The POS Software Blog

The POS Software Blog

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

Latest stories

How do you know you can trust a POS software company?

January 3, 2024
2 Min read
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This is a good question from any small business retailer: How do you know you can trust a POS software company?

The answer can be found in the evidence available for any POS software company you consider.

Transparency = trust. A POS software company that trusts its products and support enough to publish the owner’s direct contact details, phone and email, has to be a company you can trust.

Of course we would say that. It’s what we do at Tower Systems. Our owner’s contact details are on this website, all of our customer emails, all of our customer newsletters and plenty of the marketing that we publish.

It’s rare. Check out other POS software comp ties and most do not publish this. In fact, most do not provide direct contact details for most of their leadership team. It’s like they don’t want you top contact a decision maker in their business.

We do it because we trust our software and we trust our help desk team. Also, we trust small business retailers and enjoy serving them.

Now to be clear, here are the details: Mark Fletcher. 0418 321 338. mark@towersystems.com.au.

Personal service is a key differentiator in local small business retail. The same is true for businesses serving local small business retailers. We know that personal service matters. This is why we make it easy for people to contact not only our owner but all members of our Tower Systems community that serves small business retailers.

Whether it is by phone, email, online chat, WeChat, Zoom, Loom comment, social media comment or in some other way, we are accessible and in service of small business retailers using our POS software.

Ease of contact is a useful comparison point when considering different POS software solutions for your business. You want to be sure that if you have a query it will be responded to in a time efficient way, and by the person best positioned to answer the query. Here at Tower Systems we have a triage approach to ensure that we get your query in front of the person most skilled to answer it for you.

Transparency does equal trust when it comes to comparing POS software for your business.

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If your shop is quiet this week here’s a perfect use of spare time: reduce the dead stock weighing you down

January 2, 2024
2 Min read
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We showed a retailer that more than 25% of the stock in their business was underperforming to the point that it was seriously loss making. There’s a tab on our insights dashboard that shows this.

This first week of the year is a good time to check it, to see if you have dead stock in your shop.

You don’t have to run a report or analyse data in any complex way. Click on the tab and it’s there for you, good or bad.

In the business mentioned above, the dead stock represented more than forty thousand dollars, $40,000, sitting, waiting, doing nothing, failing.

Tower Systems is not your usual POS software company. Sure, we show how to use the software. But, we also offer advice from a business management perspective – how to use the software to drive value for the business and its owners. We do this from the position of being retailers ourselves. We can speak to our experiences in our shops.

We own and run shops where we use our software ourselves.n We provide practical advice to our POS software customers based on our own experiences.

That’s what we do in this dead stock situation. Plus, we draw on decades of practical help to other retailers.

Our advice is to look at dead stock / the age of stock every 3 months. You soon learn the value of buying based on data evidence in the business and being cautious when exploring new product lines.

Your software can guide you to make decisions more likely to work, and less likely to result in dead stock.

We have been working with retailers for many years and continue to be surprised at the disinterest of many retailers in the extent and cost of dead stock in their businesses.

When we bought a retail business a few years back we had written into the contract a cascading discounts for existing stock based on its age beyond 6 months. In that business, more than half the stock had been there for 6 months.

Dead stock costs the business today, and when you come to sell.

In our POS software and thanks to our personal training we help retailers reduce the cost of dead stock in their businesses.

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POS software for Papua New Guinea retailers

December 27, 2023
2 Min read
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We are grateful to supply POS software to retailers in Papua New Guinea.

Each of our specialty retail POS software solutions is available for independent retailers in Papua New Guinea. We support them via our Australian based help desk and they have access to our full suite of services including training, support, access to our knowledge base and access to our self-paces video training curriculum.

Our service of retailers in Papua New Guinea with POS software is current with our most recent engagement just a few weeks ago.

Thanks to cloud based services and our easy to access customer service team we are able serve PNG customers easily.

Jewellers, pet shops, bike shops, garden centres, gift shops, tourist shops, music shops, bookshops, toy shops and produce businesses in Papua New Guinea can all rely on our Tower Systems software and the backup service that we provide.

We make contact with our crew easy to use tech tools like Zoom, Loom, Teams, WeChat and more. This, of course, is in addition to email, chat and other contact pathways.

