The POS Software Blog
News from Tower Systems about locally made POS software for specialty local retailers.
What a terrific conference Xerocon was. Awesome presentations about Xero. Wonderful people asking about our POS software. New friends. New clients. 100% professional. Glad to be among the best of the best with it comes to Xero.
Plenty of fun.
We are looking the Xerocon conference, which starts today in Melbourne. It will be terrific to see not only Xero users and accountants but the other select few software companies approved by Xero. Here is part of what we offer in our direct POS software Xero link:
Tower Systems will be featured at Xerocon, the international Xero users conference, this week in Melbourne.
We are grateful to Xero for the opportunity to participate.
The POS software Xero link is important to our small business retail customers. Using this link, our customers are able to save time, cut mistakes and streamline business operations.
This is a direct link, not through a third party. This saves money and time. It also ensures that ti is easier for questions to be resolved about data flow and similar topics.
We back the Xero link with Xero skilled folks on our help desk. We can help small business retailers, bookkeepers as well as accounts with questions on the POS software / Xero integration. This is important as it shows the help desk service as going beyond what is usual for POS software help desks.
Xero is selective as to the software companies it approves. It is good to ask a POS software company if their link is direct or through anther party.
The Xero integration designed by Tower Systems, working with the folks at Xero, makes it easy for small business retailers to cut accounting paperwork and thereby tap into time and money saving benefits.
We use our Xero integrated POS software ourselves. This enables us to provide practical advice on how to benefit the most from Xero and our POS software working together.
Our customers have access to our in-house CPA, to provide a professional accounting perspective on the link and how to get the most from it.
Tower Systems is a unique POS software company. In addition to serving 3,500+ small business retailers, we own and operate several retail businesses as live test sites. Our in-house CPA manages the accounts for these retail businesses.
Connecting to Xero can help a small business eliminate the need for a bookkeeper and shift out of business accounting functions to the end of the year. W have seen businesses cut $5,000 form their operating costs by implementing the Xero link. This saving and more can be significant for a retail business.
If you are a Xero user and plan to be at Xerocon this week, check us out. We are thrilled to be part of this event.
This is another in our series of practice advice for small business retailers.
How to make the most of the teacher gift opportunity.
Gifts for teachers can be lucrative not only at the end of the year but also through the year by establishing your business as a destination for gifts for teachers. As with much in retail, it takes a commitment of time, space and capital.
While you can make money sourcing a teacher pack from a supplier, you will make more by taking a broader approach.
Our advice is that you offer a selection of gifts for teachers including the traditional plaques, mugs, apple-themed, frames and pens but this you expand the offer to include other suggested gifts such as scarves, Charlie Bears, soap, fudge, plush, jigsaw puzzles and other premium gifts.
Don’t be restricted by the traditional teacher gifts. Also, don’t be restricted by a price point. We suggest you show how two or more students could pool funds to buy a bigger gift such as a jigsaw puzzle. Show your customers how they can do this. For example: $19.99 or $10 each if two of you share giving this gift. Maybe even consider a whole of class gift.
Promote the broader range of gifts with an appropriate sign such as: GIVE SOMETHING THAT WILL ACTUALLY BE USED.
Have your suggested gifts represented together in a location branded as gifts for teachers.
Be sure to include cards in your range – Thank You cards and blank cards. Consider packaging selected gifts and cards together to make buying easy.
Also consider a discount if customers purchase above a threshold for multiple teachers. For example, you could offer 10% off for purchases of $25.00 or more. Choose a spend hurdle that suits your area.
Marketing and promotion tips:
Tower Systems is an Australia based POS software company with thousands of customers in a range of retail niches: gift shops, jewellers, bike shops, pet shops, toy shops, fishing/outdoors, garden centres/nurseries, newsagents, produce stores and firearms retailers.
We could add many more reasons. This list is a start. As our motto says: we’re here to help.
Tower Systems has rolled out the next release of its POS software connected website solutions, offering small business retailers a stronger armoury of tools with which to compete with global and national online businesses.
Offering POS software direct links to Shopify, Magento and WooCommerce websites, the Tower Systems integrations bring new business opportunities to small business retailers, opening doors to finding new customers.
Embedded in the new software are facilities that are fresh for the small business online space, fresh for POS software integrated websites.
