If you're running a retail shop in Australia, you've probably heard the debate: should you create your social media content yourself, or let AI do it? You should use the best technology available to achieve the best results. The future in retail belongs to retailers who adapt, and our view is backed by one of the most comprehensive advertising experiments ever conducted.

Digital marketing expert Neil Patel recently completed a groundbreaking $US 7 million experiment across 28 businesses that settles this debate once and for all. The winning approach was a strategic combination of both that delivers results better than can be achieved alone.

Neil Patel's $7 Million Experiment: What the Data Shows

Neil Patel is a British-born entrepreneur recognised as one of the world's leading digital marketing authorities. He co-founded Crazy Egg and KISSmetrics, leads NP Digital (a global marketing agency), and was named a top entrepreneur under 30 by President Obama and a top 100 entrepreneur under 35 by the United Nations. When someone with his credentials invests $7 million to test a marketing strategy, it's worth paying attention.

His team ran Facebook ads for 28 different businesses over 30 days, testing human-created ads against AI-generated ads.

Here is his video 

Round One: Human Specialists vs AI Alone

Professional advertising specialists created 1,709 ad variations, while AI generated 4,041 variations, nearly 2.4 times more content. The human-created ads won 68.3% of the time, and their conversion rates were also higher.

This result makes sense. Humans understand emotion, local context, and what genuinely connects with customers. You know your customers' faces, their questions, and what makes them choose your shop over the big chains. That knowledge is irreplaceable.

One point here: these humans were advertised as skilled in advertising with many years of experience. Most of us are not such people, so I doubt an AI would lose so badly against us.

Round Two: The Game-Changing Hybrid Approach

Here's where it gets interesting. In the experiment, they fed the winning human ads to the AI and asked it to create multiple variations. When they tested these AI variations against the original winning human ads, AI won 75.7% of the time. Conversion rates also improved slightly.

Here, the AI beat the humans by a significant margin.

The Winning Formula: Human-AI-Human

This experiment shows a straightforward three-step process that delivers superior results:

Step One: The Human Strategy

You create the original concept using your local knowledge, customer understanding, and retail experience. This might be a post about a very popular product in your shop. That is easy to get as your POS system tracks which products sell best, which promotions drive traffic, and which customer segments respond to different offers. This data gives you the insights you need to create that crucial first piece of human-directed content.

Step Two: Ask the AI

Feed your concepts to AI tools and ask them for ten (10) versions. Let the AI generate variations with different hooks and adjust the wording for other times of day, etc.

Step Three Human Selection

You review the AI-generated options and pick the best ones. Then test them to see which resonates most with your customers. Your judgment matters because you are there on the spot, measuring the results.

Conclusion

The question isn't "human or AI?" The science is precise: the winning approach combines both.

You can't, and shouldn't, try to outwork a Machine. Does not matter how fast you run, a car will win in speed. The AI here generated almost three times as many advertisement variations as humans. Trying to manually create dozens of social media post variations, as some suggest, isn't realistic or worth it. AI generates more, but as the experiment shows, it needs your direction.

Your Next Step

Ready to transform your social media strategy with the proven human-AI hybrid approach? Click here for how to make a free copy to advertise your shop, and click here for ideas on when to post these advertisements. It's all free.

Written by:

Bernard Zimmermann is the founding director of POS Solutions, a leading point-of-sale system company with 45 years of industry experience, now retired and seeking new opportunities. He consults with various organisations, from small businesses to large retailers and government institutions. Bernard is passionate about helping companies optimise their operations through innovative POS technology and enabling seamless customer experiences through effective software solutions.

Most retailers will wait many months to hear from their accountant before they know where they stand in 2025. Here's a quick and simple way to assess your 2025 performance using your POS System. Raw sales numbers alone don't reveal much, but compared to historical data, they tell a strong story about your business's health and trajectory.

A Four-Year View

Looking at just last year gives you a snapshot. Looking at three to five years gives you a trend. Three, I doubt, is enough, and the problem is that 2020 was COVID, which rules out five years, so most are using four years. They are using this historical perspective to assess their business in the long term.

Step-by-Step: Running Your Analysis

Most modern POS systems make this process simple. Here is how you do it in our POS system.

First, pull total sales reports for the past few years. For example:

Go to register reports.

Now select the item marked "Sales Comparison for a Given period".

Note, you can do it by a supplier, but that can be done later when you have more time for detailed analysis. What we are doing here is getting a quick idea.

Step 1: The Recent Comparison (2024 vs 2025)

First, pull your total sales reports for the last two full calendar years.

Action

Go to your Register Reports and select the item marked "Sales Comparison for a Given Period."

Input Dates:

01/01/2024 to 31/12/2024 AND 01/01/2025 to 31/12/2025

The system will generate a detailed breakdown of your performance. It will show you exactly how your 2025 figures stack up against 2024. Write down these key totals.

Step 2: The Historical Context (2022 vs 2023)

Now, we are going to dig deeper

Action

Rerun the same report with older dates.

Input Dates

01/01/2022 to 31/12/2022 AND 01/01/2023 to 31/12/2023
Write down these key totals.

Step 3: Organise Your Data

Now you have your figures clearly in a table. A table makes it much easier to scan for trends than a list of numbers.

For example, you may have

Interpreting Your Results

Now that you have the numbers, what do they actually mean? We want to dig deeper.

Here, sales have grown every year. That is good.

1. Benchmark Against Inflation

Sales growth doesn't always equal profit growth. In 2025, Australia saw inflation hover around 3.5% to 3.8% for much of the year.

If sales grew by only 3%, you would have gone financially backward. In this example, growth from 2024 ($885,000) to 2025 ($965,000) was 9.1%. Since it's well above inflation, you've achieved real growth.

2. Compare to Industry Standards

It also helps to know how you compare with other retailers. As a rule, you are expected to grow by 2% a year. That is the long-term growth rate based on very old figures going back 100s of years. Today, industry forecasts for 2025 predict retail sales growth of around 3.3%. If your growth is significantly lower than this, you are losing market share to other retailers. 

3. Identify the Trend Line

Look at the trajectory in the table.

Steady Growth

Consistent increases suggest your strategies work. Something went wrong in 2024 but was fixed in 2025. After patting yourself on the back, ask yourself, "What did I do right, or what happened?"

Decline

A drop in raw numbers is a red flag. You need to investigate immediately: was it a stock issue, a staffing problem, or a new competitor?

Taking Action

Suppose your numbers are looking healthy, well done. Double down on the marketing and product ranges that worked in 2025.

If you spot a downward trend or stagnation, don't panic but act.

Check Inventory

Use your POS System to see if you were out of stock on best-sellers.

Review with others

Start by asking your staff

Analyse Customers

Are you losing repeat customers?

Note: This is an amended post from last year updated 

Written by:

Bernard Zimmermann is the founding director of POS Solutions, a leading point-of-sale system company with 45 years of industry experience, now retired and seeking new opportunities. He consults with various organisations, from small businesses to large retailers and government institutions. Bernard is passionate about helping companies optimise their operations through innovative POS technology and enabling seamless customer experiences through effective software solutions.

AI-powered automated ordering systems can quickly process thousands of stock lines, but they lack context understanding. While retail demand forecasting algorithms identify sales patterns, they often miss real-world factors crucial for smart decisions in retail environments like newsagencies.

Human-in-the-loop workflows are essential because AI software ensures speed and consistency, but effective stock management depends on recognising whether sales spikes reflect genuine demand or noise.

Why AI Inventory Management Needs Human Oversight

POS Solutions has long been the gold standard for Australian newsagents, offering sophisticated “state-of-the-art” automatic replenishment that outperforms basic reorder tools. While other systems might offer basic ordering, POS Solutions integrates profound industry logic with an AI that understands the unique pressures of a newsagency. In 2018, we released an automated AI ordering system because one of our programmers was very keen on neural networks. It was an incredible achievement. As such, all our clients have had it free. Since it’s actually an AI trained on our customers’ data for many years, it beats AI like ChatGPT or Gemini hands down as it was specially trained for the task. I know we have tested it.  Best of all it is free

Most of the time, the system does exactly what you want. It quickly reviews sales history, stays consistent, and can create suggested orders across every stock line in your shop. That last point matters because no human has the time to carefully review every single item, every single week, without missing something. If it takes you three (3) minutes to review an order for a single item and you have a thousand items in that department, that is 3000 minutes. That is two days of work. It cannot be done by hand.

However, there’s a catch: even though the best AI is brilliant with patterns, it can be what we call “context blind”. It sees the numbers, not what you know in the story behind the numbers.

That difference matters most in a mixed business:

• Some products behave like “normal stock” (gifts, stationery, ink, snacks).
• Some products behave like “time-based stock” (magazines, part-works, some book series).
• Some products behave like “event stock” (school holidays, local events, footy finals, Christmas).

If your POS system treats every item as a standard replenishment product, it will sometimes suggest orders that are mathematically correct but don’t reflect reality on the shop floor. This is where the flexibility of our ordering system shines, as it lets you easily manage these exceptions.

What it allows you to do is buy frequently and buy small which keeps your stocks levels tight and your profits high.

I will give three scenarios to show the issue.

Scenario 1: The one-off spike (lumpy demand)

Sales over the last 10 weeks:

...and then you ran out.

This is a classic inventory trap. You see long periods of zero, then a sudden jump. A standard forecast (often a weighted average that favours recent weeks) can overreact and suggest a large order, because it assumes a new trend has started.

How the machine “thinks” in simple terms:

• It heavily weights the last few weeks.
• It sees 0, 8, 7 and assumes demand is now “high”.
• It adds extra buffer stock “just in case”.
• It lands on something like 11 units.

In retail, cash flow is oxygen. Dead stock quietly steals it. In fact, holding onto dead stock can cost nearly 30% more than the inventory’s value when you add up storage and insurance costs.

The better move here is to under-order and watch what happens next week. If you order 11 and the product goes back to selling 0–2 a week, you’ve tied up cash in stock that will sit there. If you order, say, 4, you can always get more if required.

Scenario 2: Sustained growth

Sales over the past weeks:

...and then you ran out.

This pattern is different for one key reason: there are steady sales, and then a lift. That means the recent growth is more likely to be real.

