The POS Software Blog

The POS Software Blog

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

Tagretail strategy

Our software for independent greeting card shops helps these local shops shine

October 28, 2025
3 Min read
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Our POS software made for local card shops is packed with facilities that help the shops sell more cards, helps them thrive locally.

While we have been working with local Aussie card shops since the 1980s, the POS software we offer today is much evolved from those days. It;s fresh, innovative, valuable and loved. This is POS softer made to help local card shops thrive.

These features make the Tower Systems software for card shops valuable.

  1. Card supplier integration. Import supplier invoices in seconds, for accurate data and easy and accurate selling.
  2. Manage returns of unsold cards back to the suppliers in the data way they like.
  3. Flexible shopper loyalty that helps nurture more sales and shopper return sooner. It comes with opportunities to tune in ways that work for card shops. The loyalty tools we offer are a differentiator. We can prove they work.
  4. Run a card club so people benefit, like a coffee card – the more they buy …
  5. Understand card sales down to the caption level if you want from within your data.
  6. Easily generate blog posts about cards you sell – helping you find more people for your business.
  7. Support local community groups.
  8. Tag products for horizontal representation. For example, tag the charities different cards support – making pitching those charities easier.
  9. Generate barcodes for cards that do not have a barcode.
  10. Leverage AI for smart business insights.
  11. Link to Xero for back office accounting.
  12. Link to Shopify, Woo Commerce and Big Commerce for online sales.
  13. Love reports that show you how your business is performing.

If you run a local card shop, Tower Systems could be the software partner that helps you streamline operations, make better quality business decisions and drive sales to be more valuable for your business.

All of our customers are local retail businesses, small businesses, independent businesses. This is our focus. We don’t sell to franchises or groups or big businesses. We love serving small indie retailers, like local card shops.

This is software on which you can rely:

  • Smooth, easy and accurate selling.
  • Save time with electronic invoices.
  • Carry less dead stock.
  • See sales you missed and fix that.
  • Bring shoppers back more often.
  • Reduce employee and shopper theft.
  • Easily sell online thanks to the Shopify integration.
  • Bundle product to make your own point of difference.
  • Manage staff easily through the Deputy, Tanda or Planday integrations.
  • Use the payments platform of your choice.
  • Save time with our international barcode lookup link.

Enhanced regularly, this software is fresh, and capable for 2025 and beyond.

While the right POS system for any retail business, including a local card shop, depends on the specific needs of the retail business, Tower Systems was built to serve  Australian and New Zealand local small business specialty retailers. To see how we can help you…, request a free, no-obligation demo today. 

Call 1300 662 957 in Australia or 0800 444 367 in New Zealand. Or, email sales@towersystems.com.au. 

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Grow Your Fishing & Outdoors Business with Our Aussie-Made POS Software

October 27, 2025
4 Min read
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Our Tower Systems software for Fishing, Outdoors and Camping shops is loved by many, for which we are sincerely grateful. We are proud that it’s Aussie-made, Aussie-supported, and built on the advice and feedback from our fishing, outdoor and camping business shop community.

Our software is made for local businesses, independent businesses, specialty fishing, outdoor and camping businesses.

The latest software is out now, and it’s packed with features specifically designed for your unique business.

Features Built for the Fishing / Outdoor / Camping Niches

Here are ways using our software, you can handle the specific needs of a fishing, camping, or outdoors business:

  • Sell by Weight & Fractions: Perfect for selling bait, our software integrates directly with your scales and easily handles fractions for selling rope or chain by the 1.5-meter.
  • Create Bundles & Kits: Easily sell bundle packs like a rod, reel, and net. The system can even prompt an upsell at the register when a customer buys just one part of a combo.
  • Manage Repairs & Workshops: Track rod and reel repairs from drop-off to pickup with our comprehensive job management module.
  • Handle Special Orders: Easily manage special customer orders for non-stocked items, take deposits, and automatically notify the customer via SMS or email when their item arrives.
  • Manage Apparel: If you sell clothing, you can manage your inventory by colour, size, and style.
  • Handle Subscriptions & Rentals: If you rent gear or run a subscription service, this is handled for you.
  • Age Checks: You can set a mandatory age check at the point of sale for any age-restricted items.

Here are embedded AI tools you can use to save time and run a more valuable business

  • AI Invoice Import: Stop wasting hours on data entry. Our AI can read supplier PDF invoices (like those from Shimano and other major suppliers) and import all items, costs, and quantities in seconds. This feature alone is saving some retailers 5 to 6 hours a week.
  • AI Blog Post Generator: Create SEO-friendly blog posts for your products directly from the software and publish them to your website to help with marketing.
  • AI Pricing: Get insights into what competitors in your local area are charging for the same products, helping you price items more effectively.
  • AI business performance analysis.
  • AI theft detection.

Leverage Your Local Expertise

Our software helps you stand out from the big chains by leveraging your unique local knowledge.

  • Share Local Fishing Tips: Automatically add local fishing tips, seasonal information, or care instructions to your customer receipts, adding value to every sale.
  • Build Community: Offer special pricing for local fishing club members. You can also easily use the software to help raise funds for the club, attracting their members to shop with you.

Fair, Simple, Aussie-Friendly Pricing

We believe in transparent pricing. There is no EFTPOS or transaction-related fee from us, just a simple monthly software rental fee. You choose the EFTPOS provider you prefer; we don’t lock you in.

Plus, you can run this software on as many computers in your shop as you want for no extra cost.

See our software for fishing, outdoor and camping businesses in Action

You can see these features demonstrated in our videos:

We’re Often Asked…

Here are some of the questions we get, and our answers:

  • Can I run BOGO pricing, buy 1 get 1 or similar? Yes.
  • Does the software let me manage time-based catalogue pricing? Yes.
  • Can I sell gift cards for my business? Yes.
  • Is there a loyalty facility guiding infrequent shoppers to spend? Yes.
  • Does the software let me buy in bulk and break to retail packs? Yes.
  • Can you reach out to customers based on past purchases? Yes, you can even target customers who bought specific items (like crabbing gear) with seasonal alerts.
  • Does the system handle account customers? Yes.
  • Does the software connect with my website? We partner with Shopify, BigCommerce, Magento, and WooCommerce.
  • Can you make a website for our business? Yes, we’ve made many.
  • Can I track where my customers come from? Yes.
  • Can I use my existing hardware? Yes, if your hardware is current.
  • 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.

 

We’d love to give you a personal demonstration: Call 1 300 662 957 or email sales@towersystems.com.au

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Independent bookshop owners like bookshop software that supports their independence

October 25, 2025
3 Min read
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What we are finding here at Tower Systems is that independent bookshop owners like bookshop software that supports their independence. Independence for many is the freedom to operate how they want, across all aspects of their business, while meeting regulatory obligations.

here at Tower Systems we only serve local small business retailers, independent retailers. We live and breathe serving independents.

5 ways our Tower Systems bookshop software supports the independence of local independent bookshops.

  1. You are 100% in control of your data. The data for your bookshop, including all product data, is 100% under your control. No one else can change it. No one else sets the rules on how you might describe a book. The data is yours to manage, adjust and own. In the bookshop software space, this is not always the case. Sure, you can import data from suppliers. You can adjust this, too, to suit the narrative you cast for your local shop.
  2. You control your product categories. You may want a book that others have in the Young Adult segment situated in another segment of your range. You can do this, you’re 100% in control. Your data and product placement are not under the control of others.
  3. You control what you sell. You may want to bundle books into a hamper or package. That;s easy. You may want to sell books as a blind box. That’s easy. You may want to sell products not common to bookshops, that’s easy with our bookshop software.
  4. You may want to manage multiple bookshop locations centrally. Using our bookshop software this is easy, with a shared database, giving you a whole of business view. This ability to manage locations also extends to being able to sell in pop-ups situations, local markets and even from the back of a truck.
  5. You control your price points. There are reasons for multiple prices for the one item. Using our software this is easy.

