The POS Software Blog

The POS Software Blog

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

Latest stories

POS software for clothing shops helps local fashion retailers benefit

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Tower Systems makes POS software for local independent clothing shops and fashion retailers. This software is designed to help these locally serving businesses thrive.

From engaging loyalty tools to inventory management facilities specifically for clothing shops to insights that help local retailers quickly understand business performance, this software has local clothing shops at its heart.

Made and supported by Tower Systems and only sold to local indie retailers, this clothing shop software / fashion retail POS software / apparel shop software is aimed at local shops that are vital for local communities.

While this POS software for fashion shops handles managing inventory by colour, size and style as you would expect, it offers more in serving of helping local fashion retailers better serve.

There are facilities for:

  • Managing alterations if your clothing shop does these in-house or outsources them.
  • Easily including clothing care instructions on receipts as another service to customers.
  • Bundling options for shoppers who may purchase a whole outfit.
  • Loyalty tools that enable the business to differentiate from common mass loyalty tools.
  • Report on sales by brand. This is in addition to tracking sales by wholesaler / supplier.

This POS software for clothing shops does more than this.

For online sales it links to Shopify, Big Commerce, Woo Commerce and Magento. For easy P&L and Balance Sheet reporting, it links to Xero. For roster management there is Deputy and Tanda. For shipping there are several platform options. For digital receipts there is Slyp.

This is well connected POS software for clothing shops, fashion shops and apparel shops. It’s software designed to help these local businesses thrive.

Priced at $185 a month, this software is competitive. There is no extra cost for more terminals, no extra cost for advanced reporting, no extra cost for loyalty tools, no lock in an expensive EFTPOS platform, no extra cost for personal support. Plus, the rental can be cancelled at any time – the business is not locked in.

To help make learning for new employees easy, there is a library of current short topic-specific videos that guide learning how to use the software. This makes training new team members and ensures consistency of knowledge – so that the business benefits.

Here’s what’s included in the monthly rental cost for this clothing shop software: software licences for unlimited computers in the location, help desk support (by phone or email) 6 days a week (including Saturday), access to a comprehensive support knowledge base, after hours support call access for urgent system down queries, access to our Shopify, Xero and other integrations, access to our supplier invoice import tools.

Serving clothing, apparel and fashion of all sizes in all situations, from kiosk to high-end, the Tower Systems fashion / apparel POS software serves a broad range of needs.

An alternative to Epos Now software from Tower Systems

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Tower Systems is an Aussie POS software company that offers a POS software alternative to the Epos Now POS software.

If you are looking for an alternative to Epos Now software, take a moment to consider the Tower Systems alternative. We do not know Epos Now software and have not used it ourselves in our own shops. But we do know our Tower Systems POS software and we have used that in our own shops.

Tower Systems today serves more than 3,000 retailers with POS software and, yes, some of those have switched from Epos Now after looking for an Epos Now alternative.

If you are looking for an alternative to Epos Now, take the time to note down what you want and what you do not want. Do this before you look at any alternative./ be sure of these things and firm in lines you will not cross. It is an important decision and it is better for you and your business if you are truly sure about what you want and do not want.

Switching software is time consuming in terms of the data and the learning. You want to be sure it is right. We will not pressure you at all. We want you to make any decision to switch from Epos Now to be what you want and in the timing of your choice.

Here’s a bit about Tower Systems, our software and how we do business.

  • We’re an Aussie POS company offering support from our own help desk team here in Australia.
  • The terms used in our software are Aussie terms.
  • There is no lock-in contract. It’s month to month. You can cancel at any time.
  • Cancelling is very easy. No fine print. No hoops to jump through.
  • For support you can call our office, email us or use the services accessible through our website.
  • Our POS software is updated regularly, usually at least 3 times a year. You can choose whether to update or not.
  • Plenty of POS software update content is drawn from user suggestions.
  • You have access to free training videos.
  • You have access to an awesome knowledgeable with up to date training and advice on how to use the software
  • Our live human based help desk operates 7am to 6pm Monday to Friday and 7:30am to 3pm Saturday.
  • You can use your own hardware.
  • There is no extra cost for extra terminals.
  • There is no extra cost to link to Shopify, Big Commerce, WooCommerce or Magento.
  • There is no extra cost to link to Xero.
  • There is lobo lock-in requirement for integrated EFTPOS service. Choose what’s best for you.