Why the higher order can make sense here:

• Even the “older” weeks aren’t zero. The item already had a heartbeat.
• The last four weeks are much stronger than the earlier weeks.
• You ran out, which means the last number is often understated, as you might’ve sold more if you had stock.

Practical advice:
If you over-order slightly here, it’s less dangerous because the item is actually moving. Your most significant risk is under-ordering and losing sales, as in today’s market, customers won’t wait; they will go somewhere else. In a community-focused shop, that “Sorry, sold out” moment doesn’t just lose today’s sale. It can lose next week’s visit too.

Why perishables break standard ordering logic

Scenario 3 highlights the problem of products that expire, e.g., magazines in newsagencies, and how specialised systems like POS software prove their worth.

Scenario 3: The monthly magazine

Sales pattern: 3, 2, 1, 0, 4, 2, 0, 0, 4, 3 and it ends in a stockout.

A generic system suggests: five units.

For many everyday products, that sounds reasonable. But here’s the problem: this isn’t a standard product. It’s a monthly magazine, a perishable, and you’re in the 3rd week of its cycle.

Fresh produce sales fade by the day. A pen doesn’t “go stale" after week one, but fresh produce does.

The best solution is to order nothing till the new product or fresh goods are available. This is where generic replenishment logic often breaks down the most. The fix is to use a system built for this exact problem. You need a system that turns off automatic orders, usually for those goods.

Human-in-the-Loop Workflow for Automated Ordering

This is the part many retailers skip. They either trust the automation fully or ignore it entirely. The best results come from a repeatable review habit, using a system that makes reviews easy. Use this checklist before you action the orders.

Step 1: Classify the product

Ask: What kind of stock line is this?

• Normal replenishment (everyday items).
• Time-based release (magazines, part-works).
• Seasonal or event-driven.
• Supplier-limited or allocated.

Automation is best suited for regular replenishment lines.

Step 2: Review stock-outs for false zero sales

A “0” in sales can mean two different things:

• No demand (nobody wanted it).
• No stock (customers wanted it, but you didn’t have it).

There is often a why behind the numbers.

Take Control of Your Ordering Today

Do not assume that a computer-generated automatic order is correct, and you cannot get rid of the human element yet. You should use the POS Software to generate a suggested order, then review it before actioning it.

Written by:

Bernard Zimmermann is the founding director of POS Solutions, a leading point-of-sale system company with 45 years of industry experience, now retired and seeking new opportunities. He consults with various organisations, from small businesses to large retailers and government institutions. Bernard is passionate about helping companies optimise their operations through innovative POS technology and enabling seamless customer experiences through effective software solutions.

Transaction notes are essential yet often overlooked. They allow retailers to add context to a sale. Documenting issues such as defects, warranty voids, or strict sale conditions provides a paper trail that protects your business and enhances customer service.

These details can often resolve a dispute and possibly prevent a customer from leaving. This guide explores why you should be using notes and how to master them in your POS software.

Why Add Notes to a Transaction?

There are many scenarios where a simple receipt isn't enough. You need to record the "story" behind the sale. Here are the most common reasons to add notes:

Damaged or Defective Items

If an item is sold "AS IS" due to a scratch or dent, a note prevents what sometimes happens: a customer returns it later, claiming they received it in perfect condition.

Strict Conditions

Record specific terms, such as "Not for use in Australia" or "Commercial use voids warranty".

Irregular Transactions

Any sale that falls outside your normal process needs an explanation.

Special instructions for use

Some items sold do require special handling for best performance or danger if misused.

Adding a note provides important details that give context to the transaction. This additional information can be invaluable if there are questions or disputes about that sale. Based on my years of retail experience, I can think of many examples where documented transaction histories would have reduced the time spent on disputes.

Step-by-Step: Adding Notes to Transactions

Our POS software allows you to add notes to any transaction seamlessly. We have designed the process to be quick, so it doesn't slow down your checkout line. Detailed instructions for adding notes are here but the procedure is very simple.

1. Initiate the Note
During a transaction or return, select the Change Description button on your screen.

2. Select "Attach as Note"
From the dropdown menu options, click Attach as Note to open the text field.

3. Enter Your Details
Type the specific reason for the Note. For example, you might type: "IT WAS BROKEN - Spine damage."

4. Save the Transaction
Complete the sale or return as usual. The Note is now permanently attached to that specific transaction record.

Enhanced Reporting and Search

Once these details are captured at the register, they become powerful data points in your back office. You don't have to rely on memory to recall why a refund was processed three months ago.

Finding Specific History

Users can search for specific historical transactions using a wide range of filters. For example, if you need to find a refund issued years ago for a book with a broken cover, you can do so in seconds.

By filtering for keywords like "broken" or "torn," the system will generate a report of all books sold with those specific notes. The person reviewing the transaction history will see precisely why the return occurred.

Simplified Filtering

Searching transactions is simplified with this tool. You can easily pull up all transactions with notes mentioning 'damaged', 'discount', or 'clearance'. This saves you hours of digging through paper receipts or unlabelled digital records.

Train Staff on Procedures

Train staff on proper procedures for adding notes. The notes are only helpful if they accurately and thoroughly document each unique transaction situation. Set clear expectations and guidelines so everyone uses the same language.

Conclusion

Our POS software provides tools you can use. Here, it simplifies accessing information to satisfy customers, streamline operations, and foster growth.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: Why should I add notes to transactions?
A: Adding notes gives essential context about irregular transactions, clarifying records and ensuring transparency if questions or disputes arise.

Q: What kinds of transactions need notes?
A: Notes are helpful for exceptional situations such as damaged/defective items, special handling, clearance markdowns, customer disputes, or warranty voids. Essentially, record anything out of the ordinary.

Q: How do I add a note to a transaction?
A: When ringing up a sale, select the "Change Description" button and choose "Attach as Note". Type your Note explaining the transaction, which will be saved with the record.

Q: Can I view and edit notes later?
A: Yes, you can view notes on the transaction details screen at any time. Notes can also be accessed and reviewed through transaction reports.

Q: How do notes help with reporting and analysis?
A: Notes allow for more detailed sales data and tracking. You can search and filter transactions by keywords in the notes field to identify trends in returns or defects.

Written by:

Bernard Zimmermann is the founding director of POS Solutions, a leading point-of-sale system company with 45 years of industry experience, now retired and seeking new opportunities. He consults with various organisations, from small businesses to large retailers and government institutions. Bernard is passionate about helping companies optimise their operations through innovative POS technology and enabling seamless customer experiences through effective software solutions.

Creating professional Facebook posts for your newsagency or retail shop doesn't have to be a chore. In 2026, Artificial Intelligence (AI) allows shop owners to generate high-quality, engaging social media content in under four minutes.

A few days ago, I released a social media calendar for 2026 designed explicitly for newsagents. I wanted to help shop owners get organised for the year ahead. Since then, I have received quite a few enquiries like last year, but one reaction shocked me. Several people told me it was "too much work" and that writing these posts for every calendar event would take ages.

This is not true.

Writing a high-quality post on Facebook takes less than 4 minutes. In 2026, the technology available to us now is incredible and here to save you time. Today, I will show you exactly how.

The Facebook Reality Check

Before we get into the "how-to," we need to have a serious conversation about the "where." To do this, you must have a business Facebook account.

If you do not have one yet, you are, frankly, leaving money on the table. Your business needs one. In this day and age, a retail business without a digital storefront on social media is invisible to a huge chunk of the local community. So if you don't have a page, stop reading this right now. Go make one up. It is free and essential. In 2026, businesses need a Facebook business page to survive and thrive. For the rest of you who are ready to go, let's look at a simple method to get your marketing done in record time.

Why You Can't Afford to Be Invisible

Many independent retailers tell me they rely on foot traffic. That is great, but where does foot traffic come from? Often, it comes from a Google search or a Facebook recommendation.

If a local customer searches for "birthday cards near me" or "magazines in [Suburb Name]," and your competitor has an active Facebook page with photos, while yours does not, guess where they are going?

You are not just competing with the shop down the road; you are competing for attention on the screen in your customer's pocket.

The 4-Minute Method: A Step-by-Step Guide

As we all know, things change rapidly in the world of AI. However, the core principles I am showing you here will likely remain the same for a long time. I intend to update this article when Facebook AI is finally released for business in Australia. These steps are relevant only for January 2026.

I will perform this live for my own business page to show you how easy it is. Please follow along with your own business page.

Step 1: Get Your Visuals Ready

First, you need an image. Facebook is a visual platform. Text alone often gets ignored as people scroll through their feeds. You have two main options here:
Both can be used.

Supplier Images

These are professional and clean, but they can sometimes look a bit "cold." Also, they are not from you; others have them too. What you are trying to sell is the product, not you. Plus, you may get into a copyright problem later.

Your Own Photos

These are authentic and perform better.

I have discussed how to take a photo yourself here.
A photo showing your actual shop is often better. Customers love to see the human side of a business. A photo of you, clearly standing and holding the product, works wonders. It builds trust.

I suggest you take about 10 pictures. Don't overthink it, snap away. Then, review them and select the top two.

Step 2: Open Your Business Page

Now, call up your business page on your computer or tablet. Look for the box at the top that asks, "What's on your mind?" See the red arrow 

This is where the magic starts. I have added the selected image. See the blue arrow.

You can add multiple photos if you like, but often one strong image is enough, and two is better.

Step 3: Select Your AI Tool

Now, I have decided to stick to a free AI for this demonstration. Only a few of my customers, or SMB retailers in general, have paid accounts for these services. That is perfectly fine, but you do not need to spend money to get great results, as I will show you here how to do it for free.

Select the AI that you want to use. You have plenty of options: ChatGPT, Gemini (Google), Grok, Deepseek, etc. These are all good and have free versions.

On Facebook, Meta AI is specifically designed for this task, but Facebook is currently restricting its full use on some business accounts in Australia, and it has just acquired Manus, which promises to make massive changes in AI.

Step 4: The Prompt

This is the part that scares people, but it is actually the easiest part. You need to tell the AI what to do. We call this a "prompt."

You don't need to be a computer programmer. You need to speak to it as if you were talking to an advertising agent.

Use this prompt, see the blue arrow above. 

Write a friendly but professional Facebook post for my business talking about [Product Name]. Keep it under 150 words. Use Australian spelling =====.

