The POS Software Blog

The POS Software Blog

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

Categorypoint of sale software

Fixed price POS software connected Shopify web development helps small business retailers land and stay online

F

While we are a POS software company that makes, rents and supports POS software for a range of specialty retail businesses, we also develop POS software connected Shopify websites, and we have done this successfully for years.

Our approach is fixed price, and it’s full service.

Web development, good web development, is expensive. We price our work on a break even basis.

The websites we create are beautiful, functional and valuable. This takes time. Our web development expert, who would work with any local retailer customer, is patient and focussed on process to deliver a commercially useful website for you.

Companies that cost less tend to only be able to do this by having the work done offshore, despite what they may pitch in their marketing. All our work is done in Australia, by Christina. This has a higher cost, but it means you are working with someone more likely to properly understand your needs.

We accept there are people who choose to go elsewhere for a website. To be true to what we do and to ensure we compensate our colleagues here appropriately, we are unable to discount the price, sorry.

Tower Systems offers to create a Shopify website for which you receive:

  1. Pre development consultation. This is comprehensive phone call reviewing your needs to understand your requirements more completely.
  2. A checklist of work you complete, to provide assets such as text and images for the website.
  3. A live Shopify site as per everything outlined here.
  4. Shopify theme choice. Included in the quoted price is the selection of a paid-for theme available from the Shopify Theme Store at https://themes.shopify.com/themes.  Themes are used to create the structure, look, and feel of your site so choose carefully.
  5. Shopify link. The Retailer POS software to link with Shopify. This link transfers to the Shopify site the following data points for each inventory item.
  6. A 2 hour Personal hand-over remote training session so you can manage the day to day running our your new live site.
  7. Three months of phone-based support assistance (not including changes) following delivery.
  8. A comprehensive pre-prep / handover document that provides support, written training and guidance on your next steps. This is the same for all our Shopify site customers. i.e. it is not document written especially for you.

Regardless of who you choose to create your website, here are tips we offer to help make setting up a Shopify site successful for you.

  1. Know why. Knowing why you want the website can answer plenty of other questions. For some it is to win new customers, for others it is revenue growth, while for ithers it is better service of existing customers.
  2. Keep it simple. If you are just beginning your journey into eCommerce our message is keep it simple. If you start simple you can get important learnings from which you can make informed changes.  Remember where you start will not be where you finish.  One of the key areas we see people over thinking is freight our advice is to keep freight an easy as possible by using the flat rate options provided by Shopify.  Then, once you understand your customers change and adapt.
  3. Know your narrator. Every website has a narrator, the person behind the scenes writing the text, responding to queries. Think about that person, how they speak, words they use, their manner. Think of this person as a character you create.
  4. Look at competitor sites online locally and overseas as it is beneficial to see what someone else is doing and learn from that.
  5. Only use unique images. If you use supplier supplied images, they may be on other sites and Google will know this. Google likes fresh content.
  6. Write your own product name / title. Use search keywords in the name – that is, what people are searching for. Google likes fresh content.
  7. Write your own product description and think about what shoppers search for.
  8. Do not load everything. Too much stock makes a site hard to navigate.
  9. Consider using a website name that is different to your business name. Online can benefit from a different brand to your in-store situation.
  10. Be open to additional sites. You may make more money from having multiple.
  11. Support the site with active social media engagement.
  12. Promote the site with an email monthly at least, using Shopify’s marketing features.

Retail business cash flow advice: using POS software to improve your position

R

Every day in local small business retail it is vital to focus on cash flow, vital to know where you are at, how you are tracking and what you are doing to maximise your position.

Poor cash flow = poor business performance and rocky roads ahead.

Too often, local small business retailers leave tracking business cash flow to accountants and others who may not be in the business on a day to day basis.

Managing cash flow in local small business retail is a day to day task.

Using the smart POS software from Tower Systems you have access to tools and facilities that help you navigate to a better cash flow performance for the retail business. You don’t need to be an accountant or someone with good financial skills. What do you need to be is an engaged retailer.

In our POS software we help you:

  • Make better business decisions. Decisions like inventory purchasing, shop floor placement, trading hours, loyalty rewards and more.
  • Identity poor performing inventory. Knowing what is not working can stop you reporting that mistake.
  • Knowing when you are likely to sell out. Many retail businesses bmiss absolutely for certain revenue by not having in stock inventory when shoppers wish to purchase.
  • Do more business with more valuable suppliers. Tracking suppliers by financial benefit helps you make more money with and from them./
  • Motivate employees. Employees can make better decisions for your business if you empower them with knowledge.
  • Calibrate business settings to benefit cash flow. When you open and close, who you roster, when you discount, when you price inventory at a higher price … these are all decisions that can be informed by data collected and curated by smart POS software.

