Video: POS software for local independent bookshops
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POS software for bookshops helps local book retailers shine
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Our POS software for bookshops is tailored to the unique needs of local and independent bookshops. From daily sales to managing special orders and integrating with online platforms like Shopify, our solution streamlines operations and enhances customer experiences.
Developed and supported locally, in close consultation with bookshop owners and staff, our software offers a comprehensive suite of features:
- Book Group Management: Easily manage memberships, track rewards, and offer special pricing to boost sales. Leverage local clubs to drive sales.
- Efficient Special Order Handling: Seamlessly process and track special orders, notifying customers of their arrival.
- Advanced Inventory Search: Quickly find books by author name, part of author name, or title.
- International Barcode Integration: Directly connect to international barcode databases for efficient lookups.
- AI-Powered Product Descriptions: Leverage ChatGPT to generate compelling product descriptions that improve search visibility.
- Intelligent Returns Management: Identify slow-moving titles and streamline returns to optimize inventory.
- PacStream Connectivity: Access the powerful PacStream platform for streamlined supply chain management and cost savings.
- TitlePage Integration: Seamless integration with TitlePage for enhanced functionality.
Flexible Deployment Options and Expert Support
Whether you prefer cloud-based or desktop solutions, we offer flexible deployment options and expert support to ensure a smooth transition.
Sell Online with Ease
Choose the online platform that best suits your needs: Shopify, BigCommerce, or WooCommerce. You’re not locked in.
Invest in Your Community and Business
By choosing our POS software, you’re investing in a tool that supports your community and strengthens your business. We’re committed to helping you create a vibrant and engaging space for your customers.
Key Benefits:
- Easy and accurate selling
- Powerful search functionality
- Efficient special order management
- Effective book club member leveraging
- Free integration with FindIt local marketplace
- Seamless online selling capabilities
- TitlePage and PacStream integration
- Locally developed and supported software
- Expert local help desk support
- Comprehensive training resources
We’re grateful to our customers for their valuable feedback, which helps us continue to evolve our software and meet the changing needs of the industry.
Serving local independent retailers is something we have done for years, something we love doing. Local is important and we help as much as we can through our software and to support we provide our customers.
Bookshop software helps local bookshops thrive locally
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Our Tower Systems POS software is tailored to the unique needs of local independent bookshops in Australia and New Zealand.
Developed and supported locally and in consultation with local bookshop owners and staff, it provides a comprehensive suite of features to streamline operations and enhance customer experiences.
The bookshop software is not set in stone. It continues to evolve and the needs of an opportunities for local bookshops evolve. Here’s how it looks today:
Key features of our bookshop POS software for local independent bookshops include:
- Book Club Management: Easily manage book club memberships, track rewards, and streamline fundraising efforts. This helps you connect with readers, serve them and win business from them.
- Efficient Special Order Handling: Seamlessly process special orders, track their status, and notify customers of their arrival.
- Advanced Inventory Search: Quickly find books by author name, part of author name, or title.
- International Barcode Integration: Directly connect to international barcode databases for efficient lookups.
- AI-Powered Product Descriptions: Leverage ChatGPT integration to generate compelling product descriptions that boost customer search results.
- Intelligent Returns Management: Identify slow-moving titles and streamline the return process, optimizing inventory and maximizing returns.
- PacStream Connectivity: Access the powerful PacStream platform directly from our software, enabling streamlined supply chain management and cost savings.
Our software is designed to empower independent booksellers and help them thrive. Whether you prefer cloud-based or desktop solutions, we offer flexible deployment options and expert support to ensure a smooth transition.
Sell online. Choose the online platform that suits your needs and interests: Shopify, Big Commerce, Woo Commerce. You are not locked in.
By choosing our bookshop POS software, you’re investing in a tool that supports your community and strengthens your business. We’re committed to helping you create a vibrant and engaging space for your customers.
You can rely on this POS software for bookshops:
- Easy and accurate selling.
- Search products by title or author.
- Special orders for customers.
- Club / group pricing to win more sales.
- Free integration with FindIt local marketplace.
- Easy online selling.
- TitlePage integration.
- PacStream integration.
- Locally made software.
- Local help desk support.
- Awesome training resources.
We are grateful to bookshop software customers who help us be relevant in this rapidly changing marketplace.
Small business POS software Q&A
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Here are answers to questions we are often asked:
Are you Australian based? Yes.
Do you make your POS software? Yes.
How do I contact your help desk? By phone or email. Our help desk is Australian based with one team member working from New Zealand.
When can I contact you for help? Weekdays: 7am through 6PM AEST, Saturdays 7:30am through 3PM AEST. After hours for urgent calls: 24/7.
Do you have a knowledge base I can search? Yes.
Do you have training videos? Yes
How up to date are your training videos? Very – we add content regularly – many new videos in the last three months.
Can I ask support questions without having to speak to someone? Yes, we offer a closed network AI tool that relies solely on our own intellectual property. This is free and available 24/7.
What if I am unhappy with support? You can escalate to our Chief Operating Officer or our Managing Director – every customer is given their direct numbers and email addresses.
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. You can cancel rental at any time and billing stops immediately – once the current month is completed, there is no further charge.
Can we offer a special price to members of a club or some other group? Yes.
Can we market to members of clubs or teachers or schools? Yes.
Can we track sales to club or school members to rebate as a fundraising opportunity? Yes.
Can you pass on product care manuals and other documentation? Yes, you can load files, images, documents or PDFs for products (information sheets, advice, notices) and have them automatically included in emailed receipts.
Can we promote things on receipts? Yes.
Can we use the software to manage repairs? Yes. You can track jobs, parts and labour. Plus, communication with customers is streamlined.
Can we remind customers about servicing or similar? Yes.
Can we do this by text or email? Either, we support both.
Can we look-up historical servicing records for a specific customer? Yes.
Can we create a quote for a customer? Yes.
Can we track / manage quotes? Yes.
Can we track using parts from our shop and labour to make a product? Yes.
