No, retailers don’t have to pay their software supplier a percentage of each sale
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Busting a myth: Local Small Business Retailers Don’t Have to Pay Their POS Software Supplier a Percentage of each Sale
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The point-of-sale (POS) system is usually lifeblood of any local retail shop: managing sales, connecting with suppliers, tracking business performance, feeding the accounting system, and more. It’s job is to help manage the business, to help it be mor efficient and successful.
POS software is a tool.
When a garden landscaper buys a rake, they don’t pay the supplier a percentage of what they are paid by their customers.
When a restaurant buys a new grill they don’t pay the grill supplier a percentage of what they make from each meal they sell.
When a ride-share driver buys a new car, they don’t pay the car maker or car seller a percentage of what they make from each passenger ride.
There are some POS software companies that charge retailers a percentage of each sale the retailer makes. It’s like a tax on each sale. They can be clever though in that they say it’s a payments platform cost, even though the cost of the payments platform to the software company is much less.
But when it comes to pricing, some retailers might be under the impression they’re stuck paying a percentage of every sale to their POS provider. Not so fast! Let’s break down the different POS pricing models and how you can find a system that fits your budget without eating into your profits.
Here are some pricing models for software:
- Monthly Subscription: This is a common option, with a flat monthly fee that gives you access to all the POS features you need. This is a good choice for businesses with predictable sales volume.
- Tiered Pricing: Some providers offer different subscription tiers with varying feature sets and price points. This allows you to choose a plan that best suits your business size and needs.
- Transaction Fee Structure: This model charges a fixed fee per transaction, often combined with a monthly base fee. This can be a good option for businesses with high sales volume or a lot of small transactions.
Only old-school software companies get you to pay for everything upfront. Here at Tower Systems we stopped that five years ago. The world has changed and how you pay for your POS software speaks to that.
The best POS pricing model for your business depends on several factors, such as your sales volume, the features you need, and your budget. Here are some tips for choosing the right system:
- Shop Around: Don’t be afraid to compare pricing models from different POS providers.
- Consider Your Needs: Make a list of the features that are essential for your business and focus on systems that offer those features at a competitive price.
- Ask About Hidden Fees: Be sure to factor in any additional fees, such as set-up costs, per-user fees, or early termination charges.
If you are looking for POS software, start with what the software does. Look for the right fit for your needs. Once you have found it, then consider the pricing model. However, it is vital you are aware of the total cost of ownership, including any percentage charged on each transaction.
The best customer service is experienced when you get to speak to a human and here’s why
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We’ve all been there. You punch in the numbers based on the menu options they provide, you think you’re at the right place and it turns out you are no, so you have to start again. Or, you say what you are looking for, and the computer on the other end thinks you have said something else. Or, you send an email like they want and there is no response, ever. Or you use their customer service chat bot that provided a response that bears no relation to your query.
Accessing customer service today has become messy as plenty of companies seek to save money on this most vital part of their business.
Real-life situations rarely fit neatly into pre-programmed options that companies dictate.
Real-live situations like we encounter at our POS software company start with a conversation, often some distance from an error message or a description of the actual query.
There is the issue of local slang, too. An Aussie customer service rep, on the other hand, can understand the nuances of your situation, whether you’re having a “shocker” with a faulty product or your internet’s gone belly-up. They can grasp the emotions behind your enquiry, be it fair dinkum frustration or a bit of larrikin humour, and tailor their approach accordingly. This not only gets you the solution you need faster, but it also shows that the company values you as an individual, not just another barbie on the snag.
There’s a certain comfort and level of trust that comes with interacting with a human, especially if they are in the same country as you. A friendly voice with a hint of a Queenslander twang or a broad Melbourne drawl can go a long way. A skilled customer service rep can build rapport with you, crack a few jokes, making the experience more positive. This is especially important when you’re dealing with a complex issue that may not make sense to you. Having someone who can empathise with your situation and actively work towards a fair dinkum resolution makes a world of difference.
The Power of Flexibility and Thinking Outside the Box
While chatbots and automated systems can be great for handling frequently asked questions, they often struggle when faced with unexpected situations. A human rep, on the other hand, has the flexibility to think outside the shearer’s shed and come up with creative solutions. They can access a wider range of information and resources, and use their judgement to find the best course of action for your specific needs. This can save you time and frustration, and leave you feeling like your problem has been genuinely addressed, not just swept under the barbie.
A human on a help desk can agree with out that something does not make sense. A bot is unlikely to do that. A computerised phone system won’t even let you get that far.
