The POS Software Blog

The POS Software Blog

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

Latest stories

What do accountants know about POS software for retail businesses?

December 19, 2023
2 Min read
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If you accountant does not own and run a retail business, they may not have the best advice as to the best POS software for your retail shop.

A retailer told us that their accountant told them they should be using a particular software product to run their retail shop.  The software the accountant recommended has not beed made for for that type of business. Also, it did not connect with any of the suppliers to the business. businesses. It does not connect with any suppliers.

The accountant ant liked the software because they had two other clients, in a different type of retail business, using the software. They knew the software. The advice from the accountant was about them and not their client’s needs.

While an accountant can speak to the usefulness of accounting related reports from POS software, it is unlikely that most will have the experience necessary to give good advice on the usefulness of POS software for a specialty retail business.

Retail businesses needs POS software with functions that serve their business, workflow that suits the type of business, connectivity to suppliers of the business, and plenty more that relates to the type of business. The software delivered the most benefits to a business when it serves the needs of the business.

Now, if the software feeds data to accounting software, that is what should matter most to an accountant.

Rarely will an external accountant have the practical experience with your specific type of business to provide good advice specific to your business needs, beyond accounting system interface needs.

By all means, rely on your accountant for accounting software advice like Xero versus MYOB, as that is in their wheelhouse. Given that smart POS software seamlessly links with Xero, MYOB and Quicken, the newsagency software you run or the specialty retail management software other specialty retailers run is best left to the experts in your business.

The easiest software Tower Systems can sell against is the generic POS software sold to a specialty channel retailer because once the retailer sees facilities that serve their needs the decision is easier. For newsagents, that is connections that serve in managing magazines, newspapers, meeting cards, stationery and more.

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Why is local retail important to the local community?

December 18, 2023
2 Min read
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The question is: Why is local retail important to the local community?

Local retail matters to local shoppers for plenty of reasons with the most important being the shared interests of those living in and relying on the local community.

Local retailers are a terrific source of jobs for locals.

Local retailers are well positioned to offer locally made products.

Local retailers are more likely to share locally relevant information about the use of their products locally.

Local retailers are more community connected.

Local retailers are local storytellers.

Local retailers shop locally.

Why is local retail important to the local community? It matters for these reasons and plenty more too. It all comes down to what matters to you and those you care about.

If local matters to you, shopping with local retailers will do more to assist and support locally than you are likely to see from a national retailer with a branch or outlet for local sales for try as they might to pitch local the majority of the value they get from locals shipping with them ships away from the local area.

Here at Tower Systems we are a local POS software company serving the needs of local specialty retailers. In our POS software we help local retailers embrace and serve the local community.

By local retailers we mean independent retailers, specialty retailers, small business retailers. We believe in local. We know local matters to locals and that local is where community flourishes.

At its heart, local retail embodies the local community.

Local retail is important to the local community because local retail is local. In plenty of local communities this is vital for the economic sustenance of the community and its people. Local businesses engage in practical ways big businesses can’t. This is the difference between the two.

If we think but where we live, what we like about it and what matters, local retail will be an important factor, one to consider when asking ourselves where we wish to shop. Your decision where to shop can make a big difference to local businesses, those who work in them and those locally that the businesses help along the way.

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What is in POS software?

December 14, 2023
2 Min read
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What is in POS software? It’s an interesting question. The answer will vary by POS software product and company.

Our definition of POS software for Tower System s is that it is software that helps retailers manage their business from the sales counter through to the back office, from inventory to people to customers.

