The POS Software Blog

The POS Software Blog

News from Tower Systems about locally made POS software for specialty local retailers.

Latest stories

POS software made for equestrian businesses

April 26, 2025
2 Min read
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Australian made. Australian supported.

Here’s what our equestrian POS software offers:

Feed Management:
– Bag feed into smaller packs with accurate stock tracking.
– Track bulk material purchases, mixing, and packaging of your own products.
– Sell by weight, including fractions.

Sales & Customer Management:
– Streamlined quote and invoice management for accuracy and efficiency.
– Provide local produce care information to enhance customer experience.
– Flexible trade pricing profiles.
– Professional customer account management.
– Customisable pricing profiles based on customer types.
– Detailed tracking of colour, size, and style variations.
– Informative, customisable receipts.
– Pre-order and special order management.
– Powerful loyalty programs.

Inventory & Ordering:
– Seasonal reordering for efficient stock management.
– Weatherproof label printing.
– Electronic supplier invoice support to reduce errors.
– International barcode database lookup for quick product addition.
– Logistics & Delivery:
– Dispatch management tools for efficient delivery, including multi-truck and multi-delivery support.
– Integration with Allotrac for advanced dispatch management.

Marketing & Customer Engagement:
– Loyalty marketing to build lasting customer relationships.
– Free integration with FindIt.com.au to drive local shopper traffic.
– Flexible Selling & Integrations:
– Flexible selling options: by weight, length, and fractions.
– Portable “sell anywhere” solution.
– Integration with Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Xero, and more.
– Shopper self-checkout option.
– Digital receipts via Slyp.

AI Enhancements:
– ChatGPT and Google Gemini AI integration for product descriptions, blog posts, and price comparisons.
– Auto background removal for product photos, suitable for online platforms.
– Additional Features:

Our software is designed for local, independent equestrian businesses. We are committed to helping local businesses thrive.

Key Benefits:
– Save time on daily tasks.
– Increase sales and profitability.
– Enhance customer relationships.
– Streamline inventory and logistics.

Tower Systems is a small business focussed POS software company developing, and supporting POS software for niche specialty retailers.

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How to choose the right POS software for your specialty retail business

April 24, 2025
3 Min read
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Choosing the right Point of Sale (POS) software is a pivotal decision for any independent, small retail business. A well-suited system can significantly boost your business’s worth and success, whereas a poor choice can be costly.

While this advice is from us and we are a POS software company, it is advice that will stand up to professional and independent scrutiny.

To make a well-informed decision, it’s crucial to carefully think about your business’s unique aspects.

  • Specialisation: If your business caters to a specific niche, look for POS software designed for similar businesses, software that serves your needs.
  • Local focus: If supporting local businesses is important to you, consider POS solutions developed and supported locally. Talking to people who understand your local situation is helpful.
  • Training. be sure to understand the cost of training for professional training by the software company is key to you leveraging the best value from the software.
  • Expertise: To establish yourself as a local expert, your POS system should enable efficient and consistent service, and the leveraging of your expertise.
  • Services: If you offer repair or maintenance services, your software should handle these functions, and save you time.
  • Product bundling: For businesses selling bundled items, the POS system must effectively manage these configurations, helping you to differentiate through what you sell.
  • Customer retention: If you operate in a tourist area, loyalty programs can be vital for maximising repeat business – they need to be the type of loyalty encouragement your shoppers will love.
  • Product weight: If you sell products by weight, your POS system should have this capability, especially selling in fractions.

By carefully considering these factors, you can pinpoint the specific features and capabilities needed in your ideal POS software.

It’s important to remember that while price is a consideration, it shouldn’t be the only deciding factor. Just as you’d advise customers against compromising quality for price, the same applies to POS software. Investing in a higher-quality system initially can lead to significant long-term savings and advantages.

To make comparisons easier, think about the weekly cost of the software rather than just the upfront investment. This approach gives a more accurate picture of value for money, taking into account support services and software functionality.

If you’re unsure about a particular software package, it’s wise to explore other options. It’s better to pass on a system that doesn’t fully meet your needs than to deal with ongoing frustrations. However, be prepared to adjust some of your business processes to align with your chosen software.

Once you’ve implemented a system, it’s crucial to follow the software provider’s advice and make full use of the training provided. Embracing suggested changes to your business processes can optimise how well the system works for you.

Accurate data is essential for successful POS software use. Put in place strict data entry procedures to ensure reliable information for making decisions.

Building a strong relationship with your software provider can benefit both parties. Sharing feedback and suggestions can contribute to the ongoing development and improvement of the software.

By using your POS system to automate tasks, you can free up valuable time for strategic planning and engaging with customers.

Implementing new software can be challenging. Focus on the long-term benefits of increased efficiency and satisfaction once you’ve mastered the system.

Ultimately, the POS software you choose should reflect your business’s identity. Invest time in careful consideration to select a system that aligns with your goals and helps your business grow.

Here at Tower Systems we make POS software for local specialty retailers.

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Let’s talk smart shopper loyalty and POS software for small business retail

April 24, 2025
2 Min read
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Here at Tower Systems we offer a range of loyalty options to our POS software customers. Last week we got together to talk shopping and loyalty and why we as shoppers make the decisions we make. It was a terrific discussion on how everyday shoppers view loyalty programs, especially those that require you to sign up.

This is an authentic, unscripted discussion about shopping and how different loyalty program approaches may nurture different responses.

Are loyalty programs worth the hassle? Join Tash, Justin, Tim, Gavin, and Mark as they spill the beans on what makes them sign up (or run away!). From frustrating spam to the appeal of instant discounts, this video reveals honest shopper opinions. Find out what truly drives repeat business.

The conversation kicks off with a common frustration: the deluge of spam often following a loyalty sign-up. Tash voices this concern, arguing that a simple percentage discount often isn’t worth the subsequent inbox clutter. What resonates more? Tangible value, like a specific dollar amount voucher for a future purchase. However, the effectiveness hinges on clarity; retailers must ensure these vouchers are easily noticed and understood.

Simplicity and perceived value emerge as key themes. Tash praises a straightforward pub loyalty program usable across numerous locations, contrasting it with programs that feel overly complicated or offer negligible rewards. The power of immediate gratification is also highlighted, with Justin preferring instant vouchers over accumulating points for later use. This preference is backed by data mentioned in the discussion, suggesting a significant redemption rate (19%) for discount vouchers, effectively driving repeat business, a point reinforced by Tim’s positive experience at a garden center.

The discussion also touches upon different consumer strategies, like Gavin’s wife using a dedicated email address for promotional offers, and the retailers’ perspective, acknowledging vouchers as potent tools for engagement. Yet, barriers remain, such as cumbersome in-store sign-up processes that deter shoppers like Tash. The video even explores modern twists, concluding with a look at a loyalty app employing a multi-level marketing approach by rewarding users for referrals.

