When your Telco goes down, retail shops can’t operate as usual.

Key Takeaways

• Telstra says its higher fees are due to better network reliability.
• Many businesses using Tyro EFTPOS terminals were affected during the 8 July 2026 outage.
• More than 300 Triple Zero calls did not go through during the outage.
• EFTPOS systems with backup connections provide retailers with important protection against outages.

Telstra recently had a major outage. For many retailers, the biggest problem was that their EFTPOS machines stopped working. Tyro, a leading EFTPOS provider, confirmed its network was hit during the disruption.

For a retailer, typically losing EFTPOS access can mean sales drop by half.

Another issue was that many businesses lost the ability to communicate.

Most of us know that Telstra charges more than other telcos. When asked, they usually say it’s because their network is more reliable and covers more areas. For businesses, this can seem worth it because we rely on steady communication. Telstra also said its recent price increases would help pay for better networks.

But after this outage, it’s fair to question whether those reasons still make sense, especially given the high bills and lost sales.

Clearly, Telstra is not infallible despite premium pricing built on the promise of reliability. A quick glance at monitoring services like Downdetector shows localised faults are reported regularly.

Last Wednesday's failure, however, was not a small localised fault. It halted Victoria's V/Line regional trains and disrupted traffic lights across multiple states. Most seriously, Telstra confirmed that over 300 Triple Zero calls were logged but unsuccessful.

I suspect that this failure will cost Telstra heaps.

Action at Renewal Time

When your contract ends, ask around and get quotes from different providers. Don’t just take claims of better reliability at face value; ask what happens if the service fails. Keep in mind that a lower price doesn't always mean better protection, so compare your options carefully.

Some EFTPOS providers we handle include premium backup features which, at no cost to you, allow you to use your EFTPOS terminal when your internet or mobile network goes down. This means that you can still process transactions and avoid missing sales.

The Telstra outage in July 2026 showed that even a claimed premium service can fail without warning. Retailers pay more for peace of mind, but in this case, it often meant a higher bill with no extra protection.

PS POS Solutions once took Telstra to court over overcharging. We won about $40,000.

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 best figures to use for benchmarking are always your own past results, whether from last month, last quarter, or last year. Still, looking at other people’s numbers can help you spot issues you might miss. The ATO’s newsagent benchmarks are the most useful and affordable option for this. The ATO has access to more data and resources than anyone else, and these are the figures they check first if they investigate your business. This guide will explain what these benchmarks are, how the ATO creates them, and how your POS system can help you use both your own data and the ATO’s figures together.

Key Takeaways

• Your own historical trading figures remain the single most reliable benchmark for your specific newsagency.
• ATO benchmarks are recent national averages derived from tax returns and are useful as a secondary point of comparison.
• Use the product mix to determine whether low-margin print sales are supported by higher-margin categories such as gifts and books.
• A POS System helps you track your own figures accurately.
• Your own figures are the real foundation of good decision-making.

What Are ATO Benchmarks?

ATO small business benchmarks are financial ratios derived from the tax returns of thousands of similar businesses across Australia. What is helpful is that the ATO groups this tax return information by turnover and then calculates average ranges for costs like stock purchases, rent, and total expenses, making it relevant to you. ATO Benchmark figures are available on their website.

The latest figures are for the 2023–24 income year and are up to date, but keep in mind they do not reflect real-time trading conditions. Before you use any of this information, I want to be clear about my own view. The most meaningful benchmark is your own data, tracked over time, because it truly reflects your business. Other people’s figures, like the ATO averages, are helpful, but they should only be a second opinion.

Your Figures Are Best

There is solid research behind this. Studies from Australian banks and the US government show that individual businesses often do not follow the same trends as their wider market. For example, while bookshops overall might be struggling, I know many bookshops using our POS system that are actually doing well.

Your own trading history is the most reliable benchmark because it reflects everything unique about your business. No outside average can show your specific lease, your local competitors, or your regular customers’ habits. If your cost of sales has stayed at 52% for three years, that steady number tells you more about your business's health than any national average.

Tracking your own numbers over time shows trends that outside data cannot. For example, if your cost of sales jumps from 50% to 60% in one quarter, that is a much clearer warning than just being a bit outside the ATO range. If you see your rent-to-turnover ratio slowly rising over two years, you have time to renegotiate your lease before it becomes a problem.

However, if you only look at your own numbers, you might miss something important. It can be hard to know if a slow change is normal for your shop or a sign of a problem. That’s why it’s still useful to check other people’s figures, even if they are not your main focus.

Deriving and Using Benchmarks

The ATO works out these figures using tax returns from businesses that are properly listed as newsagencies. They leave out businesses like post office agencies or delivery contractors, so the averages are more accurate for real retail shopfronts.

Other people’s figures are valuable because they let you double-check your own trends. If your numbers seem fine but are far outside the ATO range, that’s a good reason to look more closely.

Calculating Cost of Sales

Cost of sales to turnover means the percentage of your sales that goes toward buying the stock you sell. You work it out by dividing your cost of sales by your turnover, then multiplying by 100. This number does not include rent, wages, or other overheads. For example, if you buy $100,000 of magazines and gifts and sell them for $200,000, your cost of sales ratio is 50%.

For 2023–24, newsagents with sales between $65,000 and $500,000 usually have a cost of sales between 42% and 59%. Those with $500,001 to $1,000,000 in sales are in the 47% to 62% range, and those above $1,000,000 are in the 55% to 81% range. Use these as a reference alongside your own yearly trend. If your cost of sales is always around 58% and the benchmark for your group is 47% to 62%, that steady result is a good sign, even if you are near the top.

You can find your own historical figures in your Point of Sale (POS) system. Run a rolling 12-month report from your POS software and compare it to the ATO ranges to see if you are deviating from your own trend.