It is important to us that retailers choose the POS software that best serves their needs as that choice is the one that will benefit them the most in the long term. The cheapest POS software may not benefit them the most in the long term, it may cost them more.

If these things matter to you, it may be that Tower Systems is a good alternative to Epos Now. Take your time, check us out.

Now, in terms of our software itself …

  1. Easy stock management, including stone details.
  2. Awesome loyalty tools.
  3. Wonderful business insights.
  4. Club pricing: Helps you attract community group members.
  5. BOGO: Increase sales with buy this and get that bundling.
  6. Warranty: Track details and leverage this for customer service.
  7. Sell anywhere: Using our Retailer RoamTM sell anywhere app.
  8. Seasonal reordering: Reorder inventory based on seasonal sales.

Using this software, you have access to:

  • Sell by fractions.
  • Sell online, easily. Our Shopify integration is seamless, official and easy to use and manage.
  • Special orders: sell in advance of having physical stock to sell.
  • Repair facilities through which you can track and manage repairs.
  • Secondhand goods. Easy accurate record keeping.
  • Colour / size / style: smart and efficient inventory tracking.
  • Event marketing through which you can create contact lists of customers based on anniversary, birthday and other life event dates.

The rental can be cancelled at any time. There is no annual payment.

Our service is personal. Call us, and a human answers. Visit our head office, and we’ll welcome you in for a chat. Email us, and we will respond.

Check us out:

  • Website: www.towersystems.com.au
  • Sales team: sales@towersystems.com.au or 1300 662 957
  • Our Managing Director: 0418 321 338

Thanks for reading. Have an awesome Sunday!

PS. We only engage with local small business retailers. That is our area of specialisation. This ensures we are committed to serving local business needs and not the needs if a large corporate customer over the needs of a local small business retailer.

Alternative to Lightspeed POS software

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If you are looking for an alternative to Lightspeed POS software, Tower Systems may be worth considering.

We serve 3,000+ local small business retailers in a variety of specialty retail channels. We only serve local small business retailers. Every one of our customers is as important as the other.

There is no big business dominating what we do.

Also, being locally owned, decisions we make serve our customers as we know that serving them helps us grow. We are not serving share price growth for a large corporation.

But back to considering an alternative to Lightspeed POS, the best way is to be sure of what you want first. Why are you looking for an alternative to Lightspeed POS. When you look at other POS solutions, start there, start with what you want that is different to Lightspeed POS.

Having welcomed businesses looking for an alternative to Lightspeed POS software we have some headline notes about Tower Systems that may be of interest:

  • We’re human. Contact us by phone, email or in person (yes, come visit us in Hawthorn Victoria) and a human responds, and we use our real names.
  • We don’t outsource our help desk. They are all our people, serving only local small business retailers.
  • Our POS software integrates with all the banks including CBA – Commonwealth Bank, Westpac, NAB – National Australia Bank, ANZ, Tyro, Suncorp, Bendigo Bank and more.
  • Link direct to Zero for no extra cost. We are a Xero partner.
  • Link direct to Shopify, Big Commerce, WooCommerce, Magento for online sales. For no extra cost.
  • No extra cost for additional POS terminals.
  • No extra cost for marketing and loyalty tools.
  • No extra cost for business performance insights.
  • Direct human contact for support.
  • You control when your POS software is updated.
  • Easy access to free training.

if you are looking for a Lightspeed POS software alternative, the team at Tower Systems will be keen to learn of what matters to you and to show what Tower Systems offers.

Here are some other benefits of the Tower Systems POS software:

  1. Comprehensive stock management, including unique details.
  2. Club pricing: Helps you attract community group members.
  3. BOGO: Increase sales with buy this and get that bundling.
  4. Warranty: Track details and leverage this for customer service.
  5. Sell anywhere: Using our Retailer RoamTM sell anywhere app.
  6. Seasonal reordering: Reorder inventory based on seasonal sales.