POS software helps you:

  • Track everything you sell.
  • Report what is not selling.
  • Sell in-store as well as online.
  • Reorder stock.
  • Do a stocktake.
  • Write off stock.
  • See the performance of suppliers.
  • See the performance of staff members.
  • Uncover possible employee fraud.
  • See the impact of shopper theft.
  • See the time off day that things sell.
  • Manage stock where you take multiple items and put them into one item.
  • Track customer buying history.
  • Track seasonal performance.
  • report on what sells with what.
  • Compare the business sales performance across trading periods.
  • Reorder products from a supplier.
  • Create lists of customers to market to.
  • Share product care information with customers.
  • Manage labour spent on repairs.
  • Capture customer age and other details when required for the type of product being purchased.
  • Capture shopper location details for reach reporting.
  • Sell products in fractional quantities when appropriate.
  • Track product serial numbers when needed.
  • Manage the return of unsold items to a supplier.
  • Feed data to accounting software integrated with the POS software.
  • Connect with employee roster software.
  • Manage customer data at a family level.
  • Reward loyal shoppers.
  • Fundraise for local community groups and charities.
  • Track sales of products held on behalf of others.

Good POS software does all of this and more in service of local retail businesses looking to save time and money in their operation.

The answer to the question of what is POS software does vary based on software company as well as the nature off the business asking the question.

The thing is, good POS software is flexible, packed with options from which you can select to ultimately craft a software solution that serves then needs of your own local retail business. This is what you want when you bring in POS software, flexibility f=that the software can do more as you understand more about what you can do in and for your retail business.

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POS software customers loving expanded self-serve video training library

December 13, 2023
1 Min read
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Our small business retail POS software customers are loving engaging with the expanded video training library we offer.

With more videos being added weekly, we are making it easier for retailers and their employees to learn more about our software and we know that the more they understand how to use our software the more productive they are with it.

This is important as productivity is vital in small business retail.

Our POS software training library is a unique asset of our business. All the videos we offer are fresh made this year with the most recent content added this week.

Retailers and their employees can easily access these training videos – from work and from home. This easy accessibility helps everyone interested in learning get the most from the opportunity.

Tower Systems customers have free access to this POS software training resource.

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How our Antique shop software helps antique dealers to manage their businesses

December 12, 2023
3 Min read
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Tower Systems makes software for antique dealers, to help them run their quite unique retail businesses.

There’s inventory to track, customers to keep happy, and payments to process. Often, depending on the type of antique business, there are many suppliers, collectors, to track and report to. Our Antique Shop Software helps streamline your operations and save time.

This software has some terrific features that work well with the needs of antique dealers:

  • Inventory tracking: Tower Systems Antique Shop Software makes it easy to track your inventory, from individual items to entire collections. You can easily see what you have in stock, what you’re low on, and what you need to order. Plus, you can see the people who have provided this inventory to you, even if it is on consignment.
  • Sales management: Tower Systems Antique Shop Software also makes it easy to manage your sales. You can track sales by item, by customer, or by period. This information can help you identify trends and make better decisions about your business. It’s easy to learn and therefore useful in a situation where different people work the dealership on different days.
  • Customer tracking: Tower Systems Antique Shop Software helps you keep track of your customers. You can store their contact information, purchase history, and preferences. This information can help you provide better customer service and target your marketing efforts.
  • Sell online: Tower Systems Antique Shop Software can also be integrated with Shopify, magenta, Woo and Big Commerce. Easily sell online.

Benefits:

  • Increased efficiency: Tower Systems Antique Shop Software can help you streamline your operations and save time. You can easily process transactions, track inventory, and manage sales. This frees up your time so you can focus on other aspects of your business.
  • Improved customer service: Tower Systems Antique Shop Software can help you provide better customer service. You can easily track customer orders and preferences, and you can send them reminders about upcoming appointments or events. This can help you build stronger relationships with your customers and keep them coming back.
  • Increased sales: Tower Systems Antique Shop Software can help you increase your sales. You can easily sell your products online, and you can target your marketing efforts to specific demographics. This can help you reach a wider audience and boost your sales.

Our Tower Systems Antique Shop Software is easy to use, efficient, and can help improve your customer service and increase sales.

Call 1300 662 957 or email sales@towersystems.com.au for more details and to outline what it is you are looking for in Antique shop software.