Sometimes, a simple apology or acknowledgement of your frustration can go a long way. A human customer service rep can offer that human touch, a sense that someone genuinely cares about your experience, whether you’re a bloke in the bush or a city slicker. This can turn a negative interaction into a neutral, or even positive, one. After all, when you feel like you’ve been heard and understood, you’re more likely to be a loyal customer and sing the company’s praises down the pub, not whinge about it to your mates.
Technology can certainly play a role in customer service. Here at Tower Systems though we make talking with a human easy, in any part of the company. We publish direct email addresses and phone numbers for different team members in the company from help desk, admin, accounts and the leadership team. This is important to us when we are customers, we know it is important to our customers.
It is a differentiator for our POS software company. Access to us is easy and content we publish is fresh. This speaks to our relevance in 2024 we think.
If you are tired of local community group donation requests of your shop, this may help
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Requests from schools, charities, and other local community groups can be a challenging for local small business retailers. They are often made by people who have never shopped with you and may never shop with you.
Guilt is a powerful emotion, and some representing charities and community groups know this. Take a beat and think through how you want to handle such requests in advance of them coming your way. If you have a process you can deal with the requests consistently and with less stress.
Here’s our advice for local small business retailers on handling community group donation requests:
- Manage your philanthropy like any business activity. Decide how much money you’re willing to donate each year, and then stick to that budget.
- Get on the front foot. Write to community groups at the start of the year and ask them to submit a proposal if they’d like your support. This way, you can choose the groups that are a good fit for your business and your community.
- Support the groups that support you. Look for groups that have members who are also your customers. This way, you’re helping both the group and your business.
- Let your shoppers choose. If you offer discount vouchers, you could let customers donate their vouchers to a local group. This is a great way to get your customers involved in your community giving.
- Reward engagement. You could offer a discount to customers who are members of a local group. This would encourage them to shop at your business, and it would also support the group. This is critical advice. There has to be a commercial benefit for your business if you are to be able to help these community groups into the future.
- Educate groups about good engagement. Let groups know that you’re looking for ways to work together to benefit the community. You could ask them to do things like promote your business on their social media pages, or write about you in their newsletters.
- Write about your engagement. Once you’ve chosen the groups you’re going to support, write about it on your website and social media. Don’t be boastful or arrogant, be grateful. This will help to raise awareness of the groups, and it will also show your customers that you’re committed to giving back to the community.
Remember, your giving should serve both your heart and your business. By following these tips, you can make sure that your donations are a valuable investment for both you and your community.
Here are some additional tips:
- Be clear about your expectations. Let groups know what you’re looking for in a partnership, and what you expect from them in return.
- Be professional. Even if you’re dealing with a small community group, it’s important to be professional in your dealings with them.
- Be grateful. When a group partners with you, be sure to thank them for their support.
By following these tips, you can build strong relationships with community groups and make a real difference in your community.
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Why this advice from our POS software company matters: Every day we connect with small business retailers about their businesses, through our help desk, in sales situations and elsewhere. Owning and running a local small business retail shop is challenging, time-consuming. Coming up with fresh ideas is hard. It’s necessary though. The ideas we share here are things we have tried, and found to work.
Tower Systems adds more POS software training videos for local small business retailers
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Retailers are loving our growing library of training videos. With more than 150 new videos released in the last six months, our retailer customers have access to easy ti access and understand training that can add terrific value to what they achieve from using our POS software.
All of our customers have access to these videos. Plus, they can share links with staff. This is especially helpful when new staff join a business – they can learn efficiently and receive consistent advice on how to use the parts of the software with which they will interact.
Here is an example of the type of training videos on a topic thread. These relate to our Stock manager tool, a tool for efficient management of stock data in our POS software.
- 🎬 Stock Manager – Introduction
- 🎬 Stock Manager – Editing
- 🎬 Using Stock Manager to Link and Add Variant Details to Items in Bulk
Our customers have access to settings for the playing of the videos. For example, they can speed them up, plus them and more – to suit their own engagement experience.
The video training library has already expanded significantly in 2024, adding more value to what is available for our POS software customers. We are proud of the differentiation the video training library offers.
How local retailers can win more from work from home now we know it’s here to stay
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Work from home is now a permanent fixture of work. What accelerated as a result of the Covid pandemic is here for the long haul. It is so established that there is a generation that only knows this type of work.
Work from home is loved because it frees time for what people love, improved health options and gives those engages in it more control.
This shift in work culture is an opportunity for local retailers to attract and retain customers in their neighbourhoods. By understanding the needs and preferences of a work-from-home (WFH) population, local businesses can become an integral part of their daily lives.