Can the software track special or one-off orders for customers? Yes, from the moment the order is placed.
Can we manage buying and selling second-hand items? Yes.
Can we group items together to sell in a pack or bundle? Yes, it’s easy to create packs using the software.
Does the software track product serial numbers? Yes. You have a couple of different ways you can do this.
Can we integrate the software with our suppliers? Yes. We have many customers importing stock files and invoices. If you want to provide a supplier a data feed of sales of their product, our software can do this too.
Does the software connect with our website? We partner with Shopify, Big Commerce, Magento and WooCommerce and offer direct links to these.
Can we email receipts? Yes.
Can we track where our customers come from? Yes.
Do we have to pay for software on additional computers in our business? No.
Does the software handle LayBys? Yes.
Can we connect with our EFTPOS terminal? Yes. We have a direct link to Tyro and through Linkly we connect to all major banks.
Can we use our existing hardware? Yes, as long as your hardware meets our minimum standards.
Can we use our existing data with the software? Yes. We’d like to check your data to be sure. We will advise what can be safely brought across.
Does it integrate with Xero? Yes.
Can the software age check on certain products? Yes.
Do you offer a business insights platform? Yes.
Can I use the software for a pop-up shop? Yes, our retailer Roam does this.
Do you offer a self checkout option? Yes.
Do you push software updates on me? No. You choose if and when to update.
Can I suggest changes for an update? Yes. Customers transparently vote on these.
These are some of the questions we have been asked by retailers considering our POS software. We hope our responses are helpful.
Free POS software commented marketplace find.com.au helps local retailers attract local shoppers
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FindIt is a free marketplace made for local independent retailers. It helps then be found by local shoppers.
This free platform, made here in Australia by Tower Systems, seamlessly connects local businesses with consumers seeking a unique and personalised shopping experience. It links with the Tower Systems POS software for a data feed.
Already local retailers are grateful for new shoppers arriving in their shops thanks to a free listing of their products on FindIt.com.au.
- Retailers can effortlessly showcase products to a wider audience through a user-friendly online platform.
- No website development or management required – FindIt takes care of everything. Linking is easy and fast.
- Leverage the power of SEO expertise to ensure your products rank prominently in Google searches.
Streamlined local shopping for local customers:
- FindIt acts as a comprehensive online catalogue, allowing customers to discover from their phone, tablet or computer a diverse range of products from local retailers.
- Enjoy the convenience of adding items from multiple stores to a single basket for a seamless research.
- FindIt facilitates a direct connection between customers and retailers, fostering a sense of community and personalised service.
A free and sweet fit for Tower Systems POS software customers:
- Retailers who utilise the Tower Systems POS software, automatically gain access to FindIt, extending your reach at no cost.
- FindIt seamlessly integrates with your existing Tower Systems POS solution, streamlining your operations.
Supporting local Aussie retail businesses:
- FindIt is a proud advocate for independent Australian retailers, empowering them to compete in the digital landscape. It was built to serve this purpose.
- Together, we champion the values of local businesses – community engagement, personalised service, and unique product offerings.
FindIt is unique in that it is not about making money for Tower. Retailers can list products at no cost whatsoever. The goal is to encourage shoppers to find shops near them that have products being sought out. This really is all about nurturing local in-store shopper traffic. We think we’re pretty unique in that regard.
Learn More:
- Explore the capabilities of Tower Systems POS software at https://www.towersystems.com.au/.
- See FindIt here: www.findit.com.au.
- Witness the user-friendly interface and comprehensive features through readily available online demonstrations.
- Tower Systems exclusively caters to local independent retailers in a range of specialty retail , fostering a strong partnership with the local business community.
FindIt is evidence of the practical support Tower systems offers local independent retailers in Australia and New Zealand. We are grateful to have the resources to deliver this for our customers.
Bookshop software serves local independent bookshops
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This software made for local independent bookshops, to help them thrive instore as well as online. It has facilities specifically to serve the needs of bookshops.
- TitlePage integration.
- PacStream integration.
- Club pricing for book clubs and other local groups.
- Search products by title or author Easy and accurate selling.
- Tracking and managing special orders for customers.
- Club / group pricing to win more sales.
- Free integration with FindIt local marketplace.
- Easy online selling.
- Locally made software.
- Local help desk support.
- Awesome training resources.
Our Tower Systems bookshop POS software has been fine-tuned to serve the needs of local independent bookshops. It is software for bookshops developed and supported in Australia.
Using our bookshop POS software / bookstore POS software local bookshops can leverage a range of facilities designed to help the run efficient and enjoyable businesses. Facilities in the POS software made for bookshops include:
- Book Club support – rewarding members, fundraising for the club and more.
- Structured handling of special orders for customers. Place the order and have it tracked when it comes into the store with the customer easily notified of arrival.
- TitlePage integration for easy lookup.
- Easy searching by book inventory by author name or part of author name.
- International barcode direct connect for easy lookup.
- ChatGPT integration for smart product descriptions designed to help with customer searching.
- Returns management. Returning unsold books can be time consuming. Using our bookshop software, booksellers can identify titles that can be returned based on arrival in-store, sales and current quantity on hand. We provide the insight and the structured approach for handling the return, in a publisher friendly way. The approach in our software has been tested with booksellers, to ensure it is genuinely useful and in line with what is required from suppliers.
- PacStream connectivity. From within our bookshop software you have access to Pacstream integration. Ask us to demonstrate this to you, so you can see how it works live and in person. The PacStream platform is robust and commercially beneficial to retailers. Indeed, PacStream access is critical for book retailers.
- Easy searching of book inventory by title or part of a title.
We serve local independent booksellers with bookshop software made to help them win new business.
This bookshop POS software is made for independent retailers. You can run it in the cloud or on your desktop – you decide what’s right for you.
We support book retailers with specialty training and support too. We make it easy for bookshop owners and staff to learn the software so that they can help the business get the most from the software.