Independence is all about you being yourself. In a business context it is about the business operating how it wants. It;’s about hat you do and how you do it being determined by others using the same software.

In the cloud or running on local comperes, you choose the hosting arrangements that best serve your local business needs.

10 things bookshop owners and staff love about our Tower Systems bookshop software.

  1. Easy to use. Logical screen layout.
  2. Bookshop function ready.
  3. Easy to access local and knowledgable support.
  4. Awesome reports.
  5. AI insights that reveal opportunities.
  6. Xero integration.
  7. Shopify / Big Commerce / Woo Commerce integrations.
  8. Flexible and low cost payments platform integrations.
  9. Awesome loyalty for helping shoppers spend more and return sooner.
  10. Easy to use

The Tower Systems bookshop software is made for local independent bookshops. The software available today has evolved from software from a few months ago. Updates are regular and often based on user suggestions.

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While the right POS system for any retail business depends on the specific needs of the retail business, Tower Systems was built to serve  Australian and New Zealand local small business specialty retailers. To see how we can help you…, request a free, no-obligation demo today. 

Call 1300 662 957 in Australia or 0800 444 367 in New Zealand. Or, email sales@towersystems.com.au. 

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5 ways AI is helping small business retailers in New Zealand and Australia today

October 24, 2025
3 Min read
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Thanks to feedback from our wonderful specialty retailer POS software customers, here are 5 proven ways AI is helping small business retailers in New Zealand and Australia today.

  1. Saving time. This is an easy win from AI: fast import of just about any supplier invoice, auto generation of blog posts promoting products, auto generation of product descriptions, easy comparison of pricing from nearby competitors, instant advice on business performance, instant focus on growth opportunities. Each of these things took time in the past today. Today, thanks to POS software embedded AI, retailers are able to act much faster and with lower labour cost.
  2. Making better quality business decisions. Whereas in the past decisions would be made form manual review of data, today retailers are guided to decisions based on the same data but with more comprehensive analysis and consideration by trained AI, often including data retailers previously ignored.
  3. Attracting new shoppers. With marking considered an optional chore in some retail settings, using AI tools to generate search driven marketing retail businesses can find more shoppers with more certainty and for better outcome. Being found online through search and AI models is a great way for retailers to be discovered.
  4. Reducing the cost of dead stock. dead stock, inventory on the shop floor not selling, has a high cost for retail businesses. In our experience, the value of dead stock can sit at up to 25% of the total value of stock. Too often retailers are unsure where to start, they have to decide to take this action. Our Ai engaged POS software tools show retailers, without being asked. The list is there, for action. This approach brings the opportunity to the fore faster and in a way retailers can easily embrace,
  5. Discovering theft. Retailers hate discovering theft. In our experience, once they do, they like to act. the AI tools in our POS software show, without prompting, possible theft situations, so retailers can be informed and more vigilant. early discovery of theft can save a small retail business tens of thousands of dollars.

These 5 proven ways AI is helping small business retailers in New Zealand and Australia today are real all read. We have customers doing this today. Tower Systems is grateful to be a leader in the area of AI engagement with and for small business retailers.

Our Tower Systems POS software has been delivering AI solutions to local small business retailers for several years. It’s enhanced regularly, as recently as last month, to help our small business retail customers have tools with which they can more effectively compete.

AI is helping small business retailers compete because they can come at it with a flexible app0roach. In big business we often see consultants involved and expensive platforms involved. There is a slowness to implementation in big business too.

AI tools embedded in POS software are helping local small business retailers leap forward.

…

While the right POS system for any retail business depends on the specific needs of the retail business, Tower Systems was built to serve  Australian and New Zealand local small business specialty retailers. To see how we can help you…, request a free, no-obligation demo today. 

Call 1300 662 957 in Australia or 0800 444 367 in New Zealand. Or, email sales@towersystems.com.au. 

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Unlock Predictable Revenue: Mastering Subscriptions and Recurring Invoices in Your POS

October 23, 2025
3 Min read
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In today’s evolving retail landscape, customers are increasingly looking for convenience and flexibility. The subscription model, once seen as exclusive to software or media companies, has now found a powerful place in mainstream retail. Are you equipped to meet this demand?

Offering recurring services or product subscriptions can create a predictable revenue stream and build lasting customer loyalty. That’s why we’ve integrated a robust, easy-to-use recurring invoice and subscription feature directly into our Point of Sale (POS) software, developed directly from the ideas and feedback of business owners like you.

More Than Just a Transaction: A Tool for Growth

Our POS system has grown far beyond simple sales processing. Recognising the shift towards service-based and automated purchasing, we’ve built comprehensive tools to handle everything from initial quotes to ongoing invoices. This allows you to effortlessly manage subscriptions and recurring payments, making your business more efficient and customer-friendly.

Who is This For? Real-World Applications

This versatile feature is already making a significant impact across a diverse range of industries. Here are just a few examples of how our clients are using it:

  • Firearms Stores: For secure locker storage rentals, recurring invoices provide a simple, automated billing solution.
  • Bike Shops: Managing long-term bike rentals or customer bike storage becomes effortless with automated monthly or weekly payments.
  • Pet and Produce Businesses: Simplify life for your customers with subscriptions for monthly stock feed, pet food,or scheduled deliveries of worming medication every few months.

How It Works: A Simple, Intuitive Setup

We designed the setup process to be as straightforward as possible. When creating a new recurring invoice, you are guided through a few key options:

  • Customer Selection: Easily assign the recurring charge to the correct customer profile.
  • Frequency: Define the billing cycle that suits the service—weekly, monthly, quarterly, or even annually.
  • Start and End Dates: Set a specific duration for the service, or leave it as an ongoing arrangement that you can stop manually when needed.
  • Invoice Notes: Add general notes to the overall invoice for clear communication.
  • Product-Specific Notes: Attach detailed notes to individual line items. For example, you could include a firearm’s serial number for a storage invoice, ensuring perfect record-keeping.

Stay in Control with Comprehensive Tracking

Our system provides complete visibility over your recurring services. A meticulous record of all previous invoices for each subscription is kept right at your fingertips, giving you unparalleled control and making account management a breeze.

By embracing recurring billing, you can revolutionise your point of sale experience, enhance customer satisfaction, and create a more stable, predictable financial future for your business.

To see a live demonstration of how to set up and manage recurring invoices and subscriptions within our POS program, watch the video below.

If you have any questions about integrating these powerful tools into your business, please don’t hesitate to reach out.We’re always happy to help!

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The 5 best POS Systems in Australia in 2025

October 22, 2025
3 Min read
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It’s natural to look for the best of something, especially when looking for software for your retail business. We equate best with being good.

Who decides what’s best though?

If you search for the 5 best POS Systems in Australia in 2025, you will see lists put about by businesses that claim to compare software, claim to provide you with a considered list.

What you actually get when you search for the 5 best POS Systems in Australia in 2025 is a list of companies that may to be on the list. Yes, that’s right, the results are an advertising list. Typically, there has been no assessment of the software, no consideration of software not on the list, to determine the best POS software.

This is what we say be careful when searching online for the best of something because the list presented in the results is like a paid advertising list that speaks to money spent by the companies to be on the list.

The best software for your retail business will be the software you choose after you have done your research. The choice is yours. Only you know what you need for your business. Given the value you can derive from the right software for your business, it’s worth investing your time in making that right decision.

Consider any best of list as paid advertising content, no more. Too often we have seen good software left off such lists because the companies developing that good software refused to pay to be on the best of list.

What makes the best POS software for a retail business?

  1. The software the needs of the retail business.
  2. The software is within budget.
  3. The software is well supported with support access available when you need it.
  4. The software continues to evolve.
  5. You can easily speak to someone from the company about the software.
  6. You can see how using the software can improve the value of your retail business.