Using Supplier Content

Now, add a few lines about the product. If you are unsure what to say, you can use the description from the supplier's advertisement.

For my example, I want to talk about the customer-facing screens in our POS system.

I found this text:
"One of the most popular features in modern POS software is a customer-facing screen. These digital displays display detailed order information to customers, including their orders, tax, discounts, and loyalty information during the checkout process. You often see customer-facing displays in retail businesses."

I put this in, see the blue arrow above. 

Now, see the red arrow, I got a fine copy. The grammar and spelling are fine. I didn't have to stare at a blank screen wondering what to say. The AI took the facts about the screen, like how it improves accuracy and speeds up the queue, and turned them into an advertisement for my customers. I would suggest including your shop details as well.

So I pasted that text into my advertisement.

Step 5: The Result

I hit "Enter," and within seconds, the AI gave me a professional advertisement.

See the blue arrow in the image above? That is the text I cut and pasted directly into my Facebook post.

Step 6: Publish and Schedule

And then I saved it. See the image above for the final result.

As I said, the whole operation would take less than 4 minutes. I now have a professional Facebook advertisement for nothing—zero cost.

Why This Matters for Your Shop

The beauty of this method is that it is easy to repeat.

You can use the same process for holidays. For example, the Chinese New Year is coming up soon. You could take a photo of your red cards, envelopes, decorations, etc, tell the AI "Write a post wishing my customers a Happy Chinese New Year," and you are done. If in doubt, use your top-selling report in your POS System to tell you what sold well in your shop during the Chinese New Year.

Consistency is key in retail marketing. You don't need to be a professional writer. You need to do it; don't worry about perfection, as you can continually improve as you learn more.

Ready to save even more time?
Download our 2026 Social Media Calendar for Newsagents below and use this 4-minute method to fill your entire month's schedule today.

Download 2026 Calendar Here

Written by:

Bernard Zimmermann is the founding director of POS Solutions, a leading point-of-sale system company with 45 years of industry experience, now retired and seeking new opportunities. He consults with various organisations, from small businesses to large retailers and government institutions. Bernard is passionate about helping companies optimise their operations through innovative POS technology and enabling seamless customer experiences through effective software solutions.

We are all walking into 2026.

Plodding into 2026 isn't enough. You can't rely on luck; you need a plan for the year ahead.

Here is one.

Review 2025 to Build Your Retail Strategy

Find out where you have been. A hiker looks at their map. A retailer looks at their information.

Review everything that happened in 2025. I find that going over the 2025 diary helps a lot with the review. Do not just look at the total revenue and call it a day. You need to dig deeper and ask the hard questions:

• What were your best-selling items?
• Did you run out of stock on things people wanted?
• What items gathered dust?
• What products took up valuable shelf space but didn't pay their rent?
• When were you busiest?
• Did you have enough staff on the floor during those peak times?

Data Over Guesswork

Your Point of Sale (POS) system holds the answers to many more of these questions. It is not just a fancy cash register; your pos system for your retail shop is the information hub of your business.

Utilise the POS Software's reporting features to recognise the 2025 trends. Without clear insights into what succeeded and what failed, you're entering the new year without guidance.

Lighten Your Load

Once you have analysed the information, it is time to unload. In retail today, generally, I find the first big load to review is your "dead stock".

We all have it. That box of gadgets that seemed like a great idea in 2024 but never sold. The seasonal clothing is two seasons old. This inventory ties up your cash and clutters your mind.

For 2026, resolve to travel light.

Run an inventory report today. Identify items that haven't sold in the past 6 months, and now plan what to do with them. If you are struggling to find this data manually, check your reporting tools; good POS software automates this for you.

You should also automate your ordering. Use your free AI ordering system in your software. This ensures you never carry too much, but you never run out of the good stuff. When your stockroom is organised, and your shelves are fresh, you feel lighter. You have the mental space and the cash flow to bring in new, exciting products.

Trust Your Gear

A hiker relies on their boots and their compass. In retail, you rely on your technology.

Over the past year, we have worked closely with many independent retailers across Australia. We have seen the difference between those who live in the past and those who move forward.

In 2026, do not let your technology hold you back. Modern times need modern methods.

Ask yourself: "How can I make things a little better?"

Set Realistic Goals

Do not make vague resolutions like "I want to sell more." The problem with unclear goals is that they are confusing. As you look ahead to 2026, you need measurable, clear goals.

The 2026 Retailer's Checklist

Be Realistic

Ensure your goals are achievable. If you aim to triple your revenue in one month, you will likely fail and feel discouraged. It's better to aim for small but steady growth.

Actionable Steps

Big goals can be scary. If you want to renovate the shop, don't just write "Renovate." Break it down into small steps like "Get quotes by January" or "Pick paint by February." Success comes from focusing on the process, not just the result.

Be Specific

Specific targets help you focus your efforts. Instead of "sell more," try "increase average transaction value by 5%." This enables you to track your progress.

Write It Down

Write your resolutions in a diary, or better still, on a wall chart. You can see how far you've come and stay motivated.

Don't Hike Alone

It is always a good idea to get some advice. Ask a question and then look at how others are handling it.

Even walking into a competitor's shop can be educational. You know the problem; now look at how they handle it. I know that often I walk into a shop and say to myself, 'Why did they put these items here? Why do they do this?' It's very informative. 

Retail can be lonely, but it doesn't have to be. Having someone to share the journey with helps you stay motivated. This includes your business partners, your family, and your staff.

Talk to your staff. Ask them what they think needs to change in 2026. They are on the front lines, and they often see "rocks" on the path that you might miss.

The View from Here

The calendar turns make the pages count!

2026 will bring exciting possibilities. Improving your business's profitability should be one of them.

To our readers, thank you for trusting and valuing our services. We look forward to continuing our support and helping your businesses thrive in 2026.

If you need help for the year ahead, we are here to help.

Start the New Year Stronger Than Ever. Start 2026 with clarity.

Written by:

Bernard Zimmermann is the founding director of POS Solutions, a leading point-of-sale system company with 45 years of industry experience, now retired and seeking new opportunities. He consults with various organisations, from small businesses to large retailers and government institutions. Bernard is passionate about helping companies optimise their operations through innovative POS technology and enabling seamless customer experiences through effective software solutions.

Social Media Calendar for 2026 below

A new year starts, and planning is key to social media success, especially for newsagencies needing community connection and seasonal trend awareness. A proper social media calendar is very strategic. It requires consistency, aligning content with local events and holidays, and strengthening customer relationships. With monthly themes, templates, and tailored strategies, you'll be ready to make each post impactful and boost customer loyalty.

I found that last year's calendar received such incredible feedback from newsagencies across Australia, so clearly filling a need and a lot of thanks, as it was a professional job. Retailers reported that it made keeping their social media fresh and relevant much easier, saving them hours each week. This year, after listening to your input, I made key improvements based on the comments I received and the pos systems for the retail shop of them, not all by the way use my POS System to ensure the calendar is even more practical and effective for your business in 2026.

So I'm excited to introduce the 2026 Social Media Content Calendar, a key resource for newsagencies to stay organised, boost engagement, and increase foot traffic year-round.

Start Planning Today

Written by:

Bernard Zimmermann is the founding director of POS Solutions, a leading point-of-sale system company with 45 years of industry experience, now retired and seeking new opportunities. He consults with various organisations, from small businesses to large retailers and government institutions. Bernard is passionate about helping companies optimise their operations through innovative POS technology and enabling seamless customer experiences through effective software solutions.

```

It is the heat of the holiday now; precise inventory management isn't just important, it is critical. It is not normal times, and the greatest threat to your holiday profits is running out of stock. Empty shelves do untold damage to your profit and reputation.

Right now, we need to look not just at stock on hand, particularly at your most profitable winners. This is where in your retail point of sale system the GMROI (Gross Margin Return on Investment) report becomes so essential.

Why Standard Stock Reports Aren't Enough

Standard stock reports tell you what you have; they don't tell you how well it is performing. This is critical during our current time crunch.

Running out of a poor, profitable item isn't a disaster, but running out of a highly profitable one is a disaster. Now you need to know which items are driving your profit so you can ensure they are on the shelf.

The Report You Need: GMROI

We have a unique report in our software that lets you check your current situation immediately. It uses GMROI.

What is GMROI?

It stands for Gross Margin Return on Investment. In simple terms, it calculates how many dollars of profit you get back for every dollar you invest in your inventory. Today, it is considered the most important KPI in retail.

The Formula:

It is calculated by: (Units Sold x Profit) ÷ Average Stock Cost.

The Benchmark:

While it varies by shop, a healthy retail target is often cited around 3.2. This means for every $1 you spend on stock, you get $3.20 back a year. I suggest, while doing this, that you review your figures and decide what you feel your figure should be.

How to Run the Report

You can find this data quickly in your POS system:

Go to the Cash Register Reports section.

Select the GMROI report (see the selection highlighted in the image below).

I recommend running this by the Department to keep the list manageable.

Once you run it, you will get a detailed list like this:

I find it quicker and easier to use excel in your  Ad Hoc reporting, see my article on the power of Ad Hoc reporting here. You can sort, filter, etc there.

Analysing Your Results

As you can see, the report lists your items alongside their ROI figures. Now, what we are looking for are items with decent sales and high ROI% figures, but low stock-on-hand figures.

The "Ghost Stock" Reality Check

Unfortunately, the reality is that this is what the computer thinks: that high GMROI items are desirable, which also makes them targets for theft.

You must walk the floor with this report.

If the computer says you have three items on hand, but the shelf is empty, you have "Ghost Stock." You are losing money every hour that the shelf sits empty. It might be in the back room, behind the counter, or stolen. Find it, or correct the stock count immediately so your automated re-ordering kicks in.

Take Action Today

Don't wait for the new year. Run this report now and get your stock out there to maximise your Boxing Day and January sales:

High ROI / Low Stock

Urgent! Check the back room. If you have stock, get it on the floor immediately. If you are out, mark this for immediate re-ordering as soon as suppliers open.

Low ROI / High Stock

These items are tying up your cash. Mark them down for your clearance sales to free up shelf space and money. You can worry about this later, say for your flash sale in January.

Written by:

Bernard Zimmermann is the founding director of POS Solutions, a leading point-of-sale system company with 45 years of industry experience, now retired and seeking new opportunities. He consults with various organisations, from small businesses to large retailers and government institutions. Bernard is passionate about helping companies optimise their operations through innovative POS technology and enabling seamless customer experiences through effective software solutions.

May this season be as rewarding as your hard work and as fulfilling as your achievements.

May this season be as rewarding as your hard work and as fulfilling as your achievements.
 

Connecting with customers is especially important. Now, with the holiday season, with your receipts, you have a great chance to do this. Our POS system makes this quick and free, transforming receipts into retention tools.

Firstly, include a New Year's quote on receipts.

Why Include a New Year's Quote on Your Receipts?

Customers tend to keep receipts, often for proof of purchase and tax purposes, giving them a long lifespan and a few reads. This is why this simple marketing tactic is so effective.

Although exact figures for physical receipts vary, digital receipts boast a super impressive open rate of up to 75%. No other marketing channel garners such much attention. By leveraging this space, you can proceed to:

• Spread festive cheer and positive vibes during the holiday rush.
• Spark conversations about hopes and dreams for the new year.
• Differentiate yourself from competitors who use standard, boring receipts.
• Strengthen your reputation as a thoughtful, caring brand.

Read more about the power of receipt marketing here.

How to Choose the Perfect Message

When selecting a New Year's quote for your receipts, focus on impact.

Great options include:

• Famous New Year's quotes.
• Upbeat messages about new beginnings.
• Playful resolutions related to your products (e.g., "I resolve to eat more chocolate").
• Sincere notes of gratitude for their support in 2025.

Examples of Quotes to Consider

"Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right." — Oprah Winfrey

"The magic in new beginnings is truly the most powerful of them all.” — Josiyah Martin

"New year—a new chapter, new verse, or just the same old story? Ultimately, we write it. The choice is ours.” — Alex Morritt

Click here for more quote inspiration.

Beyond Quotes: Maximise Your Receipt Footer

Your receipt footer is prime real estate. After an inspiring quote, use it to make sales.

1. Print Your Christmas Trading Hours

Put your Trading Hours directly on the receipt

Just in case, check the official trading hours, check here.

2. Market Your Gift Ideas

Don't just hope customers notice your gift lines—tell them about it on the receipt they just bought! A simple footer message can plant the seed for a return visit.

• For Hampers: "Forgot someone? We have curated Gift Hampers ready to go!"
• For Toys: "Check out our new Board Games—perfect for New Year's Eve parties."
• For Summer Items: "Heading to the beach? Look at our ....."

3. Drive Social Media Connection

Social media is your best friend for retention. Use the bottom of your receipt to request a follow-up explicitly.

The line is simple, and I am sure you have seen it six million times

"Follow us on Facebook" @YourStoreName

Spread Positivity in the New Year

Ready to inspire your customers to use your POS System now to update your receipt. It takes less than 2 minutes.

Written by:

Bernard Zimmermann is the founding director of POS Solutions, a leading point-of-sale system company with 45 years of industry experience, now retired and seeking new opportunities. He consults with various organisations, from small businesses to large retailers and government institutions. Bernard is passionate about helping companies optimise their operations through innovative POS technology and enabling seamless customer experiences through effective software solutions.

If you are in an industry, you need to know the language and terms. Some of these retail terms are universal, and some are Australian, so what I have collected is our Australian retail glossary that every shop owner should know. As the retail industry is changing so rapidly, it's important to keep up. I've curated the essential acronyms, retail KPIs and shop management terms that every Aussie shop owner needs to master to navigate in our rapidly evolving industry.

From financial KPIs to digital trends, here is your A-Z guide...

A-C

2D Scanner
Unlike traditional laser scanners that only read linear barcodes, a 2D scanner captures images to read QR codes and digital screens. These barcodes can hold significantly more information than regular barcodes and are often essential for digital loyalty cards accessed through smartphones. Experts claim that these barcodes will replace standard barcodes, but I see that as a distant future.

ABN (Australian Business Number)
A unique 11-digit number that identifies your business to the government and community. You need this to claim GST credits and avoid having tax withheld from payments made to you.

Agency Model
A business model used by the Lottery, Parcel Pickups, and laundries, where the retailer acts as an agent. Generally, you earn a fixed commission and cannot set your own prices or margins. Your profit relies entirely on transaction volume.

Anchor Shop (Destination shop)
In your shopping centre, this is the shop that attracts the most foot traffic. Often it is a supermarket, sometimes a bank, and sometimes it is a few shops. Retailers rely on this 'anchor' to generate passing trade. Shopping centres are often so keen to secure these shops that they offer huge discounts to get them to come.

Award Wages
The minimum legal pay rates and conditions for your industry. Most shop assistants fall under the General Retail Industry Award. It dictates base pay, breaks, and rosters.

Basket Depth
The number of items in a customer's basket (as opposed to the total value). In a newsagency, you often have high traffic but low spend. The goal is to increase "basket depth" by getting that newspaper buyer to add a greeting card or a chocolate bar.

Basket Value (Average Transaction Value)
The average amount spent on a single visit.

Big Data
Your shop often has a lot of information in its POS System; big data is a commonly used process that uses computer software to analyse this information to find actionable insights. It is the process of examining large volumes of transaction and customer data to reveal patterns and trends. Many people mistakenly believe that AI is replacing this. Still, AI technology cannot do this yet, partly because it cannot handle so much information and partly because its processing is not as thorough as Big Data Software. What is commonly done now is to feed the Big Data reports we produce into an AI so the retailer can get actionable information. It's a process of turning raw numbers into actionable insights, great for personalised marketing or stock reordering.

BNPL (Buy Now, Pay Later)
A payment service that allows customers to take goods immediately and pay for them in instalments. These services are extremely popular in Australia now.

Brick and Mortar Shop
A brick-and-mortar store is a retail shop with a physical location.

Bulk
Bulk is buying goods in large quantities.

Bundles
Bundles are a few goods and/or services often offered at a lower price than if each item were purchased individually.

Buying group
How many people are buying goods in your shop, for example, a woman and her three kids would be four people, but one buying group.

Capture Rate %
This KPI is the % of passing traffic that actually enters your shop.

Casual Loading
An additional percentage (usually 25%) is paid to casual employees over the base hourly rate. This compensates them for not receiving permanent benefits, such as sick or annual leave.

Chargeback
A chargeback is a charge that's returned to a payment card after a customer successfully disputes a purchase on their account. It can occur on bank accounts or credit cards. There is much criticism of this practice in retail now.

Click and Collect
Customers can order online or by phone and pick up their purchases in the shop.

COGS (Cost of Goods Sold)
The direct cost of purchasing the products you sold during a nominated period of time. It is determined by Opening Inventory + Purchases - Closing Inventory = COGS. Your accountant must have this figure.

Consignment Merchandise
This merchandise in the shop remains the supplier's property.

Conversion Rate
The retail conversion KPI is the percentage of visitors who purchase, relative to the number who enter the shop. For example, if 100 shoppers visit a shop but only 20 buy, the conversion rate is 20 percent. There is often a problem here: many counting scanners count people, while the more advanced ones count a buying group.

Cross-Merchandising
Displaying products from different categories together to encourage add-on sales.

D-H

Dead Stock
Inventory that has not sold for an extended period and is unlikely to sell in the future. Often, it must be aggressively cleared out during a flash sale, e.g., an EOFY sale.

Demand Forecast
An estimate of the future demand for goods and/or services. It uses adjustments for both trend and seasonal factors.

Depth of Assortment
This is the number of each item or product style that a retailer stocks. For example, a shallow product depth, meaning they may only have say 3-5 different types of each product in a stock line.

Destination Department
A category so strong that people will travel specifically to your shop for it.

Discretionary vs. Non-Discretionary
