The POS Software Blog

The POS Software Blog

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

CategorySocial Responsibility

Sunday reflection: the weight that retail business owners carry

May 31, 2026
2 Min read
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Some conversations stay with us.

Over the decades working with local independent retailers, our team has had tens of thousands of them. Most are about software, stock, or business strategy. But some are about something harder to name, a weight that builds up when you are running a business on your own, making every decision, carrying every risk, showing up every day regardless of how you feel.

From time to time we take calls from retailers who are struggling. Really struggling. The conversation might start with a business frustration, staff, suppliers, the shifting nature of the industry — but it moves somewhere deeper. The distress is real and it is significant.

We are not counsellors. We listen. That is usually the right thing to do.

But these calls stay with us. Because we do not think the retailers who make them are alone.

Running an independent retail business in 2026 is genuinely demanding. The industry is changing. Costs are rising. Customers are shifting. The decisions never stop. For many owners, the business is not just a livelihood,  it is an identity, a community anchor, a life’s work. When it feels threatened, the response is not always just commercial stress. Sometimes it is something more personal and more serious.

If that sounds familiar — if you are finding things hard right now, beyond the usual business pressure — please talk to someone. Your GP is a good starting point. Beyond Blue (beyondblue.org.au) has specific support for small business owners experiencing anxiety or depression. The Black Dog Institute (blackdoginstitute.org.au) is another strong resource. If things feel urgent, Lifeline is available around the clock on 13 11 14.

And if you are reading this and thinking of someone else — a fellow retailer, a supplier contact, someone in your network who seems not quite themselves — trust that instinct. You do not need to fix anything. A call that says “I noticed, and I wanted to check in” can matter more than you know.

We work with local independent retailers because we believe in what they do and who they are. That does not stop at the software.

We listen, and help where we can.

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Local Shops Are The Heart Of The Community

April 12, 2026
2 Min read
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Sundays in an Australian retail shop have a unique feel. The air is often a bit quieter. The pace is a little slower. It is the perfect time to appreciate the community we serve.

Every local shop has its “Sunday Regulars.” There is the guy who comes for a quick purchase and stays for a ten-minute chat. There is the family stopping in after junior sport. These interactions are the soul of small businesses, and local communities.

The Art of the Aussie Small Talk

We all know the classic retail small talk. It usually starts with the weather. It moves quickly to the weekend’s sports results or a new show on TV or a crazy TikTok trend. These brief moments build a connection that no large chain can replicate.

You aren’t just processing a transaction. You’re checking in on your neighbours. You are a familiar face in a busy world.

This is the “secret sauce” of local retail.

Then there is the “Retailer’s Coffee.” It is that cup you made at 9:00 AM. You finally finish it at 11:30 AM.

It might be luke-warm, but it tastes like a morning well spent. Between the rushes, we find those small moments of calm. We tidy a shelf or rethink a window display.

A Moment to Reflect

Sunday is often a day for a quick mental reset. We look at the week ahead. We think about new stock or a fresh idea for the blog.

Running a local business is a marathon, not a sprint. It requires grit and a good sense of humour. Sometimes, you just have to laugh when the label printer jams at the busiest moment.

The Landmark on the Corner

As you close up today, take a look around. You have built something special. You aren’t just a business owner. You are a landmark in your local community.

Your shop is a place where people meet and stories are shared. That is something to be proud of. It is why we do what we do.

Enjoy your Sunday evening.

Put your feet up and recharge the batteries.

We will be right here for you when the doors open tomorrow.

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Navigating the pressures of local small business retail: suggestions for retailers on mental wellbeing

July 17, 2025
4 Min read
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Running a small business has always been a demanding journey, and for retailers today, the path seems to have more twists and turns than ever.

These pressures can impact the people at the heart of our businesses – our teams, our families, and ourselves. For some, the mental and emotional toll is significant.

It’s important we pause and gently consider how we approach mental wellbeing in our workplaces. This isn’t about a single day of awareness, but about embedding supportive, healthy practices into the very fabric of our daily operations.

While we are not mental health professionals, our experience in business offers a perspective on the human side of small business.

Creating a supportive environment begins with understanding and recognising the signs of struggle, and knowing what simple, practical steps can make a meaningful difference.

Beyond Blue, offers practical advice.