Independent book retailers are the lifeblood of the community, often at the heart of discussion, gathering and learning. Our bookshop software supports this role for bookshops in a range of ways, helping bookshop owners to serve community groups while strengthening their businesses.
Business performance insights from POS software helping local small business retailers shine
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Local small business retailers are often time poor and struggle to wade through reports looking for data needed to guide business decisions. Tower Systems has made it much easier for them.
The Visual Deck with our POS software sends an email weekly and monthly outlining business performance across a range of key performance indicators for the business. The visual representation of performance makes understand the health of the business easy and the decision opportunities even easier.
We have dramatically cut the time needed by retailers to access data, understand it and make decisions based on it. The emails weekly and monthly is another way our Tower Systems POS software is helping small business retailers run more enjoyable and valuable local retail businesses.
Bookshop software from Tower Systems helps independent bookshops shine
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Our Tower Systems POS software has been fine-tuned to serve the needs of local independent bookshops. It is software for bookshops developed and supported in Australia.
Using our bookshop POS software / bookstore POS software local bookshops can leverage a range of facilities designed to help the run efficient and enjoyable businesses. Facilities in the POS software made for bookshops include:
- Book Club support – rewarding members, fundraising for the club and more.
- Structured handling of special orders for customers. Place the order and have it tracked when it comes into the store with the customer easily notified of arrival.
- TitlePage integration for easy lookup.
- Easy searching by book inventory by author name or part of author name.
- International barcode direct connect for easy lookup.
- ChatGPT integration for smart product descriptions designed to help with customer searching.
- Returns management. Returning unsold books can be time consuming. Using our bookshop software, booksellers can identify titles that can be returned based on arrival in-store, sales and current quantity on hand. We provide the insight and the structured approach for handling the return, in a publisher friendly way. The approach in our software has been tested with booksellers, to ensure it is genuinely useful and in line with what is required from suppliers.
- Pacstream connectivity. From within our bookshop software you have access to Pacstream integration. Ask us to demonstrate this to you, so you can see how it works live and in person. The PacStream platform is robust and commercially beneficial to retailers. Indeed, PacStream access is critical for book retailers.
- Easy searching of book inventory by title or part of a title.
We serve local independent booksellers with bookshop software made to help them win new business.
This bookshop POS software is made of r independent retailers. You can run it in the cloud or on your desktop – you decide what’s right for you.
We support book retailers with specialty training and support too. We make it easy for bookshop owners and staff to learn the software so that they can help the business get the most from the software.
Independent book retailers are the lifeblood of the community, often at the heart of discussion, gathering and learning. Our bookshop software supports this role for bookshops in a range of ways, helping bookshop owners to serve community groups while strengthening their businesses.
Advice from Tower Systems on how to choose the right POS software for your business
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The best advice on choosing the right POS software for your retail business is that you do it yourself. This is not something to outsource, not something to use one of the comparison (marketing) websites for. Do your own research.
Choosing POS software is an important decision, a decision for the long term, a decision directly connected to the financial viability of your retail business.
Take your time.
Start with what you want and what you need. These are different things. Write lists. yes, write them down for the more organised you are the more likely you are to make the best decision for your retail business.
Choosing POS software is not something to rush. Beware of the POS software companies that put limited time deals in front of you. Those companies likely offer POS software that is not ideal and they try and make your choice about price so as to distract you from your lists of needs and wants.
The decision is about what you need and want and each of the POS software companies that you consider. It’s not about what representatives of those companies think about software from other companies. Asking them to comment on competition is not ideal. If you do ask though and if they bag a competitor, ask them how they know this, ask them for evidence.
Be sure to gather evidence in writing. If a representative of a POS software company makes a claim that they will do this or that or that their software does a specific thing you need be sure to describe your need fully and to get their response to this in writing – it could be you rely on this later.
If being local is an important part of what you pitch for your business, think about the local situation of POS software companies you consider. Find out how local a company you are considering is, how local their people are, think about whether their answers factor into your decision making.
See, don’t hear or read. See the software for yourself. Come to the demonstration with unique sales scenarios you see play out in your shop. See how the software handles these. Ask for a recoding of the demonstration so you can share it with others in your business who will use the software for if they feel they are part of your decision making they are more likely to support the decision you ultimately make.
No marketing company, so software comparison website, no consultant can substitute for what you invest in considering POS software for your retail business. Invest the time, your time, and it will reward you with the best decision for your business, you, people who work in the business and the customers of the business.
No software is perfect, and doubt anyone who claims it is. Software that is the best will not be perfect. best is good though. This is why controlling the consideration process yourself is vital, it helps you find what you decide is best.
Software for bookshops made and supported in Australia for independent bookshops
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Here at Tower Systems we are grateful to make and support POS software for bookshops. From the sales counter to the back office to a POS software connected website that drives online sales, our bookshop software is designed to help local and independent bookshops thrive.
Here are two ways in particular where our bookshop software provides practical and beneficial help to local bookshops:
- Returns management. Returning unsold books can be a time-consuming task. But with our bookshop software, booksellers can easily identify titles that can be returned based on when they arrived in store, how many have been sold, and how many are currently in stock. We also provide a structured approach to handling returns in a way that is friendly to publishers. Our approach has been tested with booksellers, so we know it’s genuinely useful and meets the requirements of suppliers.
- Titlepage integration. Our software has been integrated with Titlepage for many years. Our latest integration is even better and more useful for book retailers. And as Titlepage software continues to evolve, so will our integration.
We are grateful to local bookshop customers who have helped us evolve our bookshop POS software over the years, to help it lead into new areas of relevance and value for these vital local shops.
From electronic invoices to author lookup to special orders for customers, this software for bookshops helps local bookshops serve local shoppers.
Our software helps bookshop owners position their businesses as locally focused in unique ways, from reader loyalty programs to special interest focus to local club support to bundle offers. We help local bookshops better serve local readers and those who buy for them.
Our seamless Shopify integration makes it easy for local booksellers to sell online professionally. This enables them to reach shoppers far beyond their local catchment area. We are proud to have delivered bookshop software connected websites that are doing this.
