How to Fix Basic Receipt Printer Problems in Any Retail Situation

Receipt printers sit on the retail counters of just about every type of retail business. They are essential to the smooth running of retail businesses across the globe. The best way to avoid any problem with your receipt printer is to care for it.

• Keep it clean. Occasionally open the printer, vacuum out dust, check for staples and paperclips and other debris which may have fallen in.


• Keep it stable. Place the printer where it will not get knocked or moved in the day to day activity at the sales counter.


• Use quality paper. Poor quality paper can lead to problems.


• Keep plenty of paper printers will not work without paper.


• Train all employees on how to load paper. Poor treatment of the printer could damage a sensor or some other part of the device.

Connected to Point of Sale software, the receipt printers have problems sometimes. While the first port of call in the event of a problem should be the supplier, there are some safe basic steps which can be taken to address any problem. These are basic solutions to the majority of common receipt printer problems. Use the following steps or advice from Help Desk experts used to working with retailers, to quickly resolve basic printer issues:

1. Ensure the printer is turned on.


2. Ensure the paper roll is not low or empty.


3. Ensure the printer lid is closed securely and properly. This is usually indicated by a green light. A red light would indicate a problem.


4. Check that the printer can feed paper. Usually there is a paper feed button. Press this.


5. Ensure you are using the correct paper roll for the printer. If the roll is too small or too large, paper jams can occur.


6. Ensure the feeding and cutter inside the printer mechanisms are free of debris. All sorts of things get into receipt printers such as coins, paper clips and cardboard.


7. Turn off the printer, take out the paper roll and turn it upside down, giving it a good shake.


8. If you are using and old Dot Matrix printer, the slow and noisy printer, a dry ribbon can create a strain on the feeding mechanism which can cause the paper feed to jam intermittently. Simply replace the ribbon.

When all of these checks have been completed turn the printer off, wait three seconds, and turn it back on. Now restart the computer. If you are still experiencing difficulties, consider calling an expert.

While these steps seem basic, they are the steps which fix more than 95% of all calls to the retailer help desk at Point of Sale software company Tower Systems. The call resolutions have been logged and for receipt printers the advice which works is the most obvious and most basic.

A good receipt printer will serve a retail business for at least five years and probably longer. The longer life is achievable with better care and attention from all who use the printer.