  • Make time for daily movement: It doesn’t have to be a strenuous workout. A simple walk at lunchtime can clear the head, break up the day, and help maintain a more positive outlook.
  • Practise mindfulness: Mindfulness is the simple act of being aware of the present moment, without judgement. Noticing your thoughts and feelings as they arise can lower stress and help you respond to challenges more calmly and deliberately.
  • Adopt clear work/life boundaries: The lines between work and home can easily blur for passionate business owners. Setting firm boundaries, like switching off work notifications after hours or dedicating weekends to family and personal time, is crucial for long-term sustainability.
  • Connect with others: Find someone you trust to share your stories with—a mentor, a fellow retailer, or a friend who understands the journey. A supportive listener whose opinion you value can be an invaluable source of comfort and perspective.

It’s also vital we are aware of subtle indicators that someone—including ourselves—might be struggling. According to health professionals, these can include:

  • Physical signs: A persistent feeling of unease, like a knot in your stomach, tense shoulders, frequent headaches, or even heart palpitations.
  • Changes in behaviour: Difficulty sleeping, increased irritability, noticeable changes in appetite, or becoming easily emotional.
  • Unclear thinking: Trouble concentrating, finding it hard to make decisions, or feeling mentally foggy and inattentive.
  • Persistent low mood: We all have bad days, but if a feeling of sadness or anxiety lingers for an extended period, it’s a sign to seek support.
  • Withdrawing from others: Avoiding social activities, pulling away from colleagues and family, or losing interest in hobbies that once brought joy.
  • Feeling overwhelmed: When problems feel insurmountable and even small tasks seem to require a monumental effort.

If these signs feel familiar, please know that support is available. Talking about these challenges is a sign of strength. Here are some excellent, confidential resources that can help:

  • Beyond Blue: Offers 24/7 counselling and extensive resources for mental wellbeing. Phone: 1300 22 4636
  • Lifeline Australia: Provides 24-hour crisis support and suicide prevention services. Phone: 13 11 14
  • Business in Mind: An online resource developed by the University of Tasmania, specifically designed to support the mental health and wellbeing of small business owners.
  • SANE Australia: Offers information, peer support forums, and a helpline for those affected by complex mental health issues. Phone: 1800 187 263

Our commitment to mental health needs to be woven into our everyday conversations and actions. The most powerful tool we have is our ability to listen—to create a safe space where our team members feel seen, heard, and valued. While these conversations aren’t always easy, fostering an environment of active, compassionate listening is one of the most profound ways we can support one another.

If we can help, please reach out.

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How much is our POS software

June 12, 2025
1 Min read
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When we made this video we didn’t think the question was all that contentious. It seems it is with some POS software companies taking a cut from every sale in shops running their software.

We don’t do that.

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We are grateful for all the mums in local small business retail

May 11, 2025
1 Min read
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As you’re out shopping for Mother’s Day, it’s likely you’ll encounter a mum working in or running a shop, juggling work, the business, family, home and more. Plenty of mums we see in local retail are mentors to others in their business. Plenty are champions in their local community. See them. Celebrate them. Appreciate them. #Local #SmallBusiness #retail #grateful

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Are you giving your POS software company a percentage of each sale in your shop?

November 28, 2024
2 Min read
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A growing trend among some Point of Sale (POS) software companies is to charge retailers not only for access to their software but also a percentage of each sale. They often justify this practice as a fee for their payment processing services. However, many retailers suspect these companies are profiting from the difference between the rates they pay their payment providers and the rates they charge to merchants.

This business model allows POS software companies to generate significant revenue, essentially taking a cut of every sale a retailer makes. While some retailers may be content with this arrangement, others are concerned about the impact on their bottom line.

Do you want your POS software company to take a slice of profit from every sale you make?

For businesses focused on maximising profits, it’s crucial to carefully evaluate POS software options. Not all POS providers impose these additional fees. Many offer straightforward pricing models, such as monthly or annual subscriptions, without taking a percentage of sales. By choosing a POS system that doesn’t profit from your transactions, retailers can retain more of their hard-earned revenue.

At Tower Systems, we believe in transparency and fairness. We do not charge our customers per transaction or take a share of their profits. Our pricing model is simple: a modest monthly rental fee. This straightforward approach allows retailers to focus on running their businesses without worrying about hidden costs.

By avoiding these additional fees, retailers can improve their profit margins and reinvest in their businesses. Whether it’s hiring new staff, expanding inventory, or upgrading equipment, every dollar saved on POS fees can make a significant difference.