Tower Systems is an authentic POS software company focussed on delivering tools retailers benefit from and opportunities their customers will love.

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Software for health food shops

April 23, 2025
2 Min read
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This POS software for health food shops and wholefoods shops offers facilities that serve the needs of these businesses well.

From shopper loyalty to catalogue pricing management to serving produce use information, to scare integration to selling fractional quantities, this software helps local health foods shops provide professional service.

This is specialty retail POS software made for specialty retailers in the health foods and whole foods space.

Creating your own products, like muesli, made from other products, can be tracked and managed through this locally made POS software.

Developed locally for local health food shops and whole foods shops, this POS software continues to evolve thanks to the support and advice from those in existing businesses using it. We are grateful for their help in maintaining wonderful POS software for these businesses.

here’s what you can rely on:

  • Easy and accurate selling.
  • Money making business insights.
  • Time saving roster links.
  • Peace of mind theft mitigation.
  • Awesome supplier links.
  • Sales winning loyalty tools.
  • Easy bundling of products for more sales.
  • Club and group pricing.
  • Community group pricing.
  • Easy repeat business.
  • Personal training.

We get some common questions abut our software for health foods and whole foods shops:

  • Do you have health food shops using the software today? Yes.
  • Can I set an age check on age restricted items? Yes.
  • Can I presell? Yes.
  • Can I run BOGO pricing, buy 1 get 1 or similar? Yes.
  • Does the software let me manage time-based catalogue pricing? Yes.
  • Can I sell gift cards for my business? Yes.
  • Is there a loyalty facility guiding infrequent shoppers to spend? Yes.
  • Does the software let me buy in bulk and break to retail packs? Yes.
  • Can you reach out to customers based on past purchases? Yes.
  • Does the system handle account customers? Yes.
  • I sell clothing, can I manage this by colour, size and style? Yes.

If you run a health foods or whole foods business and are considering software for your business, talk with us. We may be a good fit. If we think we are not a good fit we will absolutely let you know and wish you all the best in your search.

Using this POS software, local and independent health food shops and whole foods businesses can track inventory, manage sales, handle special orders, manage products that are combined in-store to create other products, provide care instructions, offer local specific advice with consistency and more.

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Aussie software made for fishing bait and tackle businesses and outdoors businesses

April 22, 2025
3 Min read
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Fishing bait and tackle businesses and outdoors businesses have similar needs when it comes to software, and their needs often go way beyond traditional POS software, basic POS software. For these businesses to serve their customer well, they need software made for them, specialty retail POS software.

This is what we do here at Tower Systems, we make POS software for specialty retailers. We go way beyond basic POS, we delve into specialty needs like age checking, selling by weight or measure and using fractions, handling rental and taking care of repairs management – to name some of the specialty facilities in our fishing and outdoors shop software.

Handling subscriptions or recurring billing is easy. If you rent something, this handles it for you.

Selling by weight (yes, it’s scale integrated) and fractions is easy too, as is selling bundle packs like a rod, reel and net, for example.

Selling to club members at a special price is easy. You can also easily use the software to raise funds for the club, attracting members of the club to shop with your business. This club facility helps you pitch to local clubs, to connect with more of their members.

Best of all, you can easily share local fishing tips, leveraging your knowledge to differentiate your business. selling you can be a game changer in terms of differentiation.

Our software for fishing and outdoors shops aims to help you run a more successful, valuable and enjoyable business. It helps you streamline workflow, eliminate some manual processes and make better business decisions, sooner.

There is no EFTPOS or transaction related fee, just a monthly software rental fee. You choose the EFTPOS that you prefer – we don’t lock you into anything.

And, you can run this software on as many computers in your shop as you want for no extra cost.

We’re often asked questions about what the software does. Here are some of those questions, and our answers:

  • Can I set an age check on age restricted items?
  • Can I run BOGO pricing, buy 1 get 1 or similar?
  • Does the software let me manage time-based catalogue pricing?
  • Can I sell gift cards for my business?
  • Is there a loyalty facility guiding infrequent shoppers to spend?
  • Does the software let me buy in bulk and break to retail packs?
  • Can you reach out to customers based on past purchases?
  • Does the system handle account customers?
  • I sell clothing, can I manage this by colour, size and style?

If you run a fishing bait and tackle shop or an outdoors shop, take a look at what we offer. We’d love to answer your questions and personally demonstrate the software to you.

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Enhance your firearms dealership with tailored Australian POS software

April 21, 2025
4 Min read
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For firearms dealers across Australia, managing the unique requirements of the industry demands specialised tools. Many local businesses, both large and small, are already using our locally developed and supported Point of Sale (POS) firearms dealer software to streamline their operations. This system manages in-store sales and integrates seamlessly with online platforms, particularly through our robust Big Commerce integration, to manage product data efficiently.

Our software is designed with the specific needs of Australian firearms dealers in mind, offering a comprehensive suite of features and benefits:

Compliance and Record Keeping:

  • Age Verification: Implement mandatory age checks for relevant purchases directly through the system.
  • Serial Number Tracking: Maintain meticulous records with integrated serial number tracking for items sold, offering multiple methods to suit your workflow.
  • Permit to Acquire (PTA): The software includes functionality to handle PTA data gathering requirements.
  • Secure Information: Option to load and store a photo of a customer’s driver’s licence on file.
  • Clear Receipts: Generate separate receipts for firearms and accessories, ensuring clarity for customers and records.

Enhanced Inventory and Sales Management:

  • Real-Time Tracking: Maintain accurate stock levels with real-time inventory updates.
  • Automated Alerts: Set automated reorder level alerts to prevent stockouts.
  • Efficient Product Addition: Easily add new products using barcode scanning and online information retrieval.
  • Variant Management: Effectively handle product variants, crucial for accessories.
  • Flexible Pricing: Implement varied pricing options for different customer segments, including club pricing profiles.
  • Accurate Sales: Sell items accurately by weight or measure, accommodating whole numbers or fractions.
  • Bundled Items: Offer bundled products, making direct price comparisons more difficult for competitors.
  • Special Orders: Easily manage unique, one-off customer orders.
  • AI Assistance: Leverage AI-powered generation for product descriptions.

