Chess Retail: retail management software
Built for independent Australian retailers - from point of sale, self checkout and stock control to EFTPOS, electronic shelf labels, loyalty and web store integration, in a single system that runs locally on your own hardware.
It’s developed in-house by our team at Chess Data. That means when you need assistance, you’re speaking directly with the people who built it - not a third-party reseller or a call centre. And because we’ve also operated retail stores ourselves, we’ve built it around how retail actually works, not how software developers imagine it does.
Running locally means your system keeps trading during an internet outage. Your data stays on your hardware, in your store.
We configure Chess Retail to match the way your business works - your department structure, branding, loyalty settings - and we’re available when you need us. Get in touch to find out more, or download our product flyer.
Key features
Multi-lane support
Chess Retail supports as many lanes (terminals) as your store requires. Staff can suspend a transaction on one lane and resume it on another - even if your store server is offline - keeping checkout moving during busy periods.
Works offline - no internet required
Chess Retail runs locally on your hardware. Unlike cloud-based systems, your POS keeps trading even if your internet connection goes down - which matters when you’re serving customers.
Stock control & inventory management
Track stock levels, manage purchase orders, and let smart trend-based order generation take the guesswork out of what to order and when - so you’re holding the right stock at the right time.
EFTPOS integration
Chess Retail integrates with EFTPOS via Linkly (formerly PC-EFTPOS) - the leading Australian payment integration platform, compatible with most major banks and EFTPOS providers. That gives you the flexibility to choose the payment provider that best suits your business, rather than being tied to one. Transactions flow directly from the POS terminal to your PINpad, eliminating manual re-entry and speeding up the checkout process.
Self checkout
Self checkout is increasingly popular with shoppers who’d rather scan and pay for themselves - and it frees up your staff to work elsewhere in the store, restocking shelves, helping customers on the floor or picking web store orders. EFTPOS card payments, vouchers and loyalty points are accepted just as they are at the counter, and deals work the same way too. When a customer needs a hand, staff step in with an assist: entering their usual operator ID and password, or scanning an assist badge, a printed barcode slip that can be printed from any POS.
Sales reporting & end of day
Get the sales data you need without the usual end-of-day headache. Just count the cash drawer at the POS terminal - Chess Retail takes care of the rest. No manual figures, no spreadsheets.
Barcode scanning
Full compatibility with barcode scanners at the point of sale and with mobile devices (PDTs) in the stockroom. Speed up serving customers and make stock takes faster and more accurate.
Electronic shelf labels
Chess Retail controls electronic shelf labels directly - the base stations are managed from our own software, with no cloud service and no subscription, and it all works offline. Anything that would have meant printing a new paper ticket, or taking one down, now happens on the shelf automatically: price changes, promotions, description changes and more. Labels can also flash to guide staff to an item - just tap Find on the PDT when looking up an item or picking a web store order.
Web store integration
Chess Retail connects directly to your WooCommerce web store through the WooCommerce API - built in-house, included with Chess Retail, and with no third-party connector in between. Item details, prices and promotions are managed in Chess Retail and kept up to date online, and online orders come straight back in. Our own WooCommerce extension, also included, means multi-buy and buy-get deals work online just as they do at the counter. Online orders can be picked in store with a PDT - up to eight orders in a single run, following your store’s shelf sequencing if you’ve set it up.
Accounting integration
Chess Retail connects directly to leading accounting packages - Xero, QuickBooks, and Saasu - automatically posting your daily sales data and reducing the administrative burden of bookkeeping. Built in-house, included with Chess Retail, and with no third-party connector in between.
Customer loyalty rewards
Chess Retail includes a built-in loyalty rewards system to help keep customers coming back. Points are earned at a customisable rate per dollar spent and redeemed for dollars off once a customer reaches a threshold you define. Individual items can earn bonus points, and specific items or entire categories can be excluded from the program. Members link sales with a physical card or their mobile number - whichever suits them best.
Wide hardware compatibility
Chess Retail works with hardware from a broad range of manufacturers - POS terminals, receipt printers, cash drawers, and barcode scanners. You’re not locked into a proprietary ecosystem, and in many cases we can get your existing hardware working rather than replacing it.
How pricing works
Chess Retail is a one-off licence, not a subscription. It’s priced per lane: your first lane includes the first year of software maintenance, and each additional lane is added at a reduced price. After that first year the software is yours to keep using.
Ongoing annual maintenance is optional, but we recommend it - integrations with outside systems such as accounting packages and WooCommerce change from time to time, and maintenance keeps Chess Retail up to date with them.
View current pricingChess Retail at a glance
| Deployment | Installed locally on Windows PCs in your store |
|---|---|
| Internet connection | Not required to trade |
| Checkout lanes | As many as you need; suspend a sale on one lane and resume it on another, even with the server offline |
| Pricing model | One-off licence per lane, not a subscription. First year of maintenance included |
| Self checkout | Card payments, vouchers and loyalty points redemption |
| Shelf labels | Printed paper labels, or electronic shelf labels controlled directly - no cloud service or subscription. Works offline |
| EFTPOS | Integrated via Linkly (formerly PC-EFTPOS) - Linkly accredited |
| Accounting | Xero, QuickBooks, Saasu - connected directly, no third-party connector. Included |
| Web store | WooCommerce, connected directly through its API - no third-party connector. Included |
| Web store orders | Picked in store with a PDT, up to eight orders per run |
| Loyalty | Built-in points program, by card or mobile number |
| Barcode scanning | At the counter, and with PDTs in the stockroom |
| Developed by | Chess Data, Brisbane - assistance comes directly from the developers |
Ready to find out more?
We’re happy to walk you through Chess Retail and answer any questions. No obligation - just a straightforward conversation about whether it’s the right fit for your business.
Looking for POS hardware to run Chess Retail on? We supply a full range - terminals, printers, cash drawers and more. See what we supply or browse the product catalogue.