The POS Software Blog

The POS Software Blog

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

Categorynewsagency software

Web development for small business retailers in Australia

March 3, 2021
2 Min read
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Tower Systems offers local professional POS software connected web development services for small business retailers in Australia.

Our web development work is done locally, by people you can speak with, people who will understand your business and its needs. This matters because too often web development work is sent offshore and that’s not good for the local narrative or for local IT jobs.

Our web development work is done primarily for small business retailers using our POS software and through this and our web development services connecting to Shopify, Woo Commerce or Magento websites.

Finding the right web developer for your retail business can be a challenge. Our advice is …

  • Do your homework.
  • Ask plenty of questions.
  • Speak to those doing the development.
  • Understand how and when you pay.
  • Look at recent developed sites.
  • Be sure to understand how the proposed website would connect to your POS software
  • Get everything agreed in writing.

All of our web development work is done on the basis of an agreed quote. This quote is prepared following a consultation with your about the needs of your business.

Our fixed price quote includes an outline of the work to be done and the outcome delivered for the quoted price.

Key to successful POS software connected web development for a retail business is having a complete understanding of everything that is expected to be delivered with the resulting website. It is essential this is known from the outset.

Since all of our website work from sales through to development and support is done out of our Australian based offices, we provide a local perspective and context for all we do. This delivers better outcomes for locally focussed businesses.

Our web development work is done from scratch, for each specific business. This takes care and time and is built on a thorough understanding of the business needs.

We are grateful to the many different retail businesses that we have helped already to bring them online. Every new site we develop adds to our experience and that helps us to continue tis evolve our approach and the outcomes we can deliver. This is a fascinating part of our work, something we love.

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Retail advice for newsagents – taking your business online

February 12, 2021
2 Min read
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Taking your newsagency online: a dive into newsXpress national and local store websites.
Tuesday, Feb. 16 @ 2pm Melbourne time.

Tuesday next week, at 2pm, we are hosting a new free workshop for any newsagent interested in taking their newsagency business online.

We will leverage our newsagency software experience as well as our newsagency management experience to provide current best practice advice and insights for Aussie newsagents looking to take their business online.

This session will look at this topic from the context of what newsXpress does and has done for 5+ years. We will look at the national sites and the local store sites:

  • How to generate online traffic for national and local store websites.
  • The cost of fulfilling sales.
  • How local stores setup for efficient fulfilment.
  • Managing freight in terms of lowest cost to execute as well as decision making around the free freight question.
  • What being online has meant for in-store purchases.
  • Repeat business prospects.
  • How to use online for first to market opportunities.
  • How to be sure quantity on hand data is accurate.
  • This will be a genuine behind the scenes look.

We are doing this new session using newsXpress national website and local store website examples because we have good data and personal experiences we can speak to. You can rely on this information to make more informed decisions yourselves at the local store level as well in the context of any group you are part of.

newsXpress was the first marketing group in any retail channel in Australia to deliver local store connected websites with a live quantity on hand data feed. The learnings have helped other groups step into this. lucrative space.

This will be an online session, which you can access from anywhere with this link:

https://zoom.us/j/97889421359?pwd=R2puem9RWUVFS1lFTStXMjNHMzRIdz09
Meeting ID: 978 8942 1359 Passcode: 791972

We won’t be trying to sell you anything in the session. Rather, we will share experience insights, lay out the steps involved, discuss online platform options and answer all questions. This is a practical advice session that any retail newsagent could benefit from.

And, if the 2pm timing does not work, let me know and I will do my best to schedule another session at a time that suits.

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Beware POS software comparison websites as they are unlikely to have compared the software they pitch to you

February 11, 2021
3 Min read
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There are websites that claim to be software comparison websites. They claim to have done the work for you, comparing software. They offer to suggest several vetted software companies for your consideration.

In our experience it is unlikely the comparison websites will have compared the software they pitch to you.

It’s our opinion that software comparison websites are purely an ad platform for the businesses that pay to have their software pitched as worthy of consideration by prospective customers.

There is no comparison. We say this based on our own first-hand experience. Our software was not looked or assessed. They wanted money from us per lead. That was it. This makes the comparison website an ad platform plain and simple.

Online they pitch as offering a service, something of value, to the software shopper. The reality is the comparison website businesses offer a commercial service to the software companies – the software companies are their customer.

We dug deeper, presenting as a business looking for software. Sure, they pitched us to three software companies. There was little in the way of filtering. Knowing what we know from when we assessed them as a software business, they charge 3 businesses $100 each for the leads. That’s an easy $300 made for having a slick website that looks like they have done the assessment fork for you when they have not.

