The POS Software Blog

The POS Software Blog

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

CategoryCharity shop software

Beyond Generic: Why Vertical Market Software and AI Define a Bright Future for Specialty Retail

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Local independent retailers in Australia and New Zealand face a unique challenges. It’s always been thus. Small vs big. Main Street vs shopping centre. Physical vs online. Capital poor vs capital rich. tenants vs landlords. We could go on.

Whether you manage a garden centre, a bookshop, a sewing shop, a produce business a jewellery store, a bike shop, or a newsagency, your business does not operate like a supermarket or a big business. You have specific supplier relationships, unique inventory requirements, and specialized customer service workflows. Using generic, off-the-shelf point of sale software often forces you to “dumb down” your operations to fit a one-size-fits-all model.

Vertical market software is designed to solve this problem. It is built specifically for your industry, embedding best-practice workflows and features that generic systems simply do not offer. At Tower Systems, we have spent over 40 years developing software that serves the distinct needs of specialty marketplaces.

The Power of Specialisation

A vertical market system understands the nuances of your trade. For a jeweller, this means the ability to print specialised labels with multiple sections—parts for the ring itself that will not cause damage, and sections for the packaging. For a garden centre, it means weatherproof labels that can withstand the elements outdoors.

Specialisation also extends to how you sell your products. Many specialty retailers do not just sell by the unit. Our software allows for selling by fractions, such as length or weight. Integrated scale functionality, which is NMI approved, is essential for spice shops, butchers, and health food stores. These are not “add-ons” but core components of a system built for your specific type of business. When your software handles these industry complexities, you are free to focus on what makes your shop different from the average retailer.

Practical AI for Small Business

While large corporations talk about artificial intelligence in abstract terms, here at Tower Systems we have integrated practical AI tools directly into our specialty retail POS software. This is not about futuristic theories; it is about saving time and improving your bottom line today.

We have made AI tools accessible and understandable.

One of the most significant advancements is AI-driven invoice processing. In the past, a retailer receiving a large shipment—such as a fishing tackle shop with an invoice of 200 items—would spend hours, or even a full day, manually entering data. Our embedded AI tools can now process that same invoice in a few minutes.

Unlike some systems where you must export data to an external spreadsheet or a tool like ChatGPT and then re-import it, our solution is seamless. It happens within the software. One retailer reported saving between seven and eight hours of costed labour per week just by using these tools. This represents a weekly saving of $250 to $300, which often exceeds the cost of the software itself.

Better Data, Better Decisions

The phrase “what gets measured gets managed” is a cornerstone of retail. However, many retailers avoid complex reporting because it is time-consuming or difficult to interpret. Our software now includes AI analysis for end-of-shift and inventory reports.

Instead of scrolling through pages of raw data, you can receive a concise AI summary. This summary analyses sales trends, looks for potential theft patterns, and even considers local weather impacts on your performance. It provides an “at-a-glance” understanding of your business health, allowing you to make informed decisions without needing to be a data scientist.

Protecting Your Business Asset

Choosing professionally developed, peer-reviewed software is also an investment in your business’s future value. Some retailers attempt to build their own tools using basic bot technology. While this might serve a temporary need, it creates a liability when it comes time to sell the business.

A new owner needs a system that is supported, documented, and maintained by a professional team. By using a vertical market system with built-in AI, you are building a scalable asset. We provide the help desk support and online resources to ensure that as your business evolves or changes hands, the technology remains a source of strength rather than a point of failure.

The retail landscape is changing rapidly. By leveraging software that is built for your specific industry and enhanced with integrated AI, you can move away from manual admin and spend more time on the shop floor where it matters most.

Empowering Community Impact: Half-Price Software for Local Charity and Op-Shops

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Charity and opportunity shops are vital to the fabric of local communities across Australia and New Zealand. Whether operated by religious organisations, animal welfare groups, or local community collectives, these shops provide a sustainable way to raise essential funds while giving pre-owned goods a second life. At Tower Systems, we recognise the unique contribution of the charity sector and are committed to supporting it through specialised technology and significant cost relief.

To assist these organisations in maximising their impact, we offer our specialised point of sale software to registered charities at half the usual price. This initiative is a core part of our commitment to giving back, helping to strengthen the local communities that these shops serve. Despite the reduced cost, we provide these organisations with the same high level of human-based technical support and training as our full-fee-paying customers.

The software itself is designed to meet the specific operational needs of an op-shop environment. It is intentionally user-friendly, ensuring that volunteers, who may only work a few hours a week, can learn the system quickly and process sales with confidence. This ease of use reduces the training burden on shop managers and ensures a smooth experience for both staff and donors.

Functionality within the platform allows for flexible management of a diverse and ever-changing inventory. Shops can choose to track sales by broad product categories or by specific items, depending on what best suits their workflow. The system also handles flexible product pricing and the ability to sell by product type rather than relying solely on individual barcodes, which is often more practical for donated goods.

Beyond basic transactions, the software helps build deeper community connections. It includes tools to manage discounts for specific community groups and can track member engagement to help the charity better understand its supporter base. For managers who need to oversee operations remotely, the software also offers off-location management capabilities.

By providing robust, professional tools at an accessible price point, we aim to empower independent charity shops to operate more efficiently. This partnership allows these vital organisations to focus less on administration and more on their primary mission of supporting their local communities.

We are happy to demonstrate to store managers, a board or others involved in the decision making process. We record the demonstration so it can be shared through the organisation.

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The right POS system for any retail business depends on the specific needs of the retail business. Tower offers POS software made specifically for local small business retailers in a selection of retail channels. To see if we might help you…, request a free, no-obligation demo today. 

Call 1300 662 957 in Australia or 0800 444 367 in New Zealand. Or, email sales@towersystems.com.au. 