These are just some of the ways the Tower Systems POS software can help a local small business retailer improve their cash flow position.

The real benefit when it comes to cash flow and our POS software is the business insights and advice we can provide to those interested. We have hands on retail experience and we will gladly engage this with and for any retailer in our community keen to improve their position, including their cash flow position. We will talk with and work with, one-on-one, with any retailer in our community to help them.

We’re a full service POS software company helping thousands of retailers, and we love it, every day!

7 Tips for Choosing Small Business POS Software

7

small business POS software

When it comes to checkout, people really hate having to wait. Spending just one minute standing in line can feel like five. And heaven forbid you have to use a self-checkout system that everyone hates.

For a small business, you can’t afford to waste your customer’s time. Once they have what they need, they want to pay and get on with their day. A good portion of their wait comes down to the small business POS software you use.

Choosing a good POS software is easier said than done. The market is replete with dozens of competing options. There are dedicated cash registers, tablet systems, and hybrids that are somewhere between.

Keep reading as we discuss seven important tips for choosing your POS system.

1. Find Small Business POS Software That Makes Checkout Fast and Painless

You guessed it, the most important thing to look for in a POS is ease of use. If you’ve ever used an old cash register at just about any retail store, you know why this is so important.

Many cash registers still look like they’ve never left the ’90s. They have unintuitive features that make it near impossible for an associate to guess how to do something beyond a typical checkout.

It’s not just about pleasing impatient customers, such as if you cater to the retiree community. It’s about making training easier and avoiding costly mistakes. Employees won’t hate the register, either, when they have to count the drawer at night.

2. Get the Right Types of Software

Every POS system can ring up a customer for a product out of the box. But they might not be able to sign up a customer for a new in-store credit card.

Much of the additional functionality for a POS system comes in the form of apps that you download on the side. These apps may be crucial to some of the core functionality your business provides.

For example, many employers use the register as an employee time clock, too. They enable loyalty programs, and the ability to issue and redeem company gift cards. Sales reporting may be essential to determine which employees are performing best.

Further, choose a system that can adapt further down the line. If your business needs to change, you want to know if your register can as well.

3. Make Sure It Is Secure and Receives Regular Updates

There’s one thing that tech experts are telling others all the time: update your devices! Software updates don’t just provide new features and increase system stability. They also close off a lot of potential vulnerabilities.

In our internet-enabled world, hackers are getting more clever than ever. They can find sneaky ways to mess with or gain access to your system, even with devices that aren’t connected to any network.

Make sure your POS has stable software that gets updated as necessary. Further, get a POS that keeps all digital and card transactions secure.

In addition to this, ensure the physical assets are secure as well. A good cash drawer should lock easily and feel robust.

4. Make Sure it Supports All Needed Peripherals

Every business has different needs when it comes to peripherals. An ice cream shop might not have any need for a handheld scanner, but a clothes shop certainly does.

Troubleshooting non-functional peripherals can be a nightmare, especially if they stop working halfway through the day. Most of this comes down to conflicts in software compatibility.

Ensure with your supplier beforehand that the POS they’re selling you will work with the tools you need.

5. Get POS Software That Integrates with Inventory Management

Most POS business software options include some means of deducting inventory as you ring it up. This is invaluable for keeping track of all your SKUs when doing counts at the end of the day.

However, don’t spend too much on a POS that has more features than you’ll use. A POS with advanced inventory options may be overkill for a small shop.

6. Consider a POS That Allows for Remote Management

With a physical cash register, you often feel the need to remain onsite. You either have employees you don’t trust or new employees that are still learning the ropes. With modern POS systems, you can often keep track of things while you’re away from your business.

Software options vary, but some may even allow you to do so with a simple phone app. This will be crucial when you’re on the road for important business dealings. You can keep close track of sales, employee clock-ins, and other valuable data.

7. Find One that Fits into Your Budget

If you can afford it, you can certainly find a top-of-the-line POS with all the bells and whistles. Premium devices that look, feel, and work very well. But if money is tight, a tablet and card reader will always be an option for you.

As far as POS systems go, companies tend to spend less overall on this particular part of their business. As you can imagine, going cheap might not be worth it in the end. You get what you pay for, so buying the lowest-shelf POS system you can find create more problems than it’s worth.

