The POS Software Blog

The POS Software Blog

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

Latest stories

Tower Systems welcomes Kounta POS software customers to its community

November 15, 2022
2 Min read
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We are grateful to welcome Kounta POS software customers to our community of local small business retailers. Our specialty retail POS software appears to serve needs these retailers are keen for, and for that we are truly grateful.

Kounta POS software has served retailers well, especially in the hospitality space. We know retailers who have used it for years. But when asked about switching from Kounta to our Tower Systems POS software, all we can do is show what we do, and let these business owners make o their own mind.

Unlike Kounta, our Tower Systems POS software has not been built for hospitality. No, our focus is specialty retail. Physical product retail in specialty retail channels like jewellers, garden centres, bike shops, toy shops, bookshops, newsagencies, pet stores, firearms dealers, sewing shops, knitting shops, produce businesses, camping goods shops, bait and tackle businesses.

Specialty retail is our mojo, not hospitality like has been the focus for Kounta POS software.

If a Kounta customer wants to look at switching, we demonstrate our software, and we record the demonstration so they can ensure everyone involved on their team gets to see the demonstration for their business. We want people to make informed decisions. Once we have demonstrated our POS software, we answer any questions and leave it up to the business owner to decide what’s next. No pressure. No hassling. No sales push.

We are keen for long term customers and they do not come about through pressure. Our no pressure approach has served us well over the years.

So, if you are using Kounta in your retail business and you are not keen for hospitality specific facilities in your POS software, Tower Systems may be worth considering. Let us know, take your time and see if we can serve your business needs.

Specialty business needs like serial number tracking, selling by fractions, scale integration, fuel integration, dispatch management, visual business performance reporting, theft management and more are part of the specialty retail business solutions in our Tower Systems POS software that has been made solely for local small business retail.

You can reach us at 1300 662 957 or by email at sales@towersystems.com.au.

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Small business retail advice: finding happiness

November 14, 2022
3 Min read
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2022 has been some year for sure, packed with challenges, things that can make your retail business less enjoyable than you hoped.

There’s the challenge of staffing, supply chain delays, changing regulations and more. While 2022 has been a good year for many, it has been a tough year, too, and finding happiness in a tough year can be hard for some.

Tower Systems serves thousands of local small business retailers with POS software. We see retail in many situations and, over time, have learnt from these businesses and the people in them.

There is no doubt for us about the value of being happy in retail. But, it’s not something you can decide to feel. It’s not a switch you can flick.

Finding happiness in retail takes planning and engagement throughout the business. While it does sound like work, it is also about respecting the business and that there will always be challenges, and knowing that being happy can help you get through them.

Here are our tips for finding, nurturing and managing happiness in a local retail shop:

Have good data. Yeah, we know this is a boring topic for many. But as a POS software company with decades of experience we know the value of good data. Good data is your rock. Build on a rock and life is, for sure, good. Good data will make you happier because your decisions will be better, and by better we mean you’ll make more money, and that will make you happier.

Be in control. Stop getting pushed around. If a supplier pushes something on your, use your data to deal in the facts. This, too, will make you happier. Facts matter. Any time someone says fro this or that ask for evidenced preferably in your business data. yes, we are still banking on about the value of good business data.

Price for margin. Maximise when you can.

Price for turn. You can’t bank a gross profit percentage until you sell something. So, price to turn, and bank dollars.

Lean on others. Spread the load, share the responsibility. Hire well. Train well. rely on the team to help you and this will make them happier, you happier and the business a happier place overall.

Set your narrative. In social media posts, stories you share in the business and in your marketing set the tone, set the narrative to be positive, happy and optimistic. This will encourage others to do this too. Own your narrative and own your happiness.

Of course, there is way more everyday practical stuff too: happy music paying, happy window displays, happy product displays, featuring happy products, samples, taste tests, games, fun events, giveaways, competitions … all these things and more can make the shop transactionally happy, which is good, too.

Happiness is good for business and all who interact with it.

Good luck. Now, get out there and smile. 😃

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Compare POS Quotes continues to trade off interest in the Tower Systems POS software

November 10, 2022
2 Min read
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It’s 6:45am Thursday November 10 and the www.compareposquotes.com.au website continues to pay Google to attract people to their website when Tower Systems is typed into a Google search.

These are people searching for us and here is a business spending money to re-direct the search done by those people on their ad platform, in which we do not participate.

The businesses listed at Compare POS quotes pay to be there. These are businesses potentially benefiting from people searching for the Tower Systems name and clicking on the Compare POS Quotes ad.

In our opinion, this is poor business practice, questionable ethically because people in the example we share are searching for us, specifically for us, and the Compare POS Quotes website ad names Tower Systems, suggesting that clicking on their ad will help those searching “find the right Tower Systems” for their business.

We would not do this competitor named and targeted advertising for ethical reasons. But that’s us. Clearly, there are some quite happy to do it, quite happy to try and grow their business based on the interest out there in our Tower Systems POS software solution.

You can see from SEMRush data this morning that the traffic to the Compare POS Quotes website is primarily coming from this paid advertising, and, in our opinion, the traffic is not that much, but you can see that it has recently bounced.

What Compare POS Quotes is doing is like a competitor jumping in front of someone who is about to enter your shop to browse. For sure any local retailer would be unhappy about that, and they would be angry at any competitor doing it.

All we can hope is that people go to Google, type in Tower Systems, and click on the Compare POS Quotes ad as this costs them money. The more it costs them and the businesses that advertise with them, without a commercial outcome – the less they are likely to do it. We can hope at least.

We want interest in Tower Systems to grow because we make awesome specialty retail POS software backed by awesome local Aussie support. We want to grow for authentic and justified reasons – not because we jumped in front of someone looking at a competitor business.

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November special offer from Tower Systems: free barcode scanner and free receipt printer

November 10, 2022
3 Min read
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Retailers installing any new POS system often find that they need a new receipt printer and a new barcode scanner. These two hard working devices bear the brunt of physical activity at the sales counter in any store.

To help retailers who need to upgrade, Tower Systems early this month launched a November special.

If you sign up for our specialty retail POS software for gift shops, jewellers, bike shops, toy shops, garden centres, produce stores, sewing shops, bookshops, firearms dealers, doll shops, newsagents, fishing and outdoors shops, pet shops, music shops and more in November, we will give you a Honeywell 1472g 2D Scanner and a Element RW973 MKII Thermal Receipt Printer FREE.

This offer runs to November 30, 2022. Call 1300 662 957 to speak to one of our specialty retail specialists or email sales@towersystems.com.au. Or, visit our YouTube channel for demonstrations of the various POS software solutions we offer.

Here’s more about the two free gifts we have for you:

Honeywell 1472g 2D Scanner

Durable, Highly Accurate 2D Cordless Scanner. Designed for in-store retail environments requiring a highly accurate 2D scanning solution in a durable form factor the Voyager™ Extreme Performance (XP) 1472g cordless scanner delivers industry-leading scanning capability on traditional barcodes and digital screens – even on damaged and difficult-to-read codes. It works with regular barcodes and QR codes.

Element RW973 MKII Thermal Receipt Printer
High printing speed up to 300mm/s. Default USB interface, with RS232 and Ethernet. Supports 80mm wide thermal paper.

If you sign up before November 30, 2022 and install by December 31, 2022, these two pieces of new hardware are yours free. This is a Tower Systems exclusive opportunity. This offer cannot be used with any other discount offer.

The other point of this offer is top draw attention to the importance of fit for purpose peripheral devices to enable you to get the most out of your POS software. And even though there is a transition to digital receipts, printed receipts still play a vital role in plenty of retail businesses.

This special offer has been out now for ten days and already we can declare it a hit with retailers telling us they appreciate the opportunity.

While retailers choose Tower Systems for the POS software and the support it comes with, it’s offers like this that provide an icing on the cake opportunity.

We are grateful to our hardware supplier friends for partnering with us on offers that enable us to help local small business retailers save money on quality hardware.

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Planning for shopper loyalty success with POS software from Tower Systems

November 9, 2022
2 Min read
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Having a plan for cultivating shopper loyalty is key to every retail business.

Too often, however, retailers are tricked into thinking points based programs cultivate shopper loyalty. We think shoppers see through opaque loyalty programs.

We think they want more, genuine appreciation and encouragement.

While the Tower systems POS software offers points based loyalty solutions, it is our Discount voucher approach to loyalty that retailers rave to us about. They tell us it if these facilities that are driving measurable growth in traffic and sales.

By giving our POS software retail business customers a choice in loyalty programs they get to make the assessment as to what is best for their business situation. This flexibility is a reactor on customer loyalty for us at Tower Systems.

In this video, our CEO we provide an update on the value and flexibility of our discount vouchers. He takes yo behind the scenes on reporting available as to the performance of the vouchers in the business.

The discount voucher facilities in the Tower Systems POS software are differentiating, valuable and loved … by shoppers and by retailers. We are grateful to the hundreds of local small business retailers who have made these discount voucher tools as good as they are. Collaborating with so many on this has been a joy.

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Compare POS Quotes is running an AD on Google leveraging our Tower Systems name

November 8, 2022
2 Min read
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If you have a moment, go to google.com.au and type in Tower Systems. We just did this and the top result was an ad for Compare POS Quotes. The ad has our name in it. See…

We are not connected with the website.

There is no comparison with Tower Systems.

In our opinion, this website is not a comparison website in that we suspect that they have not actually compared the different POS software they charge to list on their advertising platform website. If we are wrong, please let us know.

In our opinion, Compare POS Systems is false and misleading when they include our business name in their ad and false and misleading when they suggest they compare.

POS software only gets listed with them when the company pays to be listed.

Look at the image we shared, you can see we are the first natural result in the Google results. The top one is the Compare POS Systems ad. It sucks.

If you click on the ad it will cost them some money. The more wasted clicks the less likely they are to keep paying for an ad that represents itself as being associated with us. Thank you.

We’d love people to click on the ad from all over Australia.

If you really want to compare POS systems, do it yourself, look carefully at each company you co sider. Take your time. Be thorough.

A POS software company relationship is long term. This is not something to rush or rely on someone else to do it for you, especially if they have a commercial interest in only showing you the companies that pay them to list with them. Comp-are POS Systems is not an accurate and fulsome comparison. It’s a commercial ad platform plain and simple from what we can see.

look, we are flattered that they think so much off us to pay for an ad with our business name in it. But we feel for anyone duped by this ad they are running. Click on the ad, cost them money, and then contact us to see if our POS software could serve your needs. we can be reached on 1300 662 957 or by email at sales@towersystems.com.au.

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17 ways POS software from Tower Systems helps small business retailers market their businesses

November 8, 2022
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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The best advice for local small business retailers today

November 7, 2022
2 Min read
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There is a ton of advice out there for retailers, especially local small business retailers. A lot of it, like this post, is unsolicited, not sought out. Some of it is paid for.

This advice we share today is practical, everyday, suitable for any time of retail business but especially focussed on and curated for local indie small business retail – the businesses that are usually family owned and run, the businesses competing with big businesses in the trenches daily.

Let’s get to it. Here is our practical advice that we know works in any situation.

  • Make every day your pay day. The value of your business today is what you make today, not what you dream of selling it for in the future. Make every decision on that basis.
  • Chase new traffic, new customers, new business, fresh eyes every day. The more reasons for which you attract shoppers, the more sustainable your business.
  • Convenience is not a future for indie retailers. Convenience retail in Australia is owned by big businesses with deep pockets, which which you cannot compete.
  • Location does not matter as much as it used to – if you have a good online strategy.
  • Don’t be your barrier to success. Too often I see local small business retailers decide against something for their business that will work.
  • Size doesn’t matter. Some of the most successful newsagency businesses in Australia today are small. Size is irrelevant.
  • Location dosen’t matter. Some of the most successful newsagencies in Australia are regional and rural.
  • The shingle doesn’t matter. The newsagency shingle is irrelevant to what you can achieve.
  • Only you can save you. No supplier, no association can save your business, only you can.
  • Choose to be a retailer, not an agent. the two are quite different. One makes you the driver of your success while the other tethers you to the success of others. Agents take a clip or a percentage from a transaction while retailers make their own success. Agents could be parcel pick-up places, lottery shops, businesses providing a service on behalf of other businesses.

These are headline tips designed to get you thinking about your business. They are designed to be challenging and disruptive. They come from our retail experience and the retail experience of plenty of our POS software customers.

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Best practice security advice for small business retailers from Tower Systems

November 5, 2022
4 Min read
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What happened to Optus, Medibank and Harcourt in recent weeks could happen to any business. Cyber attacks are on the rise, because data has a value. Understanding the value of data is the key to investment in its security.

Our Tower Systems POS software company prepared and published advice to its 3,000+ customer community. I share this advice here as it could be useful to any retailer or business owner.

There are things you can do in your business to better protect it from attack. We put together this advice for our POS software customers and share it here with you. Here is our advice:

Security is important for any business and it is important that you protect your business as best you can while still allowing the business to operate efficiently. This is not just for the security of you business and customer data but to provide protection against malicious attacks such as ransomware. 

Below we will list the things you can do to ensure your computers are as secure as possible.  However, some of these restrictions may not be for suitable for all businesses. You will need to decide what is your best approach while being aware of the risks associated.

Windows Usernames and Passwords

The easiest form of security you can enable is having each computer require a username and password to access it.  The passwords should be changed every couple of months.  A drawback of having usernames and passwords is that you need to ensure that all staff are aware of the passwords so that access is not hampered.

Windows Active Directory via AzureAD or Similar

An option for an additional layer of security (over and above standard windows usernames and passwords) is to implement a domain network where staff logging in are authenticated by a Windows Active Directory service.  This option has a not-insignificant cost associated with it. It also means that you will need to allocate staff individual accounts and they would need to use these to access your system.  Implementation of this may also have setup ramifications for your POS software. 

Remote Desktop

If you are not using Windows Remote Desktop (RDP) this it is highly recommended that you disable this service in Windows.  If you are using this service then ensure you have a very strong password that is updated regularly. The preferred option for RDP is to use this via a VPN however if this is not possible access should be limited to specific IP addresses.   Additionally, when this is used in conjunction with an active directory service, like the one mentioned above, this adds an additional layer of security.

Backups

Our recommendation is to use a cloud backup service that incrementally backs up your entire PC.  Consider adding a cloud backup service to any computer that stores any valuable data, not just your server.  It is imperative that the service you use has both a local and a cloud copy for easy disaster recovery.

Browser Passwords

While saved browser passwords are very helpful, it does open a risk should your PC be compromised.  Our suggestion is to not save passwords, especially for accessing any service that stores sensitive data, like bank login etc.  Consider using a password manager such as LastPass or 1password to help you remember passwords.

Emails

Once of the biggest security risks in your business is email.  Only open attachments and click on links in emails that you are sure are from known senders.  Check email addresses as well as the sender’s name. If it sounds suspicious, it probably is.

People Remote Connecting to your Computer/Network

Be careful about who you let take remote control of your computer, ensure they are from who they say they are.  If you are suspicious, terminate the call and call the representative back on a publicly available number.

Don’t use out-of-date Software, Hardware or Operating Systems.

Keep your systems up to date by ensuring you are running versions of software, operating systems and hardware that are still supported by their manufacturers. Make sure that any updates to software, especially Windows security updates, are loaded as soon as possible.  This will ensure that you are not susceptible to any vulnerabilities have been patched by the supplier. 

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More newsagents migrating to newsagency software rental model

November 4, 2022
3 Min read
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The newsagency software rental option launched by Tower Systems in late 2019 is now the preferred newsagency software access approach in the channel. We say this based on new rooftop acquisition compared to the old-school approach.

Under this more modern and financially appropriate model, the capital cost is spread over the years of the use of the software rather than through a bulk up-front cost.

There is no credit check and no long-term lock-in contract. Newsagents who sell their business or close can stop paying and that ends the licence. This is one aspect of what newsagents like.

The other aspect newsagents like is that of being part of a large community of newsagents. With more than 1,700 newsagents using this software it is, based on user numbers, the industry standard. Working together, Tower newsagents have been instrumental in setting standards all newsagents benefit from today.

The latest version of the Tower newsagency software was released late in October 2022. This delivered more enhancements that benefit newsagents and other retailers using the software.

Included in the $185.00 (inc. GST) a month rental fee of the Tower Systems newsagency software is:

  • Software access on as many computers as you run in the business. There is no per transaction cost, no extra terminal cost and no EFTPOS fee levied by Tower Systems.
  • Run in the cloud or on a desktop or tablet computer. You choose what’s right for your circumstances.
  • Unlimited licences – on an many computers as you want.
  • Help desk access, helping you get the most from this software.
  • Software updates as released.
  • XchangeIT access for magazine invoices.
  • Direct link to Shopify for online selling.
  • Direct link to Xero for easy accounting.

Working with community groups.

Using this software, newsagents are able to work with local schools and community groups to offer fund raising opportunities that benefits people in those communities as well as the groups themselves. The approach in the software has been found to be a useful way for newsagents to address the vexed issue of community groups asking for donations.

Mitigating employee and customer theft.

The Tower newsagency software and the team at Tower have been instrumental in newsagents dealing with theft in their business. Early identification of theft is possible with the software thanks to hidden, owner accessible only, tools. These tools have been key in helping police and prosecutors deal with people who have stolen from newsagencies.

In one newsagency, $35,000 worth of theft was uncovered and recovered for the business thanks to the Theft Check service offered by Tower Systems. In another newsagency, long-term systematic theft by a manager helped remote owners confront theft that had cost the business several hundred thousand dollars.

In addition to software tools, Tower Systems offers newsagents theft mitigation advice, including a suggested Theft Policy for a business, which has been found to be key in reducing the opportunity for theft in a business.

Software rental is the future.

These facilities, theft mitigation, newsagency supplier connectivity and more are core to the $185.00 a month newsagency software rental from Tower Systems.

The rental cost is an immediately deductible expense. There is no credit check. It is easy to setup. Many newsagents have embraced it already this year.

You can find out more at www.towersystems.com.au

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Christmas marketing tips for local small business retailers

November 3, 2022
8 Min read
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Yeah, it’s odd for a POS software company to offer Christmas marketing tips to retailers because … we are tech people and not retailers. That may be true for some.

Tower Systems has owned and run retail businesses since 1996.

We are not your usual POS software company. We actively share marketing tips with our customers. Here are some Christmas marketing tips for retailers that we hope some find useful, or at least inspiring to you to develop your own.

Today, we offer low cost and no cost Christmas marketing tips for retailers ideas to help create a different Christmas experience in your business.

  1. Sell cards, wrapping paper and tape. These items work in every kind of shop.
  2. Make it easy. People often talk about how hard Christmas is. Be the local business that makes it easy. The ways to do this are with easy Lay-By, free wrapping, better shop floor help, guide buying advice or tips on perfect gifts no one else will think of. Consider making Christmas easy as being a key part of your messaging.
  3. Host a party. To preview Christmas, say thank you to shoppers and support a local cause. Do it when the shop is closed. Limit numbers. have some drinks and food. Have fun. Celebrate.
  4. Use video. To promote products on social media.
  5. Offer impulse purchase of often forgotten lines. At the counter, with newspapers, next to weekly magazines.
  6. Offer help. For kids and others who ,may find choosing a card or writing a card difficult.
  7. Visit nursing homes. With some gifts and cards for easy shopping.
  8. Be thrilled people are in your shop. Your personal smile or greeting is something they may not see in a big business where employees are less invested in each shopper and where the owner is usually thousands of kilometers away.
  9. Make the giving easy. If people purchase items from you to send somewhere else. Offer a one-stop shop. Save them the trip to the post office.
  10. Make the shop less about Christmas. Consider pulling back on the Christmas visual noise. Go for something simple, muted, respecting the season but making a calm statement. Consider declaring the shop a Christmas carol free zone – not because you hate carols but because you want to help customers take a break.
  11. Help people rest and recharge. Create a Christmas shopping rest and recovery zone. Offer free tea, coffee, water and something to eat. Encourage people to take a break in your shop – without any obligation for them to spend money with you.
  12. Let your customers help each other. Setup a whiteboard or sheets of butcher’s paper, yes keep it simple. Get customers to write gift suggestions under different age/gender groups. For example: Girls 18 – 25, Boys 55+. Encourage your customers to help each other through their suggestions.
  13. Make price comparison difficult. If you sell items people are likely to price compare with other businesses, package them so price comparison is not easy. Put items into a hamper as a perfect Boy 8 to 12 bundle for example. Or offer the item with pre packages services if appropriate for an item.
  14. Less is more.  The stack em high watch em fly mantra can be wrong. Indeed, it is often wrong in retail. Shoppers can be store blind because a shop is too full or a display is too busy. Consider creating simpler less cluttered displays and window promotions. Draw attention to what you want people to see by promoting that one thing. Every time someone asks if you have something that you think through should be able to find easily – take it as a challenge for you to address rather than a commentary on a facility of the customer.
  15. Change. Christmas season in your shop should evolve. Major change weekly is vital for people to see what you have that they could buy.
  16. Be socially engaged. On Facebook, Instagram, twitter and elsewhere, be the calm voice, the person people enjoy reading or seeing photos from. Provide entertainment this Christmas rather than the usual retailer shrill of come and shop here!
  17. Be community minded. Choose a local charity or community group to support through Christmas. Consider: a change collection tin at the counter; a themed Christmas window display; promotion on your social media pages; a donation to their work; a collection point for donations from customers.
  18. Facilitate sharing stories. Find space in your shop for customers to share their Christmas stories. It could be a story wall inside or in front of the shop. This initiative encourages storytelling by locals and better connects the business with the community.
  19. Award a prize at a local school. Fund a year-end prize at a local school. Attend a school assembly to award the prize. Work with the school leadership on a prize appropriate to your business.
  20. VIP preview. Host a VIP shopper preview night when you show off your Christmas ranges ahead of being available to the general shoppers. Respect and reward your local shoppers with deals and the opportunity to preview ahead of others.
  21. Leverage Christmas traffic. Encourage the Christmas shopper traffic surge in after Christmas. Give them a reason to come back. A coupon promotion or a discount voucher on receipts could be the enticement to get shoppers back in-store. Note: the Tower POS software produces discount vouchers to rules you establish.
  22. Become a gallery. Work with a school, kindergarten, community group or retirement village to bring in local art for people to come and see through Christmas. A small space commitment can drive traffic from family and friends of those with art on show.
  23. Dress the shop. Fully embrace Christmas. Create a Christmas experience such that shoppers know they have stepped into somewhere special this Christmas. Go for more than some tinsel and a tree. Fully embrace the opportunity.
  24. Make your shop smell like Christmas.
  25. Send cards. Send Christmas cards early in the season to suppliers, key customers and local community groups. This connects you with Christmas. Invite all team members to sign each card.
  26. Host a Christmas party. For shops nearby. You are all in the season together – let your hear down before things get crazy.
  27. Ensure you have gifts targeted at occasions. For example: Kris Kringle, by price point and by recipient. Make it easy for people to know what they could give.
  28. Stocking stuffers. At your counter always have one or two stocking stuffers for impulse purchase.
  29. Offer gift vouchers – for someone to give when they are not sure what to give.
  30. Be local. Ensure you have a selection of locally sourced products available for purchase. Make it clear in-store that these products are sourced locally.
  31. Tell stories. On your Facebook page, talk about what is important to you at Christmas. Personalise the season and deepen the connection with those who could shop with you.
  32. Offer a free gift. Bulk purchase an item to offer those who spend above a set amount. For example, spend $65 and receive XX where XX may have cost $5.00 but could have a perceived value of $20.00.
  33. Keep it fresh. Every week make significant change to your Christmas displays and promotions to keep your offer fresh.
  34. Share Christmas recipes. Each week for, say, four weeks, give customers a family Christmas recipe. This personalises Christmas in your business, creates a talking point and makes shopping with you different to your bigger competitors.
  35. Free wrapping. Sure, many retailers offer this. Make your offer better, more creative and more appreciated.
  36. This is essential in any business. Manage it through your computer system with strict rules.
  37. Work the floor. Increase time on the shop floor. Be present to manage shopper flow and to facilitate purchases.
  38. Christmas is crazy busy I most retail situations. Give yourself and your team members sufficient time to recharge so the smile greeting shoppers is heartfelt.
  39. Keep a secret. If yours is a business selling gifts a partner may purchase for their loved-one, create some mystery with a closed off display for the shopper to see the products.
  40. Free assembly. If you sell items that require assembly. Offer to do this for free.
  41. Free delivery. Offer free Christmas Eve delivery for items purchased for kids for Christmas.
  42. Sell training. Leverage the specialist knowledge you have in your business by selling as gifts places at classes you run sharing your expertise.
  43. Hold back. Don’t go out with everything you have for Christmas all at once. Plan the season to show off what you have as the season unfolds. This allows you multiple launches.
  44. Share a taste. Regardless if your type of business, bake a family recipe of Christmas cake, Christmas pudding or Christmas biscuits and offer tastings to shoppers on select days. This personalises the experience in your shop.
  45. Offer hampers. Package several items together and offer them as a hamper. Time-poor shoppers could appreciate you doing this work for them. We have seen this work in many different retail situations.
  46. Buy X get Y. Encourage people to spend more with a volume based deal. Pitched right, this could get customers purchasing items for several family members in order to get the price offer you have. Use your technology to manage this.

Christmas is the perfect time to plan for next year. It is the time to do everything possible to leverage bonus Christmas traffic to benefit your business through next year.

Feel free to share these Christmas marketing tips with others.

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Yes, we have a public holiday for a horse race

November 1, 2022
1 Min read
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It’s Melbourne Cup day today, which means everyone working in or with our head office in Victoria is having the day off for the public holiday. But not to fear, our POS software help desk is open, serving our local indie retailer customers.

If you have a punt, we hope you win. Otherwise, have an awesome Tuesday!

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A mental health plan is important in local small business retail

October 28, 2022
3 Min read
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As employers, as retailers and as small business owners, mental health issues are often not far away from any small business retailer. The challenges confronting retail businesses today add to the challenges already there.

Sometimes, we don’t know we are experiencing a mental health challenge while other times it’s obvious and on show for all to see.

How we confront mental health challenges is important for us, our business and those presenting with issues.

While we are not trained professionals in the area, our years of working with small business owners confronted by challenges to their mental health have helped us develop some guiding principles.

  1. Mental health is not easily measured or understood. One’s health is not outwardly obvious.
  2. Judgement cannot be part of how mental health is viewed or dealt with.
  3. Action is essential to improve your situation for doing nothing will achieve nothing.
  4. While taking the first step to confront mental health challenges can be difficult, it is relieving and rewarding.

Your GP is an excellent person to speak with. Explain to them how you feel and how this impacts on your life. Ask them to prepare a Mental Health Treatment Plan. This is a government recognised plan. It can usually be prepared in a single double visit to the GP. This plan is the trigger to you gaining Medicare supported access to a psychologist for an initial number of visits, which can be extended depending on your situation.

Some people can feel a visit to a GP or psychologist is not warranted in their situation. While the medical professionals are the best to determine this, there are other resources you could explore:

Beyond Blue has published Heads Up a useful resource for small businesses on issues relating to mental health in the workplace. This is a good starting point for learning more. In the resource there are links to other resources that can help.

Finding mental health resources for small business owners dealing with mental health issues is not as easy as it is finding resources for managing the workplace for better mental health. It’s tough running any business and sometimes things can feel overwhelming. This is where networking can help as a first step, talking with others.

Small business owners feeling challenges within themselves need to treat themselves as employees and use the resources available such as:

We will help and support in any way possible. We would be glad to talk confidentially about individual situations.

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POS software for knitting shops helps serve the joy of knitting

October 27, 2022
3 Min read
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Using our POS software for knitting shops, knitting retailers can expect to build more enjoyable and valuable connections with knitters thanks to the community nourishing tools in the software.

From encouraging knitting club members to handling the sale of special orders to managing the stock control for and sale of kits of wool, patters and more as a single item through to selling by fractions, measure and length, this POS software for knitting shops serves them well.

This POS software for knitting shops does so much more. Indeed, here are answers to some of the questions we have been asked about our POS software for knitting shops:

Can I sell by measure? Yes.

Can I sell by fractions? Yes.

I often sell at events outside my shop. You can use a version of our software made for remote selling.

Can I offer a special price to members of a club? Yes.

Can I market to members of sewing and crafts clubs? Yes. You can tag customers as belonging to a club and target market to club members.

Can I track sales to club members to rebate the club as a fundraising opportunity? Yes.

Can I promote local clubs and groups on receipts? Yes.

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

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

Can I look-up historical buying records for a specific customer? Yes.

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

Can I track / manage quotes? Yes.

Can the software track special or one-off orders for customers? Yes, from the moment the order is placed.

Can I group items together to sell in a pack or bundle? Yes, it’s easy to create packs using the software.

Does the software track product serial numbers? Yes. You have a couple of different ways you can do this.

I sell some items by colour, size and style, can the software handle this? Yes.

Can I integrate the software with my suppliers? Yes. We have many customers importing stock files and invoices. If you want to provide a supplier a data feed of sales of their product, our software can do this too.

Does the software connect with my website? We partner with Shopify, Magento and WooCommerce and offer direct links to these.

Can I email receipts? Yes.

Can I track where my customers come from? Yes.

Do I have to pay for software on additional computers in my business? No.

Does the software handle LayBys? Yes.

Can I connect with my EFTPOS terminal? Yes. We have a direct link to Tyro and through Linkly we connect to all major banks.

Can I use my existing hardware? Yes, as long as your hardware meets our minimum standards.

Can I use my existing data with the software? Yes. We’d like to check your data to be sure. We will advise what can be safely brought across.

Does it integrate with Xero? Yes.

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Tower Systems supports The Donation Dollar and encourages the good it offers local communities

October 25, 2022
4 Min read
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The Donation Dollar is a wonderful initiative, helping Aussies engage with and support local charities and community groups. We are proud too circulate Donation Dollars in our own shops and our Mint Coin Shop and to help retailers engage with the opportunity.

Here is the press release from The Royal Australian Mint with details:

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THE WORLD’S FIRST DONATION DOLLAR CONTINUING TO REMIND AUSSIES TO GIVE DURING THIS NATIONAL TIME OF NEED

With $6 million coins currently in circulation, The Royal Australian Mint is urging Aussies to check their change, pockets, and coin jars to find a Donation Dollar and donate.

9:01AM Monday, 5 September 2022, AEST – International Day of Charity (September 5th), marks the two-year anniversary since the Royal Australian Mint (the Mint) released the world’s first Donation Dollar: a one-dollar coin designed to be donated.

Since its 2020 launch, the Mint has released an impressive 6 million Donation Dollar coins into circulation, with over 2.9 million Aussies reporting* to have found one in their change. The goal is to continue circulating Donation Dollars until 25 million are released, including an additional $5m to be released this year. If every Australian donated a Donation Dollar just once a month, it has the potential to raise an additional $300 million annually for those who need it most.

New research released from the Mint has revealed that over half of Aussies (63%)* who have found a Donation Dollar coin proceeded to donate the coin, resulting in an estimated $1.9 million donated* to charities and people or businesses in need.

Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury, the Hon Dr Andrew Leigh says this initiative aligns nicely with the Government’s goal to increase giving by 2030.

“Australians are naturally generous, but sometimes in our busy lives, charities can be forgotten. The Donation Dollar is a tangible reminder of the importance of giving back. These coins make that ask: if you find one, donate it, and if that feels good, then take the next step in supporting Australia’s community builders.

“The Albanese Labor Government has an ambitious agenda to rebuild and reconnect communities. After decades in which rates of joining, volunteering and participating have waned, we want to build a stronger sense of civic society.

“The Australian Government has set a goal to double philanthropic giving by 2030, and to strengthen the community sector. By donating to support local charities, each of us can help shape Australia into a fairer and more connected country,” said Dr Andrew Leigh.

The innovative concept has remained a much-needed helping hand throughout the ongoing global pandemic and the resulting financial pressures. There are various ways in which Australians choose to donate their coins such as giving to charity (19%)*, a homeless person (19%)*, someone in need (14%)* or giving to a struggling business (11%)*.

Research has found the preference for cash rose throughout the COVID and lockdown period**. This has resulted in an increase in Donation Dollar circulation, therefore the opportunity for Australians to give to those in need is more prevalent than ever – not just in times of crisis, but all year round, in smaller amounts, more often.

Royal Australian Mint CEO, Leigh Gordon, said:

“We know through our findings that the more aware Australian’s are of the Donation Dollar the more likely they are to go out, find one and donate one*. Which is why on International Day of Charity wepage2image1461101168

are reminding Australians of the potential positive impact.

“The unique Donation Dollar coin features a green centre with a gold ripple design symbolising the ongoing impact each donation makes to those who need it most. Once received in their change, a Donation Dollar can be used to donate wherever cash donations are accepted. We encourage Aussies to double check their change, pockets, car consoles and saving jars for the Donation Dollar. The power lies in the hands of the receiver to decide where their coin will make the most impact. For example, they can donate it to their charity of choice, to a struggling business, or to anyone in need.”

Charities can find out how they can benefit from Donation Dollar by visiting www.donationdollar.com.au. Australian businesses can show their support for the initiative by downloading “accepted here” signage from the website.

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POS software co. Tower Systems launches free online marketplace for local indie retailers

October 24, 2022
3 Min read
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Tower Systems has launched www.findit.com.au, a free marketplace for local indie retailers, like jewellers, bike shops, toy shops, pet shops, garden centres and newsagents.  Listing products on FindIt is free for Tower Systems customers – and that;s 3,000+ local small business retailers.

The goal for FindIt is to help customers looking online for items local retailers sell, to drive traffic to their local shop.

“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”, commented Mark Fletcher, CEO of Tower.

Retailers can choose to sell through FindIt, or just list what they have available in-store. If they do sell through FindIt, there is a fee of 10%. This covers Tower for credit card fees and Afterpay fees once that is live. It also covers us for credit card fraud claims. Retailers choose whether to sell through FindIt or not. Again, to list products and have your shop found is free

The FindIt website is hosted on a large secure and fast server in a remote data (offsite in Australia) centre. The Tower team is 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.

The image for a product will be the first image loaded for a product. If a retailer has a better image than the first one loaded by another retailer, it would take a manual process to change it, a process not currently in place. The same applies to descriptions.

The tech connects products by barcode. If a retailer generates their own barcode for an item already on FindIt, it will treat that product as a new item.

The price will be the retailer’s price – yes, multiple retailers on FindIt could result in different prices for the same item.

The product description is the key. Our advice on this is to try and think about what someone is likely to type into Google.

Retailers will have the option to be either freight free or charge. If a retailer has product dimensions and have selected to charge freight, the Australia Post plug-in we have will calculate a freight charge. Retailers will also have an option, on their vendor page in FindIt to set a flat freight charge if you wish.

Retailers can connect with FindIt by emailing orders@findit.com.au.

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