Streamlined Operations and Customer Experience:

  • Recurring Billing: Simplify billing for locker rentals or other subscription-based services with automated recurring and subscription billing features.
  • Locker Rental Tracking: Specifically track the rental of locker space.
  • Automated Notifications: Send automated SMS notifications to customers when firearms are ready for collection.
  • Efficient Checkout: Provide a smooth checkout process with integrated EFTPOS capabilities.
  • Personalised Service: Utilise customer profiles and purchase history to offer tailored service.
  • Detailed Information: Display detailed product information and images on receipts and online.
  • Loyalty Program: Implement a shopper loyalty program specifically designed to be effective for your type of business.
  • Sales Tracking: Monitor individual staff performance by tracking who sold what.
  • Knowledge Sharing: Utilise structured opportunities within the software to pass on valuable product knowledge.

Developed and Supported Locally:

We are proud that this software is Australian-made and supported. Our development is continually refined thanks to valuable input from our community of firearms dealers, ensuring it remains up-to-date and relevant to your business needs.

Common Questions Answered:

  • Are you Australian based? Yes.
  • Do you make your software? Yes.
  • How do I contact your help desk? By phone or email. Our help desk team is based in Australia, with one member located in New Zealand.
  • When can I contact you for help? Weekdays: 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM AEST. Urgent after-hours support is available 24/7.
  • Can I run the software in the cloud? Yes.
  • Can I run the software on my desktop? Yes.
  • Can I backup to the cloud? Yes.
  • How long am I locked in with software rental? There is no lock-in contract.
  • Can I set the software to force an age check by product purchased? Yes.
  • Can I load photo of a customer’s driver’s licence to have on file? Yes.
  • Does the software track product serial numbers? Yes, multiple methods are available.
  • Can I handle permit to acquire? Yes.

This locally developed POS solution provides the specialised features required for the compliant and efficient operation of an Australian firearms dealership.

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The smart way to do a stocktake in your local retail business

April 19, 2025
2 Min read
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The days of using a stocktaker to count stock for your end of financial year stocktake are well and truly over. Smart POS software makes it easy. Smarter POS software makes it faster and even easier. That’s what we offer here at Tower Systems with our POS software for local specialty retailers.

Retailer Roam is a portable POS software solution that can run on your iPhone, iPad or any Android device. It truly is portable POS software.

Retailers can use Retailer Roam to sell from anywhere. It’s perfect for the local market, selling or the road or at a pop-up shop.

Best of all, Retailer Roam offers a live stocktake facility. Use it to update sock on hand data in real time, quickly, easily, accurately.

Using Retailer Roam will help retailers ease the burden of the stocktake and eliminate the cost of using a professional stocktaker.

Retailers can use Retailer Roam to do a full stocktake or part of a store stocktake. It’s easy to use and ideal for shop staff engagement.

This video is one of our training videos. Its;s been made for businesses already using our software. We share it here to show you how to setup to use Retailer Roam for stocktaking and to demonstrate more generally the quality of training we provide.

This video explains how to perform stock takes using Retailer Roam, highlighting its ability to sync data live back to Retailer, which allows for more up-to-date quantity on hand tracking. The video covers starting a stock take, navigating the interface, using search and barcode scanning, explaining scan modes, demonstrating item counting, syncing data, and finishing the process.

We have found short videos like this one to be useful to retailers in training team members.

Every retail business does stocktakes. Our goal with Retailer Roam is to help you save time and improve outcome accuracy.

Tower Systems is grateful to its local small retail business customers for their engagement and helping us to make better POS software that helps local retailers thrive. Their engagement during the software development and testing processes help us create better products.

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Retail business advice: being unique attracts shoppers in-store and online regardless of your business size

April 17, 2025
3 Min read
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In his 1960 book Reality in Advertising, Rosser Reeves, a respected US advertising executive, introduced the world to the concept of the unique selling proposition, or USP for short.

Reeves defined the USP in an advertising context:

  1. Each advertisement must make a proposition to the consumer: buy this product, and you will get this benefit.
  2. The proposition must be one that the competition either cannot or doesn’t
  3. The proposition must be so strong that it changes consumer behaviour.

In the 1960s and 1970s, the concept of a USP evolved from being essential to advertising to being essential to business. Finding your business USP was considered mission-critical to businesses, especially retailers. Businesses drifted, however, and forgot about the importance of a USP.

Jack Trout tells us in his aptly titled book Differentiate or Die that a USP is mission-critical in business.

Differentiate or die. There is no doubt about the call to action in the title and no doubt about the consequences of inaction.

Yet many retailers, for the most part, have remained still in the face of an onslaught of competition.

Retail is tough today. There are fewer differences between competitors. Retailers are surrounded by competition, and it grows by the day. Yet many have remained still and have done nothing.

Smart retailers are reacquainting themselves with the writings of Reeves and Trout and learning about the mission-critical imperative of having a USP.

Differentiation could be service, product, location or a combination of these. Differentiation will most likely not be price, as anyone can easily match this.

Price is, after all, the last line of defence in any business battle. That said, there are some major price-focused success stories—Wal-Mart in the US and Bunnings in Australia, for example. This is rare in an independent retail situation.

To develop your USP, engage with your employees and other stakeholders. Take your time. Determine what you and your business stand for. Following open and honest discussion and debate, the USP, around which everyone in the business can willingly congregate, will emerge.

A good USP will not require an advertising campaign to communicate. It will become obvious through actions and decisions. By living the USP in every facet of the business, you will soon be seen as unique by shoppers, and this can drive excellent word of mouth and success for the business.

Here at Tower Systems we leverage our practical retail shop floor experience to provide advice and support for local small business retailers beyond our POS software.

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Retail business advice: rules for a strong foundation on which to build your shop

April 16, 2025
3 Min read
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Every retail business needs rules—rules everyone working in the shop is asked to follow; rules to guide behaviour.

Businesses without rules can function okay until that one time when someone behaves in a way that is unacceptable.

Here are some suggested rules that we have used in our shops over the years. They include some rules that we have seen others use successfully in their local small business retail settings:

  1. Customers come first. Please treat them with respect. Appreciate them.
  2. We value your opinion. If you think there is something we should stock that will sell, please tell us. If you think we’re making a mistake in running the business, please tell us. If you see a colleague misbehaving towards a work colleague, please tell us. If you see theft, please tell us.
  3. This is a safe place. Thank you for helping us ensure that.
  4. No staff members are permitted to serve themselves, ever. If you do purchase from the business, purchase from the customer side.
  5. Any staff discount is not to be added to already discounted items unless a manager agrees.
  6. If you want to buy something, you don’t take it off the shelf until you’re ready to pay for the item. NO setting items aside.
  7. You’re not permitted to buy something on a staff discount for someone else.
  8. No personal mobile phones at the counter.
  9. No reading behind the counter.
  10. No bags at the counter.
  11. Don’t sit behind the counter.
  12. When a sale is over, complete the sale. Shut the cash drawer. Don’t leave a completed sale on the screen.
  13. Only a manager is permitted to remove money from the register during trading.
  14. Never put anything aside for someone who calls, unless you know them and they are a regular shopper.
  15. The computers in the business are not to be used for personal use unless approved by the owner or manager.
  16. This is a retail business. Customers are our only source of revenue. Greet them with a smile. Thank them for shopping with you when they leave. This means that the shop floor is the hub of our operation. Your focus on the shop floor and our customers helps the business, and this helps you.
  17. If there is anything we can do to help you enjoy working here more, please let us know.