Make sure the POS fits your business type, and choose a subscription type that is in the Goldilocks zone of value vs. needs.

Find the Right POS Today

Small business POS software is only a small part of your business, but often the most important. It’s a multi-purpose device for ringing up purchases, clocking in employees, and so much more. Choose a quality POS with the above criteria in mind to ensure your lines run as smoothly as possible.

At Tower Systems, we specialize in both the hardware and the software side of POS. You can try out the software yourself with a free personal demonstration. Book a demo today and see what you’re missing out on!

Best POS Systems for Retail

B

retail pos

In 2021, customers used cash for only 18% of POS transactions worldwide. People everywhere are using physical money less and less as technology advances.

To remain profitable, almost every business needs a method of accepting credit and debit card payments. A retail POS system is essential to avoid losing customers and sales.

However, choosing the best POS system can be difficult since you have so many options to choose from. There are many factors to consider when choosing retail POS software, like your business model and the volume of transactions.

If you’re not sure how to choose from all the newest retail technology on the market, we’ve got you covered. Read on to learn how to choose a POS system retail locations can rely on!

Retail POS: An Overview

POS stands for “point of sale.” POS systems for accepting card and mobile payments are often called EFTPOS, which stands for “electronic funds transfer at point of sale.”

The point of sale is the location where the actual transaction between customers and businesses takes place. Before digital payments, the POS was simply a cash register, but today the POS can be a mobile device or completely online.

The type of POS retail locations and restaurants use can vary, as restaurants often include a way to tip servers with your card payment. For retailers, this function is typically unnecessary for POS systems.

In addition to accepting card payments, POS systems can create receipts, and track sales and taxes. By keeping all this information together, you can make your accounting much simpler.

Different POS systems have options to help prevent retail theft and manage multi-store businesses.

Replacing point of sale technology can be overwhelming, so let’s look at some of the options on the market.

Tyro: Best Overall for Australian Retailers

Perhaps lesser known than POS giants like Square and Clover, this hidden gem is a great choice with several options to choose from.

Tyro has a monthly rental fee for equipment, which may initially be a turnoff. However, they charge a lower transaction fee than other retail POS systems, which can easily outweigh the rental fee with even a small number of transactions.

Tyro software also integrates with external POS hardware. If you already have a register and a card reader, you can use Tyro software without getting new equipment.

Tyro offers retail technology options for physical stores as well as e-commerce. Businesses also have a choice between mobile and tabletop POS hardware.

In particular, retail locations based in Australia should consider a Tyro POS system. Tyro is an Australian company that aims its services specifically toward Australian small businesses.

Square: Best Free Option

Square is possibly the biggest name in the POS industry. Known for its low-maintenance mobile readers, Square is a good choice for small business retail operations with a lower budget.

Businesses that want a simple and portable option will be pleased with a Square POS. Startups that can’t afford high upfront costs might also consider Square.

The simplest system is the magstripe reader, which is available for free and plugs right into a phone or tablet. For businesses needing more functionality, they also offer bigger POS hardware.

Square gives the option to buy POS equipment and doesn’t require a contract. The software can also help with tracking inventory and staff management.

What customers tend to like about Square is its simple pricing structure. Businesses know what they’re going to pay without a confusing combination of fees.

The biggest issue you may run into with Square is in the delivery of your funds. It can sometimes take days for funds to transfer to your bank.

Clover: Best for Large Shops

Clover is a good choice for larger stores that have a large number of monthly transactions. The software is user-friendly and it’s easy to get set up.

The biggest advantage of a Clover system is its functionality. Clover has many added features that can make businesses run more smoothly.

With this software, you can track payroll, customer reviews, and several other features that most POS systems don’t include.

While Clover has lots of perks, it doesn’t compare well to other systems in its contract structure and costs. Users have 60 days to cancel a subscription without additional fees.

In addition to the contract, Clover software doesn’t integrate with external systems, so you have to use their equipment. The transaction fees are also higher than Square and other systems.

Shopify: Best for Online Selling

Shopify is another good choice for retailers considering replacing POS system software. Specifically, Shopify works well for e-commerce.

While you can use your preferred payment processor, Shopify offers one on its platform called Shopify Payments. Users who process transactions on this payment processor don’t pay transaction fees.

The software is compatible with most smart devices and they offer mobile card readers.

The reason Shopify is good for online selling is because of how well it integrates with websites and social media. Customers can make partial payments, and you can embed the POS on Facebook and Instagram pages.

