The POS Software Blog

The POS Software Blog

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

Latest stories

The garden centre / nursery software hundreds of garden centres use in their businesses

November 23, 2023
2 Min read
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Tower Systems is grateful to serve hundreds of garden centres and local plant nurseries with POS software made for their types of businesses.

This recently updated software is help[ing these businesses thrive.

Garden centres and nurseries are not your usual everyday retail businesses. Your uniqueness demands software that goes beyond usual POS software.

We are grateful to our garden centre customers who have helped us with a swag of enhancements for your type of business.

  • Evergreen connect link.
  • Dispatch management tools, managing multiple trucks, multiple deliveries per truck.
  • Allotrac integration for next-level dispatch management.
  • Loyalty marketing that works a treat for garden centres.
  • Tracking buying raw materials in bulk, mixing for your own products.
  • Offering local plant care information on receipts – selling you.
  • Sell by weight or length, and, yes, by fractions too.
  • Selling by colour, size and style.
  • Weatherproof product labels.
  • Easily order for seasons, based on past seasonal performance.
  • Sell from anywhere with integrated tablet based platform.
  • The ability too re-port and adjust the price of plants.
  • Integrated roster options: Deputy, Tanda and Planday.
  • Digital receipts through Slyp.
  • Comprehensive quote and invoice management solutions.

We have released other changes that are getting cheers from our customers:

  • A ChatGPT integration that generates product descriptions for your consideration. This can help create more compelling descriptions.
  • An international barcode database lookup integration that makes adding new products faster and more accurate.
  • Auto background removal of photos you load, making them more useful for links to websites: Shopify, Big Commerce and others.
  • Free integration with the FindIt.com.au marketplace, designed to help drive local shopper traffic.
  • Shopper self-checkout version.
  • A portable sell from anywhere / anytime solution for large properties, local markets and pop-up retail.

Garden centres and nurseries need unique software to serve their unique business needs. This POS software is made for garden centres and plant nurseries.

There is a lot to be said for software made for specific marketplaces, software designed to serve those things that separate specialty retail businesses from other businesses, especially big and mass businesses.

Local retail is what Tower Systems focusses on, especially specialty local retail businesses. The specialisation of our local retail customers is our own specialisation, and we are grateful for that.

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Free online marketplace helps local retailers attract more shoppers

November 22, 2023
2 Min read
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www.findit.com.au, a free marketplace for local independent small business retailers, is helping local Aussie retailers attract shoppers in-store.

Free to Tower Systems POS software customers, the FindIt marketplace is like a live catalogue, an online catalogue, a place where shoppers can find what they want the local retailer who stocks what they want.

There is no cost for retailers and nnjo cost for shoppers. This is genuinely a free platform through which the thousands of retailer susing the Tower Systems POS software can find shoppers for themselves.

FindIt has been live for just under a year and already retailers are reporting success with new shoppers attracted as a result of finding products they want through the FindIt local marketplace platform. Just last week a retailer told us of three new shoppers attracted to their business thanks to the FindIt listings we provided for no cost.

All Tower Systems POS software customers have access to FindIt for free.
We have built FindIt because of the growing importance of being online to in-store retail, and because some retailers are challenged with creating and running their own website. This is a no cost / low cost solution to help you be found online. we are very proud of the tech behind the FindIt local retailer marketplace platform.
We host the website on a large secure and fast server in a remote data centre. We are also doing the backend SEO work to raise the Google profile.
Customers will land on the website from Google. As the ranking of the site increases, products on FindIt will list in Google results. Customers will be able to add items from multiple retailers to a FindIt basket in a transaction.
The FindIt website confirms the order to the customer and provides the retailer with a recipient created tax invoice. Retailers will be able to go to their FindIt vendor panel to download a picking slip.
  

Retailers choose the price of what they sell – it can be their web price or their retail price. In the Tower Systems POS software, retailers choose whether a product is listed online.
Find out more about our Tower Systems POS software at our website, www.towersystems.com.au, where you can also easily watch demonstrations of our software. We only supply independent retailers. Plus, our software is Aussie made and supported.
For a personal demonstration or to discuss your POS software needs:
  • sales@towersystems.com.au
  • 1300 662 957.
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How much is Square POS software to POS software from Tower Systems?

November 21, 2023
3 Min read
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Okay, we are Tower Systems. It’s important you know that when reading this article, so you know we are comparing the price of our POS software with Square POS.

We have sought to be objective.

We are not doing a deep dive comparing software function with software function. This comparison is high level – even at this level the differences are considerable.