Have your cost of sales, rent ratio, or total expenses changed a lot from your usual pattern? A sudden shift is a stronger warning than any comparison. After you have checked your own numbers, use the ATO figures as a second check. If your numbers are above the ATO range, it could be due to unrecorded sales, heavy discounting, supplier price rises, or stock losses. If both your own numbers and the ATO range show a problem, you should look into possible stock losses right away.

Remember, the ATO benchmarks do not prescribe an ideal mix; they reflect what similar businesses to yours report.

If your numbers are below the ATO range, it often means you have higher markups or a more profitable product mix. In my experience, it can also mean some costs were recorded differently than the ATO categories. Check this carefully. It does not mean there is a problem; it might just show you run your business efficiently. A newsagency that stays below the benchmark for years probably has a strong range of high-margin gifts and cards.

Comparing Other Expense Ratios

Total expenses to turnover includes all your business costs, like rent, wages, and utilities. As with cost of sales, compare this to your own history first, then check the ATO range.

Rent to Turnover

Rent is often your biggest fixed cost. Watching your rent ratio over time can reveal lease issues before the ATO comparison does. If your rent is much higher than usual, ask yourself if it is worth it and investigate why it has changed so quickly. Sudden increases flag inefficiency fast.

Why Product Mix Matters

Product mix means how much each category, like print, lottery, cards, stationery, and gifts, contributes to your sales. Watching how your mix changes over the years tells you more about your business’s direction than any outside average. For example, if gifts and cards have grown from 20% to 40% of your sales in three years, that is real progress.

How POS Systems Help

A good Point of Sale (POS) system lets you track your own figures, which is why I think it is more useful day-to-day than any outside benchmark. It records every sale and builds a history you can use as your main comparison tool. By checking your POS dashboard each month, you can spot changes in your cost of sales before they show up on your yearly tax return.

POS also helps you investigate any gap you find against the ATO figures. You can pull reports on gross margin dollars, stock turn, and dead stock by category and supplier to understand exactly what is driving a number. Your POS might reveal that your cards category consistently outperforms your historical average, which is worth expanding on. For more on this, check out our POS reporting guide.

You should begin by getting your own 12-month trends for cost of sales, rent, and total expenses from your POS system and your accountant. This is your main benchmark. Once you understand your own pattern, compare it to the ATO ranges. If you see a gap, that is your cue to look into it further and investigate.

Your Own Numbers First

To sum up, your own figures, tracked over time, are the most important benchmark for your newsagency. The ATO’s latest numbers are still helpful as a second opinion, but they are just a general guide, not a rule made for your business. Use both, rely on your POS system to keep your data accurate, and you will make better decisions than if you use only one source.

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.

You are likely missing out on revenue by ignoring the foot traffic generated by the anchor shop next door. Use the Woolworths Effect to turn someone else's marketing budget into your own advantage.

Key Takeaways

• Anchor stores are the major traffic drivers in your shopping centre.
• The Woolworths Effect provides highly predictable footfall.
• Point-of-sale reporting reveals the effect.
• Complementary merchandise often captures passing shoppers.
• Seasonal planning helps.

What Is the Woolworths Effect?

The Woolworths Effect is the sales boost a retailer experiences when an anchor store attracts more shoppers to the shopping centre. It's a piggyback effect. It delivers customers who are already in a buying mood directly to you, increasing your retail revenue without expensive advertising. *For example, a retailer might spend millions on television ads, so bringing many passing shoppers past your shop. Just a tiny fraction of these passing shoppers can significantly boost your profits.

You monitor their business closely by tracking their promotional calendars and recording exactly when the crowds arrive. Often, you must step outside your own shop and observe what the big store is heavily promoting to the general public.

Your POS System can often show the Woolworth's Effect by clearly showing how your sales change during these promotions.

How Do You Mirror or Complement Supermarket Offers?

Now, when you see such a promotion, try to complement their offers by selling these or related items. Ask yourself what people are coming into that shop for, and what you could sell those same people as well on that shopping mission. For example, if the anchor is pushing cheap back-to-school pencil sets, you must feature higher-quality school diaries and study guides.

Often, a good idea is that instead of competing directly, match their campaigns with smart complementary offers:

• When they sell cheap pencil sets, you feature premium diaries and study guides to help kids get ready for class.
• When they sell discount boxed chocolates, you feature high-quality greeting cards and books for a quick Mother's Day gift.
• When they sell bulk party food and drinks, you feature helium balloons and premium gift wrap for weekend family gatherings.
• **Look at your POS System as it is showing what is selling now well in this promotion.

What Are Your Next Steps?

Your next step is to set up a small in-store display tied perfectly to the anchor's campaign. Try it for just a week or two. For example, place a premium BBQ accessories table at the front of your store when the supermarket pushes summer meats.

Your POS System will show you if it actually worked.

If it did, document this promotion in your diary for next year, as most anchors repeat promotions the following year. Then you can be prepared next year.

Conclusion

The Woolworths Effect proves you can quickly turn your biggest competitor into a source of free foot traffic.

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.

Well, it's that time of year again, the end of the financial year, when we start to look at the books again.

Our POS systems do not require a special backup or a specific time to run EOFY reports. This means you have plenty of flexibility to fit this into your schedule. The only reason to run them immediately is if you want to clean up your books.

Essential Financial Statements

Your accountant will need specific statements to prepare your business accounting and taxes. Be sure to ask them exactly what they need and which date ranges they require. The essential reports generally include:

• Profit and loss statements
• Balance sheets
• Cash flow statements (if you use them)

I suggest printing these in detail so you have the data to support your figures. Do not worry if it seems like too much information; I have never heard an accountant complain about receiving too much detail.

For the tax-savvy, review these reports and look for opportunities to write off any damaged stock or bad debts. Highlighting these items makes it easier to discuss potential tax deductions with your accountant.

Key EOFY System Reports

• Sales reports: These provide the totals of your various revenue streams.
• Stock valuation: Generate this after your stocktake to get a comprehensive picture of your current inventory levels, which is crucial for managing diverse categories such as books, greeting cards, and gifts.
• Accounts receivable (debtors): This highlights your customers' total debts, unpaid invoices, and outstanding balances.
• Accounts payable (creditors): If your software tracks creditors, this shows the total amount of outstanding payments you owe to suppliers or vendors.