Retail Automation: Why the Tower Systems & Xero Link is a “No-Brainer” for Business Owners

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Okay, yes, for sure, we are biased. This is a blog post pitting our POS software Xero integration. We think it’s awesome. We made it to be awesome, for local small business retailers. We first made it back when we had our own shops and used our POS software ourselves and our in-house CFO needed to save time and gain access to accurate data. That was years ago. The Xero POS software link we have today are as good, as useful – and solely made for local small business retailers.

Running a retail business often means wearing multiple hats. One moment you are on the floor serving customers, and the next you are in the back office trying to make sense of spreadsheets. In a recent discussion between Mark and Michael from Tower Systems, they explored how the Tower Systems POS integration with Xero is changing the game for retailers—specifically by removing the headache of manual bookkeeping.

Here is why this integration is rated an “11 out of 10” by the experts.

1. Tested in the Real World

Michael isn’t just a software trainer; he’s a former retail business owner who managed his shop remotely from another state. He relied entirely on the data flowing from his POS to his accounting software to run the business.

For Michael, the integration wasn’t just a feature; it was a necessity. It allowed him to trust that the financial data being used for BAS and tax reporting was 100% accurate without him needing to be physically present to check the till every day.

2. Accuracy Over Manual Entry

The biggest takeaway from their conversation is the elimination of human error. When you manually enter daily sales figures, mistakes happen. By automating the flow of data between Tower Systems and Xero, you ensure that your books are pristine.

As Michael notes, “We didn’t have to pay someone else to input any of our data manually… it was just there”. This automation frees up business owners to make better decisions based on accurate, real-time data rather than fixing data entry errors.

3. It’s Included (Yes, Free)

A common pain point in the software industry is the “hidden cost” model, where essential features like loyalty programs or accounting integrations cost extra.

Mark highlights a key advantage of the Tower Systems approach: the Xero link is included at no extra cost. Whether you are a small startup or an established store, you get the same professional-grade integration without paying for an additional module.

4. The “Golden Rule” of Setup

If you are ready to set this up, Michael offers one crucial piece of advice: Wait until you have been trading for a week or two.

It might seem counter-intuitive, but it is impossible to test a data link if there is no data to export. By waiting a short period, you can perform a “catch-up” export for those first few weeks, ensuring everything lines up perfectly.

Furthermore, always bring your bookkeeper or accountant to the setup meeting. While the software is easy to use, having a financial professional present ensures that your tax codes, liability accounts, and ledger mappings are compliant from day one. As Michael explains, he can translate the “software speak” into “bookkeeper speak,” bridging the gap so you don’t have to.

Summary

If you are still doing your retail books manually, you are losing time and risking accuracy. As Michael puts it, why wouldn’t you use a tool that saves you hours of work and helps you sleep better at night knowing your data is correct?

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The right POS system for any retail business depends on the specific needs of the retail business. Tower offers specialty retail business software made for local small business retailers. To see if we might help you…, request a free, no-obligation demo today. 

Call 1300 662 957 in Australia or 0800 444 367 in New Zealand. Or, email sales@towersystems.com.au. 

An easy way for retailers to apportion the cost of freight across products on a supplier invoice

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From Frustration to Efficiency: Simplifying Freight Cost Allocation

Handling the cost of freight can be a significant challenge for any retail business. For some, a substantial freight charge on an invoice can be a source of frustration. For others, the practical struggle lies in accurately apportioning that single cost across all the different items in the shipment.

Let’s start with the frustration. The simple truth is that every single item you receive has a freight cost associated with getting it to your store. Sometimes this cost is clearly itemised on your invoice; other times, it’s hidden within the cost of the goods themselves. But either way, it is always there.

The second challenge is the practical one: how do you accurately assign a portion of a $150 freight bill to hundreds of individual products on an invoice? This is where our Tower Systems POS software can help make the process easy.

In our software, you can take the total freight charge shown on an invoice and have it automatically apportioned across all items received. This ensures the landed cost of each product is accurate. The system is flexible, too. If you feel a specific product should carry more or less of the freight burden, you can easily adjust it manually. Plus, if your invoice has more than one freight charge, you can add them all in to be spread across the items.

Handling freight costs accurately and quickly is essential for maintaining healthy margins. Our software is designed to save you time on these crucial back-office tasks. We believe that every minute saved is valuable. Labour has a cost, and the more we can do to help retailers reduce this, the better.

Our software provides independent small businesses with a framework for consistency in their operations. By simplifying processes like freight allocation, we help you establish a reliable and accurate method for reflecting the true cost of your goods, paving the way for smarter pricing and better business decisions.

We love helping local small business retailers thrive. We do this for bookshops, sewing shops, music shops, garden centres, pet shops, toy shops, produce businesses, stockfeed businesses, jewellers, firearms dealers and more – all specialty retailers, all with unique needs, yet businesses with common needs when it comes to managing freight costs.

Are you looking for an alternative to Shopify POS?

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If you are looking for an alternative to Shopify POS for your shop, our Tower Systems POS software could be worth considering.

Now, to be clear, what we are talking about there is POS software for a physical shop.

Shopify started life as an e-commerce platform and that remains the core focus of their business. The Shopify POS app or service is an add-on for the physical shop.

Like many POS software companies, years ago we went through an approval process with Shopify to be an approved integrated POS software solution for Shopify – to offer in-store POS that’s integrated with their e-commerce platform. we continue to offer this today with many of our POS software customers using this.

What’s different about our POS software offering and how we compare to Shopify POS is that we are an in-store first solution, a physical retail first solution. That’s our specialty. In our software we go deep into serving the needs of retail businesses, workflow needs, operational needs, business growth needs. We also go deep into the needs of specific vertical retail channels: jewellers, bike shops, music shops, bookshops, pet shops, firearms dealers, camping shops, gift shops, newsagents, produce businesses, farm supply businesses, garden centres and many more.

This deep specialisation in our POS software matters because it addresses unique, real-world workflows that generic systems cannot. For a bike shop, it means seamlessly tracking serialised inventory from purchase to sale and managing workshop repairs. For a jeweller, it involves handling intricate repairs, managing consignment stock, and tracking precious metals. For a garden centre, it could be integrating scales to sell bulk landscape supplies by weight or it could be managing price changes to products when repotting or it could relate to producing product labels on weatherproof labels. These are not edge cases; they are the core, daily operations for these businesses, and our software is built from the ground up to make them efficient and profitable.