While there are many features available, users are often priced out of using a different payment processor. If you use a third-party processor, transaction fees can be as high as 2.9% plus a flat fee.

Another feature missing from Shopify is offline processing. If your system loses its internet connection, you can’t take payments using Shopify.

Upgrade Your Business

Payment processing is essential to running a successful business. Having an effective retail POS will ensure your customers can easily pay for your product.

When choosing the POS system that’s best for your business, consider your market and what features you want.

Still have questions about POS systems? Since 1981, Tower Systems has been helping small businesses in Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands.

Book a free demo today to learn what our POS services can do for your business!

Tower Systems gift shop software @ Reed Gift Fair in Sydney

T

We are grateful to be at the Reed Gift Fair in Sydney. We are 2 days in and we have met so many gift shop owners, newsagents and other local small business retailers. It’s a wonderful opportunity to show off our POS software.

Being the only POS software company here is a treat,

Our stand is in a good position, which is a bonus.

The mood of people at the gift fair is terrific, optimistic. People have an appetite for change. Very few talked about wanting things to be the way they were. They are looking ahead, evolving, planning business moves for the new normal rather than the old past.

We have had so many good discussions, useful discussions and what’s interesting is people are up for it, they are up for a chat to explore business. It’s this face top face that people have been missing and to be there at the first major show on this scale in 2 years is a joy, a delight and a wonderful opportunity.

We are glad to have invested the money to be here, to meet face top face with retailers.

What’s particularly interesting about this gift fair is that it has attracted a diverse mix of retailers, most of whom trade in retail channels we serve: jewellers, garden centres, gift shops, homewares shops, toy shops and newsagents. This has made the show even more valuable for us, which we sincerely appreciate.

Our Aussie made and supported POS software for local specialty retailers is software to love and here’s why …

  1. Local matters. Local retail businesses make a vital contribution to local cycling communities and families. Our software helps you leverage your localness, to genuinely differentiate your business from big competitors.
  2. You are a key asset. Only your business has you and your people. You can leverage you through our POS software, to easily share your knowledge in ways big businesses cannot match.
  3. You can bank on loyalty. Points don’t reward loyalty. What is a point worth anyway? In our local shop POS software, you have fresh loyalty tools you can bank on to drive a deeper visit value, bring shoppers back sooner and genuinely leverage their lifetime value opportunity.
  4. Service, service, service. Offering service and managing this for the benefit of your customers and your business can genuinely differentiate thanks to our smart management tools. You can bank on this difference.
  5. Not every shopper will walk, or rides, past your door. A smart and seamless connection between your software and a beautiful website can help you easily and with low overhead sell to people you will never meet.

Uploading supplier data is easy, as is sharing data with Shopify websites – through two-way traffic.

All of this has been on show at the Reed Sydney Gift Fair.

Insights from Shoptalk 2022

I

We are grateful to have been able to attend Shoptalk 2022 live in Las Vegas last week, along with thousands of retailers and tech experts working with retailers. here is some of what we are prepared to share publicly in terms of insights:

Our transparent approach to selling our POS software

O

Here at Tower Systems we follow a transparent and no-pressure sales process for our locally made and supported POS software for specialty retailers. It is a process that has been tuned over many years, a process that benefits from serving thousands of local small business retailers.

We made a short video recently in which we discuss our POS software sales process. Here it is:

We are here for the journey, to serve local small business retailers using our POS software, to help them run more successful, enjoyable and valuable retail businesses.

Tower Systems supports op. shops and charity shops and community enterprises with tailored POS software

T

Local op. shops are part of the retail landscape across Australia. Run by churches, community groups and charities, these shops serve the vulnerable in our community while raising funds for vital local community projects.

Op. shops have unique needs when to comes to managing them. The needs are similar to those in charity shops and other community enterprise retail businesses.

Tower Systems is grateful to offer low-cost POS software for charity shops, op. shops and community enterprise businesses. This is software made for these retail situations, designed to help these community-focussed shops serve their goals, to fulfil their missions.

Charity and op. shops are unique and loved businesses, providing valuable service to the local community and to those supported by the charity. Here is some of what you can expect from the Tower Systems POS software for op. shops / charity shops / community enterprises:

  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.

This Australian made and supported charity / op. shop POS software does much more than what’s on this list. See it for yourself, live and obligation free, to see if it could serve you and your business. We’d be glad to show it to all involved in the operation.

We started din this space many years ago with our first church shop software and it’s evolved since for bigger businesses in this space as well as for much smaller businesses. We are grateful to help these organisations in their commitment to community service.