System Functions and Webinar Training

Our team has prepared a video from a recent webinar that delves into the intricacies of EOFY reporting with our POS software. From dissecting each report to answering your burning questions, this webinar is a must-watch for understanding how to use helpful system functions.

I think you will find that reviewing these reports will show many insights and give you ideas for your business. If you need any extra help, give us a call!

Of course, if you need more help, give us a call.

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 End of the Financial Year (EOFY) can create timing issues that come back to bite years later—this year, it’s tomorrow.

The Perils of EOFY

Here's the potential snag: some businesses close their books on Tuesday night, while others finalise them the next morning. This creates timing differences, where the same transaction can be recorded in different financial years by different organisations.

This means invoices, credit notes, and payments may not align. Add Australia Post delays or processing delays, and important documents might not appear in your records until after EOFY. As a result, your figures may not match those of your suppliers or customers.

This may become a problem during an ATO audit. The ATO may compare your records with other businesses and ask why the figures differ. Since audits often occur years after the fact, it can be difficult to explain what caused the discrepancy. You end up trying to reconstruct events you barely remember.

We experienced this firsthand. A supplier issued a credit note to us just before EOFY, but we didn’t receive it until a few days later. During an ATO review, that timing difference worked against us, and it ended up costing us. The ATO argued that we should have known about the credit note in the previous financial year.

Taking Control

You can reduce the risk of these issues with a few simple steps:

• Ensure your POS and accounting systems can clearly explain your figures if needed. Putting notes in can be a big help.
• Contact suppliers now if there are large or outstanding amounts.
• Start chasing missing invoices and credit notes.
• If timing cannot be resolved, get written confirmation (email is ideal).
• Where possible, delay closing your EOFY slightly to allow final documents to come in.

One advantage of our POS system is that it allows adjustments after EOFY, so you can continue processing and correcting entries as information arrives.

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.

For SMBs, there is little in the budget of2026/7, which looks like a grab for money.

Key Takeaways

• The 2026/27 financial year for SMB retailers is a cost reset driven by higher wages, 12% super, and tighter cash flow.
• Retail Award wages rise by 4.75% from 1 July 2026.
• The National Minimum Wage increases to $26.44 per hour.
• The Superannuation Guarantee is now payable within 7 days, placing greater pressure on payroll.

How Much Will Wage Rises and 12% Super Cost SMB Retailers in 2026/27?

Award wage increases raise payroll costs and also increase super costs because super is calculated on eligible earnings.

What will really hurt our cash flow is that this super must be paid within 7 days.

Super Calculation Formula Changes

I suggest that you use a computer program or accounting software to calculate superannuation, as the formula is changing.

Conclusion

There are some other changes to the accounting rules, but I suggest you discuss them with an accountant.

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.

EOFY is almost here, 6 days to go, and soon, the best POS hardware deals of the year will be unavailable. If you've been sitting on a slow or ageing checkout setup, this is your window to fix it at a better price.

Key Takeaways

• EOFY supplier discounts on POS hardware are only available until 30 June.
• Retailers who upgrade now can claim the purchase this financial year.
• Limited stock means deals disappear once suppliers close out the month.
• A modern POS system reduces checkout headaches and daily retail friction.

Why Are EOFY POS Deals Available Right Now?

POS Suppliers now want to clear warehouse stock before the financial year closes; they need money now, and they would rather get rid of it than count it. That pressure works in your favour. We've negotiated directly with our technology partners to bring you current POS equipment at sharp EOFY pricing, deals that won't be available soon due to limited stock.

Is It Worth Upgrading Your POS System Before 30 June?

For most retailers, yes. Upgrading before 30 June will allow you to claim the purchase as a business deduction in this financial year. That is a potential double benefit: an upfront discount on the hardware, plus better equipment.

Beyond the financials, if your current setup is slow, unreliable, or causing headaches at checkout, carry that problem into the new financial year.

What POS Hardware Is on Sale?

We have included information about selected POS hardware and upgrade packages in our newsletter. If you have specialised needs we maybe able to help you too. Stock is strictly limited to what our suppliers have on hand, and once it's gone, I doubt we can offer these prices to you again.

Act Before the 30 June Deadline

These deals close when the financial year does. If you've been putting off a hardware upgrade, now is the time to get it sorted.

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.

Readers here already know that the temporary Armaguard bailout that has been keeping Australia's cash-in-transit network afloat expires on 30 June 2026. Less clear is exactly how the incoming new pricing model will affect us after that. 

Key Takeaways

• A cash-in-transit crisis is a severe disruption to Australia's physical cash collection network that threatens to raise retail costs.
• Utility-style pricing will charge businesses based on distance, severely impacting independent retailers across regions.
• Point-of-sale (POS) systems provide the exact tender-mix data needed to forecast your margin exposure.
• Financial auditing of your recent bank statements reveals your current baseline cash expenses before new fees apply.

What Is the Cash Crisis?

Australia's cash-in-transit crisis, spoken about here, is the financial instability threatening the cash infrastructure that collects, transports, and processes cash. Currently, the dominant provider, Armaguard, relies on a temporary bailout to keep its armoured trucks running. Armaguard funding arrangements officially end on 30 June 2026. We now know that new funding models will shift the financial burden directly onto end users, which is confirmed and will soon start. The inevitable cost increases for retailers begin soon.

Why the Cash Crisis Matters

The cash-in-transit crisis matters because it will fundamentally alter the cost of doing business for retailers that accept cash. Major supermarket chains will leverage their massive daily volumes to negotiate better cash contracts, leaving smaller players exposed. Up to now, regardless of size, independent retailers have been able to compete equally with the majors on cash handling.

Furthermore, regional businesses face an extreme risk under the new model. If distance-based pricing takes effect, this will accelerate the current increases in banking charges for manual cash deposits that the industry is quietly seeing.