Using this software for local small business retailers have access to:

  • Loyalty facilities through which you can genuinely differentiate your business, … shoppers respond to the levers you can pull.
  • Sell online, easily. Our Shopify, Big Commerce, Magento and WooCommerce integrations are seamless, official and easy to use and manage.
  • Special orders: sell in advance of having physical stock to sell.
  • Repair facilities through which you can track and manage repairs.
  • Secondhand goods. Easy accurate record keeping.
  • Colour / size / style: smart and efficient inventory tracking.
  • Event marketing through which you can create contact lists of customers based on anniversary, birthday and other life event dates.

The rental can be cancelled at any time. There is no annual payment.

Is Tower Systems a good alternative to Lightspeed POS software? We don’t know. Only you can know that for your business. We will show you everything you want. But the decision is yours to make, in your own time.

Here at Tower Systems we’re a no pressure POS software company. We’d love to find out about your needs, show you our software and leave you be while you consider. take your time. When you need us we will be here, in person, ourselves – and not through an offshore call centre.

Our service is personal. Call us, and a human answers. Visit our head office, and we’ll welcome you in for a chat. Email us, and we will respond.

Check us out:

  • Website: www.towersystems.com.au
  • Sales team: sales@towersystems.com.au or 1300 662 957
  • Our Managing Director: 0418 321 338

Thanks for reading. Have an awesome Saturday!

Alternative to Vend POS software for retailers

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If you are using Vend POS software and looking for an alternative, the POS software from Tower Systems may be a solution.

Thanks to switching Vend POS software customers to our Tower Systems retailer POS software solution we have some insights as to the differences.

But before you go too far, we urge Vend POS software users looking for an alternative to take a beat and be sure about why you want to switch software. Write the reasons down. Then, write down what you want from the POS software you might switch too.

Too often, retailers make a decision to switch POS software and start looking at options. That is too soon, unless you are absolutely sure of what you want / need. So, take a beat, figure out what you don’t like currently, be clear about what you want next and consider the cost involved in making a switch.

At this point it could be a good time to reach out to Vend, letting them know that you are thinking about moving to a vend alternative POS software solution. They may have solutions for any concerns you have. It’s worth checking.

If you are committed to finding an alternative to your Vend POS software, Tower Systems is here for you, in your own time, at your own pace. Here’s a snapshot about us and our POS software:

  • If you contact us, we respond, ourselves. We don’t outsource here.
  • If you choose our software we train you ourselves. You can choose how much or how little training you want.
  • You can link direct to Xero for no extra cost.
  • You can link to MYOB through a friendly third party.
  • You can link direct to Shopify, Magento, Big Commerce and WooCommerce for o extra cost.
  • You can run extra terminals for no extra cost.
  • We have one price, and you pay it monthly.
  • There is no extra cost for loyalty marketing tools.
  • For EFTPOS, go with whatever bank you want.
  • Regular POS software updates, which go through thorough in house testing prior to beta release to a community of users who test in the field for us and for our customers.
  • POS software update content that is often guided by customer requests.
  • Easy access to our help desk experts. They are all local. They all work for us. They all have years of experience in our software. Many have retail experience too.
  • Easy access to fresh training videos so you can learn to use this POS software at your own pace.
  • Easy access to a knowledge base of more than. 600 articles that offer step by step guidance on how to use the software.
  • EFTPOS integration to the bank of your choice.
  • Access to the growing www.findit.com.au online marketplace for free – helping attract new shoppers into your shop.
  • Easy access to our leadership team – yes, you can directly speak with our key decision makers direct.
  • Easy access to our Zoom based customer meetings where you learn tips and techniques and get to ask the questions that matter to you.
  • Secure access to our exclusive Theft Check service where we dive deep into your transactional data to see if there is evidence of possible employee fraud.
  • Access to our private Facebook group where you can easily talk with other Tower Systems customers.

In our software you can find terrific facilities for handling fractions, selling by weight and length, selling in bulk, selling to accounts, quoting, handling special orders and more.

We welcome the opportunity to provide a demonstration of our POS software. We start with wanting to learn about your business needs, what matters to you. Then, we demonstrate the software, live, going into as much detail as you want. Plus, we record this and share the video with you so that you can provide it to others in your business.

It’s important to us that retailers who choose Tower Systems have made a fully informed decisions as we love long term happy customers.

If you are looking for an alternative to Vend POS software, check us out. We’re a no pressure POS software company. We won’t hunt you down.

