The verdict in three sentences
A physical shop without software loses money where nobody looks: stockouts that drive customers away and end-of-day cash discrepancies. An inventory + POS app records every sale, alerts before a stockout, and makes the counted cash match the collected cash. Budget 600,000 to 2,500,000 FCFA depending on shop size and modules.
What an inventory + POS app costs in 2026
2026 order of magnitude for a multi-aisle shop in Senegal.
| Module | What it does | Indicative cost (FCFA) | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Product catalogue | SKUs, prices, barcodes, variants | 200,000 – 500,000 | 1 week |
| POS (checkout) | Sales, receipts, discounts, multi-cashier | 300,000 – 800,000 | 1–2 weeks |
| Stock alerts | Thresholds, reorder, slow movers | 200,000 – 500,000 | 1 week |
| Wave/OM payment | Mobile collection, automatic receipt | 300,000 – 700,000 | 1–2 weeks |
| Reports & inventory | Sales, margin, discrepancies, top products | 200,000 – 500,000 | 1 week |
A Starter app (catalogue + POS) starts around 600,000 FCFA. A complete app with stock alerts, mobile payment and reports reaches 2,000,000–2,500,000 FCFA.
Where the app recovers money
| Item | App lever | Estimated 2026 gain |
|---|---|---|
| Sales lost to stockouts | Threshold alert + timely reorder | -50 to -70 % stockouts |
| Cash discrepancy | Every sale tracked, fewer errors and leaks | -60 to -80 % discrepancies |
| Inventory time | Assisted counting, live stock | from 2 days to 2 hours |
| Slow-moving stock | Spotting and targeted clearance | Cash freed up |
| Collection | Wave/OM, automatic receipt | Less cash at risk |
Mini case study
Ousmane runs a multi-aisle shop in Thiès doing 9,000,000 FCFA in monthly sales. He estimates losing 4 % of sales to stockouts (360,000 FCFA) and suffering 150,000 FCFA of cash discrepancies a month. With a 1,500,000 FCFA app (POS + alerts + mobile payment), he recovers most of the lost sales and wipes out nearly all discrepancies — about 450,000 FCFA a month. The app pays for itself in just over 3 months.
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FAQ
Do I need special hardware for the till?
No, a simple Android tablet or smartphone is enough to start. You can add a receipt printer (30,000 to 80,000 FCFA) and a barcode scanner if volume justifies it.
Does the app work without internet?
Yes. The POS works offline and syncs when the network returns. You never block a sale because of an outage.
Can it handle several cashiers?
Yes, each cashier has their own login, so you can track sales and discrepancies per person. It's the best way to hold the team accountable.
Is Wave/Orange Money payment included?
We integrate it to collect via mobile money with an automatic receipt. Reconciliation happens on its own, which sharply reduces end-of-day discrepancies.
Let's talk about your project. We'll size your shop, your losses to stockouts and discrepancies, and the module that will pay back fastest. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
