will still be parts for a very long time and I would not hesitate to buy this machine because of this news. As a matter of fact if this is a model your business uses on a regular basis I would buy a few while they are available.

Sharp has not released any news about a replacement with a bond printer. They did release a couple new models that are great but they both have thermal printers. These new machines the ER-A247 and ER-A347 include many features not found in the A320 like computer interface, SD card port, credit card terminal interface, quickbook interface and a multi-line LCD display.



Sharp ER-A320 Cash Register

Cash register credit card interface

Sharp cash registers are one of the first on the market to release a commercial grade cash register that  interfaces to a traditional credit card terminal made by Hypercom. Although It is only one specific model of Hypercom it is a step in the right direction. The registers that can do this are the ER-A347 and the ER-A247 from Sharp. I do not beleive gift cards have been introduced to this interface yet.

The interface with the standalone credit card terminal is good, however I don't think it is as fast or secure as the old standby of interfacing cash registers to credit card payments with a Datacap. When you interface with the Datacap product such as the TwinTran it really turns your cash register into a credit card terminal as well. Most SAM4s Cash Registers and Sharp Registers interface with Datacap and also allow Gift Card interface as well.

There are several credit card merchant services compaines that specialize in cash register to credit card interfaces and the unique aspects of this interface. The company I have worked with the most and with the higest rate of success for everyone involved is Mercury Payment Systems. They will offer you a no upfront cost Twin Tran, a no cost gift card program (you do buy the cards, but never a discount fee or transaction fee for gift cards), they pay me to manage and support  your register and cash register interface.

We have not even talked about if you should interface or not. After doing this now for over ten years I can assure you interfacing your cash register or POS system directly to credit card payments will make you more money. How can I be so sure you might ask? I have seen first hand with my own eyes store owners we have installed going through thier receipts before and after interfacing. Before interfacing reconciling credit card payments on the register to the actual charges on the credit card terminal are drasiclty different. After they match penny for penny! Before interface entry mistakes were common where a cashier might turn a $19.99 sale into $1.99 on the credit card terminal. Fraud also is reduced greatly when you interface the two.

Best place to buy cash register keyboard covers

Keyboard covers are a great way to protect the investment you have made in your cash register. Here is a great place to buy your covers listed here for both Sharp and SAM4s machines

• Sharp Cash Register Keyboard Covers
• SAM4s Cash Register Keyboard Covers

If they don't have you model listed you may want to give them a call. I know they have the popular Sharp models such as

• Sharp ER-A320
• Sharp ER-A330
• Sharp ER-A247
• Sharp ER-A347
• Sharp ER-A420
• Sharp UP-700
• Many more Sharp registers as well

And they have even more for Samsung and SAM4s cash registers, following is just a few models they carry covers for

• SAM4s ER-650
• SAM4s ER-650R
• SAM4s ER-5200
• SAM4s ER-5200M
• SAM4s SER-7000
• SAM4s SER-7040
• SAM4s SPS-520
• SAM4s SPS-530
• Many more SAM4s registers as well

Don't forget to change your keyboard covers which will protect your register and probably easier to see through!

Which is the best cash register make and model?

Are you looking for a cash register? Wondering who makes the best one? There are really only two good cash register makes in the United States now in the commercial grade category. They are the following

1. SAM4s Cash Registers
2. Sharp Cash Registers

Sharp can be a bit confusing because they offer both commercial grade registers and consumer grade models. I'm only talking about the commercial grade so please don't mistake my endorsement as favoring the XE models that Sharp makes. And consumer grade machine should be avoided unless you are a tiny store with very little volume and always owner operated!

Both SAM4s and Sharp make models that interface to credit card payments and gift cards. Both make bar code scanning machines and models with kitchen printers and touch screens.

Right now for the entry level cash register I think Sharp has a clear advantage with the ER-A247 and the ER-A347 models. Both have a unique PC interface as well as an interface tool to Quick Books that is included in the price. However in the higher end models I don't think anything can compare to the SAM4s SPS-530FT Cash Register right now which features a touch screen and a flat keyboard at a great price.

New Sharp Cash Register

We were very excited to see a new model of commercial cash register released by Sharp recently. The model is the Sharp ER-A247 cash register. This new model has some very unique features like Credit Card Interface, PC Link and more. Uses thermal paper for the receipt printer and does not have a journal printer. At first glance this machine appears to be a winner!