Our advice, based on our experience is do not use a comparison website to consider software.

It’s worse than this though and here’s why …

Having considered a comparison website, trying them for a couple of weeks and then saying no thanks, they started paying Google for our business name as an ad keyword. You search for us and their ad comes up. They then contacted us and said he you should do business with us because we have leads for you. These are leads they got by paying Google money to run ads when people type Tower Systems into Google.

Our company lists first in the natural results. The software comparison company and several other similar companies come up ahead us, with ads.

Software comparison website ads claim to offer quotes from leading companies, trusted companies, the most reliable companies. How can they make these claims when they have not themselves assessed the companies? They cannot.

One company claims we compare all the big brands and more. No, they do not.

One company claims that by using them they can provide access to 20-40% saving. No, they cannot as they do not negotiate on price.

One company claims that they let you compare the best-suited products. No, they do not. They don’t look at the software. They have no experience to make an assessment as to what is best.

The only service the comparison website businesses offer from our experience and research is to advertise on Google and provide their partner software companies with leads if a query falls into an area directly or vaguely covered by the software company.

Buyer beware. Comparison websites we have looked at do not compare. They act as a front for ad dollars, being paid for leads they give to partner software companies, that may not offer the best software in their field.

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Retail business advice: If you are considering new POS software for your business

February 10, 2021
2 Min read
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Here is some advice for your consideration if you are thinking about new POS software for your retail business.

For any demonstration of potential POS software, come to the demonstration fully prepared.

  • Make a list of what you want to see. Remember, you are in charge.
  • Have the right people there from your business. The decision makes. Those most knowledgable. Anyone who will have a say in the decision you make.
  • Make sure you are not interrupted. We know retail can be busy. If it works better for you, we can schedule the demonstration outside trading hours.
  • Please speak up during the demonstration if anything said does not make sense.
  • Ask questions. Keep asking questions. Ask questions until you have no more questions.
  • Ask for another demonstration for any follow-ups.

Ask for the demonstration to be recorded and for a copy to be provided . We will happily do this for you here at Tower Systems.

Once you have had a demonstration, if you have questions or are not sure of anything, ask for another demonstration. Take your time. be sure. Look at the software as much as you want.

This is an important decision, a big decision, one you want and need to get right.

Remember, you are in control. The moment you no longer feel in control of the decision or its timing is the moment you need to pause.

Take your time.

Choosing POS software and a POS software company for your business is an important decision. It can have a significant impact on business performance and your enjoyment, and the enjoyment of others, of the business.

The right POS software is a valuable tool for any retail business. The right POS software company is a valuable partner for any business. We understand these things.

Thank you for considering Tower Systems, we sincerely appreciate it.

We won’t pressure you. Nor, will we offer an inflated price so we can discount.

You are welcome to see our software as much as you want as you evaluate it and us.

Let us know your timing needs and we will do our best to respect these.

Thank you for considering Tower Systems.

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How to choose the right POS Systems for your retail business

February 9, 2021
3 Min read
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Choosing the right POS System for your retail business takes time. There is no short cut, no easy way to do it. Take your time and get it right.

Choosing the right POS System for your business is 100% up to you. It’s your business. You will use this tool every day. it needs to feel comfortable and be genuinely useful., Relying on someonee not in the business to tell you what is right could lead to a wrong choice being made.

Choosing the right POS System for your business needs to be based on your experience not only with the software but with the people who work for the business that makes the software. That’s right, buy from them, buy direct as they are the folks responsible for supporting and enhancing this software on which you will rely.

Choosing the right POS System for your business starts first with your needs. Any system you look at that does not serve your needs may not be a good solution for your business. This really is your decision. You have to choose what is right for your business and for you. Take your time. be sure of your needs. test, test and test – until you feel comfortable.

Choosing the right POS System for your business is also about understanding the cost of the system. The cost can be in the software costs, support costs, training costs and transactional costs. Weigh them all up to see if they are right for you and your needs.

There are plenty of POS Systems out there claiming to be the best. here at Tower Systems we know that only you can know what is best for your business, because it really does start with you, what you need, what you want. We rely on you knowing these things and being focussed on them as you consider POS Systems to work in serving your needs. We would be grateful to show you what our POS System can do. However, in terms of decision making, that is 100% your choice. We will not pressure you or push … we will answer all your questions and let you play as much as you like, so you can assess whether our POS System fits as comfortably as you hope for.