This is true in almost any business type. As a company that makes software for local retailers, we ourselves are invested in helping local retailers leverage the work-from-home opportunity.
Local businesses are themselves a form of work-from-home for many of the retailers. This is an opportunity for those businesses.
Capitalise on Convenience:
People working from home crave convenience. Gone are the days of dedicated lunch breaks and after-work errands. Local retailers can bridge this gap by offering:
- Delivery and Click-and-Collect: Offer delivery partnerships or a click-and-collect service. This allows customers to browse online during breaks and pick up their purchases on their way home. Partnering with delivery apps can further expand your reach.
- Extended Hours: Consider staying open a little later on weekdays to cater to the after-work crowd who might not have had time to shop during the day.
- Services. Copying, emailing, suppliers and more. Depending on the nature of the work and infrastructure required, local retailers can service this.
Embrace the “Workcation” Vibe:
Many WFH professionals are blurring the lines between work and personal life. Local cafes and restaurants can cater to this by providing:
- Comfortable Workspaces: Retailers with space can offer designated work areas with good Wi-Fi, comfortable seating, and access to outlets. Create a “workcation” atmosphere with ambient music and ample natural light. We can see this working in any type of business, not just cafes.
- Meeting Rooms: Provide small meeting rooms that can be booked for video conferences or team brainstorming sessions.
- Loyalty Programs: Reward frequent customers with loyalty programs that offer discounts.
Become a Community Hub:
Working from home can sometimes lead to feelings of isolation. Local retailers can foster a sense of community by:
- Hosting Events: Organise after-work social events, workshops, or networking opportunities. This not only attracts customers but also builds a sense of belonging.
- Partnering with Local Businesses: Collaborate with other local businesses to offer joint promotions or host pop-up shops within your store. This creates a more dynamic shopping experience and fosters a sense of community spirit.
- Supporting Local Causes: Partner with local charities or groups and donate a portion of proceeds or host fundraising events. This builds goodwill and connects you to the heart of your neighbourhood.
Leverage Technology:
Technology plays a crucial role in reaching and engaging with WFH customers:
- Strong Online Presence: Ensure your website that is easy to use on any device. Showcase your products, highlight your services (like delivery or click-and-collect), and ensure your online store reflects current stock levels.
- Social Media Engagement: Be active on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Post content relevant to work-from-home participants.
- Local SEO: Optimise your online presence for local search. Use relevant keywords and make sure your business information is accurate across all online directories.
By embracing the work-from-home trend and adapting their offerings, local retailers can become a natural extension of the lives of their neighbourhood customers. Building strong relationships with your local community and offering convenient, personalised experiences will ensure your business thrives in the era of remote work.
Now, how does our POS software help? Work-from-home has changed what people buy, and when they buy. Our POS software can track and identify this for you. It can also connect to a website for easy shopping by locals.
Our POS software made for local retailers helps them embrace the local work-from-home community.
We are thinking about work-from-home today because where we are, in Victoria, Australia, it is Labour day, the public holiday declared for celebrating the achievement of the 8-hour day by unions. It is a day off related to work.
Tower Systems is a good alternative to Lightspeed and here’s why
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Tower Systems develops software locally for local retailers in Australia and New Zealand. Our customer service is local too.
Our focus is solely on local small business retailers.
We have no requirement as to the payments platform you use. We don’t charge a percentage of each transaction.
We’re not chasing big businesses. We’re not chasing massive franchise networks.
Every customer matters.
No business is too small.
We believe in human-to-human contact. You can easy call us, or email. Humans respond.
Every one of our POS software customers gets to vote of software enhancement suggestions. Our consideration process is transparent and accessible to those who care about this.
Are you a Lightspeed user frustrated with their recent push towards their own payment processing platform and the associated fees? You’re not alone. In our direct experience, many Lightspeed software customers are looking for alternatives that offer more freedom and flexibility.
Tower Systems could be the aternative to Lightspeed you’ve been looking for.
Here’s why Tower Systems stands as an alternative to Lightspeed:
- Freedom of Choice with Payment Processing: Unlike Lightspeed, Tower Systems doesn’t restrict you on your payment processing solution. You can choose the EFTPOS platform that best suits your needs and budget, without incurring any penalty fees.
- Focus on Retail Expertise: Tower Systems is a specialist solution for niche retailers, including jewellers, garden centers, toy shops, bike shops, game shops, fishing and outdoors shops, gift shops, produce businesses, firearms dealers, music shops, coin dealers, and pet shops. The Tower Systems POS software is designed with the specific needs of these businesses in mind, potentially offering a more tailored user experience compared to Lightspeed’s broader approach.