Our locally made bookshop software also includes other tools that booksellers tell us they like, such as:
- Easy searching of book inventory by title or part of a title.
- Easy searching by book inventory by author name or part of author name.
- Pacstream integration.
- Structured handling of special orders of books.
Book retailing is a challenging industry, with big businesses pushing hard in this space. Our goal with our locally made bookshop software is to help small local retailers compete more successfully every day.
The bookshop POS software we offer today is different to what we will offer tomorrow. We are constantly evolving our software to meet the changing needs of our customers and the bookselling industry.
If you are a local book retailer, we’d love to find out if we could serve your needs.
Retailers loving the 1% EFTPOS fee rate offer
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Many of our local retail business POS software customers have jumped on the 1% EFTPOS fee rate. This is an optional rate with the choice entirely up to our POS software customers.
Here at Tower Systems we do not require our POS software customers to use any particular EFTPOS or payments platform. We leave the choice to them without any cost or penalty applied. This is a difference we are proud of, that we do not charge customers based on the EFTPOS platform they use. There is no penalty, no demand they use a particular platform.
The 1% EFTPOS cost offer for Tower Systems customers is another way we have sought to reduce operating costs for our small business retail customers.
Customers are loving it.
We also make it easy in our POS software for our customers to pass on actual EFTPOS costs to their customers, making EFTPOS cost them nothing at all in their businesses. That they are passing on a low cost is another way they can differentiate their business.
This 1% EFTPOS cost is for a solution integrated with our software. This means a bunch of benefits, such as:
- Reduced keystrokes.
- Reduced mistakes.
- Reduced accounting and bookkeeping overhead.
- Faster sales processing.
- Better sales counter workflow.
- Lower business costs.
- Easy refund management.
- Easier customer query handling.
- Single point takings balancing for the beguines.
- Reduced employee fraud.
There are plenty of benefits of this POS software integrated EFTPOS solutions beyond the low 1% EFTPOS cost to businesses.
Local retail business management benefits from integrated solutions. They do save time, and they reduce operating costs. That the financial costs are low is a loved benefit too.
We are proud to have been able to leverage this 1% EFTPOS fee rate for our Tower Systems customers, all of whom are local independent retail businesses, small businesses. It’s another way we have been able to help these small businesses get benefits that are often only available to big and national businesses.
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.
Advice most POS software can’t or won’t provide
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Since we own and run shops in which our Tower Systems POS software is used and in which we live the retailer experience personally, we have a perspective that is close to our customers than most POS software companies. It also gets us working with other retailers. It’s that personal contact that prompted us to share this advice and stock holding and, in particular, being over stocked, with our customers:
Stock in boxes in the back room, in a garage or under tables in the shop will not sell unless it is displayed.
While this will be obvious to most, there are some retailers who don’t get it.
If you do have stock in boxes and no room to display it, consider pausing spending to give you time to convert those purchases to cash.
The alternative is that you do nothing, and your ability to pay bills is impacted.
It’s your business. You choose when to spend and when to not spend.
Some retailers buy friendship through their purchasing. Others like to look busy with a shop bursting with stock. Others buy to feel better about themselves. Spending for any of these wrong is not helpful to the business, not helpful top you.
There are sales reps who would know they are selling stock to a business that does not need it. Shame on them. Shame on them putting their own financial rewards ahead of the evidence of an overstocked and financially stressed business. Sales people doing this are no friend of the business owner.
If you don’t know the current value of the stock in your business, it’s likely you have too much stock.
So, what’s the value of your current stock on hand?
If the value of your non circulation product (magazines and newspapers) stock right now is more than 20% of the total revenue you will make from it in a year, you probably have too much stock. The actual percentage will vary by product category.
There will be some who say the 20% figure is inaccurate and unhelpful. I have tested it in a few businesses and it is a reasonable first step guide.
So, what’s the value of your current stock on hand? Start there. Then look at your non circulation product revenue for the last year. The numbers will support what you currently see in your shop.
If you have boxes of stock that you’ve not opened for six months or more, you have too much stock. If your back room, garage and or under display table space is filled with boxes you have a problem.
The best way to address being overstocked is to stop buying and sell down what you have, and to do so without emotion.
The alternative is that you do not address the issue and the issue swamps you and your business.
It’s black and white – in your numbers and in your business.
…
This is one example of the practical way in which our POS software company engaged with retailers.
Retail business advice: make every day your pay day
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This is advice we first shared many years ago. We have updated it, updated it more, and updated it again this morning.
We think this is the best advice we could give any local small business retailer as it focuses you on what matters most – nurturing daily value from your business.
Everything you do today has to about making money today because what you make today may matter more than what you make when you sell your business.
Let’s get into it:
Retail business advice: make every day your pay day.
It starts with the mindset of every day being your pay day. Every decision needs to be considered in this context.
Here are some suggestions for making every day your pay day:
- Make your shop happy, appealing. Play good music. Smile. be happy to be there. Greet shoppers. Offer free samples. Be engaged.
- Make sure your sales counter maximises the opportunity. Keep it efficient. Pitch products that are easily understood and easily bought on impulse.
- Charge more every time you can. Where you can, charge more. Even and extra 1% or 2% can make a difference. In our experience, price is often not the factor retailers think it is. So, look at your prices for opportunities to increate margin.
- Get people buying more each visit. Look at what you have where and make sure that key traffic lines have impulse purchase opportunities along the way.
- Stock what sells. Use your data. Make sure you don’t run out of good selling items. 75% of retailers miss revenue by not having items shoppers want when they want them. Buying stock based on evidence is more valuable than buying based on emotion.
- Be cleverly frugal. When you are considering spending money, think about the value for the business from the spend. Think about the return you could get and the speed of the return. Have some checks and balances in spending decisions to slow them down.
- Seek out new customers. New customers are the future lifeblood of any retail business. Attract them with smart and entertaining social media posts, a window display that plays outside what people expect from your shop.