For sure Vend POS software has a loyal customer community. We do, too. Our 3,000+ local retail, customers are are a strong community of local retailers.

One benefit all Tower Systems customers have access to is www.findit.com.au – an online marketplace designed to help local shoppers find local retailers with products they are seeking. Access for our customers is free. We have customer telling us that shopper shave found their businesses by doing a Google search and the products they stock and list at FindIt guiding them to visit.

Our service is personal. Call us, and a human answers. Visit our head office, and we’ll welcome you in for a chat. Email us, and we will respond.

Check us out:

  • Website: www.towersystems.com.au
  • Sales team: sales@towersystems.com.au or 1300 662 957
  • Our Managing Director: 0418 321 338

Thanks for reading. Have an awesome Friday!

PS. We only engage with local small business retailers. That is our area of specialisation. This ensures we are committed to serving local business needs and not the needs if a large corporate customer over the needs of a local small business retailer.

MYOB Retail Manager POS software alternative

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We are grateful to welcome more MYOB Retail Manager POS software customers switching to our Tower Systems POS software.

While we have welcomes MYOB Retail Manager customers for years, more are joining our POS software community.

Here at Tower Systems we make POS software for local specialty retailers.

Comparing our POS software toy MYOB Retail Manager you will see differences. We are happy to provide a comprehensive demonstration to anyone, without obligation, so you can dive deep to see if our POS software is a good alternative to MYOB Retail Manager.

In fact, we recommend a personal demonstration as the best way to assess what is best for your business.

Here is what you can expect from us as supplier of POS software to your retail business:

  • Easy access to personal one-on-one training in our POS software.
  • Regular POS software updates, which go through thorough in house testing prior to beta release to a community of users who test in the field for us and for our customers.
  • POS software update content that is often guided by customer requests.
  • Easy access to our help desk experts. They are all local. They all work for us. They all have years of experience in our software. Many have retail experience too.
  • Easy access to fresh training videos so you can learn to use this POS software at your own pace.
  • Easy access to a knowledge base of more than. 600 articles that offer step by step guidance on how to use the software.
  • EFTPOS integration to the bank of your choice.
  • Access to the growing www.findit.com.au online marketplace for free – helping attract new shoppers into your shop.
  • Easy access to our leadership team – yes, you can directly speak with our key decision makers direct.
  • Easy access to our Zoom based customer meetings where you learn tips and techniques and get to ask the questions that matter to you.
  • Secure access to our exclusive Theft Check service where we dive deep into your transactional data to see if there is evidence of possible employee fraud.
  • Access to our private Facebook group where you can easily talk with other Tower Systems customers.

Every Tower Systems customer has access to these benefits and plenty more.

We respect MYOB Retail Manager and the role it has played in helping many retailers run their businesses. If you feel it may be time to make a switch, Tower Systems is here for you. We don’t know if we have the best MYOB Retail Manager alternative software for you, but we will show you what we offer so you can make that assessment for yourself.

Today we serve more than 3,000 locally owned and run POS software solutions in a variety of specialty retail channels. While we have been growing our business since 1981, the POS software that we offer today is very different to where we started.

Our underlying technology is fresh and efficient. Our software is entirely developed by us, here, in-house. And, we are grateful to say that our support is all provided by us too.

If you are using MYOB Retail Manager and considering switching our advice is that you let them know in case they have a solution for any concerns you may have. Sometimes, staying with what you have is a better solution than switching.

If you are committed to switching, make a list of what you do and don’t want from your next POS software and the company providing this. Do this before you start looking.

Here at Tower Systems we’re a no pressure POS software company. We’d love to find out about your needs, show you our software and leave you be while you consider. take your time. When you need us we will be here, in person, ourselves – and not through an offshore call centre.

Our service is personal. Call us, and a human answers. Visit our head office, and we’ll welcome you in for a chat. Email us, and we will respond.

Check us out:

  • Website: www.towersystems.com.au
  • Sales team: sales@towersystems.com.au or 1300 662 957
  • Our Managing Director: 0418 321 338

Thanks for reading. Have an awesome Thursday!

PS. We only engage with local small business retailers. That is our area of specialisation. This ensures we are committed to serving local business needs and not the needs if a large corporate customer over the needs of a local small business retailer.