Tracking Cash With POS Systems

The first point is to get real figures for what you are banking. Review the bank deposit reports in your POS system to see exactly how exposed your business is to cash transactions today. For example, knowing that cash makes up exactly 12% of your weekly revenue gives you the hard data needed to forecast your vulnerability to rising bank fees. Once you have the exact cash figures from your POS reporting, you should approach the bank. Sometimes, the banks can help you restructure your deposit schedules or even waive certain fees. You will not get them unless you approach them proactively.

Conclusion on Cash

We may need to rethink our payment types for our business 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.

A stocktake is one of the most important disciplines in retail. It shows whether your inventory records match what is actually on your shelves, in the back room, and in storage. It can be a big job, but it remains one of the best ways to control stock, test your inventory system, and uncover problems that are costing you money. I have spent a lot of time around stocktakes over the years, and I've seen firsthand how the more organised the business is before the count, the faster and more accurate the stocktake will be.

Why stocktaking matters

Good inventory management matters because bad stock figures hurt businesses. It is also, for most Australian businesses, a strict ATO requirement. 

A good stocktake helps you:

• Find excess stock and dead stock.
• Improve the accuracy of your inventory records.
• Examine your stock.
• Support your stock values for accounting and tax purposes.

Before you start

A successful stocktake begins before stocktake day.

Look for every place where stock is held in your business. Do not just think about shelves. Include drawers, counters, office shelves, back rooms, warehouses, promotional displays, window displays, bargain bins, and any odd storage spots. We find that these forgotten areas often cause the most stocktake errors.

Now, start to tidy the stock. The tidier it is, the easier it will be to count:

• Move stock to the correct area.
• Straighten mixed and messy sections.
• Separate similar-looking items with different barcodes.
• Pull out damaged, unsaleable, or returned stock.
• Put laybys, consignment stock, customer orders, and goods waiting for dispatch into clearly marked holding areas.

Now divide the business into counting sections. Each section should be clearly defined and, as a rule, take 1-2 hours. This makes it easier to keep organised and focused.

Pick a quiet time if possible.

Select your people for the stocktake, make sure they know their role and what they need to do. We have prepared a video to help them here:

First, organise your people. Counting usually works best in teams; two people counting and one person recording is often an effective combination.

Before anyone starts, hold a short staff briefing so everyone understands:

• How the count will be done.
• The counting order to follow.
• How to handle problem stock.
• Be clear about how units are handled. Everyone must know they are counting singles. If a carton is open, tell them to check it properly and not to assume it is full.
• Who is available during the stocktake if there are questions? If each team handles problems differently, your stocktake will quickly become inconsistent.
• Set up a designated problem area. Rather than holding the count up, put problem stock in that area and move on.

Check your equipment

Before the day, test your technology. There is nothing worse than getting everyone ready only to find out something does not work:

• Test your stocktaking software.
• Check scanners, laptops, and PDTs.
• Charge batteries.
• Have chargers ready.
• Make sure everything connects properly to your POS software.

If you can use laptops or PDTs, do it. They save time because staff can move with them around the shop.

Also have the basics ready:

• Pens.
• Clipboards.
• Labels.
• Tape.
• Markers.
• Spare batteries.

Start counting

When the count starts, use one method and stick to it.

I recommend a simple system of counting from left to right and bottom to top. If you want something different, make sure everyone follows the same rule.

Then work through the stocktake in order:

• Count one section completely before moving on.
• Mark finished sections clearly.
• Use place markers to clearly mark counted areas.
• Keep teams in their allocated areas.

It also helps to start with the hardest or messiest sections first, while everyone is fresh.

Count every location where the same item is kept. It is easy to count the shelf and forget the backup stock in a drawer, cupboard, or storeroom.

Handling problem stock as you go

Keep the process moving.

If a team finds a product with a missing barcode, a damaged label, or another issue, do not let it stop the count. Put it into a problem holding area and keep going.

As you count:

• Spot-check completed sections.
• Recount anything that looks wrong.
• Keep unnecessary staff away from the counted areas.
• Keep customers out of completed sections where possible.
• Clearly note where estimates were used.

Some stock always needs extra care:

• Greeting cards in packed pockets.
• Books displayed in multiple places.
• Magazines on shelves, in pockets, and in return areas.
• Gift lines with display stock out front and backup stock in storage.
• Stationery items that look the same but differ in colour, size, or barcode.

Before you finish

Do one final sweep before you sign off.

Walk the whole business and check every area on your stocktake map. Make sure each section has been counted and marked off. This final check often picks up forgotten displays, cupboards, drawers, and odd corners.

A stocktake can take more than one day, and that is fine. What matters is that it is done carefully, consistently, and completely.

Conclusion

A good stocktake is all about preparation, clear rules, and a disciplined counting process. Do that well, and you will end up with better stock figures, better buying information, and fewer surprises.

If I missed something, please let me know.

Happy stocktaking!

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.

EOFY is coming, and we all have excess stock that needs to move. June is your window to do so.

Almost every major retailer is doing it, why not you too?

Key Takeaways

• EOFY is Australia's second-largest retail season, generating $8.8 billion in sales, 11× more than Mother's Day.
• Moving dead stock now beats counting it during your July stocktake.
• Bundling slow-moving items with popular ones protects your margin while clearing volume.
• Your existing customers are your fastest path to a profitable sale.
• Your POS System pinpoints exactly which lines need discounting, no guesswork required.

What Should You Actually Discount?

Run a slow-moving stock report from your POS terminal before you do anything else. You want items that haven't sold in 90 days or more. Those are your prime clearance candidates. For example, seasonal gift lines that missed their window, discontinued colourways, or last year's dated products.

Resist the urge to discount your bestsellers. Deep discounts on fast-moving stock destroy the margin you don't need to sacrifice. Target the dead weight and leave your strong performers at full price.

How Do You Move Stock Fast?