Take a moment to consider your own rules.

Here at Tower Systems we leverage our own retail experience to help our customers, all local retailers, to run valuable ands enjoyable businesses.

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Retail business advice: Tips for dealing with being in a small country town with a declining population

April 15, 2025
2 Min read
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If you are in a small country town with a declining population we have some tips for you.

Make more babies, and fast!

Okay, seriously, since you have no control over the population growth of the town, you need to work on that which you can control—you need to work on the reach of your business.

Yes, this means reaching shoppers online. This is the easiest way to combat the challenge of a declining population within the reach of your physical shop.

As cliché as it’s, if the population cannot get to your shop, take your shop to the population.

I have seen a shop in a small town do two-thirds of its revenue online and thrive as a result.

Being online is more critical than ever. It is the best way to attract new shoppers, leverage existing inventory, retail space and labour as well as top plot a fresh and profitable path forward for the business.

Tower Systems has team of skilled Shopify web developers, all working from in Victoria. This matters since many web developers actually outsource development to offshore businesses.

Tower offers a one stop shop service whereby we offer specialty retail POS software and beautiful Shopify websites connected to this POS software. The connection is safe, fast and seamless. The Shopify websites we develop are made specifically for each retailer customer, to their needs, meeting their requirements, populated with data that is collated through the integrated POS software.

Being a Shopify website developer and a POS software developer in the one business and being Australian based business positions Tower well to serve the needs of local Australian retailers. Being so engaged with the newsagency channel is a reason Tower has helped so many newsagents attract new shoppers through their websites.

The Tower Systems Shopify website development for small business retailers is done on a fixed price basis.

By embracing e-commerce and leveraging Tower Systems’ newsagency and web development expertise, newsagents can unlock a world of new opportunities. From seamless website integration to a focus on targeted customer acquisition, Tower Systems empowers newsagents to thrive in the digital age.

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Retail business advice: Nine one-percenters: easy things you can do for sure wins in retail

April 14, 2025
2 Min read
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One-percenters are small things—easy, small things you can do for a win in any retail business.

  1. Check off invoices and price new stock on the shop floor, located to disrupt shopper traffic, so customers notice you doing it, and they can look at the new products. Pricing is part of in-store entertainment.
  2. Never be out of stock of popular products. Use your software to predict sales, and order so you don’t sell out. We know from inventory / sales data that most retailers are out of stock of popular items 10% of the time and more.
  3. Write the value of dead stock somewhere where all staff see it. Dead stock is stock that is not selling. The criterion for dead stock varies by business type. Update the value weekly for a whole business focus on reducing this. Dead stock has no benefit to any business.
  4. Place two or three products at the counter for impulse purchase. Change them weekly unless they are selling well.
  5. Have at least one product at the counter that people can touch, feel or taste if appropriate. Physically interacting with a product gets them closer to purchasing.
  6. Change your front window display every week. The goal is to stop passers-by and have them notice you. If you don’t have a front window, change the front 2 metres of your shop every week.
  7. Use social media to share knowledge and have fun. Show who you’re. Entertain.
  8. Have a staff ‘product of the week’ in a good position, with a handwritten note from the staff member explaining the why.
  9. Make sure the shop is happy, with good music, good smells, happy staff and fun product engagement opportunities.

Create your own list of one-percenters for your business—the easy wins that anyone can do at any time to improve the success of the business. The best one-percenters for your shop will depend your own situation, your own opportunities. Be sure to update the list regularly to keep it fresh and reflecting the season.

We are grateful to have local retail experience that produces us with practical ideas that can help local retailers thrive. Our retail experience is something that adds value to the POS software relationship we have with our customers.

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POS software for local independent clothing and fashion shops

April 13, 2025
3 Min read
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Our POS software for fashion shops is made for local independent retailers, small retailers, local retailers. This software helps these specialty shops track stock, serve customers, make good business decisions and thrive.

Best of all, our clothing shop software helps these local small businesses compete.

In store as well as online, this Aussie made and supported software helps these local businesses pitch their differences, play to their strengths.

You can rely on this software and Tower Systems for:

  • Offering a loyalty solution fashion shoppers love.
  • Tracking inventory by colour, size and style.
  • Track brand performance.
  • Reduce out of stocks.
  • Reduce the cost of dead stock.
  • Uncover employee theft.
  • Easy and accurate selling.
  • Money making business insights.
  • Time saving supplier links.
  • Easy managing by colour, size & style.
  • Seasonal insights guide decisions.
  • Time saving roster integrations.
  • Trusted theft mitigation tools.
  • Personal training.

Our POS software for fashion businesses is strong. It continues to evolve as we work with more retailers to lean into changes as they emerge in the marketplace.

This fashion shop software by Tower Systems serves the unique needs of fashion and apparel businesses. It offers a comprehensive set of features aimed at simplifying operations, managing inventory effectively, and enhancing customer relationships.

Key capabilities:

  • Stock Management with Variants: Easily handle diverse product lines with variations in color, size, and style, ensuring accurate stock levels for each specific attribute.
  • Loyalty Programs: Implement and manage customer loyalty programs to encourage repeat business and build lasting customer relationships.
  • Lay-by Options: Offer customers the flexibility of lay-by payment plans.
  • Integrated Payments: Facilitate smooth transactions with integrations for various payment systems.
  • AI Product Descriptions: Use artificial intelligence to generate engaging and informative product descriptions for your merchandise.
  • Barcode Scanning: Quickly and accurately add new inventory items using barcode scanners.
  • Efficient Point of Sale (POS): Process sales transactions with ease, add items to the sale, and associate purchases with specific customers.
  • Customer Relationship Management (CRM): Build detailed customer profiles to personalize marketing efforts and provide tailored service.
  • Comprehensive Stock Control: Maintain optimal inventory levels, track stock movements, and manage purchase orders efficiently.
  • Marketing Tools: Leverage integrated marketing features to promote your products and drive sales through various channels.
  • Image Editing Functionality: Perform basic image editing tasks, such as removing backgrounds from product photos.