Antique shop software helps antique shops serve sellers and collectors

A

The data management needs of antique shops are unique, beyond what is traditional in retail businesses. Often, the needs are unique to each business in niche ways.

Historically steeped in paper-based management, antique businesses rely on accurate record keeping for it is this that serves the needs of sellers and buyers and the antique business itself.

Tower Systems is grateful to offer POS software for antique businesses, software tuned to the needs of these businesses based on what we have seen and been told.

Our POS software for antique shops has evolved from our decades of work in the jewellers POS software space. We serve hundreds of retailers in the jewellery channel from everyday fashion to high end to bespoke to heirloom to repair and maintenance. Our work with a diverse community opt jeweller businesses has set us up to serve the needs of antique businesses through our antique shop POS software.

Managing secondhand goods, managing insurance purchases, providing valuations, documenting product provenance, storing product images, offering product care instructions, tracking buyers, tracking sellers … all of these facilities and more are part of the core POS software for antique shops from Tower Systems.

Our seamless connectivity to Shopify helps us serve online sale needs too, from the physical shop to online and back in terms of accurate and timely data management.

Using our POS software, antique shops can track sales of items provided by different sellers. You can easily report on sales at this level. you can also aggregate items for reporting or tracking across sellers, based on product type.

Often in antique shops, product knowledge is held by a few. Using our POS software for antique shops you can help more people in the business offer consistency in terms of product related knowledge. This is key for the business to be able to operate under management if that serves the interests of the business owners.

Our approach in dealing with antique shop opportunities is to understand the needs first. We’re not right for everyone. we will say so if we are not right, and wish you all the best with your search.

See what we offer antique shops through our POS software, contact us: sales @towersystems.com..au or 1300 662 957.

DOS POS software died many years ago

D

We used to develops sell and support DOS POS software. For many years, in fact. However, it is more than twenty years since we last sold it. Yes, DOS POS software was dead in the late 1990s.  It was old tech enology then, out of date, flawed and not suitable for modern businesses then.

We can’t imagine any retail business using DOS POS software today, not in 2020 with so many smart business needs, interconnectivity needs, integration needs. DOS POS software could not keep up with the needs of today.

From 1981 through to the mid to late 1990s our DOS POS software was terrific, suitable and evolving. However, in the mid 1990s when we started building our Windows based POS software, we knew that ur DOS POS software mould end, that it would be sold no more. Such is the evolution of software development.

Knowing when to lay softer to rest is a skill, important to software companies and important to users of POS software.

We knew in the mid to late 1990s that DOS POS software had no future given the then emerging opportunities for small retailers beyond the traditional. That is when the generational shift of Windows POS software for small business retailers came into play.

While we supported the old DOS POS software and never forced anyone to shift, the software itself did not evolve. It had reached end of life in that sense. We helped our customers and made sure they were protected and we offer an easy path to the new Windows based POS software.

Today, we look back on the days of DOS with a fondness, just as we look back on our Apple II+ days and our old CP/M days. These are nostalgic thoughts. But, our focus is on what 2021 and beyond bring for our software as well evolve into new areas, delivering to retailers facilities built with new technology.

This year has been exciting. Next year will be even more so for reasons people will see emerge.

In the meantime, we are thankful for the DOS POS memories and grateful that we left that world when we did.

POS software alternative to PBSA POS software

P

Tower Systems is grateful to offer its POS software an an alternative to PBSA POS software.

Serving more than 3,000 small business retailers in a selection of niche retail channels, Tower Systems offers services and facilities compatible with what users of PBSA POS software are used to:

  • Sale integration for selling by weight.
  • Selling by fractions.
  • Selling by scanning and touchscreen buttons.
  • Woo Commerce integration.
  • Xero integration.
  • Tyro integration.

We are grateful to folks experiences in using PBSA POS software for their insights so that we can confirm coverage of these and other retail business management needs.

We have not used or see PBSA POS software ourselves and so cannot speak to its suitability. What we know is our own software and our support infrastructure through which we provide timely and friendly POS software support, training and update help.

PBSA POS software users looking for an alternative are welcome and, indeed, invited to consider the POS software from Tower Systems. We’d be happy to compare function for function, to see if our locally supported and made POS software is an alternative compared to the PBSA POS software.

From a support perspective, Tower Systems POS software users have access to:

  • Timely help desk support.
  • Unlimited free one on one training.
  • 600+ knowledge base articles – searchable documentation.
  • User training videos.
  • Business advice insights.
  • Theft check services.
  • Cloud based backup.
  • Cloud hosting for those keen for off site hosting.
  • Customer service escalation, to ensure that outside of the help desk an escalation point provides management access.