Bundle It

Pair a slow-moving item with something popular at a flat promotional price. The customer perceives great value, and you clear two lines at once. For example, a slow-moving scented candle bundled with a popular greeting card for $15 moves both.

Set Up a Clearance Zone

A clearly marked dump bin or clearance table near the entrance immediately captures impulse buyers. Keep it tidy, clearly priced, and refreshed regularly so it looks intentional rather than neglected.

Spend Thresholds

For your clearance bin, it often works to offer a discount when customers reach a spending threshold. It lifts your average transaction value without requiring heavy markdowns across the board, for example, 10% off for all items, 20% at a $30 spend, 35% off at a $60 spend.

How Do You Capture EOFY Foot Traffic?

Shoppers are already in a buying mindset during June. Your job is to intercept them. Bold, clear window signage with specific dollar savings outperforms vague "sale" messaging every time. For example, "Books from $5" beats "Big EOFY Sale" because it sets a concrete expectation.

If your store sits near an anchor tenant like a supermarket, position your most eye-catching clearance offers where their exit foot traffic naturally passes your storefront.

What Role Does Your POS System Play?

A modern POS system in Australia does the heavy lifting for an EOFY sale. It tells you exactly what to discount, lets you apply bulk pricing changes across entire categories in seconds, and tracks your recovery in real-time throughout June.

Without it, you're guessing. With it, every decision is backed by actual sales data. For example, applying a 50% discount to an entire "Winter Clearance" category takes one click rather than manually repricing 200 individual items.

Our clients are very lucky as they can go to register reports > stock titled "Old Stock on hand by Date last received" and get an instant list.

This will give you a list of your stock by when you received it. Unfortunately, this stock will not improve with age, and it costs you to hold it.

Here are a few thoughts to help you prepare for your EOFY deal.

1. What about bundling some of this with something that sells?
2. Make a bargain bin.
3. Collect some business products together.

Now put them out and put a sign marking them in your shop.

Let me know how it goes. I doubt you will be sorry if you try, but I am sure you will be if you do not try!

Update:  Current figures suggest that End of Financial Year (EOFY) sales will be one of Australia's most significant retail events, but new research suggests this EOFY spending forecast will grow by just 1.9 per cent this year – well below inflation.

https://www.roymorgan.com/findings/10256-arc-roy-morgan-end-of-financia…

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.

Now, at the end of the financial year is coming, we are releasing this video, which provides a complete YouTube tutorial on how to perform a physical stocktake using our POS Software.

We walk you through this essential inventory management system and explain the options and best practices. This video would be useful as a training and reference resource for anyone who needs to perform stock control using POSBrowser. 

It covers the two main approaches—doing the full shop at once or breaking it down into smaller location-based sections. Although both work, we advocate the location-based approach, which we find more efficient. Prepare your plan by dividing the shop into sections. Then, stocktake each section one at a time. This makes the process more manageable and accurate. 

The video demonstrates how to create a new stocktake, correctly scan/count items, and record it. We also cover the necessary settings like "Check Stock Movement" if you are doing it during trading. It shows how to run reports to see discrepancies, cost valuations by department, and more. The reporting capabilities highlighted allow you to analyse and audit your stock position.

The clear explanations and visual demonstrations make it a valuable reference for new and experienced users. I suggest getting your staff to run through it, too.

"The integration between stocktake data and our ordering process has streamlined our operations significantly. We've reduced carrying costs, minimised stock-outs and given us accurate reporting." 

Mastering stocktakes is essential for the success of any retailer.

I suggest using this guide as a staff training tool

Make sure that your staff who will be doing the stocktake run through it too. 
 

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.

Amex was not covered by the RBA's NO Surcharge rule after 1 October. The RBA now gave non-designated card schemes like Amex, Discover and China UnionPay a temporary green light to apply a “no surcharge” rule from 1 October.

After 1 October, you will not be allowed to charge a surcharge on Amex. Many of your payment providers intend to enforce this.

American Express has also stated that it will enforce this ban and is asking your customers to report you if you try to apply it.

This will be a problem as Amex fees are very expensive. 

If you run a lottery outlet, you know that the lottery brings in a lot of foot traffic. Like most agency work, it has pros and cons. On the one hand, it gives you a lot of business, but on the other hand, they have you on the short end of the stick. Today, a shopper who buys a Powerball ticket often grabs a card, a magazine, or a cold drink at the same time.

As it is very important to many of my clients, I listened to the Lottery Corporation Investor Day talk on YouTube , and while listening, I read the INVESTOR DAY PRESENTATION. This presentation filled many of the gaps in the talk.

The talk was a bit vague, but the presentation was good. If you are interested, I suggest looking through the presentation and missing the talk.

Here are my thoughts on what was said.

The most important point was that the lottery recognises the importance of retail (54% of draw lottery sales in 2025), but they also want to use your shop to attract new digital customers. The clear long-term plan strongly favours digital over retail. The company says digital is its main growth engine and will own the customer relationship going forward. For example, a customer might buy their first ticket at your counter, but the lottery wants them to buy all future tickets through its app. If the lottery app is used, your shop loses that sale and, more importantly, the extra impulse sales that go with it.

Also, the profit gap between digital and retail is massive. The lottery's digital operator margin is 20.5 percent, while the retail margin is only 8.2 percent. Clearly, the lottery has a strong financial incentive to move players online, where it can make more profit.

There is little there about industry consultation. The lotto agents will be told what to do and expected to do it. Again, this is a common problem with agency work.

Key Takeaways

• The lottery's 2026 strategy turns retail into a tool to attract new digital customers.
• The lottery says registered customers are worth about 2 times as much as unregistered customers.
• The lottery's digital profit margin is 20.5 percent, while the retail margin is only 8.2 percent.
• The lottery estimates that about 4.3 million unregistered retail lottery customers remain available to convert as of FY25.
• Each 1 percent lift in digital share is worth about $6 million in profit for the lottery.
• Lottery retailer pay is expected to change, but talks with industry groups will take six to twelve months.
• Australian retailers with strong POS data can measure the true basket value of lottery traffic to prepare for new pay talks.