Pricing and support:

The software is offered at a monthly subscription rate, which includes licenses for unlimited users within a single location. This subscription also encompasses local support, ensuring assistance is available whenever needed. Fashion retailers benefit from continuous software enhancements and updates, keeping the system current with the latest features and functionalities. The software also supports integration with e-commerce platforms, enabling seamless online sales operations.

We are grateful to serve thousands of retailers in Australia and New Zealand. To see if we might be able to goof fit for your business please email sales@towersystems.com.au.

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The best gift shop in Perth?

April 13, 2025
2 Min read
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Olivis & Grace in Mount Lawley, Perth is, we think, the best gift shop in Perth. Okay, we are biased, they are a customer, and we created their website.  The thing is, Olivia & Grace and a wonderful and ever-changing fist shop. We were last there a few weeks ago and it is an inspiring local small business transformation story.

A year ago, we got to talk with the owner about what they had done already up to then:

What was a newsagency is now an inspiring local gift shop that people will travel hours to visit, and shop.

We think it’s the best gift shop in Perth.

Matt bought a traditional newsagency shop in late 2020. It was his first retail business. He knew he wanted to reinvent the business, to be relevant and appealing.

In less than 4 years Matt with his family and team have transformed the business into a thriving and loved local shop in Mount Lawley 10 minutes out of Perth.

While it’s called Mount Lawley News, this shop is not a newsagency, not what you think of as a newsagency. It’s a gift shop, a fun place to shop, somewhere you’re likely to find a gift for just about any occasion.

As Matt shares in this video, he embraces the opportunities of change, and he shows that even though the shop has been transformed, he’s not done. What he has created online through the website as well as on social media is fresh, engaging, and successful.

We are grateful to Matt for the opportunity to find out more. Be sure to check out their website: http://www.oliviaandgrace.com.au.

Helping local retailers thrive is in our DNA here at Tower Systems. Small local retail is at the heart of local communities. Our software can reveal opportunities and help local retailers transform their businesses based on data, evidence, as to the path they can take ahead.

Our specialty retail POS software offers insights specie to your business, insights based on your data, insights that lay a solid path for decision making. We back our software with retail experience and the ability to help you interpret data results revealed by our POS software.

We’re not your usual software company.

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If you can measure it, we can help you sell it, easily

April 12, 2025
1 Min read
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If you can measure it, our POS software can help you sell it. If you can weigh it, our POS software can help you sell it. Our Tower Systems POS software helps retailers sell by fractions, by weight, by measure.

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Here are 5 easy things you can do in your shop today, Friday, to drive sales this weekend

April 11, 2025
3 Min read
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It’s Friday April 11, 2025. Here are 5 things we think any shop could do to boost sales this weekend:

  1. Reset the counter. Seriously. Take everything off. Only put back on items that genuinely add value. Include at least 3 things people will buy on impulse. Be sure to have at least one thing you’d not expect to sell at the counter. The goal here is for you to be surprised at the results.
  2. Reset the first 3 metres. Go outside the entrance and walk in as if you are the customer. Try and only look at what they’d look at. Move what’s not working and replace it with items people will buy from close to the entrance.
  3. Refocus on loyalty. If you use a loyalty program, like the awesome discount vouchers in our software, talk to all your team members and ensure they are on board, pitching to every shopper.  Discount vouchers help infrequent shoppers spend more in their visit with you.
  4. Demonstrate. Choose a product that you can demonstrate on the shop floor. The best one is where you have a team member engaging with the product but not in the usual boring demonstration type way. This shop floor interaction is all about shoppers noticing a product they might not otherwise notice.
  5. Change up your music. Select a completely different playlist to usual. Lift the volume too. Spotify has retail shop playlists ready to go.
  6. Do more. Okay, this is point 6 and we said there would be 5. That’s the point here – do something unexpected. If you have products people can eat – offer samples. If you have products people use in a certain way – show them how to do this. If you have products people need training with – offer training. Go the extra mile and show your business as providing a level of service and engagement that is more than typical.

Let’s go back to loyalty. If you’re not using our discount vouchers tools, try them. Setup is easy and the customer reaction is usually terrific. If you follow our advice ion settings the vouchers will pay for themselves easily.

This advice is part of our general retail advice. It is offered to help local retail businesses thrive.

Tower Systems is not your usual software company. We leverage our own retail experience and years of service of awesome local retail businesses to offer advice any local retailer could use.

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POS software supporting local indie gift shops

April 11, 2025
3 Min read
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Here at Tower Systems, we are proud to say our gift shop POS software is built specifically for local, independent gift shops. Our customers are independent retailers, small business retailers, specialty retailers, local retailers.

We are 100% focused on small businesses, and absolutely dedicated to supporting our local business community. This isn’t just lip service; it’s the core of everything we do.

We believe every single customer matters, and every customer is treated equally. In the world of big software companies catering to massive retail chains, it’s easy for the unique needs of a local gift shop to get lost in the shuffle. You can feel forgotten, a small fish in a very large pond.

But we’re different. Over the years, we’ve had the privilege of learning directly from local gift retailers. They have hared invaluable business insights with us, knowledge that we’ve been able to weave into the very fabric of our software. Our aim? To empower other local indie gift retailers, just like you, to thrive.

Our vibrant community of thousands of local retail business users is a testament to this collaborative spirit. Within our gift shop software, you’ll discover features meticulously designed to handle all the usual point-of-sale tasks accurately and efficiently. But it goes beyond that. We provide you with insights to help you run a more enjoyable and successful retail business, minimise errors, and ultimately, flourish.

The Tower Systems gift shop software is crafted for this, and so much more. Here are some of the benefits that gift shop owners and their teams love:

  • Boost spending from one-time shoppers: Implement an easy-to-use loyalty system built right into the software.
  • Leverage your expertise: Offer your valuable product knowledge through structured opportunities within the system.
  • Enhance customer satisfaction: Include product care information directly on receipts.
  • Effortlessly manage special orders: Bring in specific items for customers and automate notifications via email or SMS when they arrive.
  • Seamlessly sell online: Connect directly to your Shopify, Big Commerce, Magento, or WooCommerce store from your POS, complete with image integration.
  • Ensure compliance: Utilise structured age verification prompts when required.
  • Save valuable time: Import electronic invoices directly from your suppliers.
  • Gain fresh perspectives on stock performance: Use tags to analyse your inventory from different angles.
  • Increase sales with product bundles: Make price comparisons trickier and encourage larger purchases.
  • Create business-differentiating loyalty programs: Stand out from the competition and keep customers coming back to you.
  • Offer trade and club pricing: Set specific pricing rules based on different customer profiles. This facility alone can open your business to many new shoppers.
  • Generate revenue through pre-orders: Easily pre-sell upcoming stock and efficiently manage distribution and billing upon arrival.
  • Differentiate with informative receipts: Include tailored product care, usage, and safety details based on customer purchases.
  • Stand out with unique bundles: Selling items together can make price comparisons difficult for customers.
  • Track individual sales performance: Know who sold what within your team.
  • Say goodbye to Lay-bys: Offer integrated buy now pay later options for greater flexibility.
  • Targeted customer marketing: Reach out to customers based on their previous purchase history.
  • Reclaim your time: Streamline your processes by importing electronic invoices.
  • Drive more sales: Offer convenient buy now pay later options directly through your POS.
  • Reduce errors: Benefit from integrated EFTPOS for smoother transactions.
  • Lower accounting and bookkeeping costs: Integrate seamlessly with Xero and other accounting software.