The needs of a physical shop are different to online, especially a retail business in an area of specialisation.

We think that a physical shop will be better served by something made first for their type of business and that any online business they have will be better serves by software made for the online business. That’s why we see our Tower Systems POS software as a viable alternative to Shopify POS for a physical store.

Make your own decision though. Do your research. Be sure to test all of your business specific needs against any POS software you are considering, including Shopify POS. And when you are dong the research, talk to the company, see how they handle your queries – some POS software companies are hard to talk to, you can’t pick up the phone and speak to someone. If personal contact will matter to your and your business, the availability of it should be a factor in your consideration as to the best POS software for your business.

When looking for an alternative to Shopify POS be clear about any doubts you have re Shopify POS (if any) and ensure the software alternatives you are considering do adequately address these doubts.

If you are looking for an alternative to Shopify POS for your retail business, consider Tower Systems. Our POS software might fit your needs. We’d be grateful for an opportunity to do this.

Now, here are some features and benefits with our Tower Systems POS software that customers tell us they love:

  1. The transparent approach to suggesting software enhancements.
  2. Easy access to support.
  3. Easy sales processing.
  4. Smooth counter workflow.
  5. Specialty retail functions for a range of specialty business types.
  6. Built-in AI tools.
  7. Loyalty tools customers love.
  8. Easy customisation options.
  9. The ability to sell anywhere, including on the road.
  10. Theft mitigation tools.
  11. Built in business insights.
  12. Scale integration.
  13. Selling by fractions.
  14. Selling products in kits.
  15. Comprehensive local delivery / dispatch tools.
  16. Roster integration.
  17. The ability to suspend sales.
  18. Easy import of supplier invoices without needing to use some EDI tool.
  19. Tracking and leveraging customer events.
  20. Integrated with Xero for accounting.
  21. No locked-in payment platform requirement.
  22. No cost based on each transaction.
  23. No lock-in contract.

Our POS software is about much more than this list.

Our extensive feature set is a direct result of our ‘in-store first’ philosophy. Functionality like direct scale integration for selling by weight, tools to handle fractional quantities for items sold by length, or the ability to seamlessly suspend a sale to serve another customer are born from decades of working directly with retailers on their shop floors. These are not just items on a checklist; they are robust solutions to real-world, physical retail challenges. While an e-commerce platform may eventually add such features as an afterthought, for us, they are foundational because the success of your physical shop is our foundational purpose.

Tower Systems in-store POS software solution integrated with Shopify for e-commerce gives you the best of both worlds with a single source of truth as to inventory and all transactions. While we integrate with Big Commerce, Woo Commerce and Magento, the majority of our online retail businesses integrate through our PSO software with Shopify for e-commerce.

We’d be happy to connect you with existing customers so you can talk retailer to retailer about the Shopify integration. We can also connect you with retailers who have switched from SHopify POS to our Tower Systems POS software. They can speak for themselves as to why and how it has gone for them.

If you are looking for an alternative to Shopify POS, Tower Systems might be a good choice. Let’s talk to explore that for you. No pressure. If there is anything you need that we don’t cover, we will tell you.

Before we go, here’s what we don’t have that Shopify does have when it comes Shopify POS – a huge marketing budget. We’re not paying to come first in search listings or to run billboard ads on social media. Most of our business is won by word of mouth – local small business retailers pitching us to their fellow retailers, for which we are sincerely grateful.

When we see someone ask the question what’s the best POS software for my business? or the question what’s a good alternative to Shopify POS?, we say: hey consider us here at Tower Systems. We will gladly show you what our software offers and let you experience the personal service we provide.

We’re not right for everyone, we know that. We might be right for your business. Let’s find out.

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While the right POS system for any retail business depends on the specific needs of the retail business, Tower Systems was built to serve  Australian and New Zealand local small business specialty retailers. To see how we can help you…, request a free, no-obligation demo today. 

Call 1300 662 957 in Australia or 0800 444 367 in New Zealand. Or, email sales@towersystems.com.au. 

#SmallBusiness #Retail #POSsoftware

Giving back: Empowering Community and Charity Shops with Tailored POS Software

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We are proud and grateful, here at Tower Systems, to serve a wonderful variety of local op shops, charity shops, and community-owned enterprises. We appreciate  the vital role these organisations play in our communities. We are dedicated to supporting their success by providing Point of Sale (POS) software specifically tailored to their unique needs.

Designed for a Volunteer Workforce

A core challenge for many community enterprises is a workforce comprised of dedicated volunteers who may only work a few hours each month. Recognising the frequent turnover and varying levels of computer proficiency this entails, we have prioritised ease of use in our software. Our intuitive interface is straightforward to learn, ensuring that new team members can become confident and effective quickly.

To further support this, we have developed a curriculum of short-format training videos made specifically for charity enterprises. This design makes it easier for volunteers to learn the system at their own pace and supports the valuable work of their charity.

Features to Help Your Organisation Thrive

Our charity shop POS software is more than just a tool for processing sales; it’s a comprehensive system designed to help you manage, grow, and focus on your core mission.

  • Flexible Inventory Management: You decide the level of detail you need. Track stock at a high level by product type, or drill down to size, colour, style, or even individual items. This flexibility provides valuable data-driven insights to optimise stock management and make better decisions.
  • Effective Customer Loyalty: While our software offers various loyalty options, our cash-off loyalty program has proven particularly effective in a local retail setting. A simple receipt showing an amount a customer can save on their next visit is a powerful incentive, encouraging return visits and increased spending.
  • Security and Control: Protect your organisation with robust security features. You can lock down specific parts of the software for management access only, while built-in checks and balances guide processes and provide hidden tracking for peace of mind.
  • Community Engagement: Strengthen your local connections by leveraging our software to create targeted offers and special pricing for local clubs and community groups. You can even track purchases by members as a fund-raising tool for their organisation.
  • Expand Your Reach: In today’s world, not every shopper will walk past your door. Our POS software offers seamless integration with professional website platforms like Shopify, Magento, and WooCommerce, helping you connect with a wider audience.