Here are some additional benefits of using Tower Systems Antique Shop Software:

  • Reporting: Track your sales, inventory, and customer data. This information can help you make better decisions about your business.
  • Remote management: You can access your software from anywhere with an internet connection. This means you can manage your business from home or on the go.
  • Helpful support: Tower Systems offers human delivered support, so you can get help you need.

If you’re looking for a powerful and easy-to-use POS software for your antique shop, then Tower Systems Antique Shop Software could be a good fit for you.

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Enhanced POS software for produce, farm supply and feedstock businesses

December 11, 2023
2 Min read
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We are grateful to serve rural and regional feedstock, farm supply and produce businesses with POS software made for their types of businesses.

Thanks to feedback and engagement we have released enhanced software for these businesses.

Our software works in-store, on the road for these feedstock, farm supply and produce businesses. It also works for online sales.

  • Time saving invoicing and account management – manage accounts in a way tailored to yourYou can easily account for freight, produce picking slips, manage accounts, feed data to Xero and MYOB and do more.
  • Bagging up feed – Easily manage bagging up a bulk feed delivery into smaller, saleable lots, while keeping accurate stock on hand data.
  • Making your own feed mix. We help you track managing bulk quantity ingredients and mixing these into saleable packs of your own brand of seed mix. What an awesome point of difference for your business!
  • Sell by weight. in whole numbers or fractions. Accurate billing and stock levels, which customers love.
  • Differentiate with informative receipts. These can include care, use and safety information based on what customers buy.
  • Be accurate with all-weather product labels.
  • Delivery platform integration. This makes routing easier.
  • Sell accurately by measure – by whole numbers or fractions. This software is government approved for scale integration.
  • Special orders. Bring product in for a specific customer and have them notified automatically by email or text when the goods are in and ready.
  • Business differentiating loyalty. Stand out from the crowd. Have customers coming back to you for this.
  • Pre-orders – We make it easy for you to pre-sell a delivery so that when the stock arrives you can manage distribution and billing efficiently.
  • Pricing profiles. You can set pricing rules based on types of customers.
  • Differentiate with bundles. Selling items bundled together makes price comparison hard.
  • Market to customers based on past purchases.
  • Save time by importing electronic invoices.
  • Sell more with a direct connect to buy now pay later services.
  • Cut mistakes with integrated EFTPOS.
  • Cut accounting and bookkeeping fees with integration to Xero and others.
  • Easily sell online with a direct webstore link.

Tower Systems is not an average POS software company. We are a small business, indie business, focussed POS software company developing software in Australia and New Zealand for Australian and New Zealand based specialty retailers.

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More newsagents switch to Tower Systems newsagency software in bumper year for the company

December 8, 2023
2 Min read
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2023 has been a terrific year of newsagency rooftop growth for Tower Systems as many newsagents have switched to the Tower newsagency software.

While the company has dominated the newsagency software space for decades, there has been a further shift in 2023 as some others have faded in terms of investment in newsagency software advancements and in service delivery.

Tower has continued to innovate for newsagents in 2023 both through its retail management software for newsagents and the app it has delivered for newsagents to serve several key areas.

We are proud to be the only newsagency software company to own and run newsagencies, which we have done since February 1996. Here are 10 of the many reasons we know newsagents are loving our software:

  1. Save money on EFTPOS fees.
  2. Easily link to more suppliers electronically.
  3. Pathways for expanding the shopper appeal of the business.
  4. Smooth, accurate and safe workflow at the sales counter.
  5. Exclusive smart greeting card reporting Embedded in our software is category / segment level reporting that newsagents are using to grow card sales 25% and more. That’s money in the bank.
  6. You can bank on loyalty. Our fresh and successful approach to loyalty can help you drive a deeper basket and bring people back sooner.
  7. Safe decisions make for a better P&L. From data feeds from suppliers through to Xero, we help you nurture data for the safe decisions.
  8. Not every shopper will walk past your door. A seamless connection between your software and a beautiful website can help you sell to people you will never meet. We develop websites for newsagents.
  9. Easily accessed personal service. A key reason 4 times more newsagents have chosen Tower than any other software is customer service. We are here for you, with you, every day.
  10. Current software. Current technology. Fresh, current design.