Choosing the right POS System for your business is an important decision. Take your time. It’s a long-term relationship worth getting right.

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Online workshop for newsagents tomorrow @ 2pm

February 8, 2021
1 Min read
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Tomorrow, at 2pm, we are hosting a free workshop for any newsagent interested in taking their newsagency business online.

This, itself, will be an online session, which you can access from anywhere with this link:

https://zoom.us/j/91031390280?pwd=LzFKYXFqdVJueS9iNWhNbWRJUndBUT09

Meeting ID: 910 3139 0280 Passcode: 323615

We won’t be trying to sell you anything in the session. Rather, we will share experience insights, lay out the steps involved, discuss online platform options and answer all questions.

Being online is critical to every retail business. We saw that last year and already see value from that this year. Business experts, accountants, mentors … everyone agree that being online is critical.

The hope we have for this session is that it offers a useful learning opportunity for newsagents, to encourage them to get online and to lay out several pathways through which they can achieve this.

And, if the 2pm timing does not work, let me know and we will do my best to schedule another session at a time that suits.

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Beyond the POS software, here is how Tower Systems helps small business retailers

January 29, 2021
2 Min read
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Good POS software is key in any retail business. A good POS software company is even more important is it is the people in the POS software company who help bring the POS software to life for any retail business. Their training, advice and support can make or break the POS software experience.

So, thinking about beyond the POS software, here are some of the ways Tower Systems serves its small business retailer community:

  • We are local. Local matters in local communities. The Tower Systems software is locally developed to local needs. This facilitates the local narrative of small business retail in local communities.
  • Our POS software training is personal, for your business. We think people learn better from personal training.
  • Unlimited free training. Long after you install the software, ask for free top-up training and all we will organise it.
  • Help beyond the software. With tracking and dealing with theft, engaging =with suppliers and more. Our business management experience is there to help when you want.
  • New customer care. All new customers have a separate specialist team with which they connect, to ease settling-in. They are intuitive, offering help often ahead of when you are in key need, helping you to be prepared.
  • Customers guide our software enhancement. We offer a transparent, democratic, process for guiding software update content.
  • Pet shop business specific.This software is developed for your type of business.
  • In the cloud or in-store. You choose where the software runs.
  • Rent or buy. While most rent our software, you choose how to acquire and fund the software.
  • We help with business performance analysis and theft checks, services where we take a deep dive into your data and provide confidential insights.
  • Easy contact when you need / want. Every customer has the direct contact details for our leadership team for easy and safe escalation of any query.
  • No pressure. You buy when you are ready.
  • Retail group engagement. Groups and members of groups have opportunities for group level customisation website sales and more.
  • It’s personal. Retail is personal. This is why we prefer to train you in your shop. Yes, we said this above. We say it again as it is a differentiator.

Tower Systems is a personally engages POS software company. We don’t hide behind walls. Our customers know us by name, from the first contact because, like in retail, it is personal.

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POS software training for people buying a retail business with existing POS software

January 20, 2021
3 Min read
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When you buy a retail business that has POS software already running in the business you will often rely on the existing owner of the business to train you in how to use the POS software

Sometimes, the existing owner of the retail business is too busy with working in the business and the final days prior to the sale  to properly train you prior to exiting the retail business.

Most existing business owners have not been trained themselves in how to professionally and thoroughly train someone in how to use POS software. This is a specialist need. It takes specialist skills.

All this leads to the new owner of a retail business coming into the retail business under trained, under skilled and inadequately prepared too drive the tool that sits at the heart of business success or failure, the POS software.

You don’t know what you don’t know. This sounds cliché, but it is true.

Imagine a situation where a problem has occurred because of the incorrect use of the software, a problem costing money, which you do not discover for weeks or months. The cost could be considerable.

Professional POS software training for anyone buying a business already using POS software is a perfect way to avoid mistakes and to know what to watch out for from others using the software.

Professional POS software training by your POS software company is a perfect way for people buying a retail business with existing POS software to reduce the cost of employee theft.

In one case last year, the new owner of a retail business already using POS software could have saved $50,000 had they been trained by the POSsoftware co., and not by the outgoing owner of the retail business.

In another case, the new owner of a retail business already using POS software was under charging for a raft of products. A simple check could have been undertaken but the new owner had not been trained in how to do this.

There is no substitute for professional training in the use of POS software, by the software company representatives.

This is why Tower Systems offers a complete new owner POS software training solution for retailers buying a business in which our POS software is already in use. This help we provide as we would deliver to a new owner, to help them get the best outcomes possible form the software already in use in the business.