- Competitive Pricing: While a direct cost comparison requires investigating both vendors based on your specific needs, Tower Systems positions itself as a budget-friendly option compared to Lightspeed, especially if you factor in the potential savings from choosing your own payment processor.
Ultimately, the best POS system for your business depends on your specific needs and priorities. Tower Systems offers a strong alternative to Lightspeed, particularly for those seeking more freedom in payment processing and a potentially more specialised feature set for certain retail sectors.
Do your research, compare the functionality of different software products. Learn about the total cost of ownership. Understand any costs associated with transactions in your business.
If you are Lightspeed customer, what Tower Systems offers may be of use to your business. Our promise is that we will not pressure you to choose us, ever.
Indie retailers: make every day your payday
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Why we Think Shark Tank Sends the Wrong Message to Small Business Owners
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Shark Tank is an award-winning show where entrepreneurs pitch ideas to a panel of wealthy investors. The focus is often around the opportunity for scaling the pitched business, as if this is the key measure of success.
A profitable small business is likely to be more satisfying for the owners than a business pursuing scale.
Chasing scale is risky, and expensive. The ones who make money from the pursuit of scale are service providers along the way: speakers, authors and gurus who talk up scale, consultants who ‘help’ others scale and myriad businesses engaged in helping businesses scale.
There is an industry that supports scale because it is profitable for them. We’d put Shark Tank in the mix here.
We get that some people start their businesses to be uber successful so they can sell for a high price.
We are more interested in people who start a business because of a belief in what their business will do, what it does for and offers others, how lives benefit from and because of it. Often, these businesses are small, local.
The obsession on Shark Tank with profit and scale gives would-be entrepreneurs the wrong message. We’d rather see a show about local small businesses that make a difference locally. The thing is though, it may not be watchable TV. It may not have the pot of gold allure.
We need to celebrate successful local small businesses. The owners of those businesses are likely to be happy, satisfied.
Tower Systems serves local small business retailers. We are grateful to serve thousands of them, helping them be efficient, profitable and enjoyable. We see the value they bring to local communities every day and the employment they offer so many. In these businesses we see a terrific contribution to the economy.
Local small business retailers are vital to local towns. They make a difference. Kudos to them for this.
Stocktakes are unnecessary in retail thanks to smart POS software tech.
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While our Tower Systems POS software for small business retail has stocktake facilities to enable fast and accurate counting of inventory, it really is necessary for businesses to do them at the end of the financial year. The better approach is to:
- Track all inventory arriving in the business at the point of arrival.
- Track all sales, at the point of sale.
- Track all returns at the point of return.
- Spot stocktake parts of the business to get a read on theft.
These things alone, done with consistency and accuracy will provide the business with a stock listing, what you’d usually get from a stocktake, that is accurate for your financials and accurate for your taxation return purposes.
By having a consistent approach to stock management at all appropriate gate points in the business and doing this work daily on stock movements, you negate the need for end of financial year work. This saves time, labour cost and results, actually, in more accurate business data.
Stocktakers, of course, will criticise this as this post makes the point that they are not necessary. the thing is, their manual processes, have been found to be inaccurate and, often, inappropriate.
For those who do want to do a stocktake, we make stocktake easy.
No, we are not talking about cutting corners or avoiding important and vital work for the business. Rather, we have a stocktake process that could save you time and help you know what you need to know today.
While doing a stocktake of the whole business is the traditional way, if you break it up and do sections of the shop when it suits, you could, through a rolling stocktake process, have more accurate data with a lower labour cost for the counting of stock.
The Tower Systems POS software lets you do part of the shop if you wish. That could be a shelf, an aisle, a section of the shop or even a single item. Of course, you can do a stocktake for the whole store too.
By doing a stocktake of a section or segment of the business, you can concentrate on high moving items, items more likely to be stolen or for some other reason. You can also schedule these sectional / spot stocktakes in a way that suits your labour availability. Finding half an hour to do a section in a daily roster could save the business money compared to bring people in especially to stocktake.
Having worked with 3,500+ local retail businesses for many years and participated in many stocktakes across a variety of product categories, our advice is that the rolling stocktake approach is usually more time efficient and financially beneficial to a business. This approach does provide you an earlier indication of possible theft challenges.
Good POS software gives you stocktake flexibility and this helps you drive value for your business.
Now, some quick fire stocktake questions, which we answer from the perspective of the Tower Systems software.
Can my shop be open while I stocktake? Yes.