The big pitch by Square POS is that it is free, and while technically this is true, it is a questionable claim given how they get paid – through a clip on EFTPOS. At the moment, from what we can tell, the clip is 1.16% of transaction value. but the rate does vary, so check.

We think that an average gift shop using our Tower Systems POS software and a good everyday rate from a bank or payments platform will saver between $3,000 and $5,000 with Tower Systems compared to Square POS.

We think Tower Systems is cheaper than Square POS. If our calculations are wrong please let us know and we will correct.

The Tower Systems POS software comes with loyalty software includes. Square POS is currently quoting $49 a month for loyalty facilities with their software.

That makes Square POS more expensive than the free offer people tend to see.

Tower Systems offers 7 day a week support, 24 hours a day. Our understanding from the Square POS website is that their coverage is not as extensive.

Square POS is from overseas while the Tower Systems POS software is Australian made and supported.

The Tower Systems POS software supports for no extra cost Shopify integration, Xero integration, selling by fractions, scale integration and comprehensive management reporting

There are people differences. Any retailer considering the Tower systems POS software can speak with a human and discuss their needs. They are welcome to an obligation-free demonstration to see if the software is a good fit for them before investing any time.

The Tower Systems POS software has been made for specialty retailers, small business retailers, indie retailers. It is loaded with specialty functionality.

Tower is not chasing high volume sales. we are not chasing big retailers.

Square POS , on the other hand, is chasing volume, mass, they want numbers and because of this we thing their focus is more general, serving more common needs rather than specialty retail needs.

We think we compare well on price and functionality. What we can’t match is the Square POS advertising budget. We rely on word of mouth, for which we are sincerely grateful. We have o thousands of awesome customers, which makes us happy.

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Serial number tracking in POS software helps retailers track stock and save time

November 20, 2023
2 Min read
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The POS software from Tower Systems offers serial number tracking of products sold. It’s in the software, part of the software and there is no extra cost to access this.

Integrated serial number tracking is valuable point of difference for the Tower Systems POS software as serial number tracking is not common in POS software.

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

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

At the retail front line in these businesses we have got to work with some engaged staff who have helped us streamline serial number tracking.

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

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

While integrated serial number tracking in our POS software has been available for many years, it has been enhanced over time as needs have evolved.

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

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

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Retail business advice: make every day your pay day

November 17, 2023
5 Min read
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This is advice we first shared many years ago. We have updated it, updated it more, and updated it again this morning.

We think this is the best advice we could give any local small business retailer as it focuses you on what matters most – nurturing daily value from your business.

Everything you do today has to about making money today because what you make today may matter more than what you make when you sell your business.

Let’s get into it:

Retail business advice: make every day your pay day.

It starts with the mindset of every day being your pay day. Every decision needs to be considered in this context.

Here are some suggestions for making every day your pay day:

  1. Make your shop happy, appealing. Play good music. Smile. be happy to be there. Greet shoppers. Offer free samples. Be engaged.
  2. Make sure your sales counter maximises the opportunity. Keep it efficient. Pitch products that are easily understood and easily bought on impulse.
  3. Charge more every time you can. Where you can, charge more. Even and extra 1% or 2% can make a difference. In our experience, price is often not the factor retailers think it is.  So, look at your prices for opportunities to increate margin.
  4. Get people buying more each visit. Look at what you have where and make sure that key traffic lines have impulse purchase opportunities along the way.
  5. Stock what sells. Use your data. Make sure you don’t run out of good selling items. 75% of retailers miss revenue by not having items shoppers want when they want them. Buying stock based on evidence is more valuable than buying based on emotion.
  6. Be cleverly frugal. When you are considering spending money, think about the value for the business from the spend. Think about the return you could get and the speed of the return. Have some checks and balances in spending decisions to slow them down.
  7. Seek out new customers. New customers are the future lifeblood of any retail business. Attract them with smart and entertaining social media posts, a window display that plays outside what people expect from your shop.
  8. Run with the leanest roster possible. Just about every retail business we review has capacity to lower labour costs. Trimming the roster can come at a cost for the owners – putting in more hours.
  9. Bring people back sooner with a thoughtfully calibrated loyalty offer that funds itself, and drives value. Every retail business needs a core action designed to bring people back. A timed loyalty offer, which expires, is a good way to do this.
  10. Have your best people working the floor, helping customers spend more. Today, retail is not about may I help you. Rather, it is about engaging with the products and subtly showing them off, like theatre.
  11. Have at least one stunning display that attract people from outside the shop, a display people talk about.
  12. Buy as best you can. Take settlement discounts where possible. Pick up supplier offers. never pass on your better buying to customers, unless it suits for some event you are running. Oh, and with this advice about buying – only do it for items you know you will sell for buying product at a discount and having it on the shelves too long is too much of a cost for the business.
  13. De-clutter. Sometimes the best way to be able to see your business and what it can do is for you to have less to look at. This means getting rid of dead stock, dead fixtures, dead corners of the shop. Always be trimming, cleaning and looking.
  14. Change. Every day in your shop change something. Get known as the shop that is never the same. This can be a reason to visit for some shoppers. If you run a  business that rarely changes, you give people a reason to walk on by. So, every day, make a change or two. Encourage your team members to suggest changes. By moving a small stand from one part of the business to another could get it noticed and boost sales.
  15. Stop all busy work. It is easy in a local small business retail to get caught up in doing things. Often, things can be what you do to be busy. Being busy is only good if it is profitable, productive. Declutter your schedule.