Tower Systems is focussed on customer service as we know that this matters to local retailers. Our processes are comprehensive and our contact points are accessible. Our motto is we’re here to help and we try and deliver this through every interaction.

Our customers play an important role in the evolution of our POS software. We offer a transparent process through which they can suggest POS software enhancements. These are considered by other customers and voted on. The majority of each POS software update developed and released by us is from these customer suggestions.

If you are a PBSA POS software user and are considering an alternative, we would welcome an opportunity to speak with you, to understand your needs and to see if Tower Systems can serve you.

Changing the R3 POS software main screen – free training for small business retailers

C

This new video from our team is an example of the training we offer retailers using our Point of Sale software. It is part of a pack of new training resources delivered as part of the recent R3 release. R3 is new generation POS software for specialty retailers. It is visually fresh, technically fresh and loaded with specialty retail facilities through which businesses can differentiate.

Small business retail advice: using POS software to leverage low margin products

S

This advice is for businesses that are traffic and margin poor businesses. Such businesses face high-risk businesses as most low margin products and services are delivering less traffic year on year … and therefore face high-risk of financial failure.

In addition to low margin products and services experiencing traffic decline year on year, minimal or no retail price movement see a decline in margin in real terms. Further, too often we see the percentage cut by suppliers for selfish reasons, further diluting the value to the retailer.

In our POS software user community we have access to wonderful advice and inspiration, from a broad range of retailers. We draw on that today, to put together the advice in the article for you.

But it is not all bad news with low margin products and services. If they are generating good traffic, the opportunity is to be proactive in leveraging that traffic. Here is a list of five must-do things to leverage this low value traffic in your business.

  1. Place at least one offer / stand at the door facing people as they leave. If you have room, have one stand / offer either side. Make sure the offer is easily understood and relevant.
  2. Use a portable table for pricing stock and other stock work and place this with a staff member doing the work during busy periods between the door and the destination for most traffic.
  3. For the highest traffic low-margin items, always pitch other products such that these destination shoppers see the other products.
  4. Always have an offer at the counter unrelated to the low margin destination purchase. Get creative as to how you pitch this at the lottery counter if you have Tatts.
  5. Establish a floor unit to guide counter traffic. the right type of unit is best used for holing products people are likely to purchase on impulse while standing in line to make their destination purchase. All sorts of retailers do this, even if they do not have the shopper to warrant such a floor unit.

Our advice is do all five of these things. If you don’t do some or all you are most likely only benefiting from destination business from low-margin high-traffic products and services and there is no upside in that.

For the record, margin poor products and services are those with a GP percentage of less than 50% in our view.

In our indie retail POS software we have awesome tools to help low margin high volume retailers. We’d be glad to help with practical advice.

Portable POS software for retailers selling on the road and away from the shop counter

P

Retailer Roam, the portable POS software from Tower Systems is being embraced by more retailers with businesses that operate on the road.

Yes, portable POS software. POS software you can use on the road, away from the counter, from a truck, at a market, at a pop up store. This is genuinely portable POS software. Oh, and internet access is not required.

Retailer Roam is serving retailers looking to take their business transactions to customers no matter where they are … local markets, on the farm, from the back of a truck, pop-up stores and more.

Retailer Roam is Aussie made portable POS software thanks to smart app development from the Tower systems web team working closely with the POS software development team.

To back up access to this new and innovative portable POS software product, Tower Systems has released a range of helpful advice and online accessible documentation including these topics:

  • Making the most of Retailer Roam
  • Previous Sales in Retailer Roam
  • Creating Layouts In Retailer Roam
  • Creating Paytypes In Retailer Roam
  • Installing TeamViewer for Retailer Roam
  • Performing Laybys In Retailer Roam
  • Performing Sales in Retailer Roam
  • Importing Retailer Roam Ordering Files
  • Frequently Asked Questions – Retailer Roam
  • Setting Up Retailer for Retailer Roam

Offering fresh and evolving documentation for Retailer Roam is another way we are helping new and emerging retailers make the most of the fresh opportunities offered by Retailer Roam. We are loving helping retailers unlock new sales opportunities by disconnecting transactions front sales counter.

A common question we get is: Does Retailer Roam Require An Internet Connection?

Yes and No. You will need an internet connection to install the app and to obtain the base Retailer data. However, when using it, no – it;’s easy and truly portable.