Aussie newsagents are tracking well, with many growing, expanding their appeal and becoming even more efficient. Smart tech is at the heart of the transformation we are seeing working well for newsagents as they expand beyond what has been traditional for the newsagency channel.

These are good years for newsagents, especially those playing outside of what has been traditional for the channel. We are grateful to be playing a role in helping close to 1,800 newsagents play in ways that are relevant and enjoyable in Australian local small business retail today.

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Have you got stock hiding in boxes in your retail shop? It’s time to put it to work or let it go

December 7, 2023
3 Min read
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Have you got piles of stock tucked away in boxes, gathering dust in your garage or under shop tables? If so, you’re not alone. But if you’re serious about making a profit, you need to get that stock out on display where customers can see it.

It seems obvious to write, but some retailers still don’t understand this basic principle of business: stock that’s hidden away isn’t going to sell. If you’ve got stock sitting in boxes because you don’t have room to display it, it’s time to re-evaluate your purchasing decisions.

Think about it this way: every dollar you spend on stock is money you could be using to pay bills or invest in your business. So, before you buy any more stock, ask yourself:

Do I really need this stock?
Do I have room to display it?
Can I realistically sell it within a reasonable timeframe?
Is having this stock in my shop going to be valuable for the business?

If the answer to any of those questions is no, then don’t buy it.

Some retailers buy stock to impress sales reps or make their shops look busy. Others buy stock to make themselves feel better about their businesses. Some retailers buy stock because they are lonely. These are all the wrong reasons to buy stock.

There are even some sales reps who know they’re selling stock to businesses that don’t need it. Shame on them for putting their own financial gains ahead of the well-being of their customers.

If you don’t know the value of the stock in your business, it’s likely you have too much stock. A good but very basic rule of thumb or starting point of s=consideration at least is that stock should not be more than 20% of your total annual revenue from those products.

If you have boxes of stock that you haven’t opened in six months or more, you have too much stock. And if your back room, garage, or under-display table space is filled with boxes, you’ve got a big problem.

The best way to deal with an overstock of inventory is to stop buying new stock and focus on selling down what you already have. Don’t get emotional about it – just make a plan and stick to it.

If you don’t address the issue of overstocking, it will eventually overwhelm you and your business. Don’t let that happen. Take control of your inventory and watch your profits grow.

Yes, we’re a POS software company. We own and run shops, which is very rare for any of our competitors. Our daily experience in retail helps us better serve our customers in the software we make and the support we provide.

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Tower Systems helps small business retailers reduce payments fees

December 6, 2023
2 Min read
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We are grateful to help our POS software customers reduce the cost of processing payments in-store.

The low EFTPOS payments rate offered is an excellent starting point in service of this goal. Add to that the easy ability to automatically calculate the appropriate fee to collect from customers as a cost of business and our retailers can make taking EFTPOS in-store cost neutral to the business.

The highlights of what we offer our customers in the payments space include:

  • Low base rate for payments cards.
  • Integrated = fewer mistakes, faster processing, streamlined counter, easier problem resolution.
  • Easy recovery of costs from customers per transaction.
  • Easy tracking of all aspects of the transaction.
  • easy back office management.
  • Easy problem resolution.

We we have delivered to our customers is genuine saving, and stye are loving it.

We have offered integrated EFTPOS with our POS software for fifteen or so years. It continues to be refined as the technology at the heart of it evolves and as banking itself evolves. We leverage changes to ensure that our customers have access to something genuinely useful and fresh, safe and secure, fit for purpose.