We don’t only serve retailers in Papua New Guinea with our POS software, we have plenty of customers in New Zealand as well as customers in the Cook Islands and Fiji.

It is the specialty retail facilities in our POS software that local small business retailers in these near countries like. Facilities such as repairs tracking and management, product serial number tracking, smart loyalty tools, dispatch management, integrated EFTPOS, business KPI tracking and comparison, retail theft mitigation, Xero integration, roster management integration and e-commerce sales via Shopify, Magento, WooCommerce and Big Commerce, to name a few.

Tower Systems POS software caters specifically to the needs of independent local retailers, including those in Papua New Guinea, offering user-friendly tools, valuable insights, and easy to access support to help them manage their business efficiently and grow their customer base.

  • Affordable pricing: Offers competitive pricing plans to suit different budgets.
  • No lock-in contracts: No long-term contracts, so you can switch if needed.
  • Secure and reliable: Data is stored securely in the cloud with regular backups.
  • Pay as you go.

We are grateful to serve retailers in Papua New Guinea with our POS software and look forward to welcoming more in 2024.

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Helping local small business retailers win with a Boxing Day Sale

December 26, 2023
3 Min read
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Here are 5 good reasons local small business retailers should embrace the Boxing Day Sale opportunity even if Boxing Day Sales are not a thing in their part of the world.

  1. Marketing costs nothing since you can ride on the coattails of the big retailers promoting their Boxing Day Sales.
  2. You can quit items you no longer wish to stock.
  3. You can free up cash on the items you have long since paid for.
  4. Customers love an opportunity for a bargain.
  5. A successful sale gives you an opportunity for a retail reset, which can be refreshing, motivating and decluttering for the shop space.

There are no rules about what you should sell in a Boxing Day Sale. The only rule, my made-up rule actually, relates to value – you have to price items such that they represent genuine value for shoppers, give them an excellent opportunity to save money that they quickly understand.

Fill the front half of your shop with deals – no matter what type of business you are in.

Don’t spend any money on promotion. rather, email your customers, put a notice on social media. Put signs in your font window. Keep it simple. Announce the sale.

In terms of pricing, keep it simple too. Know what your customers will understand. Some will prefer half price over 50% off or two for one. Others will gravitate toward tables at a fixed price such as $10, $25, $50 etc where the items on the tables are market at prices two times the price point of the table.

Now, if you are closed today, December 26, start your sale tomorrow. It’s easy. Don’t be worried about the technicality that tomorrow is not Boxing Day. Jump on the bandwagon. Declutter, clean up and make some money.

Now, our POS software makes it easy for you to prove items for aa Boxing Day Sale, our POS software can run a catalogue for you, offering sale prices for items you select, and for the period of the sale in your business. Our POS software also helps with reporting on the success of the sale.

And, with a Boxing Day Sale, when you use our POS software you can. Give shoppers a voucher with some money off their next purchase – to bring first-time and infrequent shoppers back into the business. That’s a bonus from running a Boxing Day Sale, the opportunity to bring those new faces back into the shop.

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Off to celebrate Christmas

December 22, 2023
1 Min read
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Our office is now closed until December 27. If you have any urgent need for support, please call any of our office numbers and we will connect you with one of our after hours team members.

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Music shop software hits the right note for local music shops

December 22, 2023
3 Min read
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Local Aussie made and supported music shop software you can rely on.

Tower Systems is based in Hawthorn Victoria. We make and support the software we offer.

We make and support software for 16 different retail channels and serve 3,500+ retailers. This matters because you can rely on us to be here for you.

Our music shop software offers facilities on which you can rely such as:

  • Managing special orders for customers.
  • Tracking repairs.
  • Club / school / music teacher grouping pricing: easily attract and service group members.
  • Bundle products to sell more.
  • Record product serial numbers.
  • Shopper loyalty tools tuned for your type of business.
  • Helping you market to customers based on past purchases.
  • Sell and manage services.
  • Link to a Shopify, Big Commerce or Woo website.
  • Low cost EFTPOS option.
  • No cost EFTPOS option.
  • Easily link to Xero for accounting.

This music shop software costs $205.00 a month (including GST).

There is no extra cost for additional terminals. No extra cost for access to the help desk.

Every customer has free access to a library of training videos, structured into a curriculum – making training easy, especially for new staff.