If the location you’re selling from does not have internet connectivity you can use the device to transact, however, you will not receive any product updates or send sales back until the connection is re-established.

There is an ‘Offline Mode’ that can be turned on in settings for a smoother no-internet-connection experience. While in this mode the user will be limited to completing sales with what data has already been pre-loaded on the device. No API calls can be made in this mode, and sales will be stored locally until they can be synced.

There is an option to download all stock-data on the device; so, it can be used offline.

Retailer Roam is portable POS softeware for retailers on the move.

Xero integration with Tower Systems POS software for small business retailers

X

Our POS software integrates with Xero cloud based accounting software.

Integrating seamlessly with Xero as we do provides our POS software customers with safe and easy access to a beautiful POS software and accounting solution for the whole of the retail business.

Thanks to the POS software Xero integration, small business retailers can:

  1. Save time. Data flow is seamless, safe, secure and fast. No more double or triple handing of invoice details.
  2. Cut mistakes. Every keystroke you eliminate in business is a possible data mistake eliminated. The Xero POS software integration cuts keystrokes.
  3. Make better business decisions. Accurate business data feeds better business decisions.
  4. Reduce accounting and bookkeeping costs. All the data entry work bookkeepers and accounting professionals do can be eliminated thanks to safe and fast data flow between the POS software and Xero.
  5. Drive business value. Data is revealing and this helps you extract more business value.
  6. Enjoy the business more. Data entry is a grind and it can lead to mistakes. Get rid of these challenges and yours enjoyment rises for sure.
  7. Immediate cashflow visibility. With no lag for data, you can see your position immediately.

Small business retailers have been using our Xero / POS software integration fort years. We have been using it ourselves in our own retail shops too – we love it and appreciate the benefits it delivers.

We help you map POS data to Xero, to provide data correctly to the needs of your accountant or bookkeeper.

Our POS software Xero experts can help0 you make the transition and establish a link that is right for your business, a link that serves not only you but those who serve you with accounting and business advice.

As a Xero development partner, Tower Systems is well resourced and skilled to help you get the most of the interface opportunity.

What is Transferred to Xero?

Sales. End of Shift based department-level sales are transferred to Xero via a sales invoice. Each department can be assigned its own Xero account.

Invoices. Invoices received into the Retailer POS software are transferred to Xero at department level. No individual stock items are transferred.

Write Offs & No Sales. These are transferred to individual expense accounts depending on the transaction reason chosen.

Cost Of Sales. An option on sales exporting is to export Cost of Sales. While not a full implementation of COGS it does transfer over the cost price of items sold each day to reduce the value of Stock On Hand in Xero.

Cloud based POS software for small business retailers

C

Aussie POS software co Tower systems offers cloud based POS software made for specialty retailers.

We make what we sell. This is locally made, sold and supported POS software for niche retailers, retailers in selected retail channels. Our cloud based POS software solutions are made specifically for jewellers, garden centres, bike shops, adult shops, homewares stores, newsagencies, gift shops, toy shops, produce businesses, toy shops, farm supply businesses and more.

In each niche retail channel we have dived in to work with suppliers and retailers to ensure that we deliver solutions that are fit for purpose in each channel, for retailers and for suppliers. This is whaat makes us a vertical market POS software colour deep specialisation in a retail channel.

Being cloud based, we offer our  customers an insulation from some challenges of technology. Our POS software is securely hosted off site and independent of our own business and fully backed up to be safe and secure, with the ability to operate as and when needed by our retailer customers.

To be sure, though, our retail business customers can access our software through desktop local installation access if they wish. The choice is theirs. Cloud based is ideal for many but there are some who prefer their own approach, being self sufficient.

Our cloud based POS software is accessed through a 30-day rental program. Included in the low rental price for each is:

  1. Australian developed and supported specialty POS software.
  2. Software updates as we release them.
  3. Unlimited licences for your retail location. If you need an extra computer, there is no extra software cost.
  4. Shopify / Magento / Woo link. Easily sell online from your POS software.
  5. Xero link. Easing bookkeeping costs and streamlining accounting.
  6. Our OzBiz link – connect to MYOB and Quicken through OzBiz.
  7. Tyro link – safe, fast and easy EFTPOS link for streamlined sales.
  8. PC Eftpos link – easy EFTPOS processing for the major banks.
  9. Easy buy now pay laterthanks to Zip Pay and Humm – that Boomers, Gen Y, Gen X and others are using more and more.
  10. Support – help desk access, unlimited training, updates and more.
  11. User documentation. Access to our searchable knowledge base.