Where stock is divided based on consumer behaviour.
Non-Discretionary are essentials like milk, pet food, stationery, and lottery. What people like them have is that they are often resilient during economic downturns.
Discretionary are gifts, toys, and high-end pens. These are the first to drop when the economy goes South.

Dropshipping
Dropshipping allows retailers to sell products while the supplier handles shipping to customers.

Early Returns
The practice of returning goods to a supplier before their official off-sale date.

EFTPOS (Electronic Funds Transfer at Point of Sale)
The electronic payment system in Australia includes debit and credit cards. It can be confusing because, unlike in other countries, Australians distinguish between "paying by card" and "using EFTPOS."

Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS)
This technology is used to reduce shoplifting. Tags are affixed to high-value goods and removed or deactivated by staff after purchase to prevent them from setting off the alarm system.

Flash Sales
A flash sale is a sudden promotion offered by a shop for a brief period. It encourages impulse buying and is excellent for clearing unsellable stock.

Footfall
The number of people or buying groups coming into your shop.

GMROI (Gross Margin Return on Investment)
This is the most important KPI in retail management. It calculates how many dollars of profit you get back for every dollar you invest in Inventory. It's excellent as it gives you a measure that combines turnover and selling margins. A healthy target for most shops is a score of 3.2 or higher.

Gross Margin
The gross margin is total sales revenue minus cost of goods sold, divided by total sales revenue, expressed as a percentage. Use it as a standard KPI in your shop.

High Speed Retail
Customers demand faster service and shorter waiting times; if it takes too long, they walk out.

I-M

Impulse Purchase
Unplanned buying decisions are made at the purchase. Make sure you have items in demand near the cash register.

Integrated Supply Chain
Integrated supply chain management is a specific resource-planning approach to traditional supply chain management. It requires a relationship with your suppliers.

Inventory Management
Crucial for knowing when to restock items, what amounts to purchase or produce, and what price to pay to suppliers. Small businesses can automate day-to-day stock management by adopting POS technology.

Lay-by
A traditional Australian payment method where the retailer holds the goods while the customer pays them off over time.

Lead Time
The lead time is the time between when the retailer places an order and the product arrives at the shop. If you are buying overseas, it might take a month or more.

Legacy Lines
Products that were good but are now in decline.

LFL (Like-for-Like Sales)
A commonly used KPI for comparing sales this year to the same period last year (e.g., September 2024 to September 2025). This is considered the best and most accurate measure as it avoids seasonal variations.

Loss Leader
Loss leaders are goods offered at a loss to attract customers into a shop.

Loyalty Marketing
Customers who like and trust a shop buy more. Retailers often encourage this by offering rewards programs.

Markdown
Markdowns are discounts retailers permanently reduce the price of an item from its marked price.

Markup
It is the amount by which a product's price is increased. One reason may be that the retailer thinks they can get more.

Merchant Surcharges
The fees retailers pay to the bank when a customer pays with a card.

Minimum Advertised Price
This is a supplier's pricing policy used to prevent retailers from advertising prices below a specified price. It's disputed whether a retailer can advertise at a lower cost; however, they can sell items in their shop for less. If they do, it may give them problems with their supplier.

Mystery Shopping
A research method used to gather feedback. It can be conducted in person, over the phone, or via online inquiries to collect data on factors such as staff friendliness.

N-Q

Niche Retailing
Niche retailers generally don't appeal to large groups of consumers; they target the particular needs of small groups.

NPP (New Payments Platform)
An Australian Payment infrastructure that enables real-time clearing of payments between banks. Interest in it now stems from merchants trying to avoid card surcharges.

Omnichannel Retail
An approach to sales that aims to get as many customers as possible, by using their shop, e-commerce and the phone. I think most shops should look into this.

On-Sale Date
The specific date when you are allowed to start selling an item. Often, placing these items out early can result in penalties from suppliers.

Penalty Rates
These higher pay rates are mandated by law. They are for unsociable hours, such as weekends, public holidays, or late nights. You need to consider this in your roster.

Planogram
A visual diagram that shows precisely where products are placed on shelves to maximise sales. Often, large suppliers provide their display standards. How to create a planogram is here.

POS (Point of Sale)
The spot where the customer transactions happen. This is the most valuable part of your shop.

POS (Point of Sale) System
This is the method you use to do customer transactions. It can be a computer, a till, or even a cash drawer.

Priority Management
Managing daily operational chaos.  The following system can be used, which is assigned a number from 0 to 4 based on priority:

Product Life Cycle
In retail, this is from when a product first goes on sale until it's removed from sale.

Quantity Discount
This is an incentive for the buyer to buy more. The more they buy, the lower the price per unit.

Quantity on Hand (QOH)
It is the quantity of an item that a retailer has in stock.

R-T

Rain Check
A written commitment to a customer to sell an out-of-stock item at the sale price once you get it back in stock. Under Australian Consumer Law, if you advertise a sale, you must supply the item or offer a rain check. Because of this, many retailers include a clause in their advertisements stating that the offer is valid only while supplies last.

Roster
A list that outlines the specific days, times, and duties each employee is required to work in the shop.

RRP (Recommended Retail Price)
The price a supplier suggests a retailer should charge customers for a product. In many Australian states, you are free to set your own prices. In some states, if the product is advertised, you can charge less but no more than the RRP. You need to check.

Sales Strategy
The strategy for presenting your products to your customers.

Sale or Return
An agreement with a supplier that means you can return unsold items for full credit.

Showrooming
Showrooming is when a customer visits a shop to see a product but then purchases it from an online retailer as it's cheaper. You become a showroom for an online retailer.

Shrinkage
This KPI measures inventory loss, generally due to shoplifting, employee theft, or administrative error.

SKU (Stock Keeping Unit)
A unique code used to identify each distinct product in a product line, e.g., a blue pen and a red pen may have the same barcode but different SKUs.

Stockturn (Inventory Turnover)
Not so commonly used today, but what it measures is the number of times you sell and replace your stock over a year. High stockturn is generally good (fresh stock), but it can also mean that you do not have enough stock of an item, while low stockturn means cash is tied up in dusty products.

Supply Chain Management
The activities needed to plan, control, and deliver a product to the final customer.

SWOT Analysis
A typical strategic planning technique used to evaluate businesses today. Business agents, analysts and banks typically use it.

U-Z

Webrooming
This term refers to a customer who browses products online before visiting a physical store to examine them in person.

Wholesaler
A wholesaler acts as a "middleman" by purchasing items in bulk from a supplier and then selling those products to retailers.

X-Off
An X-Off report is generated to compare the actual cash in the cash drawer with the amount recorded by the POS (Point of Sale) system. This report helps identify any cash discrepancies immediately at any time.

Z-Off (End of Day)
At the end of each shift, a Z-Off report is created to compare the actual cash in the cash drawer with the amount calculated by the POS system.

Importance of These Terms

Understanding these terms is crucial for effective communication with your colleagues.

Written by:

Bernard Zimmermann is the founding director of POS Solutions, a leading point-of-sale system company with 45 years of industry experience, now retired and seeking new opportunities. He consults with various organisations, from small businesses to large retailers and government institutions. Bernard is passionate about helping companies optimise their operations through innovative POS technology and enabling seamless customer experiences through effective software solutions.

Dear Clients,

This is a crucial service update regarding our customer support availability over the end-of-year holiday period.

Holiday Support Schedule:

The main office will be closed

• Thursday 25 December 2025 (Christmas Day)
• Friday 26 December 2025 (Boxing Day)
• Wednesday 1 January 2026 (New Year’s Day)

All other weekdays during this period, including Wednesday 24 December 2025, will operate under our standard support hours.

Support Channels:

• Email: [email protected]
• Phone (Melbourne): (03) 9597 7222
• Phone (Sydney): (02) 8035 6666
• Phone (Perth): (08) 6160 3301
• Phone (Brisbane): (07) 3087 5304
• Live chat: Via your POS system dashboard

Non-standard Support

• Phone: 0419 553 781 (No SMS)

Normal Operations Resume:

Full support hours and services resume on Thursday, 2 January 2026.

Thank you for your attention to this service notice.

POS Solutions Australia Pty Ltd
U2 Fiveways Business Centre
Keysborough Close
Keysborough Victoria 3173
ACN: 006 195 400
ABN: 91 006 195 400

A new law mandating cash acceptance for essential businesses, the clock begins on 1 January 2026. The final legislation is much less of the initial government proposals. While most of our clients already accept cash and intend to continue doing so, a growing number are considering a cashless model and need clarity about their rights.

Crucially, retailers must understand that government rules are part of the picture. Many have contractual obligations to their suppliers as well.

The Government

The federal law mandates certain businesses to accept cash payments for goods and services. However, the scope is unexpectedly limited, far less than originally promised, and several exemptions still apply.

Business Category

It targets explicitly retailers of "essential" goods, primarily supermarkets and fuel stations. It does not automatically apply to businesses that sell items such as stationery, books, or pet food.​

Small Business Exemption

The law includes a significant exemption for small businesses, generally defined as those with an annual turnover below $10 million.​

"Part of a Group" Rule

If your business operates as part of a larger group or franchise (e.g., a branded service station), you are likely required to accept cash regardless of your individual turnover.​

Primary Purpose

Your obligation is determined by your primary business category, not the specific item being sold. For instance, if fuel is your primary revenue source, you must accept cash for all items in the store, including non-essentials.

Transaction Limit

The requirement to accept cash only applies to transactions up to $500. For any sale over this amount, you can legally refuse the money.​

While the government may exempt you based on turnover or category, your suppliers likely won't. This brings us to the most overlooked aspect of the new mandate: your commercial contracts.

The Commercial Reality

Even if the law gives you a pass, your most important business partners may require you to handle cash. Before considering a cashless policy for any product, you must check your existing agreements.

Australia Post

Licensed Post Offices (LPOs) operate under a different mandate that defines them as essential service providers. You will be required to accept cash for all postal transactions, such as stamps and bill payments.

Lottery Services

Your lottery retailer agreement requires you to accept cash for ticket sales and pay out smaller prizes in cash. You cannot provide this service without money in the till.

Transport Ticketing

If you are an agent for public transport ticketing, your contract likely designates you as a cash access point for the network, obligating you to accept cash.

Payment & Parcel Services

Third-party bill payment or parcel drop-off services want you to accept cash from customers. Refusing cash could be seen as a breach of your service agreement.

The "Split Counter" Nightmare

Implementing a hybrid policy that accepts cash for some items but not others will create significant operational and customer service issues.

Customer Friction

Refusing cash for a greeting card while accepting it for petrol at the same counter invites customer conflict and erodes goodwill.

Operational Complexity

A mixed policy is difficult for staff to enforce during busy periods, increasing the risk of errors. It also complicates compliance with card surcharging rules, frustrating customers who have cash ready.

Your Action Plan