Can I stop and start the stocktake? Yes.
Can I use multiple terminals to stocktake? Yes.
Can I use a hand help PDE or PDA? Yes, many brands are supported.
Can I use a laptop? Yes.
How long will it take? It all depends on your products, store layout and staff training. Time improves as they go usually.
How often should I do a stocktake? Once a year for the whole business or weekly in manageable time bites if doing the rolling approach.
Will you train us? Yes, we have excellent self-serve and one-on-one training resources and options.
Our advice to local small business retailers about stocktake is ditch the end of financial year grind, manage stock better through the year and you will make better business decisions through the year as a result.
A retail theft story that does not end well
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I DON’T BELIEVE YOU.
That’s what a retail business owner told us years ago when we told them that employee theft had cost their business more than $100,000 in the previous 12 months.
When we asked who worked four specific shifts each week and who had two weeks off a month prior, they knew we might be on to something, but since th person in question was family, they trusted them more than they trusted us.
The thing is, data are facts, they don’t lie.
PROVE IT.
They told us to prove it.
We asked for more data, dug deeper, and proved it, expect that the amount that had been stolen went up the further back we looked. We showed them that $350,000 had been stolen from the business through systematic actions and because they had given the employee full security access and because they id not use the theft tracking tools in the software – and the employee knew this.
This all started because of what they thought was a bug in our software. There was no bug.
It ended with the police laying charges.
Our POS software collects data that can be analysed to look for patterns of use that could indicate theft behaviour.
In a typical independent retail business, theft costs between 3% and 5% of turnover. Our software backed by our Theft Check service seek to reduce the financial imp[act on the businesses owned and run by our 3,000+ customers.
We are grateful to help independent retailers reduce the cost of theft in their shops.
Helping local small business retailers discover and manage theft situations is just one way we help our retailer community.
Our Australian sales number is 1300 662 957.
Our NZ sales number is 0800 444 367.
WE’RE NOT YOUR AVERAGE POS SOFTWARE COMPANY AND HERE ARE 3 EXAMPLES WHY:
- Dead stock often represents between 5% and 12% of stock on hand in local indie retail businesses. Our software proactively helps retailers identify dead stock and stop making decisions that lead to dead stock.
- We provide a free theft check service where we look at data patterns that can indicate theft. Our evidence has been used by police, prosecutors and accepted ax expert evidence in court.
- Copying big retailers is not smart. Our software offers genuinely unique, and successful, ways you can differentiate to nurture deeper baskets per purchase and more frequent return of shoppers.
Sure, we do the usual of scanning products, tracking sales, supplier electronic invoice import, linking to Xero for accounting and linking to Shopify (and more) for online sales. It’s what we do outside the usual where our retailers can leverage real value, like our insights dashboard.
Retailers should choose the payments platform that serves their business
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Payments is a hot topic for retailers, especially local small business retailers. There is a big difference between payments platforms in terms of cost and operational benefits.
Plenty of noise has been made about unified payments, payments integrated with the POS software. Some of the talk has referred to this as groundbreaking.
The reality is that integrated payments was groundbreaking when launched sixteen years ago. It cut keystrokes, cut mistakes, reduced fraud and saved time at the sales counter. Since its launch in Australia in 2008 it has continued to improve.
Tower, software companies like Tower Systems offer unified (integrated) payments wth all the major banks and plenty of others.
We provide retailers with choice.
Being able to choose the payments platform that suits your specific business can result in a payments cost that is a third or more lower than the typical cost.
We have retailers today paying .7% for payments. This is nice and low, and it is via our Tower Systems POS software payments platform.
We don’t lock our customers in. We believe they should be able to choose the payments platform that best suits their needs. We believe that as a POS software company we should make our money from our POS software and not as a percentage of each transaction processed by our customers.
In our opinion, software companies that make money off of each transaction processed by a retailer is wrong, unfair. The retailer has worked hard to win the business. Charging a percentage for the POS software company is like a tax, a revenue grab for a tech business that did not win the shopper in the retail business.
Tower Systems offers:
- Integrated EFTPOS payments.
- Support for all major banks and financial institutions.
- Integrated payments for buy now pay later.
- Time saved.
- less mistakes at the counter.
- Easy record keeping.
- Streamlined workflow.
We have been doing this since integrated payments began. We offered choice then and continue to offer choice today. Our sole focus is to provide access to software retailers love.
Tower Systems is grateful to serve more than 3,500 local small business retailers in Australia, New Zealand, the Cook Islands, Fiji and Papua New Guinea.