How do you work out your needs for POS software.

  1. Create a list of what’s essential.
  2. Document what you think is unique about your business.
  3. Now, create a subset list of what’s essential, not negotiable.
  4. Figure out the amount you’re willing to pay for the software you want / need.

Beware free POS software and here’s why.

  1. Free POS software almost always has a cost somewhere, even if it is not obvious to you.
  2. It’s true, you get what you pay for.
  3. Software development is expensive. You want software that is continued to be developed.
  4. As a retailer you know what happens if you give what you see away for free. That’s right, it’s not viable.

If you are looking for the best POS software for small business retail in 2025, our advice is stay away from. lists that claim to have these. They are likely paid advertising.

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It’s so easy to import Hunter Leisure invoices into our POS software

October 22, 2025
4 Min read
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Toy shops, game shop0s, newsagents and others using our POS software have an easy to import invoices from Hunter Leisure.

For any Australian retailer, managing supplier invoices can be one of the most time-consuming and error-prone aspects of the business. The hours spent manually entering product codes, quantities, and costs add up quickly—time that could be better spent on the shop floor engaging with customers or growing your business. What if you could reclaim those hours and dramatically increase your inventory accuracy at the same time?

This is now a reality with our state-of-the-art POS system, featuring a powerful AI-driven invoice import tool. To showcase its capability, we recently demonstrated how effortlessly it handles invoices from a major supplier, Hunter Leisure, transforming a tedious task into a simple, two-minute process.

The End of Manual Data Entry

The traditional method of receiving stock is fraught with potential pitfalls. A single typo when entering a barcode or cost price can lead to inaccurate stock levels, incorrect margins, and ultimately, lost revenue. Our system is designed to eliminate these risks entirely.

By leveraging artificial intelligence, you can now upload a supplier’s PDF invoice directly into the system. There’s no need to print it out or manually key in each line item. This is a game-changer, especially for complex invoices with dozens or even hundreds of products. Even if the invoice arrives in your inbox before the physical stock, you can get ahead by loading it in early, ensuring your records are ready and waiting.

How It Works: A Simple, Intelligent Process

As our demonstration video highlights, the process is easy, fast and accurate. It begins in the ‘Invoice Arrivals’ section, where a user can simply select the AI import option. After choosing the relevant PDF file from your computer, our system’s AI gets to work.

  1. Intelligent Analysis: The software immediately analyses the document, intelligently identifying and extracting all the crucial data. It doesn’t just read the text; it understands the context, distinguishing between product descriptions, barcodes, quantities, and pricing.
  2. Automatic Supplier Creation: What happens if it’s a new supplier? No problem. If the system doesn’t recognise the supplier, like ‘Hunter Leisure’ in our example, it automatically pulls their details—name, ABN, contact information—directly from the invoice header and creates a new supplier profile. This feature alone saves significant administrative time and ensures your supplier records are accurate from day one.
  3. Data Population and Verification: The AI then populates all the relevant fields for each product line. Barcodes, supplier stock codes, descriptions, and quantities are filled in automatically. The system presents a clear, side-by-side view of the original invoice and the imported data, making verification quick and straightforward. You can easily confirm that the totals match and make any necessary adjustments, such as setting retail prices if they weren’t on the invoice or applying a pre-set margin for that department.

From Hours to Minutes

Once you’ve given the imported data a quick review, a final click saves the entire shipment to your arrivals. A task that could have taken hours of meticulous manual work is completed in less time than it takes to make a cup of coffee.

By automating your invoice processing, you not only save an incredible amount of time but also drastically improve the accuracy of your stock management. This leads to better ordering decisions, more reliable stocktakes, and a clearer understanding of your business’s financial health.

Ready to see it in action? Watch our full demonstration video to see just how easy it is.

If you’re an existing client with questions, our dedicated help desk team is always available via live chat. For prospective new customers interested in revolutionising your retail operations, please reach out to our sales team. We would be delighted to show you how our system can work for you.

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The Perfect Fit: How Our POS Software Empowers Asian Supermarkets

October 21, 2025
3 Min read
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We are grateful to serve Asian supermarkets with POS software and here’s a new short video from us, filmed yesterday October 20, in which we discuss some of what’s in our POS software to help these specialty retail businesses.

The Perfect Fit: How Our POS Software Empowers Asian Supermarkets

At Tower Systems, we’re passionate about creating technology that solves real-world problems for local, independent, small business, specialty retailers. One area where we’ve focused is on the specific needs of Asian and international supermarkets—businesses that are vital to our local communities.

To give you a closer look, we’ve recorded a new video featuring our expert installer, Paul. Drawing on his extensive retail background, Paul demonstrates the purpose-built features that our supermarket customers use every day, including:

Government-authorized scale integration for precise, fast sales of weighted goods.

Flexible inventory management that handles everything from foreign currency arrivals to breaking down bulk products into sellable units.

Custom pricing and loyalty tools to reward community groups and repeat customers.

An intuitive user interface that staff can learn quickly, supported by our unique “snackable” training videos.

Our goal is to be more than just a software provider; we aim to be a partner in your success. Discover the difference that a deep understanding of retail can make for your business.

In more detail, here are some of the key features that make our POS software the perfect fit for your supermarket:

  • Seamless Scale Integration: Effortlessly weigh and sell loose items like spices, herbs, and fresh produce with our government-authorised scale integration. Plus, this software easily handles fractional sales.
  • Customisable Touchscreen Buttons: Create a user-friendly interface with custom buttons for your most popular items, making checkout faster and more efficient. It’s so easy for you to customise these buttons.
  • Foreign Currency: Easily handle product arrivals in foreign currencies.
  • Bulk Product Breakdown: Manage the breakdown of large bulk purchases into smaller, sellable units with our “manufactured goods” feature. Buy spices in multi-kilo bags and break down to gram size bags.
  • Flexible Pricing and Discounts: Set up special pricing for community groups or loyal customers, and easily create bulk pricing or promotional hampers.
  • Enhanced Customer Communication: Print product care information or special instructions directly on customer receipts.
  • Convenient “Suspend Sale” Feature: Never lose a sale again. Suspend a transaction to serve another customer and easily retrieve it when the original customer is ready.

Tower Systems is a partner dedicated to the success of local, independent retailers.

Our team, with real-world retail experience, understands the daily challenges you face. This deep understanding is built into every feature of our software, from simplifying complex tasks to providing training that empowers your entire team. Choose an Australian partner who is genuinely invested in helping your business grow and operate more efficiently.

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Is it omnichannel, unified commerce, connected commerce or some other term to describe selling in-store and online today?

October 20, 2025
3 Min read
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If there’s one thing tech companies like it’s a buzz word or phrase, especially if it sounds shiny and appealing, and even more so if you never really know exactly what it is or can be different things for different companies.

That’s how the phrases omnichannel, unified commerce, connected commerce came into being, as tech companies wanted phrases to match the evolution of e-commerce connected POS software solutions.

years ago, omnichannel was the big thing. All retailers were told they needed it. Today, some tech companies are pushing unified commerce, as if they invented it. They are pushing it to keep more tech spend with them.

That’s what all these phrases like omnichannel, unified commerce, connected commerce are about – getting you to spend in a certain way, with particular companies.

The focus for an retail business when it comes to tech has to be value for the business, like real value, value you can bank.

Try and not bet drawn into the buzzwords because, in our experience, bright and shiny buzzwords have a cost associated with them, a cost that may not serve your own business needs.

Instead of getting caught up in glitzy marketing terminology, focus on the specific problems you need to solve in your business. Ask direct questions: How will it manage my inventory accurately across all channels in real-time? How will it simplify my reporting so I can make better decisions? The right technology partner will answer these questions with demonstrable functions and clear value, rather than trying to sell you a fashionable, and often expensive, abstract concept.