Click on this QR code to see a demo of our music shop software.

You don’t have to log in or provide any details. You can watch it right away. We’d also love to personally demonstrate the software to you, answering your questions about your business needs.

Call 1300 662 957 or email sales@towersystems.com.au.

We’d love to help you run a more enjoyable music shop, one that makes more money for you and those the business supports.

We offer more than our music shop software. For example, Every Tower customer has free access to our FindIt online marketplace, helping attract more in-store shoppers.

When you are ready, we’d love to show you our Music Shop Software and through that show you answers to other questions you have.

Are you Australian based? Yes.

Do you make your software? Yes.

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.

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Small business retail advice: help! No one engaged with my social media posts

December 21, 2023
2 Min read
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If people don’t engage with your social media posts it is probably because your posts suck.

People use social media for entertainment. You need to share more entertaining content.

Think about the how of what you sell: How do I use it? How do I care for it? How do I maintain it? Show your products in use; show the outcome, as that sets aspirations that can drive sales.

Show fun ways people can engage with what you sell, especially if these fun ways make fun of you. Having fun in social media content entertains and people use social to be entertained.

Practical social media advice:

  • Be yourself.
  • Be grateful.
  • Have fun.
  • Make fun of yourself every so often.
  • Never post a photo showing too many products. People won’t spend the time zooming in. Stick to one product per photo, and make it good, with the product the hero.
  • Don’t pity post—you know, the oh-poor-me type posts where you can come across as a complainer.
  • Don’t tell people to come buy something. Instead, share people why you love something, how it makes you feel, and what it means to you.
  • Don’t write too much.
  • Ignore advice from social media experts about what to write and when to post.
  • Write from your heart, and post any time.
  • Support your local community in your posts, and support other locally owned businesses near you.
  • Don’t use AI, we can tell.

If a particular type of post doesn’t work, don’t repeat that topic and/or style. Do something different.

Eventually, you will see what works best, and once you do, do more of that.

For ideas, look at social media pages for businesses near you. Look particularly at those with many more followers and more post engagement. Learn from their examples.

Don’t expect to be a social media expert right away, Take your time. Learn. Fall. Pick yourself up. Learn.

The world is full of those who claim to be expert at social media. It’s likely these people are not experts despite a certificate. Anyone can print a certificate. Success is shows in actions, and not words.

We are not social media gurus or experts. we know what works for us in our software company and for the various shops and online businesses we run. The advice we have shared here is advice that has worked for us.

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Auto fulfilment helps local retailers have stock just in time with less capital spent

December 20, 2023
2 Min read
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The work we have done for retailers and suppliers in the space of auto fulfilment of inventory saves time and money. .

There is evidence that auto inventory fulfilment increases retail sales, benefiting the connected local retailer and the partner supplier. This truly is a win win.

It all starts with good and capable POS software that is tuned to provide the necessary data flow to sit at the bottom of the auto inventory fulfilment relationship.

This is work we have done for years. It has continued to be enhanced as different needs have emerged in this contexts space.

What is auto inventory fulfilment?

It’s simple really, sales data flows from the local retail business to the partner supplier and once inventory in the story hits a trigger point, the supplier targets fulfilment based on agreed rules and processes.

This works well when a supplier supplies a range of products – allowing for the order needs for items to be grouped together for a more efficient delivery.

The retailer can see the sales data in their POS software as can the supplier in their IT systems. Nothing is shared about products related to any other supplier.

Auto inventory fulfilment can leverage just in time opportunities, reduce inventory investment by the local small business retailer, save space and save time.

It can help the supplier with supply management and manufacturing if they make what they sell.

The keys here are efficiency of space, capital and labour. And, of course, POS software is at the heart of it. Everyone involved benefits -t the local small business retailer using smartphones POS software and their IT connected suppliers.

Auto inventory fulfilment facilitated through POS software is another innovation available to local small business retailers, it is something big retailers have had access to for many years.

Tower Systems is grateful to offer specialised retail POS software for garden centres, sewing shops, music shops, pool maintenance and supply businesses, produce businesses, fishing bait and tackle businesses, firearms dealers, newsagents, pet shops, adult shops, bookshops, jewellers, toy shops and more.

Our customers are local family run businesses across Australia and New Zealand.

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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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