TheLott integrated POS software helps retailers manage lottery ticket sales
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Tower Systems has offered integration with The Lott lottery terminals since the tech option became available years ago.
This integration between POS software and The Lott makes managing lottery ticket sales easier, more certain, for the retail businesses. sales counter workflow improves as does record keeping. This is a win for any retailer selling The Lott lottery tickets.
Tower Systems is grateful to have assisted with early development and to have maintained the tech to deliver on the needs of The Lott lottery retailers connecting with their smart POS software.
Already serving close to 1,800 retailers in this space, Tower Systems is well established serving newsagents and other types of lottery retailers with its POS software. bringing lottery sales / POS software integration to life adds value to these relationships. It helps these businesses in terms of counter workflow, sales achievement and overall business data integrity. This is good news all round.
Following standards set by Tabcorp years ago, the Tower Systems POS software development team delivered a POS software integrated solution for The Lott that cuts keystrokes and delivers a fresh in-store lottery customer experience. This helps small business retailers to better understand the broader value of lottery product shoppers and to do this without undertaking additional management or data collection work. The data curated through the integration will help engaged small business retailers to further drive outcomes for their business.
Tower Systems has a track record of delivering terrific integrations for retailers using its POS software. Xero, Tanda, Deputy, Planday, Allotrac, EverGreen Connect, Shopify, magenta, Big Commerce, WooCommerce … these are just some of the many integrations delivered, tested and approved.
We work with suppliers and retailers to deliver outcomes that serve all parties to transactions and to do this in a technically professional way, without losing site on small business retailers being our customers and the most important people at the table on projects like this.
Tower Systems is grateful to serve 3,500+ retailers across 16 different retail channels with Aussie made and supported POS software.
Retailers love the POS software / The Lott integration and here’s why:
- Saves time.
- Eliminates manual processes.
- Reduces mistakes.
- helps the business make more money.
- makes balancing the register at the end of the day easier.
- Reduces stress.
If you are a lottery retailer, check it out.
POS software for coin dealers helps in-store and online sales
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Tower Systems makes POS software for a range of specialty retail channels, including coin dealers. We have found our POS software has facilities that serve the needs of coin dealers such as serial number tracking, appropriate security levels, age-checking, online store integration, extended product descriptions and free access to international barcode lookup.
The coin dealer POS software also enables dealers to use extended product descriptions, which can be helpful for recording comprehensive details for products.
Being able to track sales by mint is an advantage when comparing the performance of different mints.
A big benefit of the Tower Systems POS software for coin dealers is the handling of secondhand goods – tracking secondhand goods from the moment they arrive in-store. We can also track coins that a coin dealer may hold on consignment for others.
Selling at local markets is easy too thanks to the ability to sell from anywhere thanks to our Roam facility that enables this.
We have also built an online mint coin shop that is connected to / integrated with our POS software for a retail shop we own and run ourselves.
This coin dealer POS software can be demonstrated to anyone interested, to help them assess whether it suits their needs. There is no obligation for this one-on-one demonstration. There is no pressure, we know our Tower Systems POS software for coin dealers is not for everyone. It’s 100% up to you.
Coin dealers are unique and special businesses. Here are some of the ways our POS software for coin dealers helps leverage that uniqueness:
- Rare visit loyalty. The customer visit cycle in coin dealers is infrequent. Our loyalty tools nurture shoppers to provide more value each visit.
- Pre-orders. Easily manage selling products before you have them in-stock. You might be asked to source a piece. These tools help you lock that in.
- Valuations. provide a professionally presented valuation certificate if you offer this for customers.
- Second-hand goods. Track details into a digital register for easy data management and record keeping.
- Leverage buyer and seller interests. Through easy to leverage database management you can connect people through their special interests.
- Buy Now Pay Later and LayBy. Through our software you can have both.
- Repairs management. For those dealers who do repairs or cleaning, track labour and parts for each repair, from the moment of the request. Advise the customer when the repair is complete.
- Group marketing and support. Leverage groups and clubs with offers and pricing. It’s easy to serve multiple special interests.
- Product care. Product care knowledge can be differentiating. Sharing this in a systematic and consistent way can separate your business.
- Serial number tracking. If products have serial numbers, track them.
- Anniversary marketing. Collectors love their coins. Remembering purchase anniversaries can help maintain a connection with collectors.
Our Australian made and supported coin dealer shop POS software does much more than this. Be sure to see it for yourself, live and obligation free, to see if it could serve you and your business.