Be responsible for the profitability of your business. Don’t blame your suppliers, your landlord, your employees or some other external factor … it all comes down to you – the decisions you make and the actions you take.

By making every day your payday you bring focus on what matters today and what will matter when you’d decide to sell your business.

Doing all this relies on your measuring the performance of your business. The Tower Systems POS software helps with this. It is easy.

My name is Mark Fletcher. I am the owner of Tower Systems. I also own retail shops and several online businesses. Every day here at Tower Systems we live what we say, in our software company and in our shops. We make mistakes, and learn from them. It’s some of those mistakes that got us thinking about this, about the approach of making every day your payday.

While our core mission is to grow the customer base for Tower Systems, we know that key to achieving this helping retailers. Plenty of the help we provide is not software related.

In sharing this advice we demonstrate a care for local small business retail and a transparency as to the advice and help we provide.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-fletcher-tower/

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We think the payments pitch by Lightspeed is wrong, inaccurate, and here’s why

November 16, 2023
3 Min read
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A massive competitor of ours, Lightspeed, the HUGE Canadian POS software company, is promoting Lightspeed Payments as being revolutionary, delivering to retailers new benefits. Check out this pitch, which they published recently via Inside Retail.

At the forefront of this transformation, new payment systems are now advancing the way retailers handle transactions and manage their businesses. Instead of manually inputting sales into separate payment terminals after processing them on their point-of-sale (POS), retailers are now increasingly turning to systems that sync their POS with their payment processors, allowing transactions to seamlessly flow between the two platforms. These setups are commonly referred to as integrated payment systems.

There is no advance, no new technology.

Tower Systems has offered integrated payments for more than 15 years.

Lightspeed Payments is new to Lightspeed and so it makes sense that they pitch it a an advance. For them maybe it is an advance, bot not for Tower Systems and plenty of other software companies that have delivered this for may years.

The big Lightspeed Payments advance is that they integrate with their own payments platform, a payments platform off of which Lightspeed makes money from every payments transaction in a retail business using their software.

This is the advance – that Lightspeed makes more money from its customers.

It is disappointing seeing news outlets publish news of an advance that is really a tool or tax of retail transactions conducted through specific software.

Is this fair for retailers?

If you are Lightspeed customer and you choose to not use their payments platform Lightspeed has started charging customers a fee to compensate for them not making payments revenue from you.

In our opinion, what Lightspeed claims is an advance in its technology solution for retailers via Lightspeed Payments is, in fact, a price increase in the use of its software, something imposed on retailers but dressed as some great advancement.

Here at Tower Systems we believe that retailers should get to choose the payments platform that is right for their business. This choice can lead to significant savings in the cost of payments. We know of retailers paying way less than if they were using Lightspeed and were locked into the Lightspeed Payments platform.

But let’s go back to the article at Inside Retail by Lightspeed and check in on another claim.

Where Lightspeed takes things a step further is in conjoining these linked systems into a single, comprehensive platform that combines POS and payments, allowing every aspect of the transaction process to be seamlessly synchronised.

In 0ur opinion, this is a misrepresentation of the facts.

Okay, Lightspeed Payments may take things a step further compared to what Lightspeed did in the past. But for many POS software companies, for manny years we have provided a single, comprehensive platform that combines POS and payments. And, we have done that for a lower cost and with more control offered each retailer.

Lightspeed is a mighty and successful company for sure. We are not even the size of an ant in comparison. The size difference does not mean they should get a free kick in terms of marketing spin. In our opinion, the claims being made in relation to Lightspeed Payments are inaccurate and shallow.