The POS software payments solution we offer our customers is not mandatory’s required or demanded. What our customers decide for taking payments in their businesses is 100% top to them. Our offer is an option put to them. We have leveraged our buying power on their behalf. But we are not forcing anything as to do so on local small business retailers would be unfair.

From the shop floor to the counter to online, retailers can rely in our EFTPOS payments integrations to serve their evolving payments needs, whether it is through the low cost option we pitch or any of the major banks and BNPL platforms in Australia and New Zealand. We offer an open platform with plenty of choice for our customers, we make it easy for them to be in control of payments in their business.

We make POS software for bike shops, garden centres, jewellers, gift shops, pet shops, landscape supply businesses, repairs businesses, bookshops,
fishing and outdoors shops, newsagents, produce / farm supply businesses, fabric shops, sewing shops, music shops, computer shops, firearms dealers, charity & op. shops, community enterprises and more.

We are grateful to serve 3,500+ local retailers already.

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Help for MusiPOS software customers with Aussie made and supported software for music shops

December 5, 2023
3 Min read
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Tower Systems is grateful to offer software for music shops: shops selling and servicing music instruments, sheet music and offering music lessons.

Our Aussie made music shop software handles a range of products and services of interest to music shops including:

  • Instrument repairs tracking.
  • Rental of music instruments.
  • LayBy of music instruments.
  • Sales of sheet music.
  • Special orders.
  • Tracking product serial numbers.
  • Managing secondhand goods when it comes to music instruments.
  • Listing of products for sale on a searchable online database – to help you attract more shoppers.

This modern POS software for music shops has facilities included (without extra cost) music shop owners and team members tell us is important, like:

  • Easy selling.
  • Integrated EFTPOS.
  • Xero integration – cut keystrokes and mistakes.
  • Shopify integration for selling online.
  • Club / group fundraising / discounting .. encourages engagement.
  • Auto serving product care instructions.
  • Easy management of instrument service reminders.
  • Service / repair management.
  • Easy to setup and run LayBy.
  • Easy use of buy now pay later.
  • Customer special orders.
  • Pre-sell inventory.
  • Rare visit loyalty.  The customer visit cycle for a music shop is often infrequent. Embedded in this software are loyalty tools that nurture these shoppers to provide more value from each visit.

All these facilities and plenty more are included in this software. But, we don’t currently link to APIC. We’re working on it.

here are some common questions from music shop owners about us and our music shop software:

How do I contact your help desk? By phone or email. Our help desk is Australian based with one team member working from New Zealand.

When can I contact you for help? Weekdays: 7am through 6PM AEST, Saturdays 7:30am through 3PM AEST. After hours for urgent calls: 24/7.

What if I am unhappy with support? You can escalate to our Chief Operating Officer or our Managing Director – every customer is given their direct numbers and email addresses.

Can I run the software in the cloud? Yes.

Can I run the software on my desktop? Yes.

Can I backup to the cloud? Yes.

How long am I locked in with software rental? There is no lock-in. You can cancel rental at any time and billing stops immediately – once the current month is completed, there is no further charge.

Can we offer a special price to members of a club or students of a teacher or school? Yes.

Can we market to members of clubs or teachers or schools? Yes.

Can we track sales to club or school members to rebate as a fundraising opportunity? Yes.

Can you pass on product care manuals and other documentation? Yes, you can load files, images, documents or PDFs for products (information sheets, advice, notices) and have them automatically included in emailed receipts.

Can we promote local music groups on receipts? Yes.

Can we use the software to manage repairs? Yes. You can track jobs, parts and labour. Plus, communication with customers is streamlined.

Can we remind customers about instrument servicing? Yes.

Can we do this by text or email? Either, we support both.

Can we look-up historical servicing records for a specific customer? Yes.

Can we create a quote for a customer and manage this? Yes.

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POS software for firearms dealers nurtures compliance and streamlines operations

December 5, 2023
2 Min read
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The POS software for firearms dealers from Tower Systems has facilities designed to help these businesses meet local regulatory requirements and run business efficiently.