Bookstore POS software / Bookshop POS software helps local indie bookshops thrive

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Tower Systems is grateful to serve plenty of local indie bookshops with our bookstore POS software.

Using our bookshop POS software / bookstore POS software local bookshops can leverage a range of facilities designed to help the run efficient and enjoyable businesses. Facilities in the POS software made for bookshops and available for $185 (inc. GST) a month include:

  • TitlePage integration for easy lookup.
  • International barcode direct connect for easy lookup.
  • ChatGPT integration for smart product descriptions designed to help with customer searching.
  • Returns management. Returning unsold books can be time consuming. Using our bookshop software, booksellers can identify titles that can be returned based on arrival in-store, sales and current quantity on hand. We provide the insight and the structured approach for handling the return, in a publisher friendly way. The approach in our software has been tested with booksellers, to ensure it is genuinely useful and in line with what is required from suppliers.
  • Pacstream connectivity. From within our bookshop software you have access to Pacstream integration. Ask us to demonstrate this to you, so you can see how it works live and in person. The PacStream platform is robust and commercially beneficial to retailers. Indeed, PacStream access is critical for book retailers.
  • Easy searching of book inventory by title or part of a title.
  • Easy searching by book inventory by author name or part of author name.
  • Structured handling of special orders for customers.

Of course, there is easy to use POS software, excellent insights reporting and more. Our loyalty tools are tuned for the typical frequency of visit in a local bookshop, making this POS software valuable in local bookshops that want to nurture a stickiness with local shoppers.

We serve local booksellers with bookshop software made to help them serve their local communities. Our software helps them position their businesses as locally focussed in unique ways and touchpoints from reader loyalty to special interest focus to local club support to bundle offers. We help local bookshops better serve local readers and those who buy for them.

Beyond the bookshop, our seamless Shopify link helps local booksellers sell online easily and professionally … enabling them to play in the online world and reach shoppers way beyond their local catchment area. We are proud to have delivered bookshop software connected websites that are doing this.

Tower Systems has offered bookshop POS software / bookstore POS software for many years. We are grateful to our customer community for their support and their guidance on ways we can make our software more useful.

Happy Easter

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We’re on Easter break, returning April 11. Our after hours numbers are available for urgent queries. Our self-serve online resources, including videos, advice sheets and our awesome knowledge base are available all through.

If you’re on a break too, have an awesome time. If you’re working, we’ll be available for urgent matters.

Happy Easter!

Aussie made and supported POS software for local Aussie retailers

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This is us, and what we do:

Here’s what’s included in the monthly rental cost: software licences for unlimited computers in the location, help desk support (by phone or email) 6 days a week (including Saturday), access to a comprehensive support knowledge base, after hours support call access for urgent system down queries, access to our Shopify, Xero and other integrations, access to our supplier invoice import tools.

  • Aussie customer service, in Hawthorn, VIC. No call centre.
  • Call us, and a human answers.
  • Email us and a retail knowledgable human responds.
  • Our office is open Monday through Saturday.
  • Month to month rental – no lock in contract.
  • No lock-in EFTPOS contract. You choose the EFTPOS that’s right for your business.
  • Self serve training videos and knowledge base.
  • Low cost training for those who want it.
  • The listed prices include GST and are genuinely monthly – not annual paid up front.

Tower Systems currently serves more than 3,000 local small business Aussie retailers.

It may be that our software is not right for you. The best way to find out is through a personal live demonstration by Zoom. We can organise this for you, record it with you and give you a copy so you can show colleagues and others you’d like to consult.

If we think we are not a good fit for your business we will say so and wish you all the best.

Email us: sales@towersystems.com.au.

Call us: 1300 662 957.

Today, we have a crew of awesome software developers, caring customer service people and a business support crew skilled in serving local indie retailers. Our community of thousands of retailers is a deal well from which we draw strength.

Thanks for reading and have an awesome Wednesday.

Tower Systems helps small business retailers ensure better security for customer credit card data

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One of the biggest costs of hacking of businesses is the access achieved to data that should not have been stored in the first place, data that was no longer necessary to the business.

Software too often has not been designed to protect the data security interests of shoppers, those folks handing over their data.

In our POS software made for local specialty retailers we now even better protect the customer.