Tower Systems has gone beyond the usual approach of announce and then deliver some time in the future. the company has developed, delivered and then announced. This is the company proving what it has done before making any noise about it.
We think actions speak louder than words.
Small business retailers who want to compete with online have Tower Systems in their corner. Our beautiful web connected POS software works for retailers in different channels. It helps retailers attract new shoppers. We deal with the challenges of freight. We make shopping easy. We help win business from the tricky abandoned cart situation and more.
Being a local POS software company, we leverage our local marketplace knowledge not only for ur POS software but also for the websites we create for our customers.
We make selling online easy for small business retailers.
We develoop websites for Tower Systems customers. We have web developers working in ur Melbourne office with skills in Magento, Shopify and WooCommerce.
Having websites developed by us ensures a best-practice connection between your POS software and the websites.
We have plenty of store connected websites we can show you, where shoppers can shop online with interest free online lay-by, shop using click and collect, pay by PayPal and more. We can sync the data between your shop and online as frequently ads you want. We have sites doing it every five minutes and others doing it daily.
We have seen retailers choose to have their website developed by a low-cost offshore web developer only to have to spend considerably to have it fixed. We have had to do this for several of our customers, where offshore developers have delivered a broken website.
To find out more about our web development services as well as our SEO (website marketing) services, please email sales@towersystems.com.au.
Change of any sort can be challenging. Part of our role as a POS software company is to offer encouragement for continuous change. While we cannot force you to be confident in embracing change, we can provide a safety-net of sorts and a cheer-squad of encouragement.
In our own situation we are confronted with change and challenges every day. What we do today is very different to what we were doing five and ten years ago. Here are things we have found encourage confidence.
A lack of confidence is not easily overcome. We understand that and do not seek here to be glib about it. Lack of confidence in anything is a serious challenge, yet one to overcome for the future of the business, personal achievement and the benefit of all who rely on the business.
Rather than investing time in the fog of a lack of confidence, our advice is to look out beyond the fog, to take steps out of the fog and to do so knowing we are with you.
Tower Systems brought interest free immediate shipping LayBy to websites months ago. It has helped many retailers win sales they otherwise might have lost, and at minimal cost to the retailers.
Now, we are bringing immediate collect interest-free LayBy to physical retail businesses.
Thanks to months of behind the scenes tech innovation in our software and with a respected public company in the finance space we are on the cusp of launching a game changer for in-store LayBy.
Shoppers can purchase and take goods away with them immediately.
Payments are made over an agreed period of time.
The retailer is paid right away.
The retailers is not responsible for collecting payment from the customer.
The cost to the retailer is fractional thanks to the Tower relationship.
The customer has the items for immediate giving if gifts or for use if they have purchased for personal use.
There is no need to store lay-by items.
There is no paperwork to follow up lay-by payment and collection.
In all, for everyone, life is easier.
This is a game changer for locally owned small family run retail businesses. It brings big business tools to these local independent retail businesses. It empowers them to be more competitive.
Bringing a comprehensive professionally backed interest free lay-by facility to our POS software has taken time because of regulatory requirements and given the size of the necessary finance company backing.
Tower Systems has brought together a range of resources, tech skills and retailers to bring this opportunity to live, to do it in a way that is best practice and meets all necessary regulations.
Now, if a shopper is passing through and wants an item for which they cannot pay right away, using this new soon to launch facility the retailer has an alternative with which to win the sale today. This is especially valuable in tourist locations.
Integrated with the POS software and offering a fast (60 second to 120 second) approval process, this game changing solution will help many local retail businesses win sales leading up to Christmas 2017 that they might otherwise have lost.
Like AfterPay but not AfterPay, the solution being delivered by Tower Systems is easy to use, easy to understand, fast to leverage and loved by shoppers. We have been using it all year online and it is a dream.
Yesterday, Tower Systems hosted a major workshop on how to leverage special customer orders in our POS software to help any retail business grow revenue and increase customer stickiness.
Our pitch explained the value of using smart software that manages the special customer orders process through the entire business:
If you have an order book at the counter or in the office, for orders that are too messy or cumbersome to put through your software, Special Customer Orders in the Tower Systems POS software could be ideal.
If you or staff are forgetting to track special orders when they come in or are challenged advising customers when special orders are read to be collected, this software can make the whole process hassle-free for you.