Now, if you think we’re writing this because we behind in the tech company buzzword race, we’re not. Our Tower Systems small business focussed POS software has offered direct e-commerce integration for more than ten years. We’ve kept up, too, evolving as the e-commerce solutions evolved. Our solution is unified offering reduced keystrokes, fewer mistake opportunities and AI facilitated business insights that help you make money, We’d rather focus on the benefits to you than using some brings shiny buzzword.

Ultimately, what matters is not the label a tech company uses. What matters is the tangible outcomes the software, and the company, deliver for your business.

True unified commerce isn’t a marketing slogan; it’s the seamless operational reality of your inventory, sales, and customer data working together effortlessly. Judge any solution by that standard. The goal is to invest in technology that serves your business with practical, everyday value, not one that simply ticks a box for the latest industry trend.

Here at Tower Systems we serve local small business retailers, independent retailers, specialty retailers. Our POS software is tuned to the needs of each off the retail channels in which we serve. Our geographic focus is Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Fiji and nearby.

If you’re a big retail business, you’re not for us.

While the right POS system for any retail business depends on the specific needs of the retail business, Tower Systems was built to serve  Australian and New Zealand local small business specialty retailers. To see how we can help you…, request a free, no-obligation demo today. 

Call 1300 662 957 in Australia or 0800 444 367 in New Zealand. Or, email sales@towersystems.com.au. 

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Easy Inventory Management for Fashion and Clothing Shops

October 20, 2025
3 Min read
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In the fast-paced world of retail, particularly for fashion and apparel businesses, efficient inventory management is the backbone of success. While a good Point of Sale (POS) system should handle the basics like stock variants (colour, size, style), customer loyalty, and e-commerce integration, what if it could do more? What if it could save you hours of manual data entry every week?

Our latest video showcases how our locally made and supported POS software is doing just that, transforming a tedious but essential task into a streamlined, automated process – helping local independent retailers in practical ways.

The Challenge: Time-Consuming Stock Arrival

One of the biggest pain points for retailers is the process of receiving new stock. Manually entering product details from supplier invoices is a time-consuming and error-prone task. For businesses receiving frequent or large shipments, this can translate to hours of administrative work, pulling you away from more critical, customer-facing activities.

The Solution: The AI Invoice Import Tool

At the heart of our software’s efficiency is the innovative AI Invoice Import tool. This powerful feature is designed to eliminate the manual grind of data entry. Here’s how it works:

  1. Simply upload any PDF invoice from any of your suppliers.
  2. Our AI technology analyses the document in seconds.
  3. It automatically extracts and imports all crucial information – product descriptions, supplier stock codes, quantities, and cost prices – directly into your POS system.

This seamless process is a game-changer. In our video demonstration, you can see how invoices are processed with just a few clicks. The software intelligently populates a grid with all the details. For brand-new items, you can quickly generate barcodes and categorise them. For bulk updates, you can apply the same department to multiple items at once.

The result? Our customers are reporting savings of 15 to 20 hours a week on stock arrival alone.

Beyond Invoices: Smart Integration with Barcode Lookup

Our software also integrates with Barcode Lookup, a massive online database featuring over 1.5 billion items. If your supplier lists their products here, you can import new items, complete with professional images, simply by scanning a barcode.

Furthermore, our AI pricing facility can analyse what your local competitors are charging for the same products, providing you with three optimal price points to ensure you remain competitive in the market.

Seamlessly Connect Your Online and In-Store Operations

For businesses with an online presence, our software makes it incredibly easy to keep your digital and physical shelves stocked. With integrations for platforms like Shopify, you can even use our AI tools to generate compelling, extended product descriptions. When you add a new item, it’s not only added to your in-store database but can be instantly pushed to your website, ready for sale.

Managing stock variants is also a breeze. Directly from the POS screen, you can check for different colours or sizes of an item and add them to a customer’s sale on the spot.

See It For Yourself

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If you sell nuts and bolts, we have software that can help you with that

October 18, 2025
3 Min read
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Yes, here at Tower Systems we have software for nuts and bolts businesses that allows you to sell by barcode, by SKU, by some other code, by selections on a touch screen, by weight and by length. You can sell your nuts and bolts the way you choose.

Selling nuts and bolts is easy with software from Tower Systems, and accurate, which is vital in any business setting.

7 ways you can sell nuts and bolts with POS software from Tower Systems.

  1. Sell by barcode, if you can have a barcode on what you sell.
  2. Sell by SKU – a code you assign to each product.
  3. Sell by making a selection on a POS software touchscreen menu that you setup.
  4. Sell by weight, including to fractions.
  5. Sell by length – if you have related items that sell by the metre or fractions of a metre.
  6. At a high level like a department level sale.
  7. Selling a pack of completed items for mini bulk sales.

7 ways our POS software for nuts and bolts businesses can save time.

  1. Easy adding of new stock thanks to our smart AI invoice import tools.
  2. Linking seamlessly to Xero and cutting bookkeeping time.
  3. Smoothing workflow for customer quotes through to sales.
  4. Report on what’s working and what’s not working without the need for time to create reports.
  5. The seamless Shopify link makes selling online a breeze.
  6. Billing to customer accounts is fast, easy, and accurate.
  7. stock replenishment so as to not be out of stock when a customer may want to purchase.

Our POS software for nuts and bolts businesses does more than this since it is built on the back of POS software already being used by thousands of specialty retailers in Australia and New Zealand. This breadth of use helps us deliver software capable of serving the needs of nuts and bolts businesses.

How AI is changing retail business management in specialty retail businesses like nuts and bolts businesses.

  1. Save time. There are real time saving benefits for retailers using POS software with AI tools embedded. So many manual processes can be cut and done so much more quickly: invoice importing, creating marketing text, price comparing and more.
  2. Better quality business decisions. Going beyond business data alone and considering other data points can be the foundation of decision making that is better for the business.
  3. Make more money. By cutting mistakes, doing less of what’s not working and more of what is working is at the heart of any business making more money.
  4. Uncovering the unknown. The AI tools in our POS software are revealing to retailers things they didn’t;t expect to know or could not have known. They truly are a game-changer.

All of these savings and benefits are valuable since they free time for shop floor engagement. retail is personal after all and the more time you have for personal service and engagement the more your shop benefits.

Now, this may sound a bit weird for nuts and bolts businesses. It’s not. Because retail is retail.

Our goal is to help local independent retailers thrive. This includes nuts and bolts businesses.

…

While the right POS system for any retail business depends on the specific needs of the retail business, Tower Systems was built to serve  Australian and New Zealand local small business specialty retailers. To see how we can help you…, request a free, no-obligation demo today. 

Call 1300 662 957 in Australia or 0800 444 367 in New Zealand. Or, email sales@towersystems.com.au. 

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Tower Systems: POS software designed for local, independent fashion shops

October 17, 2025
3 Min read
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For local, independent clothing, fashion, and apparel retailers, having the right technology is key to not only surviving but thriving in a competitive market. Tower Systems offers a dedicated Point-of-Sale (POS) software solution built specifically to help these locally serving fashion businesses succeed.

This is more than just a transaction processor; it is a comprehensive management system with local retailers at its heart.

Tailored inventory management for fashion

While core functionality like tracking sales by colour, size, and style is standard, the Tower Systems software goes further to address the unique needs of a fashion boutique:

  • Alterations Management: Easily manage the process of garment alterations, whether you handle them in-house or outsource them.
  • Bundle Pricing: Encourage higher value sales by easily creating and pricing outfit bundles for shoppers.
  • Lay-Bys: Support the resurgence of traditional Lay-Bys, alongside modern payment options like Afterpay and others.
  • Detailed Reporting: Gain critical insights by reporting on sales by both brand and wholesaler/supplier.