But at its heart, remember this: our software is made for local indie gift shops. And at Tower Systems, every single one of our customers is valued equally.

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Software for Garden Centres: Benefits, Features, Loyalty, & AI

April 10, 2025
3 Min read
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Join Tim, Justin, and Mark as they discuss garden centres and software tailored for specialist garden centres, landscapers, and related businesses.

This software is designed to help local garden centres flourish and effectively serve their community’s needs with personalised and engaging interactions, including the ability to sell items by weight or length, incorporating fractions.

In this discussion, we explore some of the artificial intelligence (AI) tools integrated within the software, demonstrating how they can save time and assist individuals working in garden centres in making sound and valuable business decisions. We’ll look at everything from fundamental operational tools to advanced features like customer loyalty programs and the potential of AI. Discover how this software solution can contribute to the success of garden centres.

Adopting a “show, don’t tell” approach, this video provides a live demonstration of some of the useful functionalities within this software specifically developed for garden centres.

Here are some of the advantages of using the Tower Systems Garden Centre software:

  • EASILY SELL BY MEASURE OR WEIGHT – in whole numbers or fractions. Enjoy accurate billing and stock levels, which customers appreciate.
  • CUSTOMERS APPRECIATE LOCALISED GARDEN CARE RECEIPTS – customise receipts with your specific care information relevant to the items purchased.
  • STAND OUT WITH OUTDOOR LABELS – utilise high-resolution, customisable, weatherproof product labels.
  • INCREASE PROFITABILITY AS PLANTS GROW – easily re-pot plants into larger containers and adjust pricing accordingly.
  • DIFFERENTIATE WITH BUNDLED PACKS – for example, offer a plant, pot, and nutrients as a single priced bundle – unique to your business.
  • BOOST FOOT TRAFFIC WITH SEASONAL MARKETING – share seasonal planting and care advice relevant to your local area to encourage customer spending.
  • SIMPLIFY SEASONAL ORDERING – reorder stock based on minimum/maximum levels or historical seasonal sales data.
  • SAVE TIME – AI streamlines the process of importing invoices.
  • SIMPLE AND EFFECTIVE CUSTOMER ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT – track all purchases and payments, minimising the risk of non-payment.
  • MAKE DELIVERIES EASIER AND MORE RELIABLE – delivery notes and picking slips improve your operational flow.
  • SECURE AND FAST EFTPOS – fewer keystrokes mean fewer errors.
  • INCREASE SALES PER VISIT AND ENCOURAGE REPEAT BUSINESS – implement a meaningful loyalty program that incentivises return visits.
  • EASY AND ACCURATE STOCK MANAGEMENT – readily identify fast and slow-moving stock to reduce unsold inventory.

Tower Systems is a small Australian business focused on developing and supporting point-of-sale (POS) software for niche specialty retailers.

Businesses such as jewellers, garden centres, bike shops, toy shops, produce businesses, farm supply businesses, fishing shops, pet shops, charity organisations, landscape gardening businesses, antique shops, sewing shops, haberdashery businesses, newsagents, and many more benefit from this software.

Find out more at www.towersystems.com.au.

Call 1300 662 957 or email sales@towersystems.com.au.

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POS software built for Aussie produce, farm shops & stockfeed businesses

April 9, 2025
3 Min read
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Running a produce business, farm shop, or stockfeed business in Australia? You know that standard retail software often falls short. Your unique needs – from tracking bulk goods by weight or measure to managing complex deliveries – require a specialised solution.

That’s why we’re excited to showcase our enhanced Produce Business Software, designed, developed, and supported right here in Australia specifically for businesses like yours! We go beyond typical Point-of-Sale (POS) systems to offer a comprehensive platform tailored precisely to your industry.

Hear Directly From Our Team

In this video, Tim, Justin and Mark from Tower Systems talk about our software made specifically for produce, farm supply, stockfeed and farm shop businesses. We delve into our years of service in this specialty marketplace, share real-world stories of how the software is used, and highlight some of its key capabilities.

Features Built for Your Business Needs.

We’ve worked closely with businesses just like yours to build and refine features that truly make a difference:

  • Dispatch Management: Efficiently handle multiple trucks and deliveries. Seamlessly integrates with Allotrac for advanced logistics planning.
  • Loyalty Marketing: Build lasting customer relationships and encourage repeat business with an integrated loyalty program.
  • Bulk Material Tracking: Easily manage purchasing raw materials in bulk, plus track the mixing and packaging of your own unique product lines.
  • Local Produce Info: Provide valuable use and care information directly to your customers at the point of sale.
  • Flexible Selling: Sell products exactly how you need to – by weight, length, or even fractions.
  • Weatherproof Labels: Design and print durable labels that can withstand demanding outdoor and farm conditions.
  • Integrated Rostering: Streamline staff management by connecting directly with Deputy, Tanda, and Planday.
  • Digital Receipts: Offer customers the convenience of paperless receipts via Slyp.
  • Quotes & Invoices: Manage your quoting and invoicing process efficiently and accurately within the system.

More Than Just Software: A Complete Partnership

Choosing Tower Systems’ Produce Business Software also gives you:

  • Software licenses for unlimited computers within your single business location.
  • Dedicated Help Desk support (Monday – Saturday).
  • Full access to our comprehensive online Knowledge Base for self-help resources.
  • Powerful integrations with essential platforms like Shopify, Big Commerce, Xero, MYOB, and more.
  • Access to supplier invoice import tools (including our powerful AI tools) for easier inventory management.

Constantly Evolving: Check Out Our Latest Enhancements!

We’re committed to continuous improvement. Here are some exciting features added this year:

  • Google Gemini / ChatGPT Integration: Automate tasks like importing supplier invoices, generating compelling product descriptions, and even creating blog content.
  • International Barcode Lookup: Quickly add new products to your inventory using our integrated global database.
  • Auto Photo Background Removal: Get professional, web-ready product images faster for your e-commerce platforms like Shopify and Big Commerce.
  • Free FindIt.com.au Integration: Increase your local visibility and drive more shoppers directly to your store.
  • Shopper Self-Checkout Version: Offer customers a convenient and speedy self-serve checkout option.
  • Portable ‘Sell Anywhere’ Solution: Take your POS system on the road, around the farm, or to markets with our mobile transactor.