Points

What I did was list the points as they went through it, identify the ones relevant to retailers, and put them in the following order.

Pros

Why the lottery Still Needs Retailers

The lottery still needs the retail network to succeed. The company says retailers remain long-term partners because digital-only rivals cannot copy a massive physical network. For example, a pure online app cannot give customers the friendly face and local trust that your lottery outlet provides every day.

The money is still very real for them from shops today. Retailers and venues earned about $0.7 billion in Australian newsagent lottery commissions in FY25. Those commission payments are paying the rent for many SMB businesses across the country.

Moreover, the lottery's license base is much stronger now. The Victorian lottery license was recently extended to 2068, providing long-term safety across the whole network. A longer license means you can safely spend more money on lotto.

They see the lottery brands build deep trust in the community. The lottery calls its games "permission assets" because they give the company and its retailers the social trust to operate safely. For example, customers trust your shop more because you sell familiar, safe games like Saturday Lotto.

Importantly, retail remains the primary starting point for players. The lottery admits that physical shops provide a highly visible presence in towns and suburbs. A customer driving past your big lottery sign is often reminded to walk in and buy a ticket.

New Tools and Future Plans

The new digital tools will actually help your staff work faster. In-store tools like digital prize claiming and ticket scanning reduce the cash you have to handle. For example, a customer claiming a prize digitally means your staff does not have to count out large amounts of cash from the till.

The lottery admits that the old pay model must evolve. Management openly stated that as retail becomes a place to find new digital customers, the remuneration for lottery retailers needs to change. They know the old pay model does not fit the new job they want you to do. I am dubious here, as this was promised before, and I did not see much progress from that proposal.

The lottery promises to consult with retailers before making major pay changes. The company says the next six to twelve months will involve deep talks with retailer groups. This means you have time to look at your newsagent POS data before the final rules are set.

They promise that highly productive shops could win big in the future. The lottery emphasised "quality over quantity," meaning top shops could become brand ambassadors. For example, if your shop signs up lots of digital players, you might receive special rewards or extra terminal support.

The lottery is still investing in physical games to keep them exciting. The company is planning a Set for Life refresh for September 2026. Fresh games give your regular customers a fun reason to keep coming back to your counter. By refreshing the Everyday Fun games, the lottery hopes to keep sales strong even when jackpots are small. For instance, better instant scratch games can keep your daily traffic steady year-round.

Cons

How Digital Changes Your Shop's Role

The role of your shop they want completely changed. The lottery is explicitly shifting retail from a sales channel to a tool for finding digital customers. They see your job as slowly changing from simply selling tickets to finding new app users for the lottery. This is actually what other online lotteries, such as Lottery Office, once offered retailers. This is now the main engine for the company's future. The lottery says digital is its primary growth engine, meaning the long-term focus is no longer on growing over-the-counter sales. For example, the lottery will spend more money improving its app than it will on improving your terminal.

Once digital, the lottery will own the long-term customer relationship. The lottery says digital will handle customer retention and keep players loyal between draws. If a customer buys their first ticket from you, the lottery will use email and in-app alerts to encourage them to buy their next ticket online.

Finally, registered players are worth more money. Registered lottery customers are worth about 2 times as much as unregistered customers. This is exactly why simple counter sales are no longer the lottery's main goal.

New Tools Push Players Away From the Counter

QR codes can easily shift the relationship away from your shop. QR codes on paper tickets make it very easy for players to register for the lottery. However, scanning that code creates a direct link that lets the customer play on their phone next time, without visiting you.

Digital wallets bypass the shop completely. Digital prize claiming reduces your cash handling, but it also helps customers build online wallets. For example, many customers who claim a $50 prize in their app wallet will likely spend that $50 in the app, not in your shop.

Sign-up rewards are designed to accelerate this digital shift. The lottery is considering retailer rewards to encourage your staff to collect customer details. This effectively asks you to help move your own regular shoppers online.

Greater use of dynamic digital signage takes control away from the retailer. Digital screens aim to reduce the need for printed posters and to clean up the shop. However, this gives the lottery central control over exactly what gets promoted in your shop at any given time.

Your terminal is not guaranteed anymore. The lottery says that having more outlets does not always translate into higher sales, so they are reviewing low-yield shops. If your shop only sells a few tickets a week, you might lose your lottery terminal similarly if you do not drive enough digital sign-ups.

Talks about how retailers get paid are still months away from finishing, yet you are being asked to do the conversion work right now without a final, fair pay deal in place.

The App Replaces the Shop Visit

The digital roadmap is built to keep players in the app. Upgrades like "The Reveal" make checking results on a phone much more fun and exciting. This pulls the habit of checking tickets away from your physical shop scanner.

The Auto Play feature is concerning; it is designed as a recurring revenue engine. This means a player's ticket is automatically purchased each week, so the customer never needs to walk into your shop again to buy one.

Social Play will allow the lottery to run syndicates completely through the mobile app. This pulls large office groups and social play away from the traditional physical counter.

What they are aiming for in the app is the 18- to 34-year-old demographic. This is how the lottery sees these people want to play. It will be a full entertainment destination.

Discussion

The lottery strategy 2026 is not an attack on retail. They see the shop is creating trust, reach, and easy access. At the same time, the lottery desperately wants to own the registered identity and the digital repeat revenue.

If lotteries get twice as much money, then registration is no longer just a harmless administrative task at the till. It is a commercial negotiation about who gets paid for creating long-term value.

Importantly, do not simply reject every new digital tool out of fear. Many of these digital upgrades will genuinely reduce friction and speed up the line during a busy jackpot draw.