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How our POS software company is helping local retailers rebound from Covid impacted 2020

January 18, 2021
2 Min read
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Tower Systems is not your everyday POS software company. Our help goes beyond what is usually traditional. As retailers for many years ourselves our help has a practical bent, a useful connection that seeks to deliver tangible benefits small business retailers like and want.

During 2020 and the months of Covid impact, we developed a suite of practical assistances for local retailers to help them bounce back once their local communities came back to active life. Through our Point of Sale software we delivered facilities that local retailers leverage to better connect locally, supporting locally made and helping to refresh their local credentials.

Most important is the facilities embedded in our Point of Sale software that enable a local retail business to appreciate local shoppers. Our approach to loyalty, for example is practice, easily understood and engaging. It is something that local retailers are having success with as they emerge from Covid times. Indeed, plenty of our retailers tell us that our fresh approach to loyalty has been keen at delivering faster bounce-back.

In more practical ways, however, our Point of Sale software company helps local retailers with free software options, discounted training, lower cost website engagement and more through our small business Covid support package that remains available to the retailers in our 3,500+ small business retailer community.

Probably the most valued Covid support is our free business insights package. This is where we take local business data, analyse it at depth and share insights we can see in the data, insights often not noticed by those in the business on a day to day basis. We have seen businesses embrace opportunities revealed, leveraging them to benefits beyond that those in the business had imagined and delivering new traffic and revenue results that are exciting and encouraging.

Our approach to Point of Sale software is unique, practical and outcome-focussed. We sincerely seek to serve the needs of your small business retailers and all who rely on their business for income, shelter and professional fulfilment. Point of Sale software can be a force for good beyond the tech and this is where we love what we do. Our help, guidance and our software can combine to deliver wonderful outcomes. We are grateful to serve in this way.

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Shopping for Back to School needs? Shop your local newsagency

January 11, 2021
2 Min read
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Your local Aussie newsagency can serve your Back to School stationery and textbook needs. We are proud to say that our POS software company serves many of these local newsagency businesses, we help them offer quality Back to School products at competitive prices and in a way that supports local school and community groups.

Back to School is a competitive space in Australia. The local Aussie newsagency is often calls upon by school and community groups for support. The best way to help them support community group and school group fund raising is to shop for Back to School from these local newsagency businesses.

Too often we see Back to School purchases going to companies outside Australia and national retailers who chase on price and often neglect the all important product quality.

Your local newsagency delivers quality goods since they are local and easily contacted is the quality of a product does not stack up. Big businesses tend to not have this local care. This local accessibility is another reason to shop for back to School locally.

For Back to School stationery needs, start at your local newsagency. Supporting them helps them support your local school community. You see that every day through local newsagent support for school students, school groups. Every day newsagents are asked for support and donations for local community groups, including school groups. They can only do this if there is robust local support for their businesses.

Please don’t be duped by the truckloads of cash poured into advertising by competitors chasing your back to school spend. They have the cash to do this, to make it look like they have good products and good prices. Often, when they say they will price match, they don’t sell the same brands, often selling cheap imported products only available through them.

Your local newsagent is a perfect place to shop for back to school for quality, service and community connection.

Tower Systems is proud to support 1,750+ local Australian newsagency businesses with newsagency software that helps them deliver a good Back to School experience and through which they can support local community and school group fundraising.

For Back to School 2021, please shop local, shop with the locally owned and run business that supports the local community.

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Zippay merchant POS software connection helps small business retail

January 5, 2021
2 Min read
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The thousands of small business retailers using the POS software from Tower Systems have access to Zippay merchant facilities embedded in the POS software. Using these the retailers are able to offer access to the Zip buy now pay later facilities across the counter.

Using the Zippay merchant facilities in the Tower POS software, retailers able able to enjoy a commercially valuable alternative to LayBy. It is better for them and better for their customers. indeed, customers love Zip.

Thanks to a thoughtful and compliant integration, Zippay merchant facilities in the Tower Systems software are proven, valuable and commercially enjoyable in retail businesses of many different types. Tower Systems did the integration early in with Zip, bringing the Zip opportunity to life for the first time in many retail niches.

Using the Zippay merchant facilities, retailers have reporting and other tools for the accurate and prper management of their businesses.

Give your customers the power to pay later, interest free and watch your sales grow. Tower Systems and Zip have teamed up two years ago to provide a seamless, interest free payment solution for your customer, allowing your business to benefit from:

  • Increased sales volume
  • Increased average order values
  • Increased customer repurchases
  • Now, with a seamless integration with Tower Systems, you can accept Zip payments as soon as you are accredited. Simply enter your credentials.