About Tower Systems

Tower Systems is a small business focussed POS software company, proudly developing and supporting POS software specifically for niche specialty retailers across Australia. From jewellers and garden centres to bike shops, farm suppliers, and newsagents, we provide tailored solutions that work.

Ready to Learn More?

Discover how our specialised software can streamline your operations and help your produce, farm shop, or stockfeed business thrive.

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Shoptalk 2025 recap: AI in retail, Waymo driverless cars and local small retail vs. big business

April 8, 2025
2 Min read
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In this video, Mark and Anthony share their insights and experiences from Shop Talk 2025 in Las Vegas, covering everything from personalised merchandise and TikTok’s engaging strategies to the transformative power of AI and the potential of driverless cars in the retail landscape.

Here’s a sneak peek at what you’ll discover:

  • Personalised Experiences: Learn how companies are creating unique and memorable experiences for customers through custom merchandise and interactive displays.
  • AI’s Impact on Retail: Explore practical applications of AI for small businesses, including AI-driven ads and time-saving tools.
  • The Future of Transportation: Get a firsthand look at Waymo driverless cars and their potential to revolutionize transportation.
  • Adapting to Change: Understand the importance of being nimble and adaptive in the rapidly evolving retail environment.
  • Creating Unique Shopping Environments: Discover the value of crafting enjoyable and memorable shopping experiences.

This video offers valuable takeaways for retailers of all sizes, offering actionable insights and inspiration for the future of the industry.

Shoptalk is a conference for retailers about retailing, a place to discover what’s on the mind of retailers large and small. I attended conference sessions, one-on-one meetings organised by Shoptalk and a round table with 7 retailers talking tech.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) was the hot topic on stage and on the trade show floor.

From a retailer perspective, Shoptalk 2025 highlighted that rapid extensive change is here, standing still is not an option. Without explicitly saying it, the suppliers there, supported by so many speakers, urged change in retail from the ground up.

It is in this moment where we see opportunity for small business retail, and opportunity for us to encourage this.

Watching the revolution from the sidelines is not where you want to be.

In the context of the Tower verticals, the flexibility of our software helps retailers who want to play outside what has been traditional for their type of business. We are setup for helping them break through barriers.

Given the money being spent by tech businesses of the AI pitch, companies without such a pitch may find it challenging.

Tower Systems helps local small business retailers thrive by offering access to smart tech made for them, tech that helps them compete in this rapidly changing world.

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Best practice POS software help desk AI chatbot approach avoids hallucination

April 7, 2025
2 Min read
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In the context of AI, “hallucination” refers to an AI model generating false or misleading information, presented as accurate, due to limitations in its training data or design.This is a real problem. Hallucinations undermine trust in AI models.

Hallucinations in AI results are more common in open AI models, models with a low cost and that draw knowledge from not only the expertise of the business offering access to the AI chat.

Here at Tower Systems we have offered AI chat solutions for years and are grateful to leverage that experience and the leading-edge customer service specific AI LLM that we have partnered with for quite some time now. This LLM has only beed trained by us. It is closed too, meaning that it is not drawing any knowledge or experience outside of that in which we rain it.

The approach we have taken is more expensive and more complete, more certain.

For well over a year of using this professional help desk model we have reviewed responses and used what we have learned from the human review of responses to further train the AI to provide even better responses.

Being years into live use provides us with an advantage for which we are genuinely grateful.

The pay off for us is when we see fewer responses from the AI that could be improved.

None of this detracts from our human delivered personal customer service. We love talking with retailer, chatting retail and learning from how we can better serve their needs. What the AI does is provide access to support in the middle of the night covering all manner of queries from the simple to the complex. Its;s track record in offering this help is excellent. It has a record of accurate resolution we are proud of and that customers have let us know they are grateful for.

While many websites offer chatbot access, the majority today are not using a closed LLM such as what we pay to access. In our case we looked at the best practice approach of AI facilitated customer service. The quality of what we deliver matters more than the cost of delivery as we know this is what our customers will appreciate. We are glad to see no hallucination in our AI chatbot responses.

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How AI in your POS system can help your retail business

April 4, 2025
2 Min read
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Ever wondered how AI can actually help your retail business today? Michael, Luke, and Mark – seasoned retail pros with hands-on experience – sat down to discuss the real-world impact of AI tools in POS software. They shared practical examples of saving time and boosting profits, drawing from decades in the industry. Even though they use Tower Systems POS, the insights are gold for any small business retailer. Watch their discussion recorded April 3, 2025, to hear how AI could be a game-changer for you!

Real people talking retail from practical experience. This is the Tower Systems difference on show.

This engaging conversation provides relatable, real-life examples that illustrate the tangible benefits of AI, contrasting old methods with today’s AI-enhanced opportunities. While the discussion touches on the AI capabilities within Tower System POS software, the core business principles and strategic considerations are relevant to any small business retailer exploring the potential of AI. They also address the crucial topic of data security when using AI, offering valuable perspectives on protecting your business’s intellectual property.

This video is part of Tower Systems’ ongoing commitment to providing practical business insights for local small business retailers. It highlights their focus on developing and supporting tailored POS software for niche specialty retailers, including jewellers, garden centres, bike shops, and many more.

Discover how AI in POS software could benefit your retail business. Watch the discussion and learn more about Tower Systems at www.towersystems.com.au, call 1300 662 957, or email sales@towersystems.com.au.

Don’t get overwhelmed by the hype around AI. This discussion cuts through the noise, offering tangible examples of how AI in POS software can streamline your daily tasks, optimize inventory, and personalize customer interactions. Learn from real-world successes and see how these tools, like those in Tower Systems POS, translate to a healthier bottom line for small retailers.

Tower Systems is a small business focussed POS software company developing, and supporting POS software for niche specialty retailers. Jewellers, garden centres, bike shops, toy shops, produce businesses, farm supply businesses, fishing shops, pet shops, charity businesses, landscape gardening businesses, antique shops, sewing shops, haberdashery businesses, newsagents and more benefit from this software.

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Specialised POS software supports local knitting shops

April 3, 2025
5 Min read
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Running a thriving knitting shop involves a unique set of needs, and our specialty retail POS software is thoughtfully designed to help you manage them with ease.

Tower Systems is a software company that only serves local independent specialty retailers, like knitting shops. No big businesses here. We love helping local retailers thrive locally.