Our Commitment to Giving Back

We believe in the important work that charity and community organisations do. As part of our own commitment to give back, Tower Systems offers these enterprises our POS software and any training at half price. This is a long-standing practice we are thankful to have been able to offer for decades, ensuring our solutions are as affordable as they are useful for these tight-budget businesses.

By providing the essential tools for inventory management, sales tracking, and customer engagement, we empower your organisation to operate efficiently and sustainably, allowing you to focus on what matters most—serving your community.

Let Tower Systems help you transform your charity shop into a thriving hub of community support.

To find out more, please visit www.towersystems.com.au/charity.

Call 1300 662 957 in Australia or 0800 444 367 in New Zealand. Or, email sales@towersystems.com.au. 

While plenty preach you to pursue scale, staying small may be more profitable

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Everywhere you look, the message for small business owners is the same: bigger is better.  Business gurus applaud “scalable” and “replicable” models. Influencers celebrate follower milestones and encourage everyone to join the race for numbers.

It’s as if size is the only yardstick of success.

It’s not.

Sure there are the headline stories of small business owners who have made it big. The thing is, for each one of those there are hundreds, thousands, who did not make it, and not for lack of trying.

Who benefits most when you chase this endless pursuit of “more”? Often, it’s the very people telling you to do it – consultants, gurus, and influencers who profit from your participation in the game. Their goals might not align with yours, and their interests might be served far more than your own.

This pressure to chase size feels a lot like the relentless societal push to be slim, have perfect white teeth, or a full head of hair. It’s as if being content with what you have simply isn’t an option.

But what if the true goal isn’t endless expansion, but happiness? Happiness for you, the business owner; happiness for those who rely on your business for their income; and happiness for your customers.

A profitable small business can often generate more money for its owners than a business relentlessly pursuing scale, especially if that pursuit involves significant financial risk. Think about the emotional toll of taking on a hefty loan to fund growth. Compare that to the peace of mind that comes with a small, debt-free, self-sustaining business. It’s a different kind of wealth, one measured in peace of mind rather than balance sheet zeroes.

In our experience, small businesses are inherently more nimble, innovative, and efficient than their larger counterparts. They’re often more profitable too.We suspect this is because in a small business, everything matters, and nothing goes unnoticed. Inefficiency simply can’t hide. In big businesses, it can easily get lost in the noise.

Today, technology makes it easier than ever for us to achieve more with less in our small businesses, and with less risk.

Another significant benefit of being small is easy differentiation. Your people, their knowledge, and their personal approach to transacting business are your unique selling points. In a big business, this kind of personalisation is often systemised into something average and, ultimately, lost.

If you genuinely value your independence and understand the power of differentiation through personal service, you’re likely to find more happiness and fulfillment running a small to mid-size business than perpetually chasing scale.

So, don’t let anyone dictate your path or your definition of success. Reach your own conclusion about what’s truly right for you and your business.

Here at Tower Systems we serve local small business retailers, independent retailers. We made that decision long ago. It keeps us close to our customers, focussed on their needs and not beholden to one huge customer. Local matters to local communities. As cliche as that sounds, it’s what we believe. We are grateful to serve local small business retailers.

Giving back: half price POS software for op. shops, charity shops and community enterprises

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For many Australian op shops, charity shops, and community enterprises, efficient and user-friendly point-of-sale (POS) software is crucial for smooth operations and volunteer effectiveness. Tower Systems offers a specialised POS solution designed with the unique needs of these organisations in mind, focusing on simplicity, customisation, and robust support.

One of the standout features of the Tower Systems POS is its highly customisable interface. The main dashboard and sales screen can be easily tailored to suit individual preferences, allowing for different layouts, hotkeys, and adjustable font sizes. This level of flexibility ensures that volunteers, regardless of their tech proficiency, can navigate the system with ease, minimising training time and maximising productivity.

We support volunteers in op. shops and related businesses with a volunteer training curriculum that enables easy learning from anywhere at any time. Awe make using our op. shop software easy.

Processing sales transactions is quick and straightforward. The system enables users to input amounts, select relevant departments (such as ‘clothing’ or ‘bric-a-brac’), and efficiently finalise sales. For improved customer clarity, the software allows for temporary changes to item descriptions on receipts without altering core department details. It also integrates seamlessly with most EFTPOS pin pads, ensuring a smooth checkout experience. Optional features include staff tracking, which can record staff codes or initials for each sale, and the ability to customise printed receipts with store logos, details, and promotional messages – perhaps even highlighting donation information.

Recognising the unique nature of op shop inventory, the software is particularly adept at handling sales without requiring individual stock management. The department sales feature, combined with the ability to modify receipt descriptions on the fly, is ideal for environments where tracking each item individually is not practical.

The system also offers practical functionalities like suspending sales, allowing volunteers to put a transaction on hold if a customer needs more time or forgets an item. These suspended sales can be easily retrieved later, even from a different terminal. Additionally, while less common for op shops, the software supports the sale and management of gift vouchers.

At the end of a shift, the Tower Systems POS simplifies the reconciliation process. It provides visualisations of sales data by time, terminal, and department, and includes a takings reconciliation feature where volunteers can input cash counts to identify any discrepancies. This end-of-shift procedure is also highly customisable in terms of reports and terminal handling.

Tower Systems provides comprehensive support, including initial installation, data transfer if required, and thorough training. Users benefit from an extensive knowledge base with articles and videos, as well as direct access to their support team via phone or ticket, with remote assistance capabilities. They even offer a dedicated user guide tailored specifically for op shops.