When we found the extent to which customers were storing credit card numbers through our software we felt there was no choice to act. This benefits the customers of our customers and makes our customers themselves less of a target as valuable data like credit card numbers is not available.

We let our customers know about this a while back …

In the past, we allowed you to store customer credit card data for various convenience related reasons. However given recent hacks etc it is no longer feasible to allow you to store this data against customers in Retailer. In version 3.2 this data is permanently deleted as part of loading the update.

If you are still using the stored credit card data you will need to migrate this data to another service that can store this data securely before loading the update.

Our recommendation is that you use Stripe (https://stripe.com/au) We use this service ourselves and have found it to be easy to use and very secure.

Anything we can do to help retailers be less of a target and be less exposed to themselves enabling the stealing of valuable customer data is good in our view.

Too often we see software, especially in big businesses, storing data that is not needed beyond the one off use, data that is valuable to criminals who can either on sell it or use it themselves in fraudulent transactions.

Our role as software developers is to provide tools that are useful and socially responsible. The increased incidence of hacking means we need to be more vigilant than ever, to protect our customers and to enable them to protect their customers.

The work we have done in this area of customer data protection goes beyond what we write about here today.

Aussie made and supported software for jewellers

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Have you needed software support and struggled to get through to a human, or at least someone based in Australia?

Is EFTPOS costing you too much?

Has the cost of your software gone up in the last 2 years?

Is selling online challenging?

Tower Systems offers software for jewellers, made in Australia, supported in Australia. If you call or email us, we answer. You’ll always know the name of the person you are specking with.

We don’t lock you in for EFTPOS. You choose what’s best for you.

We don’t force you to pay up front for training you may not need.

Our jeweller software costs $185.00 a month for unlimited terminals (inc GST) and you pay monthly – not a year in advance.

You can cancel any time.

Our jeweller software evolves based on user suggestions.

We don’t pay any marketing group a commission for endorsement.

We provide personal business advice to help you leverage this software.

POS software should help you thrive.

See more of what we do at www.towersystems.com.au/jewellers. Or, call us on 1300 662 957 or email sales@towersystems.com.au.

Here are some other benefits of the Tower Systems jeweller software:

  1. Jeweller stock management, including stone details.
  2. Club pricing: Helps you attract community group members.
  3. BOGO: Increase sales with buy this and get that bundling.
  4. Warranty: Track details and leverage this for customer service.
  5. Sell anywhere: Using our Retailer RoamTM sell anywhere app.
  6. Seasonal reordering: Reorder inventory based on seasonal sales.

Using this software for jewellers, you have access to:

  • Loyalty facilities through which you can genuinely differentiate your business, … shoppers respond to the levers you can pull.
  • Sell online, easily. Our Shopify integration is seamless, official and easy to use and manage.
  • Special orders: sell in advance of having physical stock to sell.
  • Repair facilities through which you can track and manage repairs.
  • Secondhand goods. Easy accurate record keeping.
  • Colour / size / style: smart and efficient inventory tracking.
  • Event marketing through which you can create contact lists of customers based on anniversary, birthday and other life event dates.

The rental can be cancelled at any time. There is no annual payment.

We are grateful to the hundreds of jewellers in our community who have guided us and continue to be a tower of strength in our service is local independent jewellers in Australia.

POS software ChatGPT OpenAI integration saves retailers time

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Early this month, Tower Systems released new software for retailers offering an integration to ChatGPT from OpenAI, the world leading AI tool.

In this first cut of AI integration in local small business POS software, using the optional integration, ChatGPT can generate for extended product descriptions and web descriptions. This is based on the product title that you enter. We have tested it with a range of products. It is a significant time saver.

Retailers who want to type their own descriptions can. The integration is for those looking for product descriptions likely to capture the attention of shoppers, especially those shopping online.

AI is impacting business is many ways, faster now than a few months ago, and it will be faster in a few months than today. Every business will be impacted, whether they know it or not.

While publicly the stories have been about ChatGPT doing homework or passing exams or writing blog posts, there are plenty of smarter business-case uses, like what we have done here.

The Tower software development team has more AI integration options being prepared as this technology offers many business benefits.

There is considerable debate about AI and its use. “We don’t see our job as being a controller of access. We build tools and right now this is a tool more businesses want to play with. Hence, this integration.Mark Fletcher CEO of Tower Systems commented.