Get started!

Our Zippay merchant facilities are robust, best practice, useful and enjoyable act the counter and in the back offer. They are true total solution for a business wanting to bring to life a buy now pay later option.

Tower Systems is grateful to the folks at Zip for their engagement and encouragement. It’s a partnership relationship that we value and have learned from.

The Zippay merchant facilities integrated with our POS software bring to life opportunities thanks to the way Zip promotes their retail business partners. The Zip community is strong and growing. Zip shoppers love their service and this can help small business retailers to find shoppers they may otherwise not have found. It’s an example of a valuable mutual relationship.

Tower Systems is grateful to offer Zip as part of a quite of integration solutions with its POS software. This suite of integrations is growing in 2021, which is terrific news. More soon…

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Using POS software to make 2021 the year of shop local

January 4, 2021
2 Min read
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In 2020, out of necessity, many Aussies rediscovered the value of shopping local.

2021 is our opportunity as local retailers to build off that, to make this the year shopping local is the preference, the year shopping local comes into its own.

We say our opportunity since we are retailers too. In addition to owning the Tower Systems POS software company, we own and run six retail businesses.

We have experienced first-hand the new love of shopping local.

In our POS software you can easily leverage local in ways that can guide deeper baskets and encourage shoppers back sooner.

We have built into our POS software these opportunities and more, to help you shine lights on what makes your business more appealing in today’s circumstances.

You can easily identify and tag locally sourced products.

You can easily share local knowledge and insights.

You can easily ‘make’ your own local products to differentiate from others.

You can easily support and leverage local community group members.

You can easily take your local pitch to the world through a Shopify website.

Our POS software is a start. Our local retail business experience can help you make the most of the POS software opportunities.

May your 2021 be healthy, happy and filled with profitable.

We are a POS software company 100% focussed on serving local small business retailers. Our software is developed to serve niche specialty retailers in selected retail channels. It is make to be fit for purpose for each of these retail channels.

Our specialty approach sets us apart from many other POS software companies. In each of our marketplace specific products you will find facilities, connections and tools that connect us with each in a deep, meaningful and commercially valuable way. This is what being specialty POS softwares is all about.

On top of marketplace specific facilities in our POS software there is our local focus, our local tools and opportunities through with our retail business partners are able to leverage shop local, buy local and support local opportunities.

Beyond the traditional POS software we go deeper into business opportunities, providing platforms from which local businesses can leverage their differentiators to shoppers, to get them spending more and to bring them back more often.

This is smart retail POS software in 2021 … a complete solution backed by training and support to bring shoppers in and guide their connection for the long term.

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Comprehensive approach to POS software onboarding helps small business retailers

January 4, 2021
2 Min read
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Aussie POS software company Tower Systems offers a structured, comprehensive approach to POS software onboarding.

Onboarding is the process of bringing on new POS software customers. It involves software installation, setup, tuning and training.

The Tower Systems onboarding approach is whole, complete and solely focussed on helping each small business retailer to achieve their goals for use of the POS software.

Onboarding is the process of installation, training and advice related to getting our new customers up and running with the Tower Systems POS software in your business.

With many new customers joining our POS software community each month, it makes sense that we have a structured process through which we deliver personal and consistent service in pursuit of you happily using our software.

Onboarding includes software installation and training experts at Tower working with you to help you achieve this goal of you happily using our software. It also includes a scheduling expert to be with you at each step of the way.

Our approach to POS software onboarding includes a team of transition experts who will help once the software is setup and the training done. These folks help you transition from high contact training to everyday help desk support access.

As an off-the-shelf software product, the Tower Systems POS software is what it is. By this we mean, it is not bespoke, not written specifically for you. However, there are many options in the software where selections can be made that determine how the software works for you. This is another reason structured onboarding matters.

The pathway we follow to guide you to be live is based on years of experience with thousands of small business retailers like you.

We follow a pathway that works. We understand some of what we suggest may frustrate, especially if you are moving from other software. Please be patient. We are grateful for your joining our community.

While our approach is structured for each specialty retail channel, it is also flexible to ensure we have time to address queries unique to each business. We understand the importance of personal service and seek to deliver a personal and appreciated experience to our customers each time.

The Tower Systems approach to onboarding of new POS software customers is comprehensive, mature and loved by customers.  It continues to evolve, too.

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January 2021 will be unlike any recent January for Aussie small business retailers

December 21, 2020
2 Min read
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January will not be normal for local Aussie retailers.