For those considering a move to a cashless system, a review of your legal and commercial obligations is essential.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: If my business goes cashless after 1 January 2026, do I need a sign?
A: Yes. Under the Australian Consumer Law (ACCC), you must clearly disclose your payment terms before a transaction to avoid misleading customers. Put a prominent sign at the entrance or point of sale, such as "Card Payments Only."

Q: My insurer requires me to minimise cash holdings. Does the law override this?
A: The law does not void private contracts. You must negotiate with your insurer to find a solution that balances your legal mandate to accept cash with your contractual insurance obligations.

Q: Can I surcharge for cash payments?
A: Surcharging for cash is legally risky; adding a fee to a cash payment could be viewed as misleading pricing under Australian Consumer Law, which assumes prices are listed in cash.

Q: My local bank branch closed. How can I comply if I can't deposit cash?
A: The collapse of our cash infrastructure is a growing problem. The law requires you to accept cash but does not compel banks to remain open. You may need to find an alternative bank or consider paying for business expenses in cash at other local retailers.

Note, I am not a lawyer and do not pretend to be, and I suggest you seek professional advice before proceeding with any proposed action on this...

Written by:

Bernard Zimmermann is the founding director of POS Solutions, a leading point-of-sale system company with 45 years of industry experience, now retired and seeking new opportunities. He consults with various organisations, from small businesses to large retailers and government institutions. Bernard is passionate about helping companies optimise their operations through innovative POS technology and enabling seamless customer experiences through effective software solutions.

Employee theft is a significant concern to retailers today. It undermines profits. It also hurts, as it involves breaking trust. Industry data shows retail crime costs Australian businesses about $8 billion and is increasing, with staff responsible for roughly 40% of shrinkage. The problem is that it's often small, daily losses that add up over a year.

As I have noted here the problem has gotten worse, particularly after COVID. Others are noticing it too.

The good news is that you likely already have the tools to stop it. Your Point of Sale (POS) system is more than just a cash register; it's your first line of defence.

Make Each Operator Accountable

A crucial first step is to assign each staff member their own cash drawer. This makes them personally responsible. Your POS system can drive many drawers from a single computer. This means each operator can work and reconcile their till without affecting others. This protects you because any missing funds are clearly linked to a single person, not the whole team. I suggest doing this immediately.

How to check your security KPIs?

To check these security KPIs, go to the cash register reports. (see orange arrow)

Then select Staff and click on "Sales security indicators" (see blue arrow)

Select the required period. 

A report will pop up with many indicators.

Using Your Sales Security Indicators

You can now use your POS reports to spot patterns that indicate theft.

In your POS system, these are called Security KPI's. They show how each operator uses sensitive functions at the register. The fact is that dishonest behaviour is usually a habit. This is because if a method works, an offender will typically repeat it, and so that repetition shows up as a pattern.

From your reports menu, run this report for at least four weeks. I prefer whole weeks over months because months vary in the number of Mondays, Saturdays, and so on. Four weeks provide enough data to identify real patterns rather than isolated errors.

The Key Indicators to Watch

When you run the report, look closely at these specific numbers for each staff member:

No Sales

This counts how often the cash drawer is opened without a sale being recorded. A consistently high number here is a major red flag. It suggests someone may be opening the till to remove cash while pretending to give change or "check" a price.

Voids and Error Corrections

You need to distinguish between a "line void" (fixing a single wrong item) and a "wholesale void" (cancelling the entire transaction). A person with many full-sale voids, especially during busy times, deserves closer attention, as what is commonly done is to enter the sale to show the customer the total, then void it if the customer pays cash.

Refunds and Negative Items

Watch for frequent refunds or items with negative prices. Be particularly careful if you see cash refunds processed when no customer is at the counter.

Average Sale Value and Items Per Sale

Compare each operator's average dollar sale and items per transaction to the store average. A consistently lower staff member may be under-ringing items. This is often a sign of "sweethearting," when one charges a friend for a single cheap item while handing over several expensive ones.

Interpreting the Numbers in Context

Numbers only make sense when you understand the context of your shop. You are not looking for perfection, as everyone makes the odd mistake. You are looking for patterns that stand out.

Keep these factors in mind when comparing staff:

Experience levels:

A junior working the Saturday rush will naturally have more transactions and mistakes than a senior on a quiet Tuesday morning.

Shift patterns:

Always compare like with like. Compare a Saturday staff member to another Saturday staff member.

Seasonality:

When you're really busy, like the lead-up to Christmas, you will see more scanning errors simply due to time pressure.

Look for staff whose indicators remain abnormally high across different periods, not just during the busiest weeks.

Linking POS Activity With CCTV

Finally, use your POS Software information with your security cameras. If your report shows an unusual refund, void, or "no sale" event at a specific time, go to your video footage for that exact moment.

Look:

• Was a customer actually present?
• Did cash change hands?
• Does the screen show the same items?

I have seen reports list transactions, but the camera told a different story. In one case, we clearly saw the employee pocket the money during a transaction flagged by the report as suspicious. This combination of complex data and visual evidence is the most effective way to confirm if you have a training issue or a theft problem.

Conclusion

Securing your shop means you have to monitor constantly. Utilising the security KPI's in your POS system can help spot likely risks early and safeguard your hard-earned profits.

Written by:

Bernard Zimmermann is the founding director of POS Solutions, a leading point-of-sale system company with 45 years of industry experience, now retired and seeking new opportunities. He consults with various organisations, from small businesses to large retailers and government institutions. Bernard is passionate about helping companies optimise their operations through innovative POS technology and enabling seamless customer experiences through effective software solutions.

We all know Google is the big player in search engines. Many retailers spend time worrying about their Google ranking. I have seen large shops have an SEO person to make sure it goes well. But if you ignore Bing Places for Business, you are missing out on customers.

In 2025, setting up your shop on Bing is not just "nice to have." It is a smart move to grow your business. Does it cost you NO!

According to Microsoft data, about 17 million people in Australia use its search network each month.

Here is a secret many retailers miss: many of these users are at work, where their work computers have Bing set as the default search engine. Its windows default and these people search during the workday, this is when most people buy. These people have money.

If your shop isn't on Bing, you are invisible to them.

Why You Should Care About Bing

A potential customer asks their computer, "Where can I find a gift shop near me?" Are you there in the answer?

If your business isn't listed correctly on Bing, the computer will recommend someone else, since the AI won't know you exist.

You want your shop to be the answer.

The good news? You can get this sorted in 5 minutes.

How to Set Up Your Profile Quickly

You don't need to be a wizard, as there is a shortcut that saves you heaps of time.

If you already have a Google Business Profile, and you should have, if not, see how to set one up.

Now, once you have a Google Business Profile, you can copy all that information straight over to Bing. Here is how you do it:

Go to the Bing Places Website:

Head over to bing.com/forbusiness. You will need a Microsoft account (like Outlook or Hotmail) to sign in.

Claim Your Business:

Search for your shop's name. If you see it, click "Claim this business." If you don't see it, click "Add new business."

Use the Import Tool:

This is the best part. Choose the option to "Import from Google Business Profile." This pulls in your address, hours, and photos instantly.

Check Your Details:

Look closely at your Name, Address, and Phone number. It must be 100% correct. If it's not, you could miss out on customers.

Write a Good Description:

Tell people what you do. Use simple words that customers search for. For example: "Your local newsagency for books and gifts. Find us inside Albert Village Shopping Centre, right near Woolworths."

Pick Your Categories:

Don't just pick "Retail." Be specific. Here, for example, I would select "Book Shop," "Greeting Card Shop," or "Stationery Supplier." This helps the right people find you.

If you are unsure what to write here, use your sales reports in your POS Software.

Then put in a simple words customers search eg "gluten-free bakery," "men's work boots" or "dog toys."

Add Photos:

Good ones, pictures sell products. Upload bright, clear photos of your best displays, here is how to take photos for your business

Make sure that your top-selling item in a department is listed.

Don't Make These Common Mistakes

I have seen many shop owners make small errors that cost them sales. Watch out for these traps:

The verification process.

Although "Import from Google" is fast, sometimes you will find that Microsoft will require a manual postcard/phone verification, if so do not give up, they are just trying to make sure the information is accurate and what you say is true. Fill it out. Then keep an eye out, as sometimes it gets lost in their system.

Wrong Opening Hours:

A potential customer can get angry after driving to your shop only to find the doors locked, even though the profile said you were open; you may also get a negative review. Constantly update your hours for public holidays.

Bad Map position:

If you are in a big shopping centre, make sure the location is correct at your front door. Sometimes they are way off. This helps people find you easily. What is the point of telling people all this information if they cannot find your shop?

How to Get even More Customers Through the Door

Once your profile is set up, you can use a few tricks to get more attention.

Post Special Deals:

Bing lets you post "Deals" right on your listing. You could offer "20% off all magazines" or a special bundle price. This grabs attention quickly.

I think Bing's "Deals" feature is more prominent and easier to use than Google's.

Reply to Reviews:

It is very important to ask your regulars to leave a review. Always thank them. If a customer leaves a negative review, respond politely to resolve the issue. This demonstrates that you care.

Conclusion

Fixing your Bing Places for Business profile is an easy win. It doesn't cost money, and it takes minimal effort. Probably about 5 minutes.

Make sure your details are correct, that your profile looks good, millions of Australian shoppers use Bing and Microsoft tools and don't leave those sales on the table.

[Claim Your Free Bing Places Listing Now]

Update: This article had to be rewritten as Bing procedures changes recently

Written by:

Bernard Zimmermann is the founding director of POS Solutions, a leading point-of-sale system company with 45 years of industry experience, now retired and seeking new opportunities. He consults with various organisations, from small businesses to large retailers and government institutions. Bernard is passionate about helping companies optimise their operations through innovative POS technology and enabling seamless customer experiences through effective software solutions.

A speed bump is a physical disruption in the road that slows you down. You pay attention. Shift from "autopilot" to "alert." In retail, a speed bump slows down customers, too. A retail speed bump is a strategically placed display located in your storefront. Its job isn't necessarily to sell the product it holds (though that's a nice bonus); its primary job is to physically and visually interrupt the customer's walk. It gets them to break their stride, lowers their gaze, and switches their brain from "walking past" to "browsing."

Without a speed bump, many customers will walk straight past your aisles, eyes glazed over, heading for a specific destination or simply drifting through without engaging. By placing a curated "obstacle" in their path, you force a pause. If they do not stop, they will not buy. It is that simple.

Here is how you can build a speed bump that stops traffic.

Why It Works: The 427% Discovery