“It’s important that we provide retailers with tools they can use to be more efficient, more competitive. AI offers such tools in a rapidly changing retail landscape.”

Also included in this new version of the Tower POS software is new business insights and management tools targeted for retailers keen to grow their businesses. One insight helping retailers is: what am I missing out on?

By tracking product supply and sales history, the Tower POS software is able to quantify the cost of out of stock situations, guiding retailers to address gaps or bumps in their inventory supply chain.

In a trial of this tech the software identified several thousand dollars in certain revenue one retailer could have achieved had they had stock in-store of easily accessible products. Having a hassle free tech prompt to ensure smooth sales can be a money maker for retailers.

Tower Systems serves thousands of local retailers with POS software.

The loyalty program that shoppers and retailers BOTH love

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There are loyalty programs and then there are loyalty programs that actually work for both shoppers and retailers. And, yes, we have a conflict because we offer this type of loyalty program in our small business focussed POS software.

But, first, we also offer the traditional points based loyalty. Yes, it’s what most have. It’s old. People love it. But, what’s a point really worth? No one knows.

In our small business focussed POS software we offer another loyalty program, in addition to points. This is a smart program, one that helps retailers and customers benefit through mutual support and assistance.

In the current economic situation with shrill news reports about interest, rent and inflation, our loyalty program alternative helps shoppers save money and retailers attract more shoppers than usual. It’s a money maker for both, a differentiator, and real win!

They key to the success of our loyalty program loved by shoppers and retailers is that the reward is shown in money, currency, the amount available for people to spend in the shop. You can look at the voucher and know immediately the amount you have available as a reward. If you see 150 points it is likely you have no idea what they are worth whereas when you see $4.50 you know it is worth $4.50.

Our smart POS software works out the reward amount based on what you tell it. You are in control at all times and can make immediate adjustments. Setup can be done in a couple of minutes. Then, you have access to excellent reports that show how shoppers are using the loyalty program. Nothing to spend. Nothing else to do other than engaged with shoppers.

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.

This loyalty program can help you:

  • Get customers spending more in a visit.
  • Bring existing customers back sooner.
  • Attract new shoppers to your business.
  • Drive impulse purchases at the sales counter.

All of this is about a win win – for customers and for local retail business owners. Since 2013 this loyalty program has been in good and wide use, and loved.

Retail business cash flow advice: using POS software to improve your position

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Every day in local small business retail it is vital to focus on cash flow, vital to know where you are at, how you are tracking and what you are doing to maximise your position.

Poor cash flow = poor business performance and rocky roads ahead.

Too often, local small business retailers leave tracking business cash flow to accountants and others who may not be in the business on a day to day basis.

Managing cash flow in local small business retail is a day to day task.

Using the smart POS software from Tower Systems you have access to tools and facilities that help you navigate to a better cash flow performance for the retail business. You don’t need to be an accountant or someone with good financial skills. What do you need to be is an engaged retailer.

In our POS software we help you:

  • Make better business decisions. Decisions like inventory purchasing, shop floor placement, trading hours, loyalty rewards and more.
  • Identity poor performing inventory. Knowing what is not working can stop you reporting that mistake.
  • Knowing when you are likely to sell out. Many retail businesses bmiss absolutely for certain revenue by not having in stock inventory when shoppers wish to purchase.
  • Do more business with more valuable suppliers. Tracking suppliers by financial benefit helps you make more money with and from them./
  • Motivate employees. Employees can make better decisions for your business if you empower them with knowledge.
  • Calibrate business settings to benefit cash flow. When you open and close, who you roster, when you discount, when you price inventory at a higher price … these are all decisions that can be informed by data collected and curated by smart POS software.

These are just some of the ways the Tower Systems POS software can help a local small business retailer improve their cash flow position.

The real benefit when it comes to cash flow and our POS software is the business insights and advice we can provide to those interested. We have hands on retail experience and we will gladly engage this with and for any retailer in our community keen to improve their position, including their cash flow position. We will talk with and work with, one-on-one, with any retailer in our community to help them.

We’re a full service POS software company helping thousands of retailers, and we love it, every day!