- Run with the leanest roster possible. Just about every retail business we review has capacity to lower labour costs. Trimming the roster can come at a cost for the owners – putting in more hours.
- Bring people back sooner with a thoughtfully calibrated loyalty offer that funds itself, and drives value. Every retail business needs a core action designed to bring people back. A timed loyalty offer, which expires, is a good way to do this.
- Have your best people working the floor, helping customers spend more. Today, retail is not about may I help you. Rather, it is about engaging with the products and subtly showing them off, like theatre.
- Have at least one stunning display that attract people from outside the shop, a display people talk about.
- Buy as best you can. Take settlement discounts where possible. Pick up supplier offers. never pass on your better buying to customers, unless it suits for some event you are running. Oh, and with this advice about buying – only do it for items you know you will sell for buying product at a discount and having it on the shelves too long is too much of a cost for the business.
- De-clutter. Sometimes the best way to be able to see your business and what it can do is for you to have less to look at. This means getting rid of dead stock, dead fixtures, dead corners of the shop. Always be trimming, cleaning and looking.
- Change. Every day in your shop change something. Get known as the shop that is never the same. This can be a reason to visit for some shoppers. If you run a business that rarely changes, you give people a reason to walk on by. So, every day, make a change or two. Encourage your team members to suggest changes. By moving a small stand from one part of the business to another could get it noticed and boost sales.
- Stop all busy work. It is easy in a local small business retail to get caught up in doing things. Often, things can be what you do to be busy. Being busy is only good if it is profitable, productive. Declutter your schedule.
Be responsible for the profitability of your business. Don’t blame your suppliers, your landlord, your employees or some other external factor … it all comes down to you – the decisions you make and the actions you take.
By making every day your payday you bring focus on what matters today and what will matter when you’d decide to sell your business.
Doing all this relies on your measuring the performance of your business. The Tower Systems POS software helps with this. It is easy.
My name is Mark Fletcher. I am the owner of Tower Systems. I also own retail shops and several online businesses. Every day here at Tower Systems we live what we say, in our software company and in our shops. We make mistakes, and learn from them. It’s some of those mistakes that got us thinking about this, about the approach of making every day your payday.
While our core mission is to grow the customer base for Tower Systems, we know that key to achieving this helping retailers. Plenty of the help we provide is not software related.
In sharing this advice we demonstrate a care for local small business retail and a transparency as to the advice and help we provide.
Tower Systems Bookshop POS Software: Helping Local Bookshops Thrive
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The locally made and supported bookshop POS software from Tower Systems helps local bookshops in a bunch of ways, from the sales counter to the back office to a POS software connected website that drives online sales. But there are two ways in particular where our software provides practical and beneficial help to local bookshops:
- Returns management. Returning unsold books can be a time-consuming task. But with our bookshop software, booksellers can easily identify titles that can be returned based on when they arrived in store, how many have been sold, and how many are currently in stock. We also provide a structured approach to handling returns in a way that is friendly to publishers. Our approach has been tested with booksellers, so we know it’s genuinely useful and meets the requirements of suppliers.
- Titlepage integration. Our software has been integrated with Titlepage for many years. Our latest integration is even better and more useful for book retailers. And as Titlepage software continues to evolve, so will our integration.
We are grateful to local bookshop customers who have helped us evolve our bookshop POS software over the years, to help it lead into new areas of relevance and value for these vital local shops.
We provide local booksellers with POS software that is designed to help them serve their local communities. Our software helps them position their businesses as locally focused in unique ways, from reader loyalty programs to special interest focus to local club support to bundle offers. We help local bookshops better serve local readers and those who buy for them.
Beyond the shop, our seamless Shopify integration makes it easy for local booksellers to sell online professionally. This enables them to reach shoppers far beyond their local catchment area. We are proud to have delivered bookshop software connected websites that are doing this.
Our locally made bookshop software also includes other tools that booksellers tell us they like, such as:
- Easy searching of book inventory by title or part of a title.
- Easy searching by book inventory by author name or part of author name.
- Pacstream integration.
- Structured handling of special orders of books.
Book retailing is a challenging industry, with big businesses pushing hard in this space. Our goal with our locally made bookshop software is to help small local retailers compete more successfully every day.
The bookshop POS software we offer today is different to what we will offer tomorrow. We are constantly evolving our software to meet the changing needs of our customers and the bookselling industry.
If you are a local book retailer, we’d love to find out if we could serve your needs.
POS software for bookshops
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Tower Systems is grateful to serve bookshops with locally made and supported POS software. Here’s a 7 minute video showing some of the highlights of this POS software.
Using our bookshop POS software / bookstore POS software local bookshops can leverage a range of facilities designed to help the run efficient and enjoyable businesses. Facilities in the POS software made for bookshops and available for $185 (inc. GST) a month include:
- TitlePage integration for easy lookup.
- International barcode direct connect for easy lookup.
- ChatGPT integration for smart product descriptions designed to help with customer searching.
- Returns management. Returning unsold books can be time consuming. Using our bookshop software, booksellers can identify titles that can be returned based on arrival in-store, sales and current quantity on hand. We provide the insight and the structured approach for handling the return, in a publisher friendly way. The approach in our software has been tested with booksellers, to ensure it is genuinely useful and in line with what is required from suppliers.
- Pacstream connectivity. From within our bookshop software you have access to Pacstream integration. Ask us to demonstrate this to you, so you can see how it works live and in person. The PacStream platform is robust and commercially beneficial to retailers. Indeed, PacStream access is critical for book retailers.
- Easy searching of book inventory by title or part of a title.
- Easy searching by book inventory by author name or part of author name.
- Structured handling of special orders for customers.
We serve local booksellers with bookshop software made to help them serve their local communities. Our software helps them position their businesses as locally focussed in unique ways and touchpoints from reader loyalty to special interest focus to local club support to bundle offers. We help local bookshops better serve local readers and those who buy for them.