Understanding the budgetary considerations of non-profit organisations, Tower Systems offers a 50% discount on its monthly software packages for eligible entities. This fee encompasses 24/7 support and ongoing software updates, ensuring that Australian op shops, charity shops, and community enterprises have access to a reliable, feature-rich, and supportive POS solution.

How does Tower Systems POS software compare to EPOS Now?

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If you are considering the EPOS Now POS software for your retail business, we’d love the opportunity to show you our Tower Systems POS software. We’d be grateful for an opportunity to put our POS software on the counter next to EPOS Now so you can compare function by function.

We welcome an opportunity for a direct comparison with EPOS Now.

It’s possible you’ll find EPOS Now software is better for your needs. We’re thank you for considering Tower Systems and cheerfully wish you all the best.

You can only decide how Tower Systems compares to EPOS Now by putting the two software products side by side, on the counter, comparing function for function.

Deeper than the software itself is a comparison of doing business. Here at Tower Systems:

  • There is no lock-in contract. You can cancel at any time and your payments end that month.
  • Customer service is local in Australia. There is no offshore call centre.
  • Most customer service staff at Tower Systems have worked in retail and they have themselves used the Tower Systems POS software in retail.
  • You can call, and a human answers the phone. They are locally based.
  • Our software training people are local.
  • You get to vote on software enhancement suggestions.
  • You get to suggest software enhancements.
  • You can easily escalate any query to the leadership team of Tower Systems.
  • When you call for support you get to set your own call priority.

Tower Systems is a unique POS software company.

If you are considering EPOS Now POS software for your retail business, consider Tower Systems. We’re a very different company, with different software.

Choosing the right POS software is a critical decision for any retail business. It’s about more than just the features; it’s about the partnership you build with your software provider.

At Tower Systems, we believe in providing a truly different experience.

We’re proud of our flexible, no lock-in contracts, our locally-based Australian customer service team, and our commitment to putting the customer first. From local support and training to a direct line to our leadership team, we’re dedicated to helping your business thrive.

If you’re exploring POS options like EPOS Now, we encourage you to consider Tower Systems. We’d be delighted to offer a side-by-side comparison, demonstrating how our software and our approach can make a real difference for your business.

We are grateful to support Australian charity shops and opportunity shops with half price software that serves their needs

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Tower Systems is honoured and grateful to support local op shops, charity shops, and community-owned enterprises by providing Point of Sale (POS) software specifically designed for their needs.

We understand the unique challenges faced by these organisations, particularly those with a volunteer workforce. Recognising the high volunteer turnover, we’ve prioritised making our software easy to use and learn.

Giving back to the community

As part of our commitment to giving back, we offer charity businesses a significant discount on both our software and training. This makes it easier for these organisations to invest in essential tools that can help them thrive.

Key features of our charity shop POS software

  • Intuitive Interface: Our system is straightforward to learn, even for staff with varying levels of computer experience. Volunteers can quickly get up to speed and start using the system effectively.

  • Flexible Inventory Management: Track stock by product type, size, colour, style, or individual item. Gain valuable insights into sales trends to optimise your product offerings.

  • Customer Loyalty: Our cash-off loyalty program is a proven way to increase customer spending and encourage repeat business. This can provide a vital boost to your organisation’s revenue.

  • Security and Control: Protect your business with robust security features and built-in checks and balances. Ensure the safety of your takings and financial data.

  • Community Focus: Engage with local clubs and groups through targeted promotions and pricing. Build stronger relationships within your community and attract new customers.

  • Data-Driven Insights: Gain valuable data to optimise stock management and decision-making. Use sales data to identify popular items and adjust your purchasing accordingly.

  • Online Presence: Expand your reach with seamless integration between your POS system and a professional website. This can open up new sales opportunities and allow customers to browse your offerings online.

Empowering charity organisations

By providing essential tools for inventory management, sales tracking, and customer engagement, we empower charity organisations to focus on their core mission. Our software frees up valuable volunteer time and resources, allowing staff to concentrate on what matters most – supporting the community.

Let Tower Systems help you serve and thrive

Tower Systems is a local Australian company with a long history of serving the community. We are dedicated to providing exceptional software solutions that help our clients achieve their goals.

With our discounted pricing, user-friendly software, and volunteer-focused training, Tower Systems can help your charity shop transform into a thriving hub of community support and sustainability.

Thank you for supporting local Aussie charities!

Cat Protection Society of NSW uses our portable POS Software for Cat Lovers festival

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We share here with permission details of how The Cat Protection Society of NSW used our Retailer Roam portable POS software at the recent Cat Lover’s festival at Olympic Park in Sydney:

We had a large stall for the Cat Lover’s Festival at Olympic Park last month.

We’d set up 3 counters, with a mini netbook, a laptop, and a Samsung tablet, each running Retailer Roam.

The netbook and laptop had Bluetooth scanners and the tablet was used for cash only purchases.

All the Roam sessions were linked to our Marrickville Rd retail store, which was closed for the festival weekend.

Staff were all very impressed with Roam, the last time we attended Cat Lover’s, we had one laptop accessing Retailer via a Remote Desktop Tunnel. It was a slower process with no scanner.

It all worked really well; people’s sales were processed promptly. We made over $20,000.00 over the two days and generated new membership and adoption inquiries.

We will definitely keep using Roam at future festivals.

We love hearing from customers and how they use our POS software.

The Retailer Roam product used by the Cat Protection Society of NSW is truly portable POS software, ideal for on the road selling, market selling and pop-up retail. We first released it five or so years ago. It has just gone through a major refresh with many new facilities and benefits added, helping retailers achieve more from their shop.

Retail is changing so much and rapidly. Retailer Roam is one of several opportunities we provide retailers to lean into these changes, to reach customers closer to where they are, rather than relying solely on business at a fixed location, like your shop.

Using retailer Roam, retailers can do more than transact sales (while online as well as while offline). They can also:

  1. Take product photos for use in an online store.
  2. Do a stock take.
  3. Order products.
  4. Process invoices for stock received.