Free POS software

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If you are looking for free POS software, Tower Systems is not the right company for you.

We don’t offer free POS software.

Typically, free POS software comes with payment made in other ways, such as being required to use a particular EFTPOS platform or service or being committed to some other cost in the business.

So, you can see, free is not really free. There is no such thing as free POS software.

What any retail business really wants / needs is the best POS software for their business. The best POS software will provide benefits in time and money that make the POS software truly valuable for the retail business.

Now, to be clear, we don’t know if our Tower Systems POS software is the best POS software for your needs. Only you can know that by comparing what our software does to what it is you need from POS software.

Our message today is buyer beware. Don’t get suckered in by a claim of free POS software because, for sure, it will not be free, and it may not be best for you.

We mention this today as we see many retailers in Australia searching for free POS software. It is worrying because every bad experience someone has with POS software.

Here at Tower Systems we want relationships with value at the core. We want to partner with customers we value, and who value us. This mutual respect helps both businesses prosper and if we do prosper then it’s the classic win win. That can’t happen with free as the starting point.

Software developers and help desk professionals cost money. And, you want that because you want good outcomes for your business. These good outcomes flow from good POS software that ids backed by good customer service.

If you look at it from a retail business perspective, you want people in your shop prepared to pay money for what you have on offer. If they don’t have money they are not customers you want. If their wage growth is flat their capacity to spend more is non existent.

All of this feeds into what is a circular economy.

But on price, we are fair, with a modest cost, which has not changed since 2019. So even though we do charge for our POS software, it’s modest and reflective of what we think the good businesses in our target marketplaces can afford.

5 ways small business retailers can deal with high EFTPOS fees

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EFTPOS fees are a cost in retail since you pay your EFTPOS provider, often your bank, a fee for every transaction paid for by a card.

These EFTPOS fees tend to frustrate retailers, especially small business retailers. They eat into revenue, and they impact profitability. This is especially true for the cards that deliver a higher frequent flyer or similar points value to the shopper. Where the shopper benefits the retailer carries the cost.

While retailers can add a fee to any transaction that includes EFTPOS costs, to cover the costs for the business, in this small business retail advice from us today we share 5 ways small business retailers can deal with high EFTPOS fees. This is actionable advice regardless of the POS software you run. It’s based on years of retail experience and in the belief that the best success we can drive for ourselves in local small business retail is that built on a series of reliable small steps, rather than one big step.

Here are our 5 ways small business retailers can deal with high EFTPOS fees

  • Price creep. Look at her you price items. Consider shopper psychology. Consider what people will pay for items. Consider your loyalty program and the value you give back to your shoppers. Often times, considering these factors, retailers can find some modest price increases they can achieve to bank margin that pays for EFTPOS.
  • Grow the basket. Look at your shop and counter configuration. Ensure that you are doing everything possible to guide shoppers to add more to their basket than planned for that visit. Each time you help a shopper spend more than intended is margin dollars you are backing to pay for EFTPOS fees.
  • Bring shoppers back more often. Run a limed based loyalty offer where benefits expire in a few weeks. Give them a reason to come back sooner, more often than they might otherwise come back.
  • Buy better. Embrace settlement discounts where you can. never pass on a discount you receive to shoppers through lower prices. Use data collected and curated by your POS software to spend less on slower turning items and more on faster turning items. The faster the turn the more value you achieve.
  • Review your roster. Next to occupancy cost is the cost of labour in local small business retail. Either trim the roster to reduce costs or reconfigure how labour is used to derive more value for the business.

In making these suggestions we are encouraging local small business retailers to be more active in business decisions, to take a broader view in an effort to reduce any pain felt because of EFTPOS fees.

Sure, it is easy to complain about the EFTPOS fees and look for a cheaper bank – and that may provide relief. More valuable longer term relief will come from better business management and this can be driven by deeper engagement with your POS software.

It is important that you understand the total cost of EFTPOS fees. Sometimes costs can be hidden. For example, it may be that you get a terminal for free and a promise that all fees are surcharged to shoppers, but that may have a business cost, turning off shoppers who do not like surcharged added at the point of sale.

Here at Tower Systems we make POS software for local small business retail, specialty retail. We back this with personal service designed to help retailers deal with the every day, like EFTPOS fees.

The POS Software Blog

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