Here is a study by the Russell R. Mueller Retail Hardware Research Foundation that found that in hardware stores, dump bins (a classic form of speed bump) increased sales of the items inside by a staggering 427%. However, the principle remains true across all retail sectors: Interruption creates sales.

Now, before you run out and buy a wire cage for your boutique, let's pause.

That 427% figure comes from the hardware industry, where "rummaging" is part of the experience. If you run a high-end store, e.g., a gift shop, a wire-dump bin might signal "cheap" rather than "value." So what retailers do often is not "dump bins." We bought "Discovery Tables." The psychological trigger is the same.

When done right, this display:

• Disrupts Autopilot: It physically and visually halts traffic.
• Lowers Risk: It usually features lower-priced items, making the mental barrier to entry much lower than a full-priced rack.
• Initiates the "Yes": Once a customer says "yes" to picking up a small item, they are psychologically primed to say "yes" to entering the store and buying more.

Step 1: The "What" – Don't Guess, Use Your POS Data

This is where most retailers get it wrong. They treat their speed bump display as a place to put "whatever we have too much of."

This is a mistake. Your speed bump is prime real estate. It is the billboard for your business. If you fill it with junk that nobody wants, you are telling everyone that your store is full of junk.

Instead of guessing, you need to turn to your POS system. Your point-of-sale software is not just for taking payments; it is a goldmine of intelligence.

POS reports

You are looking for specific criteria:

1. Dead Stock: Items that haven't sold in 90 to 120 days. These are costing you money in storage and cash flow.
2. High Margin: Items where you have enough markup that you can afford to discount them slightly if needed, or bundle them.
3. Impulse Friendly: Items that don't require sizing or complex explanations. A scarf is a great speed bump item.

Another strategy is to use your POS system to find high-volume, low-cost items. Look at your "Best Sellers by Quantity" report. If you have a $15 candle that sells like hotcakes, that is a perfect candidate for a speed bump. Why? Because it is a proven winner. Putting it front and centre shows new customers that you stock desirable, affordable items. It acts as "social proof" that your store is worth entering.

Action Step: Before you move a single table, print out your "Slow Movers" report from your POS. Highlight the top 5 small, visually appealing, non-perishable items. These are your speed bump candidates.

Step 2: The Boutique Approach – Anatomy of a Perfect Display

Now that your POS system has told you what to sell, let's talk about how to sell it.

We want to create a "boutique discovery" zone, not a bargain basement.

The Fixture

Ditch the wire bin. Use a fixture that matches your store's vibe:

• The Nesting Table: A small, waist-high wooden table is inviting. It creates a flat surface that is easy to shop from.
• Vintage Crates: Stacking sturdy wooden crates creates a rustic, market-feel that implies freshness and discovery.
• The "Tower": A tiered stand works well for smaller items, allowing you to create height without taking up much floor space.

The Arrangement: The Pyramid Principle

Don't just lay items flat. Flat is boring. You need height and depth.

• Build Up: Use acrylic risers, books, or small boxes under a tablecloth to create different levels on your table.
• The Pyramid: Arrange products in a pyramid shape. The tallest item goes in the centre or back, with smaller items cascading down. This keeps the eye moving.
• Mass Up: Abundance sells. A table with three items looks picked over. A table with 30 items looks like a fresh shipment. If you don't have enough stock (which your inventory management software would warn you about), use smaller baskets to keep the items looking plentiful.

The Signage

Your sign is the "headline" of the story. A neon "SALE" sign can look desperate. Instead, use language that implies value and discovery.

• Bad: "50% Off Old Stock"
• Bad: "Clearance bin"
• Good: "Market Day Finds: Under $10"
• Good: "Last Chance"
• Good: "Staff Favourites"

Use a small A4 frame or a clean chalkboard. Ensure the price is clearly visible. If they cannot find the price, you've lost 50% of the walkers.

Step 3: Pricing Strategy

You have arrested their attention. You have shown them a nice product. Now, you need to trigger the impulse buy.

Decision fatigue is real. If a customer has to do mental maths ("It's $25 less 30%... uh..."), they will keep walking. Your speed bump pricing must be instant and frictionless.

• The "Power of One": A single, flat price point is most effective. "Everything on this table is under $15."
• The Bundle: "2 for $30." This encourages them to dig for a second item, doubling their dwell time at the table.
• The Anchor: Place a sign that says "Was $45, Now $20." This anchors the value at $45, making the $20 price tag feel like a win.

Step 4: Measuring Impact and Improving

You can't manage what you don't measure. This is where your Point of Sale (POS) system becomes your most valuable employee.

Many retailers set up a display and "feel" like it's working. But feelings don't pay the rent. You need complex numbers.

Tracking Conversion

1. Mark the Date: Note exactly when you set up the speed bump in your calendar.
2. Monitor Velocity: After 1 week, pull a sales report for the specific SKUs listed in the table. Compare the sales velocity (units sold per day) from the week before they were on the table to the week during.
3. Check Basket Size: This is the advanced move. Use your POS reporting to see if the customers who bought the speed bump item also bought other items.
   • If they only bought the $10 item, your speed bump is working as a sale but not as a funnel. You should move the table slightly closer to the door to pull them in.
   • If they bought the $10 item plus a $50 shirt: Success! The speed bump did its job of arresting the walker and converting them into a high-value customer.

Rotate or Die

A stale speed bump is worse than no speed bump. If a local walks past your shop every morning and sees the same sun-faded books for three weeks, they will stop looking.

Use your POS system to set a reminder. Rotate the stock every 7 to 14 days. Even if the stock hasn't sold out, move it back inside and bring out something fresh. The change itself catches the eye.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

As you rush to drag a table out to the footpath, keep these warnings in mind:

• The Weather: Australian weather is unpredictable. If you are on a high street, ensure your display is waterproof or easy to bring in quickly in case of sudden rain.
• The "Blocking" Effect: Ensure your speed bump doesn't physically block the entrance. It should be to the side of the flow, not a barricade.
• Brand Confusion: If you sell luxury linen, don't put a bin of cheap plastic toys out front to get attention. It confuses the customer about what you actually sell.

Conclusion

The battle for the modern shopper is won in seconds. We live in a distracted, fast-paced world where "autopilot" is the default setting.

A well-executed retail speed bump is your tool to break that autopilot. It is a friendly interruption that says, "Hey, take a breath. Look at this beautiful thing. Come inside."

But remember, a pretty table isn't enough. Data must support it.

• Use your POS system to identify the right stock.
• Apply visual merchandising principles to present it attractively.
• Use your POS reporting to monitor the results and refine your strategy.

Don't let another potential customer pass by unnoticed. This week, log in to your POS, identify five suitable items, and create your first speed bump. You might find that your best sales days begin on the footpath.

Written by:

Bernard Zimmermann is the founding director of POS Solutions, a leading point-of-sale system company with 45 years of industry experience, now retired and seeking new opportunities. He consults with various organisations, from small businesses to large retailers and government institutions. Bernard is passionate about helping companies optimise their operations through innovative POS technology and enabling seamless customer experiences through effective software solutions.

The Christmas rush is on for Australian SMB retailers. This year, customers are more fuzzy. This is better for SMB shops.

New research from the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) and Roy Morgan indicates that gift-buying participation has slightly decreased by 9%. Shoppers, however, are now spending more and prioritising genuine connection. We call this the "Intentional" Shopper. To them, it's no longer about who has the cheapest plastic gadget, something that an SMB retailer finds hard to compete with.

Who is the "Intentional" Shopper?

We keep hearing this word: "Intentional." But what does it actually mean for your daily trade?

In 2025, Australian shoppers are swapping "loyalty for logic". They aren't just walking into a shop and buying a cheap thing. They are researching first. They have a specific person in mind, a specific budget, and a particular feeling in mind for the gift. Clearly, they want to buy treasures.

The data backs this up. High-spending shoppers aged 35 to 54 are averaging $853 in spend this season. That is a serious amount of money. But they aren't spending it on just anything. They are looking for value, quality, and meaning.

Why This Matters for You

This is great news for independent retailers. You don't have to compete with big-box stores on price-slashing. An intentional shopper walks into your store, looking for you to be the expert. They want you to say, "If your kid loves their dog, she will absolutely adore this dog toy."

That personal advice is something online shops cannot do.

The Return to Physical Media

One of the most encouraging trends for independent retailers this year is the renewed interest in tangible "Recreational Goods," including books.

We are seeing a massive pushback against the digital world. People are tired of screens. They want things they can hold, smell, and keep. This has driven a surge in demand for:

• Physical Books: Hardcovers are having a huge moment.
• Stationery: Beautiful journals and pens are top gifts.
• Leisure Items: Puzzles, board games, and craft kits.

The data suggests that these high-spending 35-54-year-olds are driving this demand. They want gifts that offer "genuine value" and an experience.

How to Merchandise for "Touch"

Because these shoppers want tactile experiences, your store needs to be hands-on.

• Open the Box: Don't seal everything. Have a sample journal open so people can feel the paper.
• Create Reading Nooks: If you sell books, stack them so they invite people to pick them up.
• Bundle It Up: Use your point-of-sale system to see which items are often bought together. If people who buy a specific cookbook often buy a wooden spoon, bundle them together on a display table. This makes the "intentional" choice easy for the customer.

Personal Connection Wins the Sale

This Christmas, consumers are demonstrating a clear preference for personal touches over mere convenience. In a significant market shift, only 22% of Australians say they are making more purchases online than a year ago—less than half the level seen in 2021.

This is a massive retreat from digital-only shopping. It reinforces that consumers are deliberately choosing to visit physical stores. In fact, most Australian consumers prefer shopping in brick-and-mortar stores.

Why? Because they want to find value and Connection.

The "Trust" Factor

As Catherine Jolley of Roy Morgan notes, "In this environment, trust is your most important asset." Shoppers want to see, touch, and trust the product before they purchase. They also want to trust you.

When an intentional customer walks in, they aren't just looking for stock; they are looking for help. This gives you a crucial advantage. You can leverage product knowledge to enhance the look and feel of your gift lines.

Of course, if the intentional shopper might come in for a specific $50 book, but if they see a beautiful $10 bookmark or a $15 candle right next to the register, they are very likely to add it to the basket. We call this "basket building."

Using Tech to Build Connection

The right technology actually helps you build better human connections.

Those small moments of service are what turn a one-time Christmas shopper into a loyal regular for the whole of 2026.

Timing for the Intentional Shopper

The data also highlights the importance of early preparation. Nearly one in three consumers (29%) started their Christmas shopping earlier than in 2024.

The "Layby" Advantage

I think these shoppers are not just early because they are looking, but also because they are trying to spread their budgets over several pay cycles. It ensures they secure these costly items. I know it's a pain, but consider offering "Layby," which allows customers to secure that expensive, perfect gift now and pay it off over a few weeks.

Check Your System: Make sure you know how to use your POS system's Layby feature. It is a one-click process. Your staff need training on the Layby, too, or you might miss out on these high-value sales.

Strategy: The Counter Display

• Low Cost, High Joy: Place small, tactile items near your Point of Sale (POS) system. Things that don't need much thought but bring a spark of joy.