Our advice to retailers is to do your homework, look at the total cost of ownership, and, choose the software that serves your needs best as functionality and customer service are the two most critical factors. All good POS software puffers integrated payments, what Lightspeed claims as an advance is not – they are late that party.

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POS software for Not For Profit, Charity Shops, Op. Shops and Community enterprises

November 15, 2023
3 Min read
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Tower Systems is grateful to offer Not For Profit, Charity Shops, Op. Shops and Community enterprises special, significantly discounted, pricing of its POS software as part of our commitment to give back to the community where we are able.

All retail businesses in the Not For Profit, Charity Shops, Op. Shops and Community enterprise sectors qualify for this pricing for accessing our Aussie designed and development POS software.

Not For Profit, Charity Shops, Op. Shops and Community enterprises are unique and loved businesses, providing valuable service to the local community and to those supported by the charity. We are grateful to serve these community enterprises with POS software made for charity / op. shops:

  1. Easy shopper loyalty. While the software offers a loyalty points system, we have found the cash-off approach in our loyalty tools works better in local retail. People understand money. A receipt showing an amount they can save on their next purchase gets, usually, at least 20% of people spending more that visit.
  2. Manage inventory your way. You can sell by barcode, products code, department, category within department, price point. You can sell, measure and report at the level point appropriate to your needs.
  3. Easy to learn. We have found that in community enterprises easy to learn / easy to use really does matter. Volunteer turnover makes this essential. We can record training specific to your needs and make these videos available for future volunteers.
  4. Secure. You can lock down parts of the software to secure them for management access only.
  5. Check and balances. This software guides processes. It also provides hidden tracking so you can investigate should the need arise.
  6. Club / group marketing and support. Leverage clubs and community groups with offers and pricing just for them.

We understand it can be a challenging and fine line walking between running a business and serving a community in need, especially in a setting that relies on many volunteers. We try and walk this road with you, helping where we can, helping you to serve while at the same time respecting the tech. professionals on our team who help us do this.

Embedded in our Not For Profit, Charity Shops, Op. Shops and Community enterprises software are tools to help the charity or community enterprise more efficiently focus on the mission of the organisation.

Our POS software for Not For Profit, Charity Shops, Op. Shops and Community enterprises is constantly evolving. we are grateful to so many who have helped and continue to help us on this path.

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Serial number tracking in POS software helps local retailers more completely track inventory

November 14, 2023
2 Min read
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The POS software from Tower Systems offers serial number tracking of products sold.

From the moment an inventory item with a serial number arrives in the business it can be tracked easily and accurately.

This is a powerful point of difference for the POS software as serial number tracking is not common in POS software solutions.

Developed originally for jewellers, the serial number tracking facilities have been found to be useful for bike retailers, farm supply businesses, firearms dealers, collectible businesses, sewing machine business and more.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Find out more at our POS software business website: www.towersystems.com.au.

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Comparing Epos Now to Tower Systems POS software

November 13, 2023
2 Min read
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We are asked to compare our software to other software from time to time. Over the weekend it was Epos Now we were asked to compare our POS software to.

We’ve not used Epos Now. But we have checked out the facilities listed on their website, and compared these to what we know about our software.

Here are the things we would highlight to anyone considering Epos Now for their business in Australia.

  • We are an Australian software company making software here for local Aussie businesses.
  • Our customer service support in Australian based.
  • There is no extra cost for being able to import invoices or stock files.
  • There is no extra cost to link to Shopify, Big Commerce or others with which we have an integration.
  • There is no extra cost for delivery management facilities.
  • There is no extra cost for integrations to accounting or roster management apps.
  • There is no extra cost for loyalty facilities.
  • There is no lock-in contract, no minimum contract period, no requirement that you give any notice period.
  • You can choose your own hardware.
  • You are not required to use any specific payments platform.
  • There is a library of up to date training videos for you and your staff to learn when and where they choose.
  • The Tower Systems contract is 2 pages long, and it’s in plain English.
  • Our price is our price. There is no pricing time-bomb, no pressure deal, nothing seeking to get you to say yes right away.

Take your time, consider your software needs, ensure that the software meets your needs. Then, read the contract. Only then, if you are happy, proceed with the software of your choice.

Choosing the right software fort your business is a vital business decision. Get it right and you could prosper. Get it wrong and your costs could be far more than you are prepared for.

If you are comparing Epos Now and Tower Systems POS software, talk to a human. Tower Systems is human staffed, with locals. We love talking. retail with retailers. If we think we’re not right for you, we will say so right away.