Firearms dealers using this business-specific POS software can rely on it to deliver functionality in key areas of need for these businesses:

  1. Track each sale by staff member.
  2. Easily and consistently age check.
  3. Sell accurately by weight or measure – by whole numbers or fractions.
  4. Leverage you. Your knowledge is a differentiator, leverage it.
  5. Track product sales by serial numbers.
  6. Easily handle pre-orders.
  7. Load electronic invoices from suppliers.
  8. Offer club pricing. Set pricing rules to drive business.
  9. Bundle products together to sell everything a first-time shopper may need.
  10. Easily handle special customer orders.
  11. Track and manage repairs.
  12. Differentiate your business through smart and unique loyalty.
  13. Maximise the basket with easy to use one-time shopper loyalty tools.
  14. Easily link to Big Commerce, Shopify, Magento and Woo including images.

Currently in Australia, the states and territories manage permits and regulate the sale of firearms and ammunition. Tower Systems has engaged with each jurisdiction to ensure certain compliance by our customers. We have also engaged in the renewed national push for national regulation.

This software made for firearms dealers will continue to evolve as the regulatory systems in Australia evolve. It is important to us that we provide our customers with software fit for the needs of local retailers, clubs and those with whom they connect.

We have plenty of firearms dealers using our POS software. we have clubs using it too. Different business settings in this retail channel that fits under the shingle of firearms dealers.

retailers can rely on plenty of benefits, including:

  • Easy and accurate selling.
  • Capture and store shopper details.
  • Sales winning loyalty tools.
  • Save time with roster integration.
  • Win more sales with club promotions.
  • Safe age tracking tools.
  • Manage servicing and repairs.
  • Money making business insights.
  • Personal training.
  • Local and human delivered support.

This software helps local firearms dealers run businesses based on good record keeping, sound business practices, consistency at the heart of the operations of the business.

From receiving electronic invoices to feeding data seamlessly to your website, this firearms POS software is designed to help businesses run smoothly, meet regulatory obligations and nurture enjoyment.

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How local small business retailers can win at shopper loyalty

December 4, 2023
2 Min read
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People understand cash, far more so than they understand points. What’s a pint worth anyway?

Look at supermarket loyalty programs. It feels like you need to shop forever to get enough points for something basic. But cash as a loyalty reward, people know what cash is worth.

Our smart POS software supports point, but it’s our cash based loyalty offer that gets the real attention.

Simple. Fast to setup. Easy to offer. Easy for customers to engage with. And, if done right, it pays for itself many times over.

Better still, there are awesome reports that help you understand how shoppers are behaving, how they are engaging with and responding to the cash discount showing on their receipt. These reports help you pull levers in the software to drive business growth.

You can call them what you like. In the software, we call them discount vouchers.

Discount vouchers genuinely differentiate your business.

  • You name the voucher anything you like and can change this at any time.
  • You set the rules on how the value of the voucher is calculated.
  • You set the rules on what the voucher can be redeemed for.
  • You set the rules on expiry dates.

Male shoppers are more likely to spend the voucher immediately and many customers use the voucher to purchase items more expensive than the items in the initial purchase made. Customers see the voucher as cash, often commenting that they like the direct approach better than a points-based system. They like the transparency and simplicity.

In our own retail experience, which sees us competing against major retailers in a major shopping centre, several shoppers have stated they prefer Discount Vouchers over the rewards programs of our competitors.

I you compare the Tower Systems POS software with POS software from another company, look at the loyalty side and work out how it differentiates your business, how it brings shoppers back soon and how it gets shoppers spending more.

With many retail businesses running points based loyalty programs, differentiating is key for businesses that want to stand out. This is why our discount voucher loyalty program is loved by plenty of our local indie retail business POS software customers today.