We are grateful to serve many businesses in the knitting, sewing, haberdashery, fabric and related specialty retail spaces.

We understand the intricacies of local knitting business. Our knitting shop software offers features such as:

  • Effortless sales by weight: Accurately charge for yarns sold by their weight if you want.
  • Convenient sales by length: Easily manage sales of anything by length.
  • Inspiring project bundles: Create and sell curated bundles of materials for specific knitting projects.
  • Seamless special order tracking: Keep on top of individual customer requests from start to finish.
  • Valued club member discounts: Effortlessly offer special pricing to your loyal club members. You could help raise funds for a knitting club while giving members a deal thereby attracting more of them to your shop.
  • Engaging loyalty rewards: Encourage repeat visits and reward your valued customers. Shopper visits for you are likely to be patchy. Use a loyalty program that Ann be calibrated to your needs.
  • Automatic product information sharing: Provide customers with helpful details and inspiration related to their purchases.
  • Integrated online presence: Seamlessly feed product information and images to your connected website.
  • Flexibility with market sales: Take your shop on the road with a facility to sell anywhere, anytime.

This software offers all this and much more, providing a comprehensive solution tailored to the specific needs of knitting shops.

We deeply value the contribution of local specialty retail businesses like yours.

Local knitting shops are the heart of vibrant communities, fostering connection and creativity. Our software is designed to help you leverage your unique local presence.

Your individuality is your strength.

Your business is special because of you and your dedicated team. Our knitting shop software provides features that empower you to highlight your unique strengths and expertise.

Building genuine loyalty you can count on.

Forget generic points systems. Our software offers fresh and meaningful tools to cultivate true customer loyalty and build lasting relationships.

Unlocking opportunities hidden in your data.

Gain valuable insights from your business data, empowering you to make informed decisions and identify new avenues for growth.

Reaching customers beyond your doorstep.

Connect seamlessly with a wider audience through a beautiful website integrated with your knitting shop POS software, ensuring you don’t miss out on potential customers.

Our Knitting Shop Software: Investing in Your Success

For modest monthly rental cost, you gain access to our comprehensive software from all the computers within your business. To ensure a smooth start, we also offer a small on-boarding fee which includes personalised one-on-one training and setup support.

Have Questions? We Have Answers:

Here are some common questions we receive about our knitting shop POS software:

  • Can I promote local clubs and groups on receipts? Yes, absolutely.
  • Can I share patterns, manuals, and other documentation with customers? Yes, you can easily upload files (images, documents, PDFs) to products and have them automatically included in emailed receipts. Perfect for sharing information sheets and helpful advice.
  • Can I remind customers about upcoming opportunities and events? Yes, you can keep your customers informed.
  • Can I send these reminders via text or email? Yes, we support both options for your convenience.
  • Can I easily access past purchase records for a specific customer? Yes, historical data is readily available.
  • Can I create and manage quotes for customers? Yes, you can easily generate and track quotes within the software.
  • Can the software keep track of special or one-off customer orders? Yes, you can monitor these orders from the moment they are placed.
  • Is it easy to create and sell product packs or bundles? Yes, our software makes creating bundles a simple process.
  • I sell items with variations like colour, size, and style – can the software handle this? Yes, our software is equipped to manage product variations.
  • Can I integrate the software with my suppliers? Yes, many of our customers import stock files and invoices. We can also facilitate providing suppliers with data feeds of their product sales.
  • Does the software connect with my existing website? We partner with popular platforms like Shopify, Magento, and WooCommerce, offering direct integration.
  • Can I email receipts to customers? Yes, this is a standard feature.
  • Can I track the origin of my customers? Yes, you can gain insights into where your customers are coming from.
  • Do I need to pay extra for software access on multiple computers within my business? No, the rental fee covers access from all your business computers.

If you’re looking for a way to streamline your workflow, efficiently manage sales and stock, and cultivate growth in your knitting shop, our specialised software could be a valuable asset.

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Reflecting on Shoptalk 2025

April 2, 2025
3 Min read
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I am grateful to the organisers of Shoptalk for the invitation to attend the conference in Las Vegas this year. It was a challenging, inspiring and confronting event checkin in with so many retailers, tech experts and others on the state of retail and how tech is helping retailers evolve rapidly.

From a retailer perspective, Shoptalk 2025 highlighted that rapid extensive change is here, standing still is not an option. Without explicitly saying it, the suppliers there, supported by so many speakers, urged change in retail from the ground up.

It was encouraging hearing some claim that retail specialisation is for many a thing of the past, that a shingle should not define what a business sells. I have thought this for a long time.

Plenty of the GenAI discussions were around using this tech to take you beyond your boundaries as they relate to your business, to see new possibilities.

In the context of the Tower verticals, the flexibility of our software helps retailers who want to play outside what has been traditional for their type of business. We are setup for helping them break through barriers.

I was reminded last week that we are in a moment of extraordinary change driven by AI, whether we like it or not. I expect history will compare the extent of disruption of this moment to that of the Industrial Revolution. While I’m no expert, I suspect it will deliver a bigger impact than the Industrial Revolution.

The AI and related tech advances we see at the moment favour small businesses because they are small, nimble and faster to make decisions.

It is in this moment where I see opportunity for small business retail, and opportunity for us to encourage this.

Watching the revolution from the sidelines is not where you want to be.

The one on one sessions organised y Shoptalk were terrific. I got to meet plenty of vendors with cool products. Better still was the business discussions, learning how retailers are evolving rapidly.

Shoptalk 2025 attracted around 10,000 retail and tech/retail attendees and featured 200+ and 900+ suppliers.

Shoptalk is a conference for retailers about retailing, a place to discover what’s on the mind of retailers large and small. I attended conference sessions, one-on-one meetings organised by Shoptalk and a round table with 7 retailers talking tech.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) was the hot topic on stage and on the trade show floor.

Comparing the AI focus at Shoptalk with what I saw at the NRF Big Show in New York in January, there has been a shift. At Shoptalk the focus was more specific with vendors being clear as outcomes available for retailers from embedded AI tools.

Key contexts for embracing AI are heightened competition and the speed of change inside and outside retail. I heard examples like reducing underperforming inventory, cutting the cost of analysis and generating marketing text for inventory.

It’s good to know Tower Systems already offers access to these AI tools within the POS software. Within is the key word here. While so many pitch AI, plenty don’t offer it themselves.

I have no doubt that competing against software without AI tools is an easy win for any company with AI tools.

Given the money being spent by tech businesses of the AI pitch, companies without such a pitch may find it challenging.

There were around 50 Australians at Shoptalk. I’m sure they found it valuable.

Now, it’s time for working on the action items.

Mark Fetcher. 0418 321 338. mark@towersystems.com.au.

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