Independent book retailers are the lifeblood of the community, often at the heart of discussion, gathering and learning. Our bookshop software supports this role for bookshops in a range of ways, helping bookshop owners to serve community groups while strengthening their businesses.
Booksellers have access to:
- Loyalty facilities through which you can genuinely differentiate your business, … shoppers respond to the levers you can pull.
- Sell online, easily. Our Shopify integration is seamless, official and easy to use and manage.
- Event marketing through which you can create contact lists of customers based on events and other connections.
This software has been embraced by book retailers.
Bookstore POS software / Bookshop POS software helps local indie bookshops thrive
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Tower Systems is grateful to serve plenty of local indie bookshops with our bookstore POS software.
Using our bookshop POS software / bookstore POS software local bookshops can leverage a range of facilities designed to help the run efficient and enjoyable businesses. Facilities in the POS software made for bookshops and available for $185 (inc. GST) a month include:
- TitlePage integration for easy lookup.
- International barcode direct connect for easy lookup.
- ChatGPT integration for smart product descriptions designed to help with customer searching.
- Returns management. Returning unsold books can be time consuming. Using our bookshop software, booksellers can identify titles that can be returned based on arrival in-store, sales and current quantity on hand. We provide the insight and the structured approach for handling the return, in a publisher friendly way. The approach in our software has been tested with booksellers, to ensure it is genuinely useful and in line with what is required from suppliers.
- Pacstream connectivity. From within our bookshop software you have access to Pacstream integration. Ask us to demonstrate this to you, so you can see how it works live and in person. The PacStream platform is robust and commercially beneficial to retailers. Indeed, PacStream access is critical for book retailers.
- Easy searching of book inventory by title or part of a title.
- Easy searching by book inventory by author name or part of author name.
- Structured handling of special orders for customers.
Of course, there is easy to use POS software, excellent insights reporting and more. Our loyalty tools are tuned for the typical frequency of visit in a local bookshop, making this POS software valuable in local bookshops that want to nurture a stickiness with local shoppers.
We serve local booksellers with bookshop software made to help them serve their local communities. Our software helps them position their businesses as locally focussed in unique ways and touchpoints from reader loyalty to special interest focus to local club support to bundle offers. We help local bookshops better serve local readers and those who buy for them.
Beyond the bookshop, our seamless Shopify link helps local booksellers sell online easily and professionally … enabling them to play in the online world and reach shoppers way beyond their local catchment area. We are proud to have delivered bookshop software connected websites that are doing this.
Tower Systems has offered bookshop POS software / bookstore POS software for many years. We are grateful to our customer community for their support and their guidance on ways we can make our software more useful.
6 best-value insights that will benefit any local small business retailer
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Retailers in local small business shops can feel alone sometimes when working on their business. They can sometimes get lost in a cave of thoughts without seeing a way out.
We thought about this and considered the thousands of different retailers in our POS software user community, and we developed the Insights Dashboard in our POS software, to deliver easy access to local small business retail insights that any retailer could leverage, regardless of size, location, specialty area or setting.
We wanted to ensure that what we delivered would be useful regardless of level of business management literacy and financial management literacy. We wanted to deliver the insights without the retailer having to seek them out. We wanted to genuinely add value to what a local small business retailer could gain from using our POS software.
So, via the Insights Dashboard in our POS software, we provide insights in six broad areas – with the insights delivered visually.
Where Are We Today
Gives you a snapshot of the overall sales & liabilities as it stands today.
You can access additional options by clicking the … symbol next to Todays Sales.
- Date Range – Expand the sales period covered by changing the start & end dates.
- All Locations – Multi-store locations can use this option to include/exclude other locations from the sales figures.
- Show Gross Profit Values – This option will show / hide GP values in the Daily Sales Dashboard, which you can access from the Point of Sale screen by pressing [Ctrl] + [D] on your keyboard.
What’s Not Selling
This gives you a visual understanding of what is not performing in your business. Deadstock in any business is lost cash. This report gives you the ability to make decisions on this underperforming stock whether it be discounting or other stock reductions strategies to unlock this lost cash.
You can click any stock item listed to show a graph of sales of that item broken down by month.
There are a number of options available to filter the stock items that appear in the list:
- Date Range – Limits the list to stock that has not sold in the amount of time specified.
- Listing Bottom – Maximum number of items to list.
- Rank By – Determines the order that items appear on the list in.
Click the … symbol for additional options:
- Departments – Select between showing stock from all departments or tick the desired departments from the list.
- Suppliers – Select between showing stock from all suppliers or tick the desired suppliers from the list.
- Exclude Recently Added Items – Exclude stock items that were added to your system inside the time period chosen in the drop down box.
What Am I Missing Out On
This give you a list of items that have sold out and potential missed opportunity. The visual sales history will assist in ensuring the right items are restocked to ensure future revenue is not missed out on.
You can click any stock item listed to show a graph of sales of that item broken down by month.
There are a number of options available to filter the stock items that appear in the list:
- Date Range – Limits the list to stock that has sold more recently than the amount of time specified.
- Listing Bottom – Maximum number of items to list.
Click the … symbol for additional options:
- Departments – Select between showing stock from all departments or tick the desired departments from the list.
- Suppliers – Select between showing stock from all suppliers or tick the desired suppliers from the list.
- Exclude Recently Added Items – Exclude stock items that were added to your system inside the time period chosen in the drop down box.
What Sells With What
This gives you an insight to consumer basket analysis. Through this you will see exactly what stock items sell with other stock items and from this you will be able to leverage upsell opportunities, co-location and promotion opportunities. This also shows the sold alone percentage so you can see item upsell efficiency.
You can change the period of time in the Date Range to limit the data to the period chosen. The ten items displayed are the ten best selling items by quantity for the selected time period.
Is Theft An Issue
This provides a in-depth visual overview of all the retailer audit log records by reason, number of occurrences by time day. This will assist in identifying staff theft/training issues that may need to be addressed within the business.
You can change the date range to limit the data to the time period chosen. Changing the time increment alters the lengths of time each day is broken up into.