We are no pressure POS software company.  We want retailers to be happy, confident and prosperous.

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Lessons for local small business retailers from the Optus outage

November 10, 2023
2 Min read
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While the actual cause of the Optus outage on Wednesday has not yet been detailed, the outage itself encourages us to work on our businesses, to ensure we are better protected.

  1. Check your network. Make sure routers are current. Talk to your ISP about a more current replacement.
  2. Check your computers. Dust is a killer. Power off, remove the cover, take it outside and use a can of air to clean.
  3. Document your computer’s and network. List everything you have and who is responsible for each. We often receive support calls for items not supplied by us and not known about by us.
  4. Check your backups. Get the most recent one restored to ensure it is backing up everything you need.
  5. Use a cloud backup service for in-store and offsite storage.
  6. Have a plan. If your network, computer system or EFTPOS is down, what’s your plan? Document it. Train all staff. Make sure everyone knows the plan and where to find it.
  7. Consider redundancies, like a mobile phone on a different network in case your main network is down, a secondary EFTPOS box for payments should that be down.

First responders are good at what they do because they plan and drill, such that responding is muscle-memory. What happened with Optus is a reminder to be prepared in local retail so you are less impacted.

This advice was first provided to Tower Systems POS software customers in a customer support email. It’s good advice any business could / should follow at the very least. We kept it brief to ensure it’s read and actioned. We kept the language simple to ensure it is accessible to all.

For sure we have no real idea what caused the Optus outage. But we do know that following this advice we have shared will better prepare local retail businesses for tech challenges they may face themselves.

The best time to prepare for a disaster, no matter how big or small, is well in advance of the disaster. The steps we have outlined here are simple to follow and achievable in any business regardless of technical skill set.

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Do good in the community with charity boxed Christmas cards

November 10, 2023
3 Min read
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Christmas all about connecting with others, and what better way than through a charity boxed Christmas card.

At www.myornaments.com.au we offer charity boxed Christmas cards. This is a website we built, connected to a shop we run. That’s right, we are a POS software company that runs shops and online businesses. We do this to walk in the shoes of our customers.

If you’re looking for a way to make your Christmas greetings extra special, consider buying charity boxed Christmas cards as each box purchased supports a local Aussie charity, enhancing the good delivered through your purchase and sending of the cards.

The charity boxed Christmas cards support many charities and they’re often printed right here in Australia, so you can feel good about supporting your local community.

At MyOrnaments, we have a wide selection of charity boxed Christmas cards to choose from, with many different packs available. We also offer a variety of designs and price points, so you’re sure to find the perfect cards for your loved ones.

Whether you’re sending cards to clients, staff, or community members, charity boxed Christmas cards are a great way to show your appreciation and support. And with so many different charities to choose from, you can find a card that benefits a cause that’s close to your heart.

What we are doing with charity boxed Christmas cards at our www.myornaments.com.au website is another example of how Tower Systems plays outside what is usual for a POS software company. By using the software and websites we make ourselves we are thankful to have a user perspective on our software and services. This changes what we do and how we do it.

You can’t buy the insights of someone using your software. We have learnt so much by being our own customer, not only selling charity boxed Christmas cards at www.myornaments.com.au but with so many other things we do in businesses we run that use our POS software.

Managing inventory, connecting to the POS, calculating freight and handling special price point offers is part of what Tower Systems has created at the MyOrnaments shop and part of what brings the charity boxed Christmas card 0ffer to life. We are proud to have this website as part of our calling card mix of websites we have developed, to show the comprehensive nature of what we  offer.

Now, think about buying charity boxed Christmas cards for your customers, friends, neighbours and others this Christmas and spreading not only greetings but the feeling of doing good in the community. That’s a wonderful Christmas spirit.

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Tower Systems first with Linkly Cloud POS software integration

November 10, 2023
2 Min read
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We are grateful for the opportunity and proud to deliver a world first – a POS software integration with Linkly Cloud.

That’s right, we have retailers live with our Tower Systems POS software connected to Linkly Cloud for EFTPOS transactions.

Tower Systems makes POS software for specialty retailers in a range of local specialty retail channels.

Linkly is all about Making every payment seamless.

Together, we have delivered a solution that helps retailers save time, cut mistakes and more easily compete with big business.

Local retailers keen for a seamless payee its integration and needing a POS solution that is capable, functional, enhanced and reliable – the Tower Systems Linkly Cloud partnership is worth considering.

Tower Systems integrated EFTPOS, connects your Retailer Point of Sale with your EFTPOS terminal, making it the fastest and easiest way to sell.