Think I missed something important. Have anything to discuss, let me know

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 your business currently adds a surcharge to card payments, your window to prepare is closing fast. From 1 October 2026, the Reserve Bank of Australia's ban on surcharging across EFTPOS, Mastercard, and Visa networks will take effect. You will be affected by the government ban, and many of your payment providers will be affected. Some payment providers intend to extend the surcharge ban to include American Express, China UnionPay, and Discover, which goes beyond the official RBA mandate.

Key Takeaways

• The RBA's surcharge ban on EFTPOS, Mastercard, and Visa networks takes effect on 1 October 2026, making surcharging on debit, prepaid, and credit cards illegal.
• EFTPOS providers control terminal settings and merchant agreements so that enforcement will be practical and immediate.
• Every merchant should ask their provider two direct questions now: which cards are covered, whether any surcharging remains, and what the timeline for system changes is.

What Is the RBA Surcharge Ban?

The surcharge ban is a regulatory change, effective 1 October 2026, that prohibits Australian merchants from adding a separate fee to customer transactions made by EFTPOS, Mastercard, or Visa debit and credit cards, as mandated by the Reserve Bank of Australia. Historically, retailers added this surcharge to cover the cost of card acceptance in Australia. After 1 October, the cost of card acceptance for Visa and Credit cards will be paid by you.

How Can EFTPOS Providers Enforce the Surcharge Ban?

They control merchant terms, terminal settings, and payment workflows. It is very much in their interest to enforce this ban. From my discussions with some of them, I have been told that they intend to do this. I would be shocked if any of them do not.

Which Cards Does the Surcharge Ban Actually Cover?

The official RBA surcharge ban applies to domestic EFTPOS, Mastercard, and Visa transactions. However, while the RBA's official surcharge ban covers these networks, some payment providers are extending this internal ban to American Express, China UnionPay, and Discover cards, meaning merchants using their services will lose the ability to surcharge on these cards through their platform, regardless of the law.

What Should Retailers Do Before 1 October 2026?

Ask your payment provider these direct questions before 1 October 2026:

• Which cards will be covered by the surcharge ban on your platform, including those you do handle, such as American Express, China UnionPay, and Discover?
• What changes will be made to my terminal or POS system, and when will you be notified?

I bet you will not get a direct answer, but I do recommend you ask by email so you get a written response.

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.

I've seen how helpful a good planogram can be for SMB stores. Since I've gotten questions about them, I want to share some practical tips on making a planogram.

This can:

• Optimise your shop layout.
• Boost sales.

A planogram shows:

• What products go on the shelves.
• How to arrange your products on shelves.

It makes shopping easier and, hopefully, drives more sales.

Why Planograms Matter for Retail Shops

Planograms are visual representations of your shop's layout, showing where products are placed and how they are arranged. For most of us in retail, nothing beats a planogram for visually showing what's happening in the shop.

A Cautionary Tale

Let me share a quick story. A client of mine wanted a shop fit-out. She told me that as her partner was a carpenter, he made what she wanted. He built it all right. Then she looked at the finished fit-out and said, “This is what I asked for, but not what I wanted.” A planogram could have saved her a lot of disappointment.

Uses of Planograms

• Maximising sales by product placement.
• Improving customer flow.
• Optimising shelf space.
• Enhancing visual merchandising.
• Tracking profit.
• Identifying shoplifting hotspots.
• Analysing the number of sales per area.

I've had clients whose sales have jumped by tweaking their store layout based on a well-crafted planogram.

The Great Debate on Professional Planogram Software

When I started discussing planograms, our competitors all suggested that people use professional packages. Now you can use professional software, and it's pretty reasonable. However, they did not notice that these planograms look nice and are not straightforward to make or use.

Pros and Cons of Professional Software

Professional planograms: you need to learn a lot before using them effectively. In my experience, if you're considering purchasing professional planogram software, I suggest opting for a monthly subscription. These costs are relatively reasonable; you have lost little if the package fails. Here is a decent discussion on this.

Most of us would be better off hiring someone who knows what they are doing rather than buying or renting such software.

Here would be a typical result from a professional planogram.

Here is a manual one.

A diagram of your shop with your best sellers listed as:

• Blue = Good
• Yellow = Moderate to bad
• Red = Very bad
• Blank = Zero

It visually shows the shop's sales, but there is no denying that the professional one looks better. However, I think the manual one is clearer and more useful to most SMB retailers.

Step-by-Step Guide to Making a Planogram

When making a planogram, keep it practical. You do not need to show every minor detail in the shop. What matters is including the information that helps you make decisions. A good question to ask yourself before adding any details is whether this extra information is important to you.

Step 1: Gather Your Tools

You'll need:

• A couple of large sheets of paper.
• Some grid paper.
• Pencil and eraser. A pencil's big advantage is that, unlike a pen, it's easy to rub out mistakes.
• Ruler.
• Triangle right-angle ruler.
• Ruler with shapes (circles, triangles, squares), if possible.
• Tape measure or laser distance meter, or just pace it out.

Pro tip: I prefer a laser distance meter. They're relatively cheap now, and one person can do all the measurements quickly.

Step 2: Measure Your Shop

At a minimum, your planogram should show:

• The front door and counter.
• All walls.
• All fixtures and shelves.
• Aisles and open walkways.
• Power points, pillars, or anything fixed that affects the layout.
• The main product areas or departments.

Now:

1. On grid paper, draw a rough outline of your shop.
2. Measure the largest dimension of your shop.
3. Write down this measurement on the grid paper.
4. Start at the rear of the shop and go around, measuring the outer parts. Write down every measurement.
5. Start at the rear left of the shop and measure key details from left to right.
6. Work your way to the front.
7. Double-check by measuring from front to back.

Step 3: Draw Your Layout

Start with the rough sketch to get a grip on the situation. I find it useful to draft the initial version on scrap paper, work out many of the kinks, and only then start on my actual planogram.

• Check that the measurements make sense.
• Do not kid yourself that it's all correct; assume there is something you have done wrong.