Retailer Roam is a web service from Tower Systems. It’s smart, fresh and easy to use, a perfect tool for local small business retailers keen for expansion opportunities in and outside of their shops.

Tower Systems makes and supports POS software for local independent small business retailers across a range of retail channels.

Empowering Retail Team Members: Seamless POS Software Training with Tower Systems

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At Tower Systems, we understand the importance of a skilled and confident retail team. That’s why we’ve designed our POS software with user-friendliness at its core, complemented by a comprehensive and easy-to-access training resources. This empowers local small business retail staff to become POS software experts quickly, maximising its potential to streamline your retail operations.

It also helps retail staff remind themselves of parts of the POS software easily.

Our training resources offer flexible learning options tailored to individual needs and preferences. Staff can access a library of up-to-date video tutorials covering a wide range of topics, from core functionalities to advanced features. This allows them to learn at their own pace, regardless of prior experience and regardless of their situation.

This easy access to POS software training for retail staff is vital for any retail business, especially so in local independent small retail businesses where staff have to multi-task, where they need to help the business be efficient so the it may compete with bigger and better resourced retailers.

For those seeking a structured approach, we offer a subject-matter focussed curriculum that guides them through the software functionalities step-by-step. Alternatively, staff can dive right into specific topics by choosing individual video tutorials or in-depth articles from our extensive and up to date POS software knowledge base.

All these resources from Tower Systems are freely available and accessible 24/7, making them a valuable addition to your existing training regime. Additionally, they seamlessly integrate with our POS software help desk service, which provides further support for any questions or challenges your staff might encounter.

Helping local retailers thrive is core to what we offer at Tower Systems, through our POS software, and through the training resources provided with our POS software. The training assets are enhanced regularly, to ensure genuine value for our small business retail customers.

With Tower Systems, you can rest assured that your retail team is equipped with the necessary skills to leverage the full potential of our POS software. This translates to increased efficiency, improved customer service, and ultimately, a competitive edge for your business.

To learn more about Tower Systems’ POS software and our comprehensive training resources, visit our website at www.towersystems.com.au.

Half price POS software for op. shops. charity shops and community enterprises

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Op. shops, charity shops and community run shops benefit from software made for their needs and software priced in a way that reflects the good they do in the community.

Tower Systems is grateful to serve these not for profit retail; businesses with a 50% discount off our usual pricing while providing access to the software and full kit of support service.

Op. shops, charity shops and other community run retail businesses have unique needs such as easy to learn for volunteers, the ability to track and sell items that are not barcoded, the opportunity to price by different categories and the ability to serve community members with discounted or free product while still tracking product movement.

Our charity shop softwares op. shop software and community enterprise software manage this for these organisations. Plus, the software can connect to deputy and others for rostering, Xero and others for accounting and many different banks for easy to use and manage EFTPOS.

It also offers the opportunity of different pricing for members of the community group as well as offering fund raising opportunities from within the software.

Here at Tower Systems we are grateful to serve many charity related businesses with our op. shop and related POS software.

Our offer of a half price solution is genuine, it’s part of our giving back commitment.

Here is some of what our charity shop, op. shop and community enterprise software offers:

  1. Easy shopper loyalty.  While the software offers a loyalty points system, we have found the cash-off approach in our loyalty tools works better in local retail. People understand money. A receipt showing an amount they can save on their next purchase gets, usually, at least 20% of people spending more that visit.
  2. Manage inventory your way. You can sell by barcode, products code, department, category within department, price point. You can sell, measure and report at the level point appropriate to your needs.
  3. Easy to learn. We have found that in community enterprises easy to learn / easy to use really does matter. Volunteer turnover makes this essential. We can record training specific to your needs and make these videos available for future volunteers.
  4. Secure. You can lock down parts of the software to secure them for management access only.
  5. Check and balances. This software guides processes. It also provides hidden tracking so you can investigate should the need arise.
  6. Club / group marketing and support. Leverage clubs and community groups with offers and pricing just for them.

Let us know about your needs. We’ll be sure to let you know if we are not a good fit.

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.

Giving back: Tower Systems is grateful to support local charity shops and community enterprises

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Tower Systems is proud and grateful to be able to support local op shops, charity shops, and community-owned enterprises with Point of Sale (POS) software tailored to their specific needs.

Our charity shop POS software is designed to address the unique challenges faced by these organisations, particularly those with a volunteer workforce. Recognising the frequent turnover of volunteers, we have prioritised ease of use and learning in our software.

Our offer to charity businesses is half price for the software and for any training. This is part of our giving back commitment.

Key features of our software include:

  • Intuitive Interface: Our system is straightforward to learn, making it suitable for staff with varying levels of computer proficiency.
  • Flexible Inventory Management: Track stock by product type, size, colour, style, or individual item, providing valuable insights into sales trends.
  • Customer Loyalty: Our cash-off loyalty program has proven effective in increasing customer spending and encouraging return visits.
  • Security and Control: Protect your business with robust security features and built-in checks and balances.
  • Community Focus: Leverage our software to engage with local clubs and groups through targeted offers and pricing.
  • Data-Driven Insights: Gain valuable data to optimise stock management and decision-making.
  • Online Presence: Expand your reach with seamless integration between your POS and a professional website.

We understand the vital role these organisations play in their communities and are committed to supporting their success.As part of this commitment, we offer significantly discounted pricing on our POS software.

We have a curriculum of training videos made specifically for charity enterprises. Short format training designed for volunteers  to make it easier fort them to learn and to support their charity.

By providing essential tools for inventory management, sales tracking, and customer engagement, we empower your organisation to focus on its core mission. Let Tower Systems help you transform your charity shop into a thriving hub of community support and sustainability.

Tower Systems is an Australian-owned and operated company with a long history of serving the local community. We are dedicated to providing exceptional software solutions that help our clients thrive.

Thank you for supporting local Aussie charities.

POS software for Op. Shops, community enterprises, not for profit and charity shops

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Op. shops, charity shops and community run shops benefit from software made for their needs and software priced in a way that reflects the good they do in the community.