Tower Systems is not prescriptive to its retail business customers as to what payment gateway must be used. We let our retailers choose what is right for them. There is no financial penalty flowing from their choice either. Payments is their choice. We focus on making money from our software.

Being the first in the world to deliver this solution sees us helping those who will come after us. We’ve made it easier for them. We love being the innovators and appreciate the opportunities this affords us along the way.

Our purpose is to empower local retailers to thrive.

Almost everyone working at Tower Systems has experience working in local indie retail. All of our customers get a say in software enhancements.

We know the more we help local retailers thrive the more they will help us thrive.

We know that our software can make a difference in businesses for which it is made, and that our training and support can help businesses thrive.

Our software is made for specialty retailers, retailers in a range of channels like jewellers, garden centres, bike shops, toy shops, newsagents, pet shops, music shops, sewing shops, clothing shops, pool maintenance shops, garden landscape businesses, produce businesses, stockfeed businesses and fishing and outdoor shops.

If you are looking for a secure, fast and time-saving payments integration, Linlkly Cloud connected to the Tower Systems POS software is worth considering.

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17 ways POS software from Tower Systems helps local retailers thrive

November 9, 2023
3 Min read
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There are more than 17 ways local small business retailers can promote and market their local retail shops using the Tower Systems POS software, many more than 17 ways.

But, since we needed a catchy headline for this blog post, we figured we would list 17 for you, because 17 is authentic, and that is what we are, authentic. We are a local Aussie PSO software company that makes and supports POS software for local Aussie retailers.

Let’s get into it. Here are 17 ways local small business retailers can market their shops using POS software from Tower Systems:

  1. Include a promotional message on receipts. This image, or text, is auto-served, making the passive paper document a sales tool, giving you a good reason to include receipts.
  2. Send emails to customers based on past purchases.
  3. Send emails to customers based on timing indicating their next purchase is due.
  4. Sending emails to groups of customers with common interests inviting them to a shared event.
  5. Bundling and promoting BOGO, buy one get one free, or similar.
  6. Running a coffee cards loyalty stamp program but without the stamps. The more people buy, the closer they are to redeeming their free gift or purchase.
  7. Running discount vouchers that offer cash off the next purchase based on this purchase.
  8. Bundling kits made of individual items that then look like products unique to your business and therefore pitch you in a different light.
  9. Sharing product use information thereby adding value to the relationship with your business.
  10. Shopper loyalty. Old school. Points based. Collect points. redeem. Get stickier with a business.
  11. Converting loyalty points to vouchers and tending these to shoppers to encourage them to return, and spend.
  12. Sell online through a seamless Shopify link and through this reach people who do not shop locally near you.
  13. Manage tracking purchases by local club members encouraging the club and club members to support your business.
  14. See what sells with what and change product locations in the shop to leverage these data insights.
  15. Show shoppers using your software what is sourced locally, thereby encouraging local connectivity.
  16. Replenish so you have stock people want. Empty shelves can’t be sold. Replenishment is a marketing activity.
  17. Share local product use advice and insights with items you sell so people get more form their use.

We have shared this list as encouragement for any local indie small business retailer considering how they can promote their business.

Tower Systems makes POS software for local small business retailers. Our goal is to help you thrive.

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POS software connected websites

November 8, 2023
1 Min read
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We are proud to have delivered hundreds of websites for customers. We do this on a fixed price basis. The two e-commerce platforms we love the lost are Shopify and Big Commerce.

Here’s a list of more recently delivered new or significantly enhanced websites:

We have plenty more under development, across a range of retail channels and delivering access to a variety of tech. innovation. We bring our software development skills to our web development, providing solutions in a range of settings and to many different needs.

If you’d like to consider a new website for your business, please email sales@towersystems.com.au and we will get back to you.

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Garden centre software Evergreen Connect integration from Tower Systems helps garden centres thrive

November 5, 2023
3 Min read
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Tower Systems, a leading provider of POS software for garden centres, is helping more garden centres with its successful integration with Evergreen Connect for electronic invoices. This integration allows garden centres to import their Evergreen Connect invoices directly into their Tower Systems POS software, saving them time and money, and reducing mistakes.

Evergreen Connect is solution for plant stock sourcing. They aim to be the largest greenlife database in Australia and New Zealand with up to date information on who’s got what, where it is, and how to get it. At Evergreen Connect they pride themselves on using current technology to ensure up to date plant sourcing and supply information is easily available to the wholesale and retail nursery market and landscape industries.