We can help you win more business.
We make it easy for every employee to handle special customer orders with consistency, even casual employees.
Developed in close consultation with retailers in the jeweller, bike retail, produce, toy and garden centre retail channels, the Special Customer Orders facility in the Tower Systems POS software is powerful, flexible and enjoyable.
See it live in this free online workshop. We will demonstrate the software to you, take questions and share user insights.
The demonstration will take only half an hour. We are sure you will be surprised how fare this function in the Tower software goes.
We are grateful to all our customers who participated. It was a full session with more than twenty participating, learning, for free.
This session is another in our regular series of free learning opportunities for our POS software companies.
Social customer orders functionality is unique to Tower Systems. What we have developed is deep and comprehensive, created based on the needs shown to us by our customers in various retail channels. We build the facilities from scratch, based on the customer outlined requirements.
We are grateful to our customers for supporting this training session, and, indeed, all of our free online training workshops.
We develop software and websites for: gift shops, jewellers, bike shops, toy shops, fishing/outdoors businesses, garden centres/nurseries, pet shops, produce stores, firearms businesses and newsagents.
Here at Tower Systems we are proud our POS software has facilities through which you can better connect with and help your local community.
The syncing of stock on hand data between physical shops and websites is key to successful online selling.
Given that the most significant use of websites is to see what stock its available in-store, accurate stock on hand data is a core factor in driving online sales.
Retailers using our Tower Systems POS software and one of our various webstore link facilities can determine the best timing for data synch between the physical and online store. The frequency of any such synch is determined by the type of products being sold.
We have customers who prefer to synch every five minutes through to customers who synch daily, and all manner in between.
We work with our customers to understand product sale frequency and then provide advice based on this and our own experience working with many successful POS software / webstore integrations across a range of retail channels.
The way we do the synch is fast and accurate, of little drain on the retail business and the internet connection.
Given our experience in this space and the value of experience in many different businesses, we are not get four of such synching. Our approach is best-practice, fast, accurate and loved by shoppers and retailers.
Getting this synching process is right for small business retailers who want to sell with confidence online. Shoppers who purchase online only to be told sorry that item is out of stock get frustrated as they bought wanting the product.l The requirement for accurate stock on hand data on websites is critical.
A good website will not only show products that are currently available, they will go further and show the actual quantity on hand of every item. While this can benefit a competitor targeting a business, in most cases the customers love it and gain confidence in a business as a result of this.
As POS software developers and website developers Tower Systems is skilled on both sides of the tech solution. We are able to demonstrate local retail business connected POS software that is discovering new shoppers for local businesses. The win is valuable, bankable. It all starts with a fast and accurate synch between the POS software and the website.
Small business retailers are loving our designer receipts. They love the ease of change. They love the beautiful outcome. They love the flexibility.
We think receipts should help a retail business win more sales. Ours do … thanks to you being able to create what ou want, how you want.
Tower Systems offers designer receipts as part of its comprehensive POS software and through these we offer a beautiful point of difference.
They are another Tower AdvantageTM.
For too long receipts have been seen as a necessary accounting function in retail businesses. designer receipts are different. They are an extension of marketing in any business. They are smart, appealing, elegant – a wonderful way to help grow the business.
While other POS software companies may say they allow you to customise receipts, none has the Tower Systems designer receipts facilities.
These trainings are 100% live and interactive. They can be accessed from anywhere in the world. They are another example of Tower Systems delivering on its promises to its customers. We are grateful for the support of our customers in participating in these free training events:
For fifteen years, Tower Systems has published quarterly sales performance benchmark results based on accurate data from a broad cross-section of retail newsagency businesses.
This study is the most comprehensive even for the newsagency channel. Here is the latest report, for the April – June quarter of 2017 compares to 2016 on a same store basis.
The April – June quarter was tough for core products sold through the newsagency channel. In addition to the continuing decline in print media sales, this quarter’s benchmark results reveal a troubling downturn in lottery revenue as well as card revenue.
Here are the headline numbers by key product category:
These are not good headline numbers. The bottom is falling out of the historic core of the newsagency channel. This will not be news to many as it continues a trend we have seen in this benchmark study for several years.