Tower Systems, proud to be local, for local retailers
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No POS software company can reasonably claim their POS software is the best POS software in Australia and here’s why
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Managing subscriptions using your POS software
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Managing subscriptions, or recurring billing, our Tower Systems POS software can handle it for you. Subscriptions can be handled daily, weekly, monthly or yearly – you choose by individual stock item customer.
A customer can have multiple subscriptions.
You can set different prices for a subscription of a product on a per customer basis. The pricing flexibility of this new POS software integrated subscription solution is awesome.
We think this subscriptions management software in the Tower Systems POS software will be an ideal solution for firearms dealers, computer dealers selling anti virus, Office 360 and similar subscriptions or any business doing any form of regular, locked-in, billing of customers.
Subscription management software helps businesses track manage the sale of subscription-based products. While software as a service (SaaS) is the most popular subscription type that businesses handle, plenty of businesses provide digital and physical products as a subscription model. The new subscription sale facilities from Tower Systems helps retailers in this area.
One popular form of subscriptions is the sale of sample and boxes, sent monthly or quarterly to customers. The Tower software can handle this, making it easy for businesses to offer these and thereby to expand the reach of their business.
The subscriptions facilities in the Tower Systems POS software are available for no additional charge.
While the company has a decades-long history of managing regular orders for customers using its newsagency POS software, the new subscriptions management tools go further for unique products, they have grown out of growth in the Tower Systems user community into new specialty retail areas.
Managing subscriptions and any form of recurring billing can be a challenge in retail businesses as they seek to streamline operations and manage associated labour costs. These new subscriptions management facilities in the POS software from Tower Systems have been tested with retailers in this space and gives resounding support.
Managing subscriptions using POS software without incurring additional costs for additional software facilities sis a big win for local small business retailers. Tower Systems is grateful to be of service to these retailers.
The new subscriptions management facilities were released as part of a regular software update and done so after considerable in-house testing along with comprehensive beta testing.
Choose the EFTPOS payments platform that serves your retail business
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Appointment retail is going the way of appointment TV, radio and print
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How much does a POS system cost?
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This is a good question, one that needs to be asked and answered.
The cost of a good POS system should be easy to understand, straightforward. The think is, too often it is not straightforward to see what a good POS system costs. Some POS companies have hidden costs, extra costs and transactional costs based on sales you put through the system.
Today, in February 2024, a POS system would typically cost no more $250 a month. This should include access to the software, customer support, access to online training videos and access to a searchable knowledge base, which is like a manual.
So in answer to the question of what does a POS system cost, the answer is no more than $250.00 a month. There should be no charge or fee related to the transactions done by the business using the POS system. The software company should make money from the software rental itself, leaving the retail business to make its money from its retail sales.
When considering the cost of a POS system you have to look at any and all costs a software company may levy on you, directly or indirectly. Here are some things to consider:
Does a POS software company require you to use a specific EFTPOS payments platform? If so, what are they making from it? And, what are the financial consequences for you if you do not use the platform?
Does your POS software company need the use of external apps and resources to do what you want and if so are there costs associated with these?
What is the pricing history for POS software you are considering? Has it gone us and if so when and by how much?
Is the price for the POS system quoted inclusive of GST? Not everyone quotes including GST.
Can you choose your own hardware? Good POS software companies encourage this.
Does your POS software company require you to sign a long-term contract? They should not. You should be able to rent the software for as long, or shot, as you like. You should be able to end the rental at any time. One company requires you to sign an agreement for at least two years but it is not usually evident that they are doing this.
How much does a POS system cost? Our advice is to ask questions, do your homework and only go with a company that has the right software for you at a price you are prepared to pay.
1% EFTPOS fee helps local small business retailers save money
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When it comes to EFTPOS provider choice, this is a decision each retailer should make for themselves.
Good POS software seamlessly connects with a range of EFTPOS solutions, making the choice easy for the retailer. Good POS software lets you choose the EFTPOS payments processor that suits your business.
Tower Systems does not require retailers using its POS software to deal with any specific bank or any specific EFTPOS payments processor. Tower Systems customers can choose the bank for EFTPOS that best serves their needs. There is no charge whatsoever levied against customers related to business transactions.
Transacting EFTPOS payments through CBA, NAB, Westpac, ANZ, Suncorp, Tyro and others is easy with the integrated EFTPOS solution available to retailers using the Tower Systems POS software.
- Fewer keystrokes = faster and fewer mistakes.
- Integrated EFTPOS means easier accounting and easier transaction reconciliation.
- Integrated EFTPOS through Tower Systems means the retailer chooses what is right for their business.