Powerful tools to build local loyalty

The software includes advanced loyalty tools designed to help local shops differentiate themselves from mass-market chains:

  • Differentiated loyalty programs: Create programs that genuinely engage your local customer base.
  • Community group pricing: Offer specific pricing structures to attract members of local community groups.
  • Targeted marketing: The “Bring them back” feature allows you to market to shoppers based on their past purchase history, encouraging repeat business.

A Connected and Streamlined Operation

The Tower Systems POS is designed to be the central hub for retail management for local small independent businesses, like local fashion shops.

  • E-commerce Integration: Seamlessly connect your in-store inventory and sales with your online platforms, including Shopify, Big Commerce, Woo Commerce, and Magento, allowing you to “Sell anytime.”
  • Accounting & Roster: Direct links to Xero for easy Profit & Loss and Balance Sheet reporting, and integration with Deputy and Tanda for efficient roster management.
  • Modern Services: Integrations with platforms for shipping and digital receipts (like Slyp) complete the omnichannel experience.
  • Value-Added Service: Easily include clothing care instructions on receipts as an extra, helpful service for your customers.

Clear pricing and comprehensive support

Tower Systems positions its software as a competitive and risk-free investment for independent retailers:

  • Transparent pricing: The monthly rental cost is modest and includes all the features, integrations, and support.
  • No hidden fees: There are no extra costs for unlimited terminals, advanced reporting, loyalty tools, or personal support.
  • Flexible terms: The rental can be cancelled at any time—the business is not locked into a contract or an expensive EFTPOS platform.

What’s included in monthly rental:

  • Software licences for unlimited computers in your location.
  • Help desk support (by phone or email), plus after-hours access for urgent system-down queries.
  • Access to a comprehensive support knowledge base.
  • Access to all major integrations (Shopify, Xero, etc.) and supplier invoice import tools.

The system also includes a library of short, topic-specific video guides to simplify training for new employees, ensuring consistent and accurate use of the software across your entire team.

From kiosk to high-end boutiques, the Tower Systems fashion/apparel POS software is a constantly evolving solution, driven by the feedback of the local retailers it is designed to serve.

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Unlock Recurring Revenue with Tower Systems POS Subscription Management

October 16, 2025
3 Min read
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In today’s retail landscape, subscription-based selling is a powerful way to build stable revenue and foster deep customer loyalty. Whether you’re offering monthly gift boxes, annual software licenses, or regular shipments of pet supplies, managing these recurring sales can be an operational headache—but it doesn’t have to be.

Our Tower Systems POS software is equipped with robust features to efficiently manage subscriptions and recurring billing, integrated right into your existing system. We released this a while back and customers are loving it.

Flexible and configurable recurring billing for small business retailers

Our system is designed to handle a wide variety of subscription models with ease:

  • Flexible scheduling: Set billing and fulfillment schedules on a daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly basis. This is configurable per individual stock item and customer, giving you granular control over your offerings.
  • Customer-specific pricing: Maintain flexibility by establishing varied subscription prices for a single product, tailored to individual customer agreements. This integrated pricing flexibility offers a significant advantage for managing corporate clients or loyalty tiers.
  • Multiple concurrent subscriptions: Your customers can hold multiple subscriptions concurrently, all managed simply within the same POS transaction.

No extra cost for essential tools

A key benefit for local small business retailers is that there is no extra charge for our customers to access the powerful subscription management tools in the Tower Systems POS software. This functionality was introduced as part of a standard software update in early 2024, meaning you can manage your recurring revenue without incurring extra fees for supplementary software.

Who benefits from integrated subscription management?

The new features are designed to support a wide range of specialist retailers, including:

  • Computer retailers: Easily bill for software licenses like Microsoft products, anti-virus, or Office 365subscriptions.
  • Gift shops: Manage the billing and fulfillment of monthly or quarterly curated gift subscription boxes.
  • Pet shops: Schedule regular shipments of flea, worm, or other treatment products.
  • Produce supply businesses & garden centres: Handle committed, regular deliveries for customers.
  • Firearms dealers and any business engaged in regular, committed customer billing.

Expand your market reach

For retailers looking to tap into popular subscription models, such as the sale of samples and curated boxes, Tower Systems simplifies the process. This allows you to easily offer these services and expand your market reach by establishing stable, recurring customer relationships.

The subscription tools in our POS software build on Tower Systems’ extensive history of managing regular customer orders, offering enhanced capabilities that reflect the growth of our user community into new specialist retail sectors. By streamlining your processes, our POS helps you control associated labour expenses and focus on what you do best: serving your customers.

Tower Systems specialises in POS solutions for small and independent retail businesses across Australia and New Zealand. With decades of experience, we provide comprehensive on-premise and cloud-based POS software solutions designed to streamline everything from sales and inventory to customer relationship management. Local support, regular updates, and listening to our customers are the cornerstones of our service.

Ready to simplify your recurring billing and unlock a new revenue stream?

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Ensuring Accuracy in Retail Business Sales: The Critical Role of POS Software in Stock Valuation

October 15, 2025
3 Min read
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Navigating the complexities of small business retail ownership transfer demands meticulous attention to detail, particularly regarding the valuation of stock on hand. A common and flawed practice  is the reliance on external stocktaking firms to determine stock value, separate from the primary Point of Sale (POS) and inventory management software, such as the Retailer POS software from Tower Systems. This approach is frequently fraught with inaccuracies, presenting significant challenges for both the vendor and the purchaser.

Calculating stock value outside of the POS software introduces inherent risks based on assumptions. The resulting figures may not accurately reflect the true cost of goods, often ignoring critical financial variables such as settlement discounts, volume rebates, and various other off-invoice price adjustments. This oversight can materially skew the stock valuation, leading to an unfair or inaccurate sale price.

Too often we see these problems.

A far more robust and professional methodology involves performing the pre-settlement stocktake directly within the Retailer software. This action serves a dual purpose: it provides the most accurate and verifiable valuation for the vendor and, crucially, establishes the new owner with a foundation of precise, reliable inventory data from the outset. Leveraging the Retailer system in this manner also facilitates an accurate assessment of genuinely ‘dead stock’. A discerning buyer will, and should, negotiate the value of non-performing inventory, refusing to pay full wholesale price for items unlikely to sell. The software’s integrated data provides the objective evidence necessary for these critical negotiations.

It’s important to acknowledge that the integrity of this process hinges on the quality of the cost price data held within the inventory system. If the cost prices recorded in the Retailer software are inaccurate, the resulting stock valuation will also be compromised. Maintaining data hygiene—ensuring cost prices are consistently and correctly updated—is solely the responsibility of the business owner. Failure to do so renders the inventory data unreliable, irrespective of the software’s capabilities.

The importance of accurate stock-on-hand data is frequently underscored when new owners find their acquired business underperforming relative to expectations. In such scenarios, the validity of the initial stock valuation often becomes a point of contention, sometimes escalating to require expert evidence concerning the underlying data. The most straightforward solution to mitigate such disputes and ensure a seamless, professional transition is simple: complete the official stocktake using the embedded functionality of the Tower Systems Retailer POS software. This establishes an irrefutable, data-driven basis for the stock value, benefitting all parties involved.

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More Asian supermarkets and grocery stores choose Tower Systems

October 11, 2025
4 Min read
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We are grateful to welcome more local Asian grocery supermarkets to our community of POS software customers. This is a proven segment of retail for us, with our POS software proving to be useful.

Designed for fast, easy and accurate checkout, our Asian grocery POS software helps retailers streamline lanes, accurately sell, easily manage inventory levels and reduce fraud. Our work on customer and employee fraud is proven to help retailers in this expensive and fraught area.

Our Asian grocery POS software set checkout solution is also loved buy retailers and customers.