The above percentages reflect the overall performance of the 181 newsagency businesses in this benchmark study. It includes stores from a range of banner groups as well as independents. There are large businesses and small. Some are in shopping centres while others are on then high street. The cross-section is broad.
What is concerning is the pace of decline, especially with magazines as the decline had slowed recently. Looking more closely at the data, the decline is in the volume categories. Fringe categories such as special interest titles are doing well. Indeed, some segments show terrific growth.
Newsagents need to manage the overhead cost of newspapers and magazines. Labour, space and capital investment needs to be kept in line with the gross profit contribution of these categories. Busy work relating to newspapers and magazines should be eliminated.
The decline in greeting card revenue is a surprise. The reported percentage of decline, 4%, does not read well. However, like all the above data points, it is an average from the entire data pool. There are stores experiencing decline above 20% with others reporting growth above 20%. There is a clear correlation between stores with strong gift sales and card performance – in this case card revenue is stronger.
GOOD NEWS.
The good news is the performance of businesses playing outside the traditional space. For example, the newsagency with $25,000 in toy revenue in the quarter, reflecting growth of 18% or the newsagency with $45,000 in gift revenue and year on year growth of 22% of the newsagency with card revenue of $47,000 and year on year growth of 22%.
There are many good news stories in the latest study results. However, the good news will be overshadowed by the performance of the majority. It is challenging, some days, to know what to do or say to cut through with newsagents who are not engaged.
Too many newsagents think growth will come from categories close to what they have done historically. For example, too many get into cheap social stationery thinking that is competitive with Kikki.K or Typo.
My experience is the best growth comes from turning away from traditional lines and traditional suppliers and going with products and price points you would never have considered for a newsagency business. I see this approach working well in the benchmark results in businesses of different sizes and in different situations.
OVERALL PERFORMANCE DATA.
It is in the overall business gross profit numbers where the differences in businesses can be seen. 62% sit in the traditional newsagency GP performance band of 28% – 30%. 7% sit below 28%. 20% sit in the GP band of 30% and 35%. 7% sit between 35% and 40%. The rest, 4%, have a GP of more than 40%.
GP is a function of what you stock and the type of shoppers you attract to the business. Buying is where it starts.
WHAT IS DRIVING THE DECLINES?
Close to 80% of the businesses in the benchmark reported a decline in traffic with the average decline set at 5%. However, just over half reported a decline in revenue. This is because plenty are selling higher priced items, usually gifts. This softens the blow of the decline in legacy products.
I think the traffic decline is being driven by a decline in interest in legacy products on which traditional newsagency businesses have relied. I have said for years it is crucial newsagents have a strategy to drive net new traffic. Relying on legacy product to sell new products is not a plan. You need to source new products and to use these to attract people to your business who would otherwise not have shopped with you.
HOW TO RESPOND TO TRAFFIC DECLINES?
Any newsagency business can be successful, regardless of location and situation. This is truer today than at any time in the past thanks to what we can see being achieved online – not only in newsagency businesses but through other retail channels.
The key to success is to not run the business as a newsagency. That’s is, to not obsess about legacy products. Focus on new traffic products. Focus on price points you would usually say would never work in your business. Buy products you think will never work. Be radical and through discover what is possible in your business.
I urge you to ask yourself daily, what have I done today to reach a new shopper, someone who does not know we exist? This is what successful businesses in the benchmark study are doing and doing well.
DOES THE NEWSAGENCY CHANNEL HAVE A FUTURE?
I ask this every quarter. My answer remains – Yes! Absolutely. If you are prepared to shrug off what has been traditional for a newsagency business, stop hoarding, embrace change and embrace social media – you can have a bright future. The transformation from traditional to the new world must be urgent and dramatic.
AGENCY IS OVER.
My opinion remains – there is no upside in any agency parts of the business. People saying they are proud to be called a newsagent are entitled to their view. History will show that era is behind us.
OPTIMISTIC.
I am optimistic for my own newsagency businesses and for the businesses of many newsagents. Indeed, I have opened a new outlet the last few months. It does not look or feel like a newsagency. The numbers are terrific.
WHY I DO THIS STUDY
My interest in the study is as a newsagent and as a supplier to the channel through Tower Systems and through newsXpress. I want the channel to grow for selfish reasons and because it has been my life since 1981. I am invested.