When choosing POS software for your business it is vital that you ask the question about integrated EFTPOS and discover whether you have choice and whether there are any fees associated with EFTPOS transactions, fees that flow to the POS software company. This matters because it is best that your POS software company makes money from POS software and not from the transactions that you put through your business -0 your growth, your success, is yours to enjoy and celebrate.
Now when it comes to choosing EFTPOS payments processing for your business it’s important to consider your specific needs and budget. Factors like business size, transaction volume, and POS software compatibility should be taken into account. Tower Systems offers excellent compatibility with its POS software when it comes the EFTPOS payments processing for your business.
Tower Systems offers local retailers access to wonderful benefits:
- Fast checkout: Eliminates manual data entry, as the transaction amount automatically transfers from POS to EFTPOS terminal, leading to faster transactions and shorter queues.
- Reduced errors: No manual keying, cutting human error and ensuring accurate transactions.
- Improved staff productivity: Staff can focus on customer service instead of manually entering payment details.
- Seamless payment experience: Customers can tap, swipe, or insert their card directly at the EFTPOS terminal without switching screens, creating a smooth and intuitive experience.
- Reduced contact: Cost the need for customers and staff to handle physical terminals, enhancing hygiene and potentially aiding social distancing efforts.
- Enhanced security: Data transfers directly between POS and EFTPOS, reducing the risk of data breaches and unauthorised access.
Tower Systems is grateful to offer retailers choice when it comes to EFTPOS payments processing from within POS software and to do this without penalty cost.
Xero POS software helps retailers save time and cut mistakes
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The Tower Systems Xero POS software is POS software designed to integrate with the awesome Xero accounting software.
Made is Australia and supported by a wonderful and knowledgeable Australian help desk team, this POS software helps local retailers save time thanks to its Xero accounting software integration.
The Tower Systems POS software Xero integration reduces time spend on bookkeeping and accounting thanks to the seamless, neat and accurate data flow from the POS software to Xero. This also reduces the opportunity for employee fraud.
There is no additional cost for the Xero POS software integration from Tower Systems.
It is easy to get up and running thanks to a wonderful training video, excellent knowledge base articles as well as live, one-on-one support and more from the Tower Systems POS software crew. This content and support for easy use of Xero POS software is exclusive to Tower Systems.
Tower Systems developed this integration with Xero many years ago. It have been enhanced as the Tower software and as Xero have been enhanced – to ensure the software is current for the needs of today.
We use Xero ourselves in our own retail businesses, our advice comes from this place of personal experience. This enables us to provide practical advice on how to benefit the most from Xero and our POS software working together.
Connect the Tower Systems POS software with Xero in minutes and keep everything in sync. Simply connect the tow and map your accounts. Our crew of retail experts can help;p you do this.
Once connected, your Tower systems POS software will upload your chosen key financial data to Xero – saving time on admin and cutting data mistakes.
This is an ideal local retail solution from Tower Systems that genuinely cuts keystrokes, saves time and protects retail businesses against fraud thanks to less touching of business data.
Tower Systems is a unique Australian based and supported POS software company. In addition to serving 3,500+ small business retailers, we own and operate several retail businesses as live test sites. Our in-house CPA manages the accounts for these retail businesses.
You’re welcome to see the Xero POS software link any time, to see if it could be a good solution for your business.
We help local makers track what goes into what they make and sell
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Aussie made and supported POS software for local pet shops
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Local POS software matters to local retailers and here’s why
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Local retailers understand the importance of being local. As locals ourselves, we understand what this can mean for our customers who consider our POS software made for local retailers.
Our Aussie made and supported bike shop software is software to love for local retailers and here’s why …
- Local matters. Local shops make a vital contribution to local communities and families. Our software helps you leverage your localness, to genuinely differentiate your business from big competitors. We have ways in the POS software for doing this.
- You are a key asset. Only your business has you and your people. You can leverage you through our local shop POS software, to easily share your knowledge in ways big businesses cannot match.
- 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.
- Service, service, service. Offering service and managing this for the benefit of your customers and your business can genuinely differentiate thanks to our POS software management tools. You can bank on this difference.
- 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.
Local shops shops are vital in local communities. We are committed to helping you run a more enjoyable and successful local business.
While all of us in local retail want more local shoppers and tell people to shop local, here at Tower Systems we are helping you pitch local with locally made and locally supported POS software that is configured to leverage your localness for commercial success and local community appreciation. We think that ia a big factor in being able to pitch local.
If local does matter to your local retail business then considering our Tower Systems POS software and how it can help you more actively pitch and show local is something we’d be grateful to discuss with you.
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