January has traditionally played out in different ways for small business retailers in different parts of Australia.

In some parts of the country, retail is usually so slow that many shops close for several weeks. In other parts of the country, towns swell with tourists and trading hours are extended.

What has been consistent about January for small business retail in Australia is that it has been prdictable.

I don’t think January 2021 will play out in a predictable way.

People are not travelling overseas. But, they are motivated to travel, to shake off 2020 and to start 2021 with new memories, from more local travel.

With plenty of annual leave not taken in 2020, I suspect more will start 2021 taking leave.

Businesses will start 2021 earlier than usual, working on new approaches to business, including on-going working from home for some, which will open opportunities locally.

Places that have not seen many tourists over the years are likely to see some. Tourist destinations will fill early, encouraging people to look elsewhere.

In short, the usual January slowdown we have been used to in small business retail in most parts of Australia is less likely in 2021, in my view.

Locals staying local will be looking to embrace optimism about 2021. Local retailers can lean into this, nurture optimism and offer opportunities for engagement with the local community. In our shops we can make January fun and feed into the desire for a good start to the year.

Be ready. Make sure the shop is fresh, that you have new product and that ou provide an entertaining retail experience. Think about your hours. Find ways to leverage the changed situation.

I mention this today so you can plan. January will be different. How it plays for you depends on you.

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Supporting shop local with pet soap gift from our POS software co

December 17, 2020
2 Min read
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Two weeks ago, we posted 1,000 gift packs featuring pet soap handmade in Australia. each pack was carefully assembled y us and posted to a thoughtfully collated database of small Aussie specialty retail businesses.

ww bought the handmade, ethically made, soap direct from the maker, in support of their local Aussie small business and to provide a connection for our message that we are a local Aussie business supporting local Aussie businesses.

It is a campaign that we planned several months out. Choosing the right soap was important, as were the words on the locally printed card that we included with each gift pack of soap.

We shared the story about being local, that we liked to support local and that we loved connecting with retail businesses that, too, loved supporting local.

This soap gift pack campaign is our way of practically showing what local can look like.

Interestingly, we sent the free pet soap to businesses outside the pet retail channel. It’s soap pet lovers will use and that is what matters most here.

What local looks like can vary by retail channel. In our POS software, we help small business retailers to pitch local, connect with local and demonstrate support for local in myriad ways. Within our POS software retailers have levers they can pullet pitch local without being overt or shouty with there shop local pitch. For us, in our software, when it comes to supporting local, we help retailers with a show, don’t tell approach. They love it. They love that they have ways they can show their local connectivity without being noisy about it.

Tower Systems is proud to serve more than 3,500 small business retailers across multiple retail channels. We are connected with each of the retail channels in different ways and support each with nuanced software, which is tailored for them.

It’s what we do … develop and support POS software for local specialty retail businesses, serving needs unique to their retail channel.

We are grateful for the opportunity to ourselves support shopping local in the execution of a marketing campaign that has at its core a shop local message.

Next time you look for pet soap, look for a locally made product. Your pet will love you for it.

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Shopify POS software solution for small business retailers

December 6, 2020
2 Min read
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Aussie POS software company Tower Systems is grateful to offer a Shopify POS software solution for small business retailers.

As a Shopify partner, the Tower Systems Shopify POS software solution it seamless between the in-store POS snd the online store, with one central dataset for inventory as well as for managing sales – in-store and online.

It’s a complete solution, a proven solution in stores across many different retail niches.

Developed in Australia and delivered first years ago and enhanced regularly since, the Shopify POS software solution is robust and first for purpose for gift shops, jewellers, bike shops, toy shops, newsagents, games shops, pet shops, garden centres and plenty more. This is a robust solution for a range of vertical market businesses.

The Shopify POS software solution from Tower Systems works beautifully both at the sales counter as well as  through the online shopper experience. Tower Systems is grateful to own retail businesses with strong online sales where this Shopify POS software solution has been tested by the business itself.

By walking in the shoes of our retailers we have been able to fine-tune the Shopify POS software solution to ensure it genuinely is a solution. We bring together both sides – the POS software side and all it manages for the retail business and the Shopify side, through beautiful websites that we develop to capture online sales. By building both for our small business retail customers we are able to deliver a wholistic Shopify POS software solution.

As one of the world’s most popular eCommerce platform, Shopify is the perfect tool for selling online. With a customisable template that can be edited with ease, and a powerful backend allowing monitoring of store data, Shopify is optimal for the growth of your business.