BENCHMARK GOALS.
I am often asked for benchmark goals newsagents ought to aim for. Here are some benchmarks I have developed in my work with newsXpress and through Tower Systems:
Mark Fletcher.
Email: mark@towersystems.com.au Website: www.towersystems.com.au Blog: www.newsagencyblog.com.au
M | 0418 321 338
Footnote: I founded Tower Systems in 1981. That company now serves in excess of 1,750 newsagents as customers with its newsagency software. In 2005, I joined newsXpress. That newsagency marketing group now serves 243 retail businesses with a traffic and revenue growth strategy.
We are bringing our free workshop: Connecting online and in-store, how to make ecommerce work for your small business to Sydney later this month. Click the links below to book. each session will run for 2 hours. Refreshments provided:
We will demonstrate live websites that are connected to our Retailer POS software in local businesses. We will also show how to transfer stock to a website and how to manage images. We will answer all your website related questions. Bookings are essential.
All retailers are welcome to this educational and informative session.
Another twenty one newsagents have switched from other newsagency software to the Tower Systems newsagency software. This is on top of newsagents installing our newsagency software where they did not have a newsagency system in place.
Many hundreds of newsagents have switched to Tower Systems as they have seen our software bring new opportunities in new revenue and new traffic areas that are valuable to evolving newsagency businesses.
Serving close to 1,800 newsagents, Tower Systems serves more newsagents with its software than all other newsagency software companies combined.
We are grateful for the support of our customers. This means the world to us, to all who work here, and to the broader Tower Systems newsagent community.
In the latest update of our newsagency software we have enhanced facilities that enable newsagents to grow their businesses. This is good news. We back the software with practical help and advice, helping newsagents engage with their businesses in more valuable ways.
While we continue to support legacy category requirements, it is in new revenue stream areas that newsagents love what we do the most.
We are loving Melbourne Gift Fair this year. Plenty of people stopped by our stand over the first two days, to find out more about our Gift Shop Software and our POS software e-commerce integrations.
This is a good trade show of us thanks to the various markets in which we service being represented at the event.
Now, onto day three.
We have been doing this fair for the last twelve years, long before it was fashionable. Our history helps us as we present a familiar face and name. Stability matters in small business.
Save time, eliminate bookkeeping costs, cut mistakes and make better business decisions sooner with the Tower Systems POS software Xero integration.
Our Xero partnership sees us linking direct to Xero. No middleware. No third p[arty. This is a direct, fast and time saving link. It is best-practice.
We use this link ourselves in the retail businesses we own and run. We know it works a treat. Our accountant loves it.
The Xero integration designed by Tower Systems, working with the folks at Xero, makes it easy for small business retailers to cut accounting paperwork and thereby tap into time and money saving benefits.
We use our Xero integrated POS software ourselves. This enables us to provide practical advice on how to benefit the most from Xero and our POS software working together.
Our customers have access to our in-house CPA, to provide a professional accounting perspective on the link and how to get the most from it.
Tower Systems is a unique POS software company. In addition to serving 3,500+ small business retailers, we own and operate several retail businesses as live test sites. Our in-house CPA manages the accounts for these retail businesses.
Tower Systems is thrilled to be offering more free POS software training in August for our small business customers:
Here at Tower Systems we make it easy for older retailers and those who fear technology to use our technology with enjoyment. This video explains more…
We are excited to be showing our latest POS software packages for gift shops, jewellers, bike shops, pet shops, toy shops, fishing/outdoors, garden centres/nurseries, newsagents, produce stores and firearms retailers at the gift fair in Melbourne in a few weeks.
Having done this fair for many years, we understand the value retailers in a range of specialty niches place on the large event.
Many regard it as the best gift fair in Australia.
Tower Systems has been the most consistent POS software supporter of the fair and those who attend. It has certainly been valuable for us, helping us reach many prospects who have become customers.
This gift fair is valuable because it serves a range of specialty software niches in which we serve. This makes it more interesting than single marketplace shows. It makes it far more interesting than trade shows run by a wholesaler serving one retail niche.
This year our Melbourne Gift Fair stand is located at the showgrounds, where attendees will see a terrific mix of gist, homewares, toy, fashion and personal grooming products.
We’d be thrilled to say g’day if you stopped by.
Recent Comments