As a retailer, it’s important to be aware of these hidden costs and to choose a POS software provider that aligns with your business goals. By selecting a transparent and affordable solution, you can optimize your operations and maximize your profits.

Here at Tower Systems we do not charge our customers per transaction, were do not take a share of your profit. The only cost for using our POS software is the modest monthly POS software rental fee, our pricing is transparent. Again, there is no per transaction cost, no slicing into your profits.

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Yes, it’s AFL Grand Final public holiday!

September 27, 2024
1 Min read
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It’s a public holiday here in Melbourne today, where our head office is based. No matter, our help desk is open today 8:30am through 5pm for those not having the day to prep for tomorrow’s AFL Grand Final.

No matter what you’re up to today, we hope it’s wonderful, and may the best team … win!

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Retail business advice: not all website traffic is useful traffic

September 26, 2024
3 Min read
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Oh wow, look at the huge traffic to my website, aren’t we amazing to achieve this!

We see too many small business retailers fall into the trap of chasing website traffic to achieve a big number. They think traffic is what matters. Okay, it may make one feel good. You can’t bank traffic though. All you can bank is business transacted.

The internet is a transparent place. Plenty of us can see the traffic websites get if we pay to access the price professional data access services. This access to data helps us understand traffic value, not only for our website but for others … for clients for whom we build websites, for competitors, for any website we like.

Business owners should analyse their website traffic carefully, to understand what brings visitors to their website. They need to track the traffic through to transactions for the business as it is these transactions that matter.

A website we were looking at recently achieved a significant spike in traffic. 30% of their traffic is now coming from outside Australia. They only sell to Australia. 66% of their Australian traffic is for keywords they have targeted solely for traffic, keywords that have nothing to do with what they sell.

The first keyword relates to their business accounts for 3% of their total Australian online search traffic. The traffic count itself has not changed in a year.

The website traffic growth they have chased and won appears to have no actual commercial value for the business.

Our advice to local small business retailers is to chase valuable traffic over volume every day. Five visitors spending moment with you is far more important that five hundreds visitors and only one spending with you. While the five hundred may give you bragging rights to anyone who cares to listen, those five hundred visitors do not put food on the table.

Understand what brings people to your website and tune the content of your website to achieve what you want for your business. Tune is a good word here since you can tune your website to achieve what you want.l Anyone can.

Online, slow and steady wins the race when it comes to content curation in pursuit of commercially valuable website traffic. You can bank on it.

…

Tower Systems builds beautiful websites, Shopify websites, Big Commerce Websites, connected to POS software, for local small business retailers. Here are some we have delivered recently:

We have built hundreds of live websites for many different retailers. This experience, and the experience with our own websites helps us create there advice we provide in blog posts like this.

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Tower Systems POS vs. Square POS: A Cost Comparison

September 9, 2024
3 Min read
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Tower Systems is committed to offering our customers the best value and functionality in our POS software made for specialty retail channels, independent small business retailers. In this blog post, we’ll compare our Tower Systems POS software to Square POS, focusing on the key cost factors and unique features that set us apart.

Let’s start with the Hidden Costs of “Free” POS

While Square POS often advertises as “free,” there are costs for the retailer associated with using their platform. The primary revenue stream for Square is transaction fees charged through their integrated EFTPOS system. These fees can add up quickly, especially for businesses with high transaction volumes. In our experience, the EFTPOS fees are higher that a retailer could access from elsewhere. These fees are a cost to the business regardless of whether they pay them or their customers pay them in our opinion.

Cost Savings with Tower Systems

Based on our analysis, we believe that most retailers using Tower Systems POS and a competitive EFTPOS rate that we have seen as low as half the cost of the Sharpe POS rate  will save between $3,000 and $5,000 annually compared to Square POS. This is due to a combination of lower transaction fees and additional features included in our software.

  • Loyalty Program: Tower Systems POS includes a built-in loyalty program at no extra cost, while Square POS charges a per month fee for this feature.
  • Support: We offer 24/7 support, ensuring you always have assistance when you need it. From what we can see Square’s support hours may be more limited and accessing a human for a conversation more challenging.
  • Integration: Tower Systems seamlessly integrates with popular accounting software like Xero and e-commerce platforms like Shopify, saving you time and effort.
  • Enhancements: Our software is regularly enhanced thanks to suggestions from and voted on by our customers.