You can view more complete records by using the Audit Log directly. Please contact Tower Support for help using the audit log.
When Are We Busiest & Quietest
This is a visual overview used to detect any quiet or peak times in your business by displaying over the week as well as detailed by hour.
You can change the week ending date to see data from other weeks. Next to chart value type, you can choose to measure by sales value or number of sales.The top graph shows sales broken down by day of the week. You can change the type of graph used to display this data by clicking the diagram type in the bottom-right. The bottom graph shows sales broken down by time of day. You can change the type of graph used to display this data clicking the diagram type in the bottom-right. You can also view this data as a table by clicking the table symbol in the top-right.
11 reasons why POS software from Tower Systems is worth considering by Aussie local retailers
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- Aussie made. We make our POS software here, in Australia, for local specialty Aussie retailers.
- Aussie supported. We support our POS software through our help desk team members, who work here in Australia. We have one in New Zealand, too. We have customers in NZ. Everyone on our help desk works for us. We don’t use an offshore help desk.
- Aussie supplier connected. Our POS software connects to many Aussie suppliers through easily loading their stock files, loading their electronic invoices and providing them with sales data for auto replenishment – with these connections all controlled by our retail business owner customers.
- Aussie accounting connected. Yes, we provide data to Xero and MYOB.
- Aussie words used. Terminology matters, especially in local retail. We’re not American software using American terms or UK software using UK terms.
- Real people serving you. Call us, a human answers. Email us, a human answers. no bots. No AI. No offshore call centre. Authentic, like local specialty retailers want.
- We’re retail experienced. We own and run shops and have done for many years. Almost everyone working in our Aussie POS software company has retail experience.
- Our software is for specialty retail, not everyone. That’s right, our software is not right for everyone. By not chasing everyone, we handle the specialist retail requirements that we do handle well, with maturity and depth of functionality.
- 100% local small business focussed. We don’t provide access to our software to mid-size or big retailers. Our focus is 100% on local small business retail. Those are the businesses that matter to us. You will never get lost in the crowd with Tower Systems
- This POS software continues to evolve. We regularly release valuable updates that enhance the capabilities of the software. his year, in 2022 so far, we have released 3 significant updates.
- It covers unique needs. Serial number tracking, dispatch management, selling by fractions, scale integration, serial number tracking, age checking, supplier integration, integrated loyalty … these specialty retail needs are more are core to our POS software.
There are more than 11 reasons to consider POS software from Tower Systems, many more, including facilities it may offer that are unique to your business. You would only know of this match or connection if you look at the software. that’s obligation free. Call 1300 662 057 or email sales@towersystems.com.au and set it up. we’d love to learn about your needs and show what we offer. Then, you can decide if we’re a match.
We will never pressure you.
Have a wonderful day …
POS software TitlePage integration helps book retailers
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TitlePage POS software integration for bookshops
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The Tower Systems POS software integrates with TitlePage, offering a true value-add service for bookshops and anyone who sells books. Here’s a short video from us demonstrating the TitlePage POS software link.
We are grateful to bookshops and book retailers who use our POS software and the TitlePage integration to better serve book customers.
Titlepage bookshop software integration helps local bookshops serve readers
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Tower Systems is grateful to offer Titlepage integration through it’s Bookshop POS software. Here’s a 3 minute video showing how it works:
Bookshop software helps local bookshops sell in-store and online
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The bookshop software from Tower Systems helps local bookshops serve their local communities.
This is software for bookshops that they can use in-store as well as connected to Shopify for easy and fast selling online.
Using the Tower Systems bookshop software, booksellers are able to handle:
- Returns management. Returning unsold books can be time consuming. Using our bookshop software, booksellers can identify titles that can be returned based on arrival in-store, sales and current quantity on hand. We provide the insight and the structured approach for handling the return, in a publisher friendly way. The approach in our software has been tested with booksellers, toe snare it is genuinely useful and in line with what is required from suppliers.
- Titlepage Integration. Our software has connected to Titlepage fore years. Our latest integration is even better and more useful for book retailers. This will evolve further as the Titlepage software itself permits.
- Pacstream connectivity. From within our bookshop software you have access to Pacstream integration. Ask us to demonstrate this to you, so you can see how it works live and in person.
We serve local booksellers with bookshop software made to help them serve their local communities. Our software helps them position their businesses as locally focussed in unique ways and touchpoints from reader loyalty to special interest focus to local club support to bundle offers. We help local bookshops better serve local readers and those who buy for them.
Beyond the bookshop, our seamless Shopify link helps local booksellers sell online easily and professionally … enabling them to play in the online world and reach shoppers way beyond their local catchment area. We are proud to have delivered bookshop software connected websites that are doing this.
Also embedded in our locally made bookshop software are other tools that booksellers tell us they like:
- Easy searching of book inventory by title or part of a title.
- Easy searching by book inventory by author name or part of author name.
- Structured handling of special orders for customers.
Our goal with our locally made bookshop software is to help small local retailers more successfully compete every day. We do this through good software that is backed by professional and easy to access software support.
The bookshop POS software we offer today is different to what we will offer tomorrow as continuous evolution is part of our approach to POS software development.
Helping local Aussie authors get their stories published – book shop POS software
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We are grateful to serve Shawline Publishing and, in particular, their local retail bookshop, The Independent Bookstore, with our specialty retail POS software.
In our POS software we offer a range of facilities to bookshops, facilities that help them with customer service, sales as well as back of hour management of the business.
From feeding scan sales data to accessing comprehensive title information to loading electronic invoices from suppliers, our POS software made for bookshops has facilities that serve these local businesses and through them serve local Aussie authors seeking to get their writing works out there and into the hands of readers.
Connecting to TitlePage and other book retailing assistance tools, this POS software for bookshops is packed with opportunities, workflow smoothers and revenue drivers, which work well in bookshop situations.