The Tower Systems garden centre POS software is rich in features for garden centres, loaded with tools and reports that can help garden centre owners and staff run a more efficient and successful business. The software evolves through regular updates. Many of the changes delivered in the updates are suggested direct to their development team by their users. It’s a transparent and democratic process.

The integration of Tower Systems garden centre POS software with Evergreen Connect provides a number of benefits for garden centres, including:

  • Save time and money by importing invoices directly into your POS software
  • Improve accuracy by eliminating the need to manually enter invoice data
  • Streamline your workflow by automating the invoice process
  • Access to real-time data about your invoices
  • Fewer mistakes
  • Peace of mind
  • Consistency of data

The Evergreen Connect Garden Centre POS software integration from Tower Systems is another beneficial integration delivered by Tower Systems for specialty retailers in Australia and New Zealand. There is no extra cost for the integration, no unique or specialty tech requirements. All Garden Centres using the Tower Systems POS software have access to this.

The Garden Centre software from Tower Systems is benefits rich, including:

  1. Dispatch management tools: Effectively manage multiple trucks and deliveries per truck, ensuring smooth logistics for your business. Integration with Allotrac takes dispatch management to the next level.
  2. Loyalty marketing: Engage and retain customers with loyalty programs specifically designed for garden centres, helping you build lasting relationships and increase sales.
  3. Bulk material tracking: Easily track the purchase of raw materials in bulk, as well as the mixing and packaging of your own products, ensuring accurate inventory management.
  4. Local plant care information: Enhance customer experience by providing plant care information on receipts, enabling your customers to care for their purchases effectively.
  5. Flexible selling options: Sell products by weight, length, and even fractions, accommodating the diverse needs of your customers.
  6. Weatherproof product labels: Ensure your product labels withstand outdoor conditions, providing clear and legible information for your customers.
  7. Integrated roster options: Seamlessly integrate with popular rostering platforms like Deputy, Tanda, and Planday, simplifying employee scheduling and management.
  8. Digital receipts: Offer your customers the convenience of digital receipts through Slyp, reducing paper waste and enhancing the overall shopping experience.
  9. Comprehensive quote and invoice management: Streamline your quoting and invoicing processes with our comprehensive management solutions, ensuring accuracy and efficiency.

We are grateful to the large community of garden centres that we already serve. Their guidance and engagement helps us make better software and deliver more valuable benefits.

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Good gift shop software backed by retail experienced support can help a gift shop business succeed

November 5, 2023
3 Min read
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Choosing software for your gift shop could be among the most important decisions you will ever make for your gift shop business.

It’s not about the price of the gift shop software. rather, it is about the value, what you get from using the gift shop software.

More expensive software might do more, way more, and deliver a better financial return than you get from cheaper gift shop software or even free software.

Our advice for local small business retail gift shop owners in the form of questions to ask when considering new POS software for their gift shop, and, indeed, every business decision:

  • Will it make money for the business?
  • Will it save time?
  • Will it make the business more valuable?
  • Will it make you happier?

Here at Tower Systems we make software for Aussie local gift shops, software that helps you make more money, save time, make the business worth more and make you happier.

More important, we back our gift shop software with training by experienced retailers and support from experienced retailers. Our retail experience and experience with gift shops helps local gift shops maximise the value they harvest from using our gift shop software.

We are grateful to already serve more than 3,000 local retailers. We’d love to serve you. Call us on 1300 662 957 or email sales@towersystems.com.au.

From sales to special orders to pre-orders, from Xero integration to digital receipt integration, from loyalty that works to easy shopper postcode tracking, from smart ways to pitch shop local to featuring locally made products … our gift shop software is made for gift retailers, made to help you thrive.

Yes, for sure, good gift shop software backed by retail experienced support can help a gift shop business succeed. This is our goal here at Tower Systems. We love seeing local independent gift shops succeed for when this happens, the owners benefit, those who work in the business benefit, those who supply the business benefit and the local community benefits. we understand this and do our very best to help everyone maximise the opportunity of the gift shop software.

This is a Tower Systems difference, a commitment, something we work on because we live, breathe and understand local independent retail.

We are not your average software company. We are local people ourselves, serving local retailers. This provides a level of understanding that is differentiating, something on which gift shop owners can rely.

Choosing software for your gift shop could be among the most important decisions you will ever make for your gift shop business. Here at Tower Systems we understand and respect this.

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Newsagents are changing the local Aussie newsagency into something you may not recognise

November 5, 2023
4 Min read
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Hey happy Sunday Afternoon. My name is Mark Fetcher. I own Tower Systems and, since 1996, I’ve also owned and run a few newsagency businesses. I guess you could call me a newsagent. But I see the terms newsagent and newsagency as loaded with assumptions in the minds of listeners. Too many people think they what they were decades ago.