Personal service

At Tower Systems, we provide personal service to our customers. Our team is available to discuss your specific requirements and offer a tailored demonstration of our software. We’re committed to helping you find the right POS solution for your business, if that is us we are committed to helping as much as we are able. We actively support local small business retailers.

When comparing Tower Systems POS to Square POS, it’s important to consider the total cost of ownership, including transaction fees, additional features, and support. We believe that Tower Systems offers superior value and functionality,making it a more cost-effective choice for Australian businesses.

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Are some retailers passing on the cost of their POS software platform to consumers in their ‘EFTPOS’ surcharge?

August 23, 2024
3 Min read
A

In a shop the other day we were surprised by a surcharge of over 2% of an everyday purchase. We know a bit about EFTPOS fees and know for sure that the business would not be paying 2% for EFTPOS fees. Their actual EFTPOS costs would be around 1%, maybe a little less.

They are using software though that bundles payments with the software in a way that gives the software company more revenue. We suspect it is the cost of the POS software platform that is included in what they say is an EFTPOS surcharge. If this is the case, it’s something the ACCC may be interested in.

The ACCC website offers details:

Costs that businesses can include

The Reserve Bank of Australia sets out the costs that businesses can include when determining their reasonable costs of accepting payment types.

Before introducing a payment surcharge, businesses should read our Payment surcharges guide and the Reserve Bank of Australia guidance material. Consumers may also wish to read these guides for further information about how excessive payment surcharges are calculated.

Business costs of accepting payments

Businesses receive monthly and annual statements from their bank or payment facilitator. These should include the business’s average percentage cost of accepting each payment type. This figure will generally include service fees, costs for card terminal rental and maintenance. It may also include other fees the bank or payment facilitator passes on to the business for processing card transactions.

Businesses should contact their bank or payment facilitator, or the Reserve Bank of Australia, if there are issues obtaining these statements.

Reading through this and going to the various links, we do not think a retail business can surcharge their shoppers the platform costs, costs associated with the POS software itself. What we are wondering of course is whether the overseas POS software companies are facilitating behaviour that may be open to challenge through the ACCC. While we don’t know, back at the shop we visited with the high surcharge we do wonder if that is their case in that business. It an explanation we can think of.

If you have encountered an excessing EFTPOS surcharge you can make a report to the ACCC.

Retailers using our Tower Systems POS software can use whatever payments platform they choose. We directly integrate with many. We have also negotiated competitive rates for retailers interested in leveraging the power of our community of retailers, although they are not as good as the rates some of Australia’s biggest retailers have.

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A message for local independent retailers

July 26, 2024
2 Min read
A

The news cycle is dominated by headlines about economic downturn. Daily there are stories about people doing it tough. While these stories can be unsettling, focusing solely on negativity can be counterproductive.

Here at Tower Systems, we understand the importance of fostering a positive and optimistic environment, especially during challenging times and even more especially in local small business retail.

Local retailers can nurture a more positive local tone.

Yes, the economic climate is challenging and complex. That does not mean there aren’t opportunities. Many local businesses have seen positive developments in 2024. There are green shoots. We encourage you to focus on what’s working for your business.

Here are some suggestions:

  • Highlight your successes: Showcase new products, host in-store events, and promote exciting developments on social media.
  • Maintain a sense of normalcy: Continue providing excellent customer service and keep your store environment upbeat with cheerful music and engaging displays.
  • Focus on what you can control: While external factors exist, you have the power to shape your business strategy and customer experience.

We’ve weathered economic downturns before, and each presents unique challenges. While the global situation adds complexity, many local businesses are finding success in this new landscape.

Let’s be proactive, optimistic, and focus on what we can do to build stronger and more resilient businesses. Remember, a positive outlook is contagious, and it can make a real difference in these times.

In out software for local small business retailers there are plenty of opportunities for sharing happiness and optimism with customers from easy to run cash discount offers, positive messages on receipts, bundles offers and event based offers that offer joyful celebration.

By not being part of the doom and gloom news cycle, your local retail business can set its own narrative of positivity that locals are likely to appreciate and respond to.

Our advice this Friday morning is to embrace positivity, look at what you can do to make your shop a haven of joy and happiness, a shop offering value, a place where you can your work colleagues enjoy serving each day. These are differences you can make that themselves will make a difference to you.

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