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Advice for retailers frustrated about EFTPOS fees

November 30, 2023
3 Min read
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Retailers often complain about the cost of accepting payment by cards compared to cash.

The thing is, every method of payment has a cost, including cash. In my experience working with retailers, the cost of cash is higher because of theft. However, it is not easily seen, especially in retail businesses that do not research or teach theft.

Here are some business ideas for addressing the cost of EFTPOS:

  1. Promote cash payment – if you want the costs associated with cash of course.
  2. Be clear as to the cost of using a card. You could apply a surcharge, which I think is a ridiculous idea though.
  3. Price knowing that cards will be used by customers. Build the cost into your pricing model. Keep the bump under 1.5% and it is less likely to be noticed.
  4. Lower a cost elsewhere to cover the cost. Shaving a hour of employee rostered time can save you around $30.00, that’s equal to purchases of $3750.00 on a card – depending on the type of card used.
  5. Increase sales. While you should be focussed on this anyway, increasing sales helps you address the EFTPOS cost and more in the business.

If you are annoyed/upset/angry about EFTPOS fees, we suggest you look at parts of your business over which you have control and that offer a better return from your physical and emotional attention:

  1. Dead stock. A problem not seen is not a problem to too many. In the average indie retail business, dead stock is equal to at least 3% of turnover.
  2. Stop running out of stock. Manual process for stock reordering, by retailers and suppliers, regularly result in sell-outs, and, therefore, missed sales. Every time that happens it is a cost to the business. In a retail business I looked at recently, the cost of sell-outs was more than $12,000 in a year, or $6,000 in gross profit, all because of poor re-ordering management.
  3. Bloated roster. Some prefer to spend money on people so they have time to themselves for relaxing, golf or to sit in the back office, where no customer purchases from. I often see a bloat cost equal to around 10% of the roster.
  4. Wrong trading hours. Some stay open too long while others are not open long enough. Either way has a cost to the business.
  5. Being blind to theft. Theft in local indie retail costs on average between 3% and 5% of turnover. Not watching for it, tracking it and mitigating against it has a cost to the business.
  6. The wrong product mix. GP% is a key measure of retail business performance. Increasing yours beyond what is traditional for your channel provides you with a buffer. For example, transaction count / sales can decline and you can be okay. Measure GP%. Set a goal. Chase it. The air is cleaner in above average.
  7. Ignorance. No, it’s not bliss. There are insights in your software that can guide better decisions, faster decisions, more financially rewarding decisions. Yet, too many in retail don’t want to know. That failure costs them plenty.

The items on the above list are all on the retailer to address. The benefit is that addressing these results in a stronger, leaner and more valuable retail business.

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Advice most POS software can’t or won’t provide

November 29, 2023
3 Min read
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Since we own and run shops in which our Tower Systems POS software is used and in which we live the retailer experience personally, we have a perspective that is close to our customers than most POS software companies. It also gets us working with other retailers. It’s that personal contact that prompted us to share this advice and  stock holding and, in particular, being over stocked, with our customers:

Stock in boxes in the back room, in a garage or under tables in the shop will not sell unless it is displayed.

While this will be obvious to most, there are some retailers who don’t get it.

If you do have stock in boxes and no room to display it, consider pausing spending to give you time to convert those purchases to cash.

The alternative is that you do nothing, and your ability to pay bills is impacted.

It’s your business. You choose when to spend and when to not spend.

Some retailers buy friendship through their purchasing. Others like to look busy with a shop bursting with stock. Others buy to feel better about themselves. Spending for any of these wrong is not helpful to the business, not helpful top you.

There are sales reps who would know they are selling stock to a business that does not need it. Shame on them. Shame on them putting their own financial rewards ahead of the evidence of an overstocked and financially stressed business. Sales people doing this are no friend of the business owner.

If you don’t know the current value of the stock in your business, it’s likely you have too much stock.

So, what’s the value of your current stock on hand?