Through the Tower Systems Shopify POS software solution link, your business can sell online with very little additional effort. The website becomes a reflection of your physical store, allowing online sales with no change in everyday trading.

We are grateful too be able to help small business retailers transact online in a seamless and data safe way, with one data set, one place to manage critical business data. This ihas been brought about through our Shopify POS software solution, something that is Australian made, for Australian businesses.

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Serial number tracking in POS software helps small business retailers better serve customers

November 26, 2020
2 Min read
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The POS software from Tower Systems offers serial number tracking of products sold. This is a powerful point of difference for the POS software as serial number tracking is not common in software.

Using the Tower Systems POS software, retailers can record the serial numbers of all items arriving in-store that have unique serial numbers. These can be tracked at the point of sale. They can also be tracked for warranty, servicing, valuation and insurance purposes. Stores can also record serial numbers only when they sell – when they record, at arrival or sale, is up to them.

The serial number tracking facilities in the POS software become valuable in almost any retail situation in which they are used.

Thera are some retail sectors where suppliers require the tracking of product serial numbers at the point of sale. There are some regulatory situations where tracking serial numbers is key. Doing this through the POS software brings certainty and consistency to retail businesses.

Tower Systems is proud to offer serial number tracking in its POS software. We are grateful to the many suppliers and retailers who have guided us on this over the years, keeping us on top of the needs of all stakeholders in this serial number tracking space.

Serial number tracking in our POS software has been available for many years. Sure, it has been enhanced over time as needs have evolved, but we first started offering it in software we sold close to 20 years ago. Of course, the software we sell today is completely different, made for today, for today’s needs.

Using the serial number tracking tools in our POS software, retailers can also maintain good records that are useful for themselves in their own management of their businesses.

From the moment stock arrives in the business we manage serial numbers, recording each serial number. alternatively, you can enter the serial number of the item when it is sold – the retail business decides on the appropriate time for them to manage the recording of a serial number. This is a local management decision they can make.

Tower Systems is grateful to serve more than 3,500 small business retailers across several niche retail channels – with specialty POS software offering facilities like serial number tracking covered here.

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The best POS software receipt in small business retail

November 24, 2020
2 Min read
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We reckon the receipt produced by our POS software is the best receipt you will find for small business retail. Are we biased? For sure. This is our creation, our baby.

The receipt produced by our POS software is  detailed, flexible, easily changed, encouraging, educational, factual, promotional, product supporting and loyalty engaging.

This is a receipt designed to help small business welcome shoppers back sooner.

So much of what is on the receipt is under the control of retailers. So much can be changed, easily.

Product use can care instructions can be included.

A loyalty encourager can also be included, the details of which are 100% under the control of the retailer and can be dynamically determined based on what has been purchased, when and by whom.

This is a smart receipt, a powerful receipt, a receipt designed to help small business retailers to grow their businesses.

This is a receipt for 2020 and beyond in so many ways, beyond what you can see.

There is much more to this receipt than you can see in this image, too. Our POS software offers plenty of tricks and opportunities beyond what is in this blog post.

Here at Tower Systems we are grateful for the encouragement and guidance from our retailer community to evolve the receipt beyond the traditional into something that is of genuine value in many different retail settings.

Retailers using our POS software have teremndous control over receipts, when they print, the detail included and so much more.  Our customers really are in control of the receipts their software prints.

The receipts our POS software produces can go beyond paper, too. There are electronic versions customers can leverage, but more on that another time. Suffice to say, we are innovators of all sorts of receipts, in many formats.

In addition to meeting statutory requirements, the receipts produced by the POS software from Tower Systems are a valuable and appreciated piece of marketing power in a retail business, showing off key differentiators in the business that themselves held;p to drive repeat business. We love that we have been able to do this.

Tower Systems serves more than 3,750 small business retailers across a range of retail channels. Our 40 years in the POS software development and support business have seen us move through generational changes and the old retail receipt is one example of this.

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60 Years of Supercars Mint Coin Set from the Royal Australian Mint

November 21, 2020
1 Min read
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We are grateful to promote 60 Years of Supercars Mint Coin Set through the Mint Coin Shop we built using our POS software and its integration with the Shopify e-commerce platform. What a wonderful mint coin product. Supercars are huge and these mint coins will be a Supercars fan perfect Christmas gift.

The Supercars mint coin set is another awesome gift from the Royal Australian Mint that is available from the online Mint Coin Shop.