The bookshop POS software from Tower Systems helps local bookshops in myriad ways from the sales counter to the back office to the website driving online sales. There are two ways, however, where the bookstore inventory management software from Tower Systems provide practical and beneficial help to the local book shop.
- Returns management. Returning unsold books can be time consuming. Using our bookshop software, booksellers can identify titles that can be returned based on arrival in-store, sales and current quantity on hand. We provide the insight and the structured approach for handling the return, in a publisher friendly way. The approach in our software has been tested with booksellers, toe snare it is genuinely useful and in line with what is required from suppliers.
- Titlepage Integration. Our software has connected to Tiotlepage fore years. Our latest integration is even better and more useful for book retailers. This will evolve further as the Titlepage software itself permits.
We serve local booksellers with POS software made to help them serve their local communities. Our software helps them position their businesses as locally focussed in unique ways and touchpoints from reader loyalty to special interest focus to local club support to bundle offers. We help local bookshops better serve local readers and those who buy for them.
We are grateful to the folks at Shawline publishing for believing in our POS software and using it in their Ballarat business, The Independent Bookstore, to help raise awareness and sales of Australian stories from Australian authors.
Bookstore inventory management software
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The bookstore inventory management software developed and supported by Tower Systems is designed to serve the needs of local independent bookstores.
From managing book title inventory to handling electronic invoices to managing searches in a book store friendly way to managing special orders for customers, this bookstore inventory management software is made for the job, made here in Australian for local Australian and New Zealand bookshop software needs.
We are grateful to book retailers and people who work in bookshops for their advice and guidance as we have evolved this software. Their feedback and courafgement are key to the life this bookstore inventory management software is enjoying and will have in the future. Tower Systems offers a structured and transparent process for capturing ideas for enhancing the software and gauging user community interest in suggested ideas.
Using our bookstore inventory management software, book retailers can expect to have a more enjoyable experience running the business as we facilitate structure around many of the day to day tasks in a bookshop, enabling the business to operate in a more reliable way, especially when the owner is not in the business all of the time.
Connecting to title page and other tools, this software is packed with opportunities, workflow smoothers and revenue drivers, which work well in bookshop situations.
The bookshop POS software from Tower Systems helps local bookshops in myriad ways from the sales counter to the back office to the website driving online sales. There are two ways, however, where the bookstore inventory management software from Tower Systems provide practical and beneficial help to the local book shop.
- Returns management. Returning unsold books can be time consuming. Using our bookshop software, booksellers can identify titles that can be returned based on arrival in-store, sales and current quantity on hand. We provide the insight and the structured approach for handling the return, in a publisher friendly way. The approach in our software has been tested with booksellers, toe snare it is genuinely useful and in line with what is required from suppliers.
- Titlepage Integration. Our software has connected to Tiotlepage fore years. Our latest integration is even better and more useful for book retailers. This will evolve further as the Titlepage software itself permits.
We serve local booksellers with POS software made to help them serve their local communities. Our software helps them position their businesses as locally focussed in unique ways and touchpoints from reader loyalty to special interest focus to local club support to bundle offers. We help local bookshops better serve local readers and those who buy for them.
Beyond the shop, our seamless Shopify link helps local booksellers sell online easily and professionally … enabling them to play in the online world and reach shoppers way beyond their local catchment area. We are proud to have delivered bookshop software connected websites that are doing this.
Proud to launch more Shopify websites for small business retailers
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We are grateful to have launched more POS software connected Shopify websites for small business retailers in our community. These sites, all developed by us here in Australia, deliver terrific new customer acquisition opportunities for our shoppers, helping them to sell 24/7 and sell as far afield as they would like.
Here are some of the recently made live websites from our web team:
www.backobourkecollective.com.au
www.inspiretasmania.com.au
www.brindabellastockfeed.com.au
www.heavensabove.com.au
www.loavesrobe.com.au
www.masterjewellersonline.com.au
www.chitchatgifts.com.au
www.eidsvoldrural.com.au
www.forevergiftsandmore.com.au
www.funporium.com.au
www.goulburnstationery.com.au
www.rehfisch.com.au
www.merimbulaextra.com.au
www.morganpark.com.au
www.nextragiftsorange.com.au
www.northsideproduceagency.com.au
www.pamperedpetz.com.au
www.www.paperplayonline.com.au
www.parkesnewsandgifts.com.au
www.rivercitypets.com.au
www.smithstreettraders.com.au
www.sprengersruraltraders.com.au
www.hefeedshop.com.au
www.shop.newcastle.edu.au
www.toyworldcanberra.com.au
www.toyworldwauchope.com.au
www.reasureboxgifts.com.au
www.uncletomspps.com.au
www.warragulpetemporium.com.au
www.welbygardencentre.com.au
www.wollongongbikehub.com.au
If you are interested in a POS software connected website, please reach out to our sales team: sales@towersystems.com.au.
USEFUL, EVERYDAY WEBSITE ADVICE FOR SMALL BUSINESS RETAILERS.
Regardless of who you choose to create your website, here are tips we offer to help make setting up a Shopify site successful for you.
- Know why. Knowing why you want the website can answer plenty of other questions. For some it is to win new customers, for others it is revenue growth, while for ithers it is better service of existing customers.
- Know your narrator. Every website has a narrator, the person behind the scenes writing the text, responding to queries. Think about that person, how they speak, words they use, their manner. Think of this person as a character you create.
- Look at competitor sites online locally and overseas as it is beneficial to see what someone else is doing and learn from that.
- Only use unique images. If you use supplier supplied images, they may be on other sites and Google will know this. Google likes fresh content.
- Write your own product name / title. Use search keyworks in the name – that is, what people are searching for. Google likes fresh content.
- Write your own product description and think about what shoppers search for.
- Do not load everything. Too much stock makes a site hard to navigate.
- Consider using a website name that is different to your business name. Online can benefit from a different brand to your in-store situation.
- Be open to additional sites. You may make more money from having multiple.
- Support the site with active social media engagement.
- Promote the site with an email monthly at least, through MailChimp or similar.
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