If the value of your non circulation product (magazines and newspapers) stock right now is more than 20% of the total revenue you will make from it in a year, you probably have too much stock. The actual percentage will vary by product category.

There will be some who say the 20% figure is inaccurate and unhelpful. I have tested it in a few businesses and it is a reasonable first step guide.

So, what’s the value of your current stock on hand? Start there. Then look at your non circulation product revenue for the last year. The numbers will support what you currently see in your shop.

If you have boxes of stock that you’ve not opened for six months or more, you have too much stock. If your back room, garage and or under display table space is filled with boxes you have a problem.

The best way to address being overstocked is to stop buying and sell down what you have, and to do so without emotion.

The alternative is that you do not address the issue and the issue swamps you and your business.

It’s black and white – in your numbers and in your business.

…

This is one example of the practical way in which our POS software company engaged with retailers.

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A first for local specialty Aussie retailers: self-checkout POS software

November 23, 2023
4 Min read
A

Tower Systems has developed a self-checkout POS software specifically for local small business specialty retailers. This software allows small businesses to offer self-checkout to their customers in a way that is beneficial to their business. It is available now for retailers in Australia and New Zealand.

With Tower’s self-checkout POS software, customers can scan their items, make a payment, and receive a receipt. They can also scan their items, save the sale, and then complete the sale at the main counter if they prefer.

The self-checkout POS terminal honors all special prices, catalog prices, and other settings configured by the retailer. It also offers the same loyalty program benefits that customers can access at the sales counter.

The software is available for a low monthly rental fee that can be canceled at any time. This rental fee is per location, so you can run multiple self-checkout terminals for the same price.

Integrated EFTPOS is required for the software. Tower will initially offer integrations with Tyro and Linkly Cloud (the major banks).

When you first use Tower Systems’ self-checkout POS software, you will go through a setup process that includes uploading your own startup and sale close images. You have complete control over these images.

Tower Systems sells self-checkout computer and stand options separately. You can also purchase the computer hardware from elsewhere.

Why Use Self-Checkout in Local Small Business Retail?

  • To easily handle sales during busy times of the day for customers who don’t need counter service.
  • To open up another service lane during busy times of the year without hiring additional staff.
  • To project an image of a modern and forward-thinking business.

Tower Systems is grateful to its teams of software developers, hardware specialists and retail experts who have worked together to bring this opportunity of self-checkout POS software to life for local small business retailers.

The innovation delivered in this solution is considerable as it is build on a fresh software platform that utilises the latest tech available for in-store retail settings.

Tower Systems is a specialty retail POS software solutions provider delivering solutions across sixteen different retail challenge including jewellers, garden centres, bike shops, toy shops, sewing shops, farm supply businesses, landscaping businesses, pool maintenance business, newsagents, pet shops and bike shops.

Now for a Q&A on self-checkout.

Is there a camera? What we have created is self-checkout POS software. It’s not integrated with a camera. We have left the choice of a camera up to each retailer to consider.

Could I run this in a pop-up shop? Yes, you could. All that is needed that the self-checkout is network connected to the main software.

Could I run self-checkout and nothing else? No, you need the base Tower software to manage the back end.

Is there anything that I might want as a retailer that the self-checkout software does not do? It does not do customer quotes or invoicing to a customer.

What if I want to use it for a couple of months of the year only? Easy. Rent it for those months and suspect rental, and costs, for the rest.

Can I test it to see if it suits? Rental is so cheap it’s costs little to try.

Can I run this on a regular computer? Yes.

The POS screen appears to be in portrait more. Is that all you offer? No, you can run it in landscape as well.

Am I able to report on sales only through the self-checkout terminal? Yes.

Can I suspend a sale and finish it at my traditional sales counter? Yes, a staff member can suspend the sale so it can be completed at the counter.

Afternote: true to form, a small former competitor has commented they did this first, years ago and cite evidence of others.

The thing is, in our specialty retail marketplaces, what we have delivered is a first and we are proud of that.

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