Australia enjoys an enduring love affair with Supercars racing, and this year celebrates 60 years of the Australian Touring Car Championship. First held in 1960 at Gnoo Blas NSW, the Mint honours the 60 year milestone with the release of 9 coins highlighting some of the most celebrated race cars of the iconic ATCC series.

This Supercars mint coin set is selling fast.

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Shopify website development for small business retailers in Australia

November 17, 2020
2 Min read
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Tower Systems is proud to offer local, Australian-based, Shopify website development for small business retailers.

We have a team of skilled Shopify web developers, all working from our Hawthorn, Victoria, head office. This is in addition to our POS software developers. Both development teams work together, helping to create valued solutions for small business retailers.

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

Being a Shopify website developer and a POS software developer in the one business and being Australian based positions us well to serve the needs of local Australian retailers.

We offer more of an end to end Shopify website development solution for small business retailers. Since we are retailers ourselves and using Shopify websites created by us, we bring that experience to life in our own shopper engagement.

Our Shopify website development for small business retailers is done on a fixed price basis. We do this because it is important that small business retailers know exactly what their cost basis will be. We collect information up front to ensure that the fixed price approach serves the needs of our customers, to ensure that the site is the solution our customers are looking for.

handing freight, payment type and other requirements, we help retailers to being to life online their retail businesses or at least parts of their retail businesses. We do this with care from a retailer first perspective. Too often, we see websites created from a tech first perspective and while this is cool for the tech folks, it does not serve the retailer well.

Selling online is a retail activity. It needs to be approached from a retail first perspective. This is what we do. As retailers ourselves we understand this from a unique perspective and through this we are able, we think. to provide our retailers with a Shopify website solution that is fit for purpose with them very much in mind.

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An early look at Christmas 2020 in local small business retail in Australia

November 16, 2020
4 Min read
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We are grateful to the many retailers who have shared recent year on year comparative sales data. This has enabled us to a deep dive into shopper traffic, basket depth and product category performance. We have done this to get an early look into what Christmas 2020 in local small business retail might look like.

The headline is that Christmas 2020 looks good in local small business retail.

Local high street retailers are doing considerably better than shopping mall retail. Suburban, regional and rural high street retail businesses, for which we have comprehensive sales data, are doing very well. They are experiencing solid double-digit year-on-year growth. For the dataset of 60+ businesses in our latest analysis, the average year on year revenue growth is 22%.

What is interesting is that the spike in revenue growth is not matched in a spike in shopper traffic. Rather, the revenue spike has come from shoppers buying more in each visit, driving better shopper efficiency. We are seeing average sale value increase by between 10% and 25%.

The dataset includes business across all states and territories except for the Northern Territory. The results are universal. There appears to be no difference between Victoria, which was in lockdown for some of the weeks under analysis and other states that were not in lockdown.

In terms of Christmas specifically, data indicate excellent year on year growth in Christmas card sales. The same is true for Christmas decorations, Christmas-themed home decor and gift wrap. Year on year growth is, again, 20% and more.

Locally made products are doing particularly well. Shoppers continue to engage with supply chain questions. A common question relates to sourcing from China.

Also of note is excellent growth in sales of calendars and diaries. The diaries growth encourages an optimistic outlook on 2021. Smart retailers are pitching it as that and having some fun with putting 2020 in the past.

Back in March, in the early days of Covid in Australia, jigsaws were hot. They sold out fast. Some expected the surge to fade over time. The latest sales data for October and even into the first two weeks of November suggest otherwise. Yes, jigsaw sales remain strong. half of the stores in the latest dataset sell jigsaws and every one of them is reporting year on year growth. The average of that growth is 150%. Key is breadth of range of supply.

In addition to the jigsaw growth, crafts, art, maker kits and similar are all showing strong results.

Comfort gifts are especially strong. Core in this category is plush. Plush is often dismissed as being tired or ho hum. We have seen sales in the plush space up as much as 50% off a strong base. In one local high street retail business in one recent week, for example, they did $1,850.00 in everyday plush, more than double their usual sales. Range, again, is key this this success.

Not reflected in the POS software collected data is anecdotal evidence that people are spending more this Christmas. Many retailers spoke to this. They spoke of shoppers saying they were spending more on loved ones as well as buying gifts for some they would not usually buy for.

There is the wonder as to the role of government stimulus funding on the sales results. While retailers think is is a factor, they do not see it as the key factor. If time does reveal it as a key factor, local small business retailers will respond accordingly. They are an agile bunch.

Considering the sales data and the and the anecdotal comments, Christmas 2020 looks strong. Plenty of retailers are already talking up the first quarter of 2021.

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