Tower Systems is grateful to serve these not for profit retail; businesses with a 50% discount off our usual pricing while providing access to the software and full kit of support service.

Op. shops, charity shops and other community run retail businesses have unique needs such as easy to learn for volunteers, the ability to track and sell items that are not barcoded, the opportunity to price by different categories and the ability to serve community members with discounted or free product while still tracking product movement.

Our charity shop software, op. shop software and community enterprise software manage this for these organisations. Plus, the software can connect to deputy and others for rostering, Xero and others for accounting and many different banks for easy to use and manage EFTPOS.

It also offers the opportunity of different pricing for members of the community group as well as offering fund raising opportunities from within the software.

Here at Tower Systems we are grateful to serve many charity related businesses with our op. shop and related POS software.

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 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.

Free FindIt marketplace from Tower Systems helps local shoppers find local retailers

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In today’s world of online shopping giants, it’s easy to forget about the fantastic array of shops right on our doorstep.Supporting local businesses is about more than just convenience; it’s about investing in the lifeblood of our communities.That’s where FindIt, a free online marketplace from Tower Systems, steps in.

Only serving local independent retailers, Tower Systems has a track record of shining a light on this most vital of retail sectors. It’s work on FindIt drawn on decades of service and a community of 3,500+ retailers served.

FindIt bridges the gap between local stores and shoppers like. It’s a platform offering products from a wide range of independent retailers across Australia. Whether you’re after that perfect birthday gift, a unique piece of homeware, or something special for yourself, FindIt allows you to browse and discover hidden gems from local businesses, all from the comfort of your couch.

But what makes FindIt special is its focus on ease and accessibility. Here are some of the key benefits for both shoppers and retailers:

  • For Shoppers:

    • Support Local: FindIt makes it easy to find and support businesses in your area. You’ll be putting money back into your community and helping to create a vibrant local economy.
    • Diverse Range: Discover a treasure trove of unique products you won’t find on mainstream online retailers.From handcrafted jewellery to locally-sourced produce, FindIt offers something for everyone.
    • Convenience: Shop from the comfort of your home and choose between in-store pickup or home delivery (depending on the retailer).
    • Transparency: FindIt provides clear information about each retailer, including their location and contact details.
  • For Retailers:

    • Free Listing: Tower Systems POS software users can sign up for FindIt for absolutely no cost. This eliminates the need for expensive individual online stores, making it easier for smaller businesses to compete in the digital marketplace.
    • Wider Reach: FindIt exposes your products to a broader audience of potential customers who are actively seeking out local businesses.
    • Simplified Sales: The platform integrates seamlessly with Tower Systems POS, streamlining the sales process and reducing administrative headaches.

FindIt is a win-win situation for everyone involved. Shoppers get access to fantastic local products, while retailers gain a valuable platform to showcase their offerings and reach new customers. It’s a fantastic initiative that fosters a sense of community and strengthens the backbone of Aussie commerce – our independent retailers.

To have product data – text and images – flow to FindIt is easy thanks to the integration with the Tower Systems POS software. Tower helps retailers with advices training and support to get connected.

The goal really is to encourage more local shoppers to want through the front door of local retail businesses.

POS software from Tower Systems helps retailers manage duty free sales and tax free sales

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For years, Tower Systems, through its POS software, has helped retailers who do duty free sales and tax free sales to easily manage them at the sales counter with good record keeping, streamlined workflow and sound business management practices guided for the employees of the retail business. Let’s break that down:

  • Streamlined Workflow: This POS software from Tower Systems automates tasks and calculations associated with duty free and tax free transactions, reducing the time it takes to complete a sale. This minimises wait times for customers and frees up employee time to focus on other tasks or provide better customer service.

  • Easy Record Keeping: Tower Systems’ POS software ensures accurate and efficient record keeping for all duty free and tax free sales. This can include capturing customer information, flight details, and itemised receipts that meet customs regulations. Having this information readily available simplifies reporting and audits.

  • Sound Business Practices: The POS software from Tower Systems guides employees through the duty free and tax free sales process, ensuring they follow all the relevant regulations and procedures. This can help to minimise errors and ensure that the retailer remains compliant with all the requirements.

  • Improved Customer Service: By streamlining the sales counter processes for duty free and tax free sales, employees can focus on providing excellent customer service. This can mean spending more time with customers to answer questions, recommend products, and create a positive shopping experience.

Tower Systems has offered POS software for managing duty free and tax free sales for many years. Retailers are able to identify products that have the tax free status if they have products that do and do not have tax applied to them.

The best way to see if this POS software may suit your needs in magazine duty free and / or tax free sales is to see the software for yourself. This can be done via a personal and one-on-one demonstration where you outline what your business needs and the software functions in those areas can be shown. If the software is not right for the needs you have outlined, we will say so. It’s not in our interests to promote our software where we know it will not suit your needs.

If you do duty free sales and / or tax free sales, take a look at the POS software Tower Systems offers.

POS software integration for international barcode lookup saves time for small business retailers

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Retailers are loving the international barcode lookup integration in our POS software. This connects with a respected worldwide database of product barcodes and provides excellent access to descriptions and much more: improving data accuracy, saving time and enhancing in-store and online product engagement.

Here is how we train our POS software customers on how to use the POS software integrated international barcode lookup facilities:

Like all of our POS software customer training videos, we also provide a transcript for those who prefer to read. It is time coded to match the video. here is an example:

0:00 My next favourite integration with Retailer is Barcode Lookup. Barcode Lookup is an online database of barcodes, their descriptions, their web descriptions or extended descriptions, images, classification information such as brand, manufacturer, dimensions.

0:15 It’s massive. Now over the time that we’ve integrated with Barcode Lookup, it’s grown from 100 million records right through to today at time of publication nearly a billion records.

0:26 That’s massive. So, what can it do? Well, Retailer can integrate with it and pull data down when you create a product or choose to update a product with data from that website.