Rental is charged per 30 days, in advance. Access can be cancelled at any time. You can also choose to purchase the software outright.

We have a structured and personalised on-boarding process, done in your business for a modest up front fee. This includes:

  1. A pre-installation training and information pack to help you be ready in your business and with hardware.
  2. Pre-installation planning. A structured phone meeting to plan the installation and to go over the training, ensuring we cover what matters to you and your team.
  3. On-site installation and training. On-site installation of and training in the Tower software anywhere in Australia for up to two days incl. travel.
  4. Data conversion. Conversion of all data possible (within reasonable time constraints). This is a two-step process:
    1. Pre-conversion. With your permission we extract data to be checked for layout and consistency.
    2. The conversion itself. This is done as part of software installation.
  5. Personal priority support. New user priority support through a specialist area of the new customer help desk.
  6. Personal post-installation follow-up. A separate structured call to check knowledge and use processes.
  7. All travel costs to and from the installation.

Cloud based POS software for independent small business retailers

C

Tower Systems cloud based POS software offers independent small business retailers flexibility of use and access, it offers big business tools and opportunities in a package made for small business retailers.

Securely hosted in the cloud, automatically backed up and always up to date, the cloud POS software from Tower Systems is another way the company is helping small business retailers compete with big businesses, by offering an infrastructure solution that is current, best practice and capable.

With access available through a subscription service, the Tower Systems cloud POS software has a low start-up cost, which suits many indie retail business costs. The tech experts at Tower Systems shield retailers from back office work necessary. The company has a process for ensuring that settings are implemented to the needs unique to each small business retailer customer.

Cloud based POS software is one of a range of solutions offered by Tower Systems for the niche retail business marketplaces it service including retailers in: toy, gift, garden, produce, farm supply, pet, homewares, bike, newsagent and other specialty retail niches.

Developed using start of the art tools and hosted in a secure independent and safe data centre location with redundancy capacity, the cloud services from Tower Systems offer a competitive advantage to small business retailers who tap in to the service.

Tower does not itself host the clouds POS software service. Rather, the company partners with a specialty business in this area, a company that is expert at cloud services, a company offering 24/7 security and stability, factors that are critical to any retail business, especially those trading online as well as in-store.

Cloud based POS software is not for everyone. This is why Tower Systems also offers self-hosted solutions as well as desktop software where retailers have complete control over the location of data and software.

Small business retailers partnering with Tower Systems can choose the solution apocopate to their local business needs. This is key flexibility from Tower Systems. Our customers are in control, always. Plus, they can move from one platform – cloud or local – when they want, when it best serves their local business needs.

Advice for small business retailers on serving local shoppers

A

Being local matters in small business. As a small business focussed POS software company, we understand. Here are ways for any local retail business to be more locally engaged.

  1. Be visable locally: at community events, cafes, restaurants, pubs, schools, walking, clubs and markets.
  2. Understand local. Learn the local terms, speak the lingo.
  3. Buy locally. It sends the wrong message if you pitch shop local yet you purchase stationery online and have it delivered or if you buy your pet food online and have it delivered. Source locally as much as possible and be obvious about it.
  4. Facilitate local connections. Have a local community noticeboard in-store.
  5. Provide local receipts. Use your receipts to share local information. This could be local advice relating to what you sell or other local insights that add value to the relationship with your business.
  6. Talk local. Where you source locally, show it with products. Note that local can be a flexible term. For example, you may have a product sourced from Australia that some would consider local if the alternative is an imported product.
  7. Give locally. Five local charities priority with your time and money ahead of non-local charities.
  8. Hire locally. When you place a notice looking for a new team member, note preference given to local candidates.
  9. Share local knowledge. If you sell provides the use of which would benefit from local knowledge, have that served automatically by your POS software on shopper receipts.
  10. Share local on your Facebook page. Talk about local activities on your business Facebook, show your local connection.
  11. Explain why local matters. When you pitch on your Facebook page or noticeboard your support for a charity, explain that it is through local community support that you are able to help the local community.
  12. Offer a locals only discount.

Too often small business retailers call for people to support local businesses. It can be more valuable if you show what local looks and feels like, so people in the community understand the benefit for them from supporting you.

To Tower Systems, local is small business. We only sell our software to small businesses because we believe in the importance of small business in any economy. Small businesses are our local community.

The POS Software Blog

Categories

Categories

Categories

Recent Comments

Monthly Archives