Cash drawer in trade

Cash drawer

A cash drawer is a plastic or metal container for storing cash, documents, coupons, discount cards, receipts, and securities at the point of sale. It is also referred to as a cash box, till, or register drawer. The cash drawer in retail has the following functions:

An organizer for banknotes, coins, and securities – to speed up customer service.
A storage space for funds and valuable documents – similar to a safe.

Considering this, the cash drawer should be durable, preferably with a metal body and a reliable lock, easy and quick to open/close, have convenient dimensions and design, a sufficient number of compartments, and be connectable to retail equipment.

How to choose a cash drawer: what to consider first?

Size – most importantly, the cash drawer should fit the workspace, especially if space is limited.

Material – the stronger the drawer, the better. The best option is a metal drawer or at least a metal body. Impact-resistant plastic is also a good option. The most popular drawers are combined: a steel body with an impact-resistant plastic tray.

Number and structure of compartments:

It is convenient when the tray has at least 4 compartments for banknotes and one for coins. Smaller drawers are only suitable for very small shops with low cash turnover.
Some drawers allow you to adjust the size of the compartments, which is very convenient. For stores selling items under warranty, on order, or offering repair services, an additional large compartment for documents will also be useful.
Note clamps – a surprisingly important feature that can prevent many issues. They hold banknotes in place so they don’t mix up, fall out, or get blown away when closing the tray. Clamps are especially useful when the banknote stack is tall or when working outdoors or in a drafty environment.

Design – there are horizontal and vertical drawers. In vertical models, only the lid opens, so they don't take up much workspace. This design is convenient for small drawers with up to four compartments and for compact retail spaces. For larger setups, horizontal models are better – the banknotes are clearly visible, easier to access, and more convenient for cashiers to handle.

Lock – the most common are two-position and three-position locks. Three-position locks are more secure and offer manual and automatic opening, as well as a closed position.

Connection to retail equipment – Connecting the drawer to retail equipment ensures automatic opening, which is essential in high-traffic stores. Pay attention to what device you need to connect the drawer to: a POS terminal, cash register, or receipt printer. Choose a drawer with the appropriate connectors and voltage. Product descriptions typically indicate 12V or 24V and RJ11 or RJ12 connectors. The connector on the equipment must match the drawer port, and the voltage determines which printer can open the drawer:

12V – for connecting to receipt printers that print standard 58 mm wide receipts, although sometimes they also work with printers that print 80 mm or wider receipts.
24V – these drawers are connected only to printers that print wide receipts of 80 mm or more.

Price – a good small cash drawer can currently be purchased for 1300 UAH, and the most popular model costs 2400 UAH.

In the Torgsoft online store, you can purchase a cash drawer with free delivery by Nova Poshta across Ukraine.