0:37 Let’s have a look. The very first thing you’d want to know is how to sign up and how to get it working.

0:41 So, you should always read our knowledge base articles. Which will be linked to this video down below and it goes through the entire sign up process and how it works.

0:49 So, just follow the article and go from there. If you want to have a look at the website, we even have a link to the website and this is it here.

0:56 So, you can see right now 978 million people products exist on this site. to give you an example, I’ve got a few items here.

1:05 I’ve got a package of um electrical tape and a box of glasses cleaners to clean my glasses. I’ve done a little search on those and believe it or not, here’s my glasses cleaners and this is the description that it’s going to pull down from the site.

1:17 It will pull down the menu. Manufacturer information and it’ll also pull down this extended description and put that where I choose to put it.

1:25 There’s only one attribute to go with it, which is an MPN or a manufacturer’s product number. And these are all the images that it will pull down with it.

1:33 If we go look at this. The electrical tape pulls down this description one by three meter PVC electrical tape and has a much better description to explain what it comes what it’s all about no classification information with this one and then I’ve got my three pens so we’ve got the the blue tip which

Be sure to watch the video and check out the transcript to the right side of the page.

This video is another from our growing library of training videos for retailers using our POS software.

Small business retail management advice: map your GP by shop floor layout

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A few minutes spent analysing space allocation performance often reveals opportunities based on our years working with and helping local small business retailers.

With retail space usually costing between 11% and 15% of (non agency) revenue, it is usually the next highest cost outside of the cost of stock itself. The key is to make the space work well, to be financially efficient for the business.

Retailers often argue that rent should be lower. It could be that a different view of shop floor performance helps you achieve a better return.

Here’s a quick and easy way to assess your current use of your floorspace:

  1. Take a blank sheet of paper and sketch out the layout of your shop, marking in display units, shelving, the counter – everywhere you have product. Include your back room if you have stock there.
  2. Colour-shade the layout by department.
  3. List the departments on the side of the floor plan.
  4. Calculate the percentage of total space used for each department. This does not need to be accurate to two decimal places. List this next to each department you have listed.
  5. Use your POS software to report on gross profit dollars earned by each department over the last year, or calculate it from sales figures knowing the average GP% per department.
  6. Calculate the percentage of total gross profit contribution earned by each department and list this next to the floor space allocated to each department – on the floor plan map you have done.
  7. Circle in green those performing the best, where the GP% contribution is more than the GP% space allocation, and in red those performing the worst.

Typically, a business owner doing this for the first time will have an ah ha moment, seeing something they had not realised.

This is advice anyone can use, as any good POS software will report on GP by department. Getting this mapped on the floorpan of your shop lets you see the hot and cold spots, where you are making money, and where you are losing it.

This is retail management advice for any business owner, regardless of education level.

We have seen business owners make changes including to floor layout, quitting suppliers and increasing stock weight for some departments.

You can take the analysis a step further by looking only at one department and analysing performance by category within that department, using the method outlined above.

Our specialty retail POS software can help with this and more business performance analysis.

Our goal is to help you run a more appealing, successful and valuable retail business. As retailers ourselves, we use our software this way every day.

We can help if you are interested.

Find out more: www.towersystems.com.au 1300 662 957 sales@towersystems.com.au

Thanks for reading.

Excellent POS software for charity shops, op. shops and community owned enterprises

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Here at Tower Systems we are grateful to serve plenty of local op. shops, charity shops and community owned and run enterprises with POS software that suits the needs of these businesses.

Our charity shop POS software is made to serve needs unique to charity shops, op. shops and community owned enterprises where the day to day workforce is often volunteers who may only do a few hours each month.

Our software is easy to learn and suitable for a variety of settings common to charity shops, op. shops and community enterprises. For example, it’s easy to track sales at a high level buy product type to a next level down based on size / colour / style or a mix of these, down to individual item level. Using our POS software these organisations can learn more about what they sell, when they sell and how products sell.

In service of the valuable work of charity shops, op. shops and community owned enterprises we offer our POS software at a significantly discounted price. This is part of our own commitment to give back where we can, to help support the good work of these enterprises.

We have traditional Aussie op. shops using our POS software, community owned enterprises in the nursery / garden space, church related charity shops, community owned enterprises in other spaces too.

Charity and op. shops are unique and loved businesses and our software covered unique needs like:

  1. Easy to learn. We have found that in community enterprises easy to learn / easy to use really does matter. Volunteer turnover makes this essential. We can record training specific to your needs and make these videos available for future volunteers.
  2. Easy shopper loyalty.  While the software offers a loyalty points system, we have found the cash-off approach in our loyalty tools works better in local retail. People understand money. A receipt showing an amount they can save on their next purchase gets, usually, at least 20% of people spending more that visit.
  3. Manage inventory your way. You can sell by barcode, products code, department, category within department, price point. You can sell, measure and report at the level point appropriate to your needs.
  4. Secure. You can lock down parts of the software to secure them for management access only.
  5. Check and balances. This software guides processes. It also provides hidden tracking so you can investigate should the need arise.
  6. Club / group marketing and support. Leverage clubs and community groups with offers and pricing just for them.

Our Australian made and supported charity shop, op. shop and community owned enterprise shop POS software does more than what’s on this list.

We understand the importance local community groups to the local community.

  • Local matters. Community groups contribute to local communities and families. Our software helps you leverage your localness through many touchpoints.
  • You are a key asset. Only your business has your people. You can leverage them through facilities that share your knowledge of what you sell.
  • You can encourage loyalty. Our loyalty facilities are tuned to charity shop opportunities.
  • The unseen can reveal opportunities. Data, good data, is evidence on which you can expect to make better business decisions, decisions like what can be placed with what to speed sell-through.
  • Not every shopper will walk past your door. A seamless connection between your software and a beautiful website can reach them.

Tower Systems offers local charity shops, op. shops and community owned enterprises exclusive special pricing as part of our community outreach and support commitment. This is something we have thankful to have been able to do for decades.

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