• Gift Add-ons: A sign for your cards, wrapping paper, and ribbons should always be displayed at the checkout.

Is Your Store Ready?

If your store is a mess, these calm, focused shoppers will walk right out. You are trying to sell a premium item

The holiday shopping season is here. Your inventory management strategy during this period can make or break your seasonal success. Having fully stocked shelves isn't just about meeting demand – it's about maintaining customer satisfaction and maximising revenue potential.

The GMROI Report: Your Stock Level Lifesaver

Your POS system's hidden gem, the GMROI (Gross Margin Return on Investment) report, provides an immediate snapshot of your stock levels. This report reveals critical insights beyond basic stock counts.

How to Access the Report

We have a unique report that is super fast to run and gives you an immediate snapshot of your stock levels.

In the Cash register report, call up the GMROI (see the selection highlighted) in your point of sale software in the reports here.

You can select the list of options you want, and I suggest you go over these options later when you have time.

You should do this by departments or suppliers, whatever makes more sense to you. 

Now you get a report like this.

As you can see, the items are all listed.

Let’s look at it in detail:

What we are looking for are items with low on-hand figures, decent sales, and reasonable ROI%. ROI% is the return on investment. It is one of the best ways to determine how valuable your stock items are to your business. It is calculated by the (unit sold) x (Profit)/ (Average stock cost), and you need about 3.2 in the industry. However, as you can see here, there are many items above and below it.

Understanding the GMROI Report

Once you've generated the report, you'll see a list of all your items with several key metrics. Here's what to focus on:

• Stock on Hand: This shows your current inventory levels for each item.
• Sales: This indicates how well the item sells.
• ROI%: The Return on Investment percentage is crucial for determining an item's value to your business.

While these metrics provide valuable data points, interpreting them effectively is critical to making informed inventory decisions.

Interpreting the Results

When analysing your GMROI report, keep an eye out for:

Low Stock, High Sales

These are your priority items. If they have a good ROI, you'll want to reorder them immediately to avoid stockouts during peak shopping.

Reasonable ROI%

The industry standard is about 3.2, but you'll notice variations across your inventory. Your star performers are significantly above this, while those below might need attention.

Special Considerations

Since your store mixes low-margin traffic drivers (magazines/lottery) with high-margin items (gifts/cards), apply the report differently across categories:

• Some items are sale or return, so although they do not make much, you do not pay for them, although they can affect cash flow.

Taking Action

Now that you have this information at your fingertips, it's time to act:

• Identify Critical Items: Look for products with low stock levels but strong sales and good ROI. These should be your top priority for restocking.
• Place Orders: Contact your suppliers for these critical items immediately. Remember, they might be experiencing high demand from other retailers, too.
• Adjust Forecasts: Use this data to refine your sales forecasts for the holiday season. This can help you avoid similar situations in the future.
• Consider Promotions: For items with high stock levels and lower sales, consider running promotions to move inventory and free up cash for better-performing products.

The Power of Your POS System

Your POS system is more than just a cash register—it's a powerful ally in managing your retail business effectively. By regularly utilising tools like the GMROI report, you can:

• Prevent stockouts of popular items
• Optimise your inventory investment
• Improve cash flow by identifying slow-moving stock
• Enhance overall profitability by focusing on high-ROI items

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: What should I look for in this GMROI report?

A: look at these three columns.

• Stock on Hand (your current inventory levels)
• Sales (see how items are selling)
• ROI% (Return on Investment percentage)

Pay particular attention to items with low stock but high sales and a good ROI, as these may need immediate reordering.

Q: What's considered a good GMROI?

A: 3.2 or higher is often considered good. As this will vary by industry and product type, I suggest you evaluate the report and judge.

Q: How can I improve my GMROI?

A: Strategies include:

1. Increasing sales without increasing inventory levels
2. Reducing inventory levels without affecting sales
3. Increasing gross margin through better pricing or supplier negotiations
4. Improving inventory management to reduce excess stock
5. Push high-performing products
6. Implementing just-in-time inventory practices
7. Using your reports for better demand forecasting

Q: How often should I run the GMROI report?

A: Run it frequently (daily or weekly) during busy seasons like holidays. In less busy periods, monthly or quarterly might suffice.

Q: How can the GMROI report help improve cash flow?

A: The report helps identify slow-moving stock. By addressing these items through promotions or adjusted ordering, you can free up cash tied in excess inventory and reinvest in better-performing products.

Written by:

Bernard Zimmermann is the founding director of POS Solutions, a leading point-of-sale system company with 45 years of industry experience, now retired and seeking new opportunities. He consults with various organisations, from small businesses to large retailers and government institutions. Bernard is passionate about helping companies optimise their operations through innovative POS technology and enabling seamless customer experiences through effective software solutions.

Looking at Australia's top-selling 2025 planners and calendars, people focus on family coordination tools, premium habit journals, and humour novelties priced $15–$60. Retailers see strong demand for easy-use organisers amid digital trends, as shoppers crave these paper organisation tools right now. Some sites that are useful to look at for ideas are Calendar Club and Amazon best sellers list.

Now while digital family screens are starting to gain sales, something I will discuss in another post, affordable paper alternatives dominate and outsell these pricier options for example Skylight is $529+, which demand technical setup. Retailers should stock simple, instant-use alternatives for families.

Top Family Calendars Australia 2025

Magnetic fridge calendars ($15–$40), large dry-erase wall planners, chore/meal charts, and yearly sticker wall planners lead sales. Families love their visibility and wipeable surfaces as home hubs. Place them also near greeting cards for impulse buys.

Premium Habit Tracker Journals

Professionals, students, and young men (18–35) snap up A5 habit trackers, gratitude journals like the 6-Minute Diary, and goal-setting diaries with marble covers. These boost mental health, time-blocking, and goals via pen-on-paper.

Funny Calendars Australia 2025

Desk tear-off calendars like Far Side and Thoughts of Dog, plus wall puns, animals, firefighters, and pop culture novelties ($25–$30) outsell basics. Calendar Club's page-a-day humour tops charts.

Learning Compendiums for Lifelong Learners

These are dedicated notebooks for people to collect notes, ideas, diagrams, and their reflections on a subject over time are also selling well. Some higher-end versions feature elastic closures, ribbon markers, inside pockets, and contents pages. Stock them next to diaries as "your ideas companion" for students, professionals, and learners. I recommend putting them right next to your diaries.

Retail Tips for 2025 Planners Australia

Track sales by creating a POS category for planners and calendars. Monitor these family tools, habit journals, and humour items separately.

Customer common product questions and complaints you need to know

Q: Best magnetic fridge calendar for family schedules?
A: Magnetic fridge calendars need a strong magnet, dry-erase surfaces, and monthly or weekly views to suit busy Aussie families for tracking appointments, chores, and meals at a glance.

Q: Size of magnetic fridge calendars?
A: You need a few ranges in size. Make sure you have a procedure to demonstrate the different sizes. You do not want the customer saying they will come back after they measure the fridge. Often, people want a larger 14x12-inch monthly/weekly planner with big blocks that fit multiple schedules without cramping. 

Q: Concerns over the fridge calendar that keeps falling off?
A: Suggest a model with double magnets or suggest an acrylic backing that grips stainless steel fridges securely.

Q: Which habit tracker journal for goals and routines?
A: A good A5 habit tracker or goal-setting journal should have monthly grids, reflection pages, and prompts, as they help professionals and students mark off daily habits like water intake or finances.

Q: Reusable wipeable calendars for the whole family?
A: Dry-erase magnetic monthly planners stick on fridges for shared use, letting everyone update events without paper waste, simple and effective.  A good idea is to suggest here several markers so people can use colour-coding. In my family, blue is regular, green is work, yellow is family, red is urgent and purple is for appointments.

Q: Funny calendars that aren't boring basics?
A: Suggest a page-a-day desk or wall calendars with puns, animals, or pop culture, like Far Side, to keep things light.

Written by:

Bernard Zimmermann is the founding director of POS Solutions, a leading point-of-sale system company with 45 years of industry experience, now retired and seeking new opportunities. He consults with various organisations, from small businesses to large retailers and government institutions. Bernard is passionate about helping companies optimise their operations through innovative POS technology and enabling seamless customer experiences through effective software solutions.

Why is the POS scan rate important?

Your cashiers must process transactions quickly and accurately. This keeps lanes moving. Bad barcodes slow checkouts and frustrate family shoppers buying magazines, books, gifts, or greeting cards. What we need to do is boost POS Software scan rates.

We have a unique KPI specially designed for this, %Scan. This KPI metric measures the percentage of retail barcode scans versus manually keyed entries. Using it will improve retail checkout efficiency.

How to Check Your POS Scan Rate

Go to the cash register reports

> Select Sales,

> Then "Dissection Sales/Profitability for a Given Period."

Set it for the past three months (or 12 for trends) and run the report.

You will get a report that looks like this one. Now, look at the last row marked.

Now run down the list.

You are looking for dissections with high quantities and low scan rates, as these are the big problems here.

Now, examine the %Scan column in the last row or breakdown. Look at the Total Scan. If you are doing a lot of scans and your %Scan rate is low, you have a problem. You need a higher %Scan to deliver quicker transactions and shorter queues in your shop, and it also gives you more accurate inventory data. Besides, it is a pain for staff, as it reduces manual entry errors (Industry figures indicate about one error per 300 characters in manual entry for cashiers).

How to improve the POS scan rate?

To improve POS efficiency, start here:

Test scanners

First, for reliable performance, we often find that when we examine the %Scan, the problem lies with the scanner. If so, clean the scanner lenses and adjust angles. Consider it part of your POS system troubleshooting.

Avoid glare or shiny surfaces.

The problem sometimes is that the objects you are scanning are bright, which causes glare. I have noticed this often happens with frosty drinks and plastic covers on greeting cards. You need to be careful here.

Audit barcodes

Ensure that barcodes are clear on products. If they are real problems, talk to the suppliers, as poor barcode quality leads to unscannable items, forcing manual transaction entries that slow checkout lines and increase human errors, causing lost sales and customer frustration. In the worst case, consider printing in-house barcodes for these products.

Standardise barcode placement

Often, the cashier cannot find the barcode. In your shop, make a policy that all in-house barcodes should be in the same place, eg on the top left, at the rear middle, etc. It does not matter where; just be consistent. I prefer the bottom rear over the front; it covers some of the product.

Conclusion

Run your POS scan rate report now to spot low-scanning categories to check out your speed retail.

Then monitor %Scan trends. Just because you get it right now does not mean a problem will start to appear soon.

Written by:

Bernard Zimmermann is the founding director of POS Solutions, a leading point-of-sale system company with 45 years of industry experience, now retired and seeking new opportunities. He consults with various organisations, from small businesses to large retailers and government institutions. Bernard is passionate about helping companies optimise their operations through innovative POS technology and enabling seamless customer experiences through effective software solutions.