Step 4: Draw Your Final Draft

• Grab the larger paper to draw your shop layout.
• Get the larger measurement, generally the shop length first.
• Use this measurement to make a scale on your paper. Use a decent scale, for example, 1 cm = 1 metre or 2 cm = 1 metre. If you use something like 1.7 cm per metre, you are just asking for a calculation headache; use 2 cm.
• Draw the other measurements.

Pro tip: In my experience, even experts take a few attempts. If you're not doing it a lot, you may need more, and that's perfectly normal.

Step 5: Copy Your Planogram

You now have a floor plan; make many copies. Later, you'll use these for different objectives, and it will save time because all you will need to do next quarter is use this floor plan.

Step 6: Use Your Planogram

Mark on your planogram what you want to measure: dollar sales, unit sales, profit, shoplifting rates, and so on.

Select the appropriate report from your POS software, and divide the products into four groups:

• Blue = Good
• Yellow = Moderate to bad
• Red = Very bad
• Blank = Zero

Then mark the items on the planogram.

Step 7: Review and Refresh Your Planogram

A planogram is not a set-and-forget document. Once it is in use, review it. I know retailers who review it weekly, but I would suggest reviewing it quarterly. This keeps your shelf layout reflecting what customers are buying and how your range is changing.

A practical method is to review it at the start of each quarter: look at the quarter just finished, then look at the coming quarter from last year. This gives you a balanced view of recent and expected performance.

For example, at the start of Q2, run a Q1 report and compare it with last year's Q2. You may need to adjust for your future plans. That makes it easier to see which products need more or less space, and whether your current layout aligns with how customers shop.

What you will find is that you will catch issues that are easy to miss in day-to-day trading, such as slow sellers taking up too much room, fast sellers being underspaced, or seasonal lines staying on display longer than they should. A useful planogram helps you evolve as your shop does.

Conclusion

Your planogram does not have to be perfect. It does not even have to look professional. It simply has to help you see the shop more clearly and make better layout decisions. The worst hand-drawn planogram that you use is better than a polished one that sits ignored.

By taking the time to create a planogram, you're investing in your shop's future.

Happy planogramming!

FAQ

Q: What is the difference between a floor plan and a planogram?
A: A floor plan shows the physical shape of the shop, while a planogram shows how products or categories are arranged in that floor plan.

Q: What is a planogram?
A: A planogram visually represents some of your shop's features.

Q: Why do planograms matter for retail shops?
A: Planograms help people visualise what is happening in the shop. They assist in optimising space, improving customer flow, and maximising sales.

Q: Do I need professional planogram software?
A: Not necessarily.

Q: How do I start creating a planogram?
A: Start with the most significant dimension, usually the shop's length.

Q: What's the best way to measure my shop?
A: A laser distance meter is recommended because it's quick, accurate, and can be operated by one person.

Q: What should I include in the floor plan?
A: The entrance, the counters, walls, fixtures, shelves, aisles, and any fixed features that affect how the space works. I suggest adding the power points too.

Q: Where should best sellers go?
A: It depends. What is very important is that the customer notices them.

Q: How do I tell which parts of the shop are performing well?
A: A simple way is to mark areas by performance, for example, using colours to show strong, average, and weak parts of the shop.

Q: How often should I review my planograms?
A: I find in practice that for most shops, a quarterly review is a practical rhythm because it is frequent enough to catch problems without becoming a burden. In practice, what you find is that your customers do not want frequent changes.

Q: How do I know if the change was good?
A: Use your POS reports.

Q: How many attempts does it usually take to create one?
A: Even experts typically need three attempts: a rough sketch, a detailed version, and a final draft.

Q: What scale should I use when drawing one?
A: Use something that is easy to calculate.

Q: Why should I make many copies?
A: Multiple copies allow you to use the planogram for different objectives and planning purposes.

Q: Can a planogram help prevent layout mistakes?
A: A planogram can help visualise the layout before implementation, potentially avoiding costly mistakes in shop fit-outs.

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 rely on the Point of Sale (POS) system for essential ordering, staffing, and seasonal planning. Part of what we are looking for in AI is advice that may lead to ideas of what to do next, missed stock opportunities and hidden risks. What we did was benchmark several commonly used free and paid AI to see how they performed for such use. The results quite stunned us.

What Are POS System Reports Reviewed By AI?

We decided to print a sales report from our POS system and asked for an AI review. We use several newsagencies and have a sales report listing over 2 years' worth of about 100,000 items that have sold. A shop selling $500,000 a year at an average unit price of $10 per item sells 50,000 items; this is hardly what one would call a big shop. In retail, you need about 2 years of seasonal figures to compare, say, Feb this year with Feb last year. Doing that requires a lot of data; it's not just the items, but also sales quantities, prices paid, discounts given, GST, etc., and we discovered that many AI systems couldn't handle this workload.

Which AI Tool Reviews POS System Reports Best?

Going over the reports, it was found.

Meta AI, a free service, produced the most useful answer. It easily processed the massive amount of information, built useful monthly tables, and provided good stock recommendations. I was shocked that the free one did the best job.

Conversely, the remaining AI tools demonstrated common ways in which AI will underperform when faced with shop data. For instance, Gemini, which is so highly regarded, typically analyses about 50% of the information we supplied and then stops.

How Did Each AI Tool Perform?

Below is our breakdown of how the different AI tools handled the data loads from fairly small retail shops, from best to worst.

• Meta AI: This AI tool effortlessly handled massive data and provided free, actionable advice, making it the best option for major stock decisions despite missing complex margin analysis. Sample report, we got on the top.
• Claude: This model produced sensible category assignments, but its answers were too vague for ordering, so it is best used for spotting broad seasonal trends.
• Local AI: This AI excels in data security and privacy, but its analytical depth is average.
• Gemini: Nice formatting, looked nice, but broke down under the data load.
• ChatGPT: This famous AI tool figures were correct, but its reporting was pretty useless.

Note that data security is most important to you; only local AI can do that, but that is another issue for another post.

What Are the Next Steps for Retailers?

The next steps