They are not.

If you think the local Aussie newsagency is dead, dying or has no future, I am writing this for you. Please take a moment to see that the reality may not match your assumptions.

Oh, and before we get too far, my POS software company makes software for newsagents to help them run more successful and relevant Newsagency businesses. We’re good at it too with three times more newsagents using our software than any other software company.

Now, back to my thoughts about how newsagents are changing their newsagency businesses.

Sure, some newsagencies have closed. The channel remains the biggest independent retail channel in Australia with 2,500+ retail outlets.

Today’s Aussie newsagency is more of a gift and homewares shop than ever before. It offers fun and on-trend gifts from impulse items to collector pieces worth thousands. Yes, there are newsagencies selling items worth thousands of dollars.

You’re still likely to see papers and magazines somewhere, but they are not the traffic drivers they once were. Also, the margin newsagents make from these is paltry as publishers have not kept up.

Some newsagents are big in coffee, and often it’s the best coffee in town. Some are big in pop culture, often being the local go-to shop for licensed product like Pokémon, Harry Potter, Disney and more.

Some are big in self-care, often bringing new brands to town and offering ethically sourced products from small makers.

Some are bookshops more so than newsagencies.

Some sell clothing.

Some are the best toy shop around offering fresh new toys and traditional family-loved staples.

One I know is an awesome baby shop in country Victoria.

Many have online shops that often are not selling the same products as you’ll find in the physical shop.

The local Aussie newsagency has changed, evolved. It’s most likely not what you think. But it is sure to have the best range of cards in town, in the entire region. And, many of these cared are designed and printed in Australia, with words from Australian writers. This matters because the local Aussie newsagency continues to help local Aussies express themselves, provide a hug well into the future as those cards given are usually kept.

If you think the local Aussie newsagency is dead, an old business or out of date, seek some out, see for yourself, and while you may find the odd one out of touch or challenged, most you visit will be vibrant, relevant, fun and appreciated. You’re likely to find businesses that challenge the expectations of the newsagencyshingle. That’s okay. What’s in a name anyway?!

Please don’t let your memory of years ago cloud what the local Aussie newsagency is today.

In other news, Tower Systems, has delivered more websites for newsagents. Here are some of the recent new websites:

In my own shops we have a number of websites doing terrific business:

All of these are connected to our newsagency software for syncing of inventory and sales between the physical and online shops.

See, the local Aussie newsagency has changed, often thanks to smart tech helping newsagents lead these changes.

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POS software Tyro payments integration helps small business retailers compete

November 5, 2023
2 Min read
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Close to 1,000 local small business retailers rely on the integration of Tyro payments with the Tower Systems POS software.

The integration Tower Systems delivers in its POS software to Tyro payments is secure, fast, safe and well proven over many years. Plus, it has been enhanced to be a current level tech solution for small business retailers.

This is an integration delivered without any penalty cost to retailers, without the need for additional software or a per transaction cost.

As a partner of Tyro from the outset of the Tyro business, Tower Systems has been at the forefront of Tyro advances, encouraging the company to innovate as Tower itself has innovated through its small business retail management POS software. The Tyro payments integration today benefits from the championing from Tower.

From the Point of Sale screen in the POS software, Tyro is instantly and easily accessible for contactless payments as well as chip and pin. Customers can also benefit from the Tower Systems entirely portable POS software where POS is taken on the road for out of store sales using a tablet or iPad to access the Tower software and through this Tyro EFTPOS payments platform.

Tower Systems small business retailers love Tyro EFTPOS for its speed, accuracy, ease of use and settlement options.

The Tyro EFTPOS payments / Tower Systems partnership is one on which small business retailers can rely as an alternative to the big bank approach. It’s fast, secure, safe and time saving. It is a solution for these times, an alternative to POS solutions that impose per transaction costs for payments processing.

More Point of Sale (POS) software companies have shifted focus to sourcing revenue from each transaction completed in retail businesses using their software.

Some even impose a penalty on retailers who choose to use payment methods that do not provide the software company the revenue share.

We think this is what makes the approach a tax. It’s a cost of business retailers using such POS software systems are unable to avoid, unless they switch software.

The integration delivered with Tyro payments is fine of plenty of payments platform integration from Tower Systems. We think it is vital that retailers get to choose the payments platform that works best for their business needs.

Tower Systems is a software company, not a tax collector.

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