Using our Asian grocery POS software, retailers can easily:

  1. Scan products.
  2. Sell by weight thanks to approved scale integration.
  3. Sell in bundles.
  4. Offer shopper loyalty as cash back or points.
  5. Sell to customers at prices based on their profile.
  6. Order based on sales.
  7. Compare supplier performance.
  8. Compare product category performance.
  9. Use our AI supported insights dashboard to make sessions based on actual business performance.
  10. Use our AI tools to cut time imparting product invoices.

We serve our Asian supermarket customers in ways they love, like the ability to ask questions about our software in their language of choice and the answers being bigger in their language of choice.

Our customers can also easily and quickly configure the software to have the buttons they prefer on the POS screen.

With our Tower Systems Asian grocery POS software, there is one price per location regardless of the number of lanes in use. This helps retailers manage their tech costs. Our POS software pricing is transparent, easily understood.

You can use this POS software for Asian supermarkets on premise or in the cloud – you choose what’s best for your business.

Our multi-store option also helps when you want to add stores. Plus, our POS software makes it easy with integrations:

  1. Shopify, Big Commerce and Woo Commerce for online sales.
  2. Xero for easy accounting management.
  3. Deputy, Tanda, Planday and more for roster management.
  4. Tyro, Linkly, MX51, Quest and more for access to easy payments solutions. You choose what’s the most cost effective for your business.
  5. Slyp for digital receipts.
  6. Epay for phone card and other voucher sales.

Through these integrations and the comprehensive functionality in the POS software for Asian grocery shops from Tower Systems, you have access to a unified solution, something proven for local small business retail, and offered at a fixed cost per location without you having to pay more for additional lanes or computers. Sell in-store, online or a mixture with this POS software.

If you run an Asian grocery business, consider Tower Systems. We are based in Australia and we serve Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Papua New Guinea and nearby. We have 3,000+ local retail business customers, including Asian grocery businesses. Our customer service team is based in Australia and New Zealand. There is no offshoring of customer service. Everyone working on our help desk has retail experience – local small business retail experience.

We can help you convert data from other software. We also provide one-on-one training, and we back this with a large library of up-to-date training videos and a knowledge base with 600+ articles. Our software is professionally documented and, again, you can ask questions about the software the language of your choice.

For new staff, we are an short curriculum of self study videos to help onboard therewith our software to be of service to your business.

While the right POS system for any retail business depends on the specific needs of the retail business, Tower Systems was built to serve  Australian and New Zealand local small business specialty retailers. To see how we can help you…, request a free, no-obligation demo today. 

Call 1300 662 957 in Australia or 0800 444 367 in New Zealand. Or, email sales@towersystems.com.au. 

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Tower Systems: POS Software Tailored for Australian Fashion and Apparel Retailers

October 10, 2025
3 Min read
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For local independent clothing shops in Australia and New Zealand, finding the right Point of Sale (POS) software is crucial for success. Tower Systems, a specialty retail business-focused POS software company, offers a feature-rich solution designed to help fashion and apparel retailers not just survive, but thrive in a competitive market.

We only work with small retail businesses, local businesses, specialty businesses. All of our customers have an equal voice, which we think is important.

Our POS  software is a comprehensive business management system that helps fashion and clothing retailers streamline operations, leverage insights, and nurture shopper engagement.

One of the key challenges for fashion retailers is managing inventory with multiple variants like colour, size, and style. The Tower Systems POS software handles this with ease, allowing for granular tracking of stock levels and sales performance. This ensures you always have the right products in stock to meet customer demand.

The software also offers flexible and powerful reporting as well as AI facilities business performance insights. You can analyse sales data by supplier, brand, or custom tags, giving you a deep understanding of your business performance. This data-driven approach allows you to make informed decisions about purchasing, pricing, and marketing.

Building a loyal customer base is essential for any independent retailer. Our POS software for fashion and apparel businesses provides a suite of tools to help you connect with your customers and keep them coming back. You can track customer preferences and purchase history, allowing you to offer personalised recommendations and targeted marketing campaigns via email or SMS.

The software also includes an “awesome loyalty” program that rewards repeat customers and encourages them to spend more. It’s unique and ideal for indie retail businesses. Our software also supports traditional lay-by options, which are seeing a resurgence in popularity, alongside modern “buy now, pay later” integrations like Afterpay and others.

Beyond core POS functionality, the Tower Systems software offers a range of features to streamline your daily operations. These include:

  • Alterations and repairs: A dedicated workshop facility helps you manage alterations and repairs, tracking time, materials, and costs for each job.
  • AI-powered product descriptions: Save time and create more engaging product descriptions for your website with the integrated AI writer.
  • Image background removal: Easily remove the background from product images for a clean, professional look on your e-commerce store.
  • E-commerce integration: Seamlessly connect your physical store with popular e-commerce platforms like Shopify, BigCommerce, Magento, and WooCommerce.
  • Supplier invoice import: Simplify your accounting with tools that import supplier invoices directly into the system.

The Tower Systems POS software is available for a modest monthly rental fee. This all-inclusive price includes:

  • Software licences for unlimited computers in your location.
  • Easy to access help desk support via phone or email.
  • Access to a comprehensive online knowledge base.
  • After-hours support for urgent system-down queries.
  • Integrations with Shopify, Xero, and other platforms.

Our POS software is constantly evolving, with regular updates and enhancements driven by feedback from the active user community.

…

While the right POS system for any retail business depends on the specific needs of the retail business, Tower Systems was built to serve  Australian and New Zealand local small business specialty retailers. To see how we can help you…, request a free, no-obligation demo today. 

Call 1300 662 957 in Australia or 0800 444 367 in New Zealand. Or, email sales@towersystems.com.au. 

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POS software for New Zealand small business retailers, specialty retailers

October 10, 2025
3 Min read
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For years, Tower Systems has supported local small business retailers in New Zealand. We provide specialised point of sale software tailored for a diverse range of specialty retailers. Our clients include jewellers, bike shops, farm supply businesses, gift and homewares stores, toy shops, dairies, bookstores, and many others. We are proud to serve a growing network of satisfied customers throughout the country.

Our software is developed specifically with the needs of small businesses in mind. It offers a powerful suite of features designed to save you time, streamline operations, and improve your financial results.

Our own experiences gained from years of owning and running specialty retail shops continues to inform us today. This along with tight relationships with plenty of local retailers helps us in our service of local small business retailers with PSO software in New Zealand.

We know that reliable local support is critical. Our customer service team is available via a toll free number during New Zealand business hours to provide prompt and professional assistance. With team members based near Christchurch and in Auckland, you have a familiar point of contact. We also regularly host face to face training and networking sessions for our customers in New Zealand.

Our POS software integrates seamlessly with popular e-commerce platforms, including Shopify, Magento, Big Commerce, and WooCommerce. This allows you to effortlessly manage your online and physical store sales from a single system. Furthermore, we offer native integration with Xero accounting software to simplify your financial management.

Tower Systems’ POS software provides a complete toolkit to enhance your retail operations.

  • Detailed Sales Tracking: Monitor sales by colour, size, style, or any other attribute relevant to your business.
  • Age Checking: Easily manage the sale of age restricted products with integrated prompts.
  • Club Pricing: Foster loyalty and attract community groups with targeted pricing and special offers.
  • Repair Management: Simplify the entire repair process from tracking and customer communication to final invoicing.
  • Flexible Sales Options: Sell products by weight, by fractions, or create custom units of measure.
  • Advanced Loyalty Programs: Move beyond basic points systems with innovative and engaging customer loyalty solutions.
  • Promotional Tools: Drive sales with powerful promotional options like buy one get one free offers.
  • Warranty Tracking: Improve customer service by efficiently managing all product warranties.
  • Targeted Marketing: Re-engage your customer base with automated campaigns for birthdays, anniversaries, and other key dates.
  • Mobile Sales: Use our Retailer Roam mobile app to process sales anywhere in your store or at events.
  • Special Order Management: Efficiently track and manage all customer special orders from deposit to fulfillment.
  • Customisable Labels: Design and print product labels and receipts that align with your brand identity.

Our low monthly rental fee provides a comprehensive POS solution for your business. This single fee includes unlimited computer licenses for your retail location, all ongoing software updates, access to our full range of integrations, and personalised one on one training to ensure you get started successfully.

If you are an independent retailer in New Zealand looking for a reliable and feature rich POS software partner, we can help. We are committed to the success of your business.

Contact us today to learn more about how our software can benefit your operations. We will begin with a conversation to understand the specific needs of your business.

Phone: 0800 444 367

Email: sales@towersystems.com.au

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An alternative to Square POS and other ‘free’ POS software solutions

October 9, 2025
3 Min read
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You get what you pay for. It’s true. Free is rarely free. In fact, free can be for more expensive.

Square POS is pitched as free from time to time. Is it really free? We suspect now. But, we suggest you do your own research.

POS systems offering their software for free rarely make it free once you understand how it works, the whole process.  The allure of a “free” system can be powerful. But as with most things in business, it pays to look a little closer.

On the surface, a POS system with no upfront software cost, free like we see from Square POS sometimes, seems like an unbeatable deal. However, the true cost often lies in the details, specifically, in the transaction fees. Many popular “free” platforms build their business model around their integrated payment processing. With every tap, swipe, or insert, a percentage of the sale goes to them.

Over time, these non-negotiable, built-in rates can quietly chip away at your margins.

We’ve seen these fees run significantly higher than what a retailer could secure by shopping around for a competitive EFTPOS rate. When you do the maths, that “free” system can end up costing you thousands of dollars a year.

This is where a different conversation about value begins. Instead of asking what the software costs upfront, a better question might be: What is the total cost to my business over the long term?

When we look at it this way, the picture changes. Our analysis shows that a typical independent retailer, by pairing our Tower Systems POS software with a competitive EFTPOS rate, could save thousands of dollars annually compared to a fee-based “free” system.

But value isn’t just about saving money on transaction fees. It’s about what your system gives you. It’s about having the right tools built-in, not bolted on as expensive extras.

here at Tower Systems we see our POS software as a viable alternative to the Square POS software solution.

  • Building loyalty, not monthly bills: A great loyalty program encourages repeat business and makes customers feel valued. We believe this is a core function, which is why it’s included in our software at no extra cost. Many other POS systems  charge a recurring monthly fee for this essential feature. Not us.
  • A human on the other end of the line: When something goes wrong during a busy Saturday service, the last thing you want is to navigate a complex support bot or wait for an email response. We offer 24/7 support from a team that understands retail. We answer the phone because we know that sometimes, you just need to talk to a person.
  • Software that grows with you: Your business isn’t static, and your POS shouldn’t be either. Our software is constantly evolving, with enhancements and new features suggested and voted on by our community of users, the people who use it every day.
  • Serving specialty retail needs. If you see your business as specialists, look for software that serves your specialist needs.

Here at Tower Systems we understand the challenges and the triumphs. We believe value is a combination of a financial benefit and an emotional one: the money you save and the peace of mind you gain knowing you have a partner committed to your success.

Choosing a POS is about finding the right fit for the business you’re running today and the one you hope to build for tomorrow.

If you are looking for an alternative to Square POS software, consider us: www.towersystems.com.au.

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Beyond the counter: how Tower Systems is powering the modern Australian newsagency

October 8, 2025
4 Min read
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Running a successful newsagency in Australia today  is a juggling act. From managing lottery sales and magazine returns to embracing e-commerce and diversifying your product range, the demands are greater than ever. Ask any newsagent. They will tell you. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed.

At Tower Systems, we understand these challenges. As the only newsagency software provider to have owned and operated our own newsagencies, we have a valuable and unique perspective. We have experience. Our stores were our learning labs, allowing us to build a solution that genuinely addresses the real-world needs of Aussie newsagents.

This made our software the industry standard, trusted by over 1,800 newsagents across Australia. It made us the industry standard.

Good newsagency software is a central nervous system for your entire business. It should be:

  • Easy to use for you and your team.
  • Updated regularly with features that matter.
  • Accessible from anywhere, so you’re not tied to the counter.
  • Powerful enough to help you sell anywhere—in-store, online, or at a local market.

Our newsagency software is these things. It is designed to tick all these boxes and more, providing a comprehensive toolkit to help you run a more efficient, valuable, and enjoyable business.

We’ve packed our software with features specifically designed to save you time, reduce errors, and open up new revenue streams.

Mastering core newsagency operations:

  • Seamless The Lott integration: Manage lottery transactions effortlessly with our direct link to The Lott via XchangeIT.
  • Streamlined publication management: Handle magazine arrivals and returns through XchangeIT, manage complex publication pricing for different days of the week, and apply price changes with ease.
  • Home delivery & customer accounts: Effortlessly manage newspaper home delivery routes, sub-agent accounts, customer putaways, and special orders.

Driving modern retail efficiency:

  • Integrated AI tools. These are a game changer.
  • Business performance insights. ready 24/7. Money making. Attention grabbing.
  • Integrated EFTPOS: Connect directly with all major banks to speed up transactions, eliminate mistakes, and automatically pass on fees with an optional surcharge.
  • Seamless accounting: Link directly with Xero for up-to-date, time-saving accounting management.
  • Powerful e-commerce integrations: Sell 24/7 beyond your local area by connecting your inventory directly to Shopify, WooCommerce, Big Commerce, and more. We can even help you build the website.
  • Smart integrations: Connect with popular roster apps (Deputy, Tanda), delivery apps, and more to streamline every part of your operation.

The local Aussie newsagency is changing, and our software is built to change with you. We are proud to support newsagents who have evolved their businesses to include:

  • Coffee shops & cafes with table service
  • Gift, book, and toy shops
  • Baby and boutique clothing stores
  • Camping and outdoor suppliers
  • Local artist consignment and tourism rentals

Our flexible platform provides the tools and data you need to confidently diversify and ensure your business remains a vital part of your community.

We believe our role extends beyond providing a great product. When you join the Tower Systems community, you gain a partner invested in your success. We offer:

  • Expert marketing advice to help you reach new customers.
  • Theft mitigation guidance to protect your bottom line.
  • Dedicated ongoing support from our friendly help desk team, available six days a week.
  • A comprehensive training library of short videos, free for your entire team.

For a few dollars a day, you can rent the complete Tower Systems software package. This all-inclusive price covers software for all computers in your location, help desk access, and all our powerful integrations.

We’ve recently launched exciting new features that are getting cheers from our customers, making our newsagency software even better.

Request a personal demo: To discuss your specific business needs, call our team on 1300 662 957 or email us at sales@towersystems.com.au.

We are sincerely grateful to the many newsagents who have already joined us this year and the 1,800+ businesses who trust us every day. Let us help you build a more valuable and enjoyable future for your newsagency.

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Welcome IGA to the cash back loyalty reward opportunity

October 7, 2025
3 Min read
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Here at Tower Systems we launched cash back loyalty rewards through our POS software for local small business retailers in early 2013. It was a hit at launch and has continued to be a hit since.

For years, loyalty points have been a staple of retail marketing. Back in 2013 we thought they had become confusing.  Still today, traditional points-based systems feel tired and outdated, their value diluted by the complex schemes of supermarket giants, leaving customers confused and uninspired. So, we created an alternative.

At Tower Systems, our experience serving thousands of indie retailers has shown that a successful loyalty program can drive business growth. That’s why back in 2013 we added a solution with universally understood value: cash. Our fully integrated Discount Voucher feature offers a modern, effective, and refreshingly simple alternative.

We continue to offer a points program for the retailers who prefer that though.

We mention this today because of the news that IGA supermarkets have launched a cash back loyalty program. Welcome IGA to something similar to what we have been doing this past 12 years through our POS software.

Imagine launching a complete loyalty program in minutes. Our Tower Systems Discount Voucher POS software tools are designed for the time-poor small business owner. There is no need for additional technology, no plastic cards to order, and no complex customer sign-up process. This makes it an easy, low-cost, and low-overhead solution that starts delivering value from day one.

A key weakness of generic loyalty programs is their rigidity. Our Discount Vouchers put you firmly in the driver’s seat.

  • Customise the Name: Call them “Thank You Gifts,” “Bonus Bucks,” or “Customer Rewards.” The name is yours to decide, reflecting your unique brand identity.
  • Set the Rules: You determine the voucher’s value, define which products or categories it can be used on, and set a clear expiry date.
  • Ensure Profitability: With flexible settings, you can structure your offers to ensure every redeemed voucher is a positive outcome for your profit and loss statement.

Our cash back program is a bit different to the IGA program. With ours, each retailer is 100% in control.

Discount Vouchers deliver bankable results. One of our retail partners witnessed a remarkable 20% sales lift in the first quarter after implementation, driven significantly by impulse purchases at the sales counter.

This powerful tool helps you to:

  • Increase Basket Size: Motivate customers to spend more during their visit to earn or redeem a voucher.
  • Encourage Repeat Business: Give shoppers a compelling reason to return to your store sooner.
  • Attract New Customers: Stand out from your competitors with a clear and enticing offer.
  • Stimulate Impulse Buys: A voucher in hand is a powerful incentive for that extra last-minute purchase.

Unlike confusing points conversions, the value of a discount voucher is immediate and clear. A $10 voucher is understood as $10 in value, a direct and appreciated reward. This transparency builds trust and provides the instant gratification that modern consumers value. We observe that some shoppers redeem their vouchers immediately, while others save them for a future treat, creating another valuable touchpoint for your business.

The Discount Voucher solution we offer is exclusive to Tower Systems. Backed by our retail-experienced support team, it provides you with terrific control and clear reporting to analyse customer engagement.

Abandon outdated loyalty methods and adopt a solution that offers clarity, control, and proven results.

We are grateful to see IGA supermarkets embrace cash back. We think it will work a treat for their customers and for the IGA businesses.

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Tower Systems offers a POS software alternative to Retail Express customers

October 7, 2025
3 Min read
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If you use the Retail Express POS software in your shop and are looking for an alternative, our Tower Systems POS software could be worth considering.

Awe are not always the best alternative. If we think we’re not a good fit the case based on your needs we will say so.

So if you’re in the market for an alternative to retail Express, check us out: www.towersystems.com.au.

Finding the right tools for your business is critical. Here at Tower Systems, we find our home in the heart of local communities, serving the independent specialty retailers who make our towns unique.

Our partners are small and independent specialty retail businesses: garden centres, bike shops, jewellers, newsagents, pet shops, and so many more. We focus exclusively on the needs of small, local businesses, which is why we don’t supply to large corporations or franchises.

If you are exploring your options and have wondered how our POS software compares to a system like Retail Express, we’d like to share our approach.

We focus on you

You might notice that we don’t publish direct comparisons between our software and others. This is a mindful choice. We believe our energy is best spent nurturing our software and supporting our retail partners, rather than analysing other products on the market.

We’ve not used Retail Express ourselves. We have used our software though.

The comparison that matters is the one you make for yourself, the one that reveals which software feels right for your unique business.

If you are looking for a new path and considering an alternative to Retail Express, we invite you to explore Tower Systems at your own pace. We may be a good fit, but we encourage you to take your time and find the solution that brings you peace of mind.

A gentle and transparent approach

We want you to feel comfortable and informed as you consider your options. That’s why we make it easy to see our software in action. You are welcome to browse our Tower Systems YouTube channel anytime, with no sign-ups or commitments needed, to get a feel for how it works. Compare our approach to others. The transparency we demonstrate speaks to our approach.

For a closer look, we are always happy to provide a personal demonstration. In this quiet, one-on-one setting, we can walk you through our system. If it’s helpful for you, we can even sit with you and conduct a gentle, function-by-function comparison with Retail Express, helping you see clearly how each platform might serve your specific needs.

Your needs come first

We want to support your success as that is key to our success. From our very first conversation to help desk support, we  listen and place the needs of your business first. You won’t find any pressure or hard sales pitches here. If our Tower Systems POS software isn’t the right fit for you, we’ll be the first to say so and sincerely wish you the best in your search.

The right software should feel like a partnership. Our features and enhancements are inspired by the suggestions from the community of over 3,000 local businesses we serve. This means our software is always evolving to meet the real-world needs of retailers like you.

Good decisions are calm and informed ones. We would be grateful to be a part of your research.

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Toy shop software helps local independent toy shops thrive

October 6, 2025
3 Min read
T

A toy shop is a specialty retail business, a business focussed on a specific type of products. It’s not. a gift shop, or a cafe, or a homewares shop, or a jeweller, or a bike shop, or a convenience store. A toy shop is a toy shop.

Toy shops need toy shop software, POS software made for their type of business.

Running a toy shop is more than just stocking shelves with fun and games. It’s about understanding the unique needs of your customers, managing inventory efficiently, and staying ahead of the competition. This is where a toy shop is different to traditional retail, average retail.

The needs of toy shops are not served by generic software.

Our specialised software designed specifically for toy retailers can be a game-changer for local independent toy shops. It’s made for them. We work with plenty, and with suppliers – to help facilitate efficiency, success and enjoyment. We work to help local indie toy shops thrive.

Key features of our Tower Systems Toy Shop POS software:

  • Bundling: Create custom packages of toys to offer unique deals and encourage impulse purchases. Sell more. Make price comparison harder.
  • Instant loyalty benefits: Reward repeat customers with instant discounts or points to foster loyalty. This works well with the shopper frequency of toy shops.
  • Buy One, Get One Free (BOGO): Easily manage BOGO promotions at the register for a seamless customer experience.
  • Smart receipts: Include care instructions on receipts to provide added value and differentiate your service.
  • AI supplier invoice imports: Bring in supplier invoices using our smart AI tools. These are a game changer said one customer recently.
  • Serial number tracking: Ensure accurate tracking of high-value items with serial numbers.
  • Community group discounts: Offer exclusive discounts to local groups to attract new customers and build relationships.
  • Special customer orders: These are so easy. Place custom orders on behalf of customers and notify them of arrival.
  • Gift vouchers: Provide a convenient gift-giving option for customers.
  • Supplier comparison: Analyse supplier performance to optimise your purchasing decisions.
  • Linked/assorted items: Manage inventory effectively for assorted products with varying contents.
  • Gift cards: Offer customers a flexible payment option for future purchases.

Our software for toy shops is much more than this list tho, and it continues to evolve thanks to advice from customers.

One feature of this specialised toy shop software is its seamless integration with popular online platforms like Shopify, Magento, Big Commerce, Woo Commerce, Xero, Linkly Cloud, Tyro, Tanda, Deputy and plenty more.

Our work with key international brands ensures that your online store adheres to brand guidelines and provides a consistent shopping experience for customers.

By leveraging the powerful features of this specialised toy shop POS software, you can streamline your operations, enhance customer satisfaction, and gain a competitive edge in the dynamic toy retail industry.

Tower Systems is grateful to already serve thousands of  local independent retailers across a range of specialty retail sectors.

We only serve small retailers. This focus matters as no one big retailer or group dominates the conversation.

…

While the right POS system for any retail business depends on the specific needs of the retail business, Tower Systems was built to serve  Australian and New Zealand local small business specialty retailers. To see how we can help you…, request a free, no-obligation demo today. 

Call 1300 662 957 in Australia or 0800 444 367 in New Zealand. Or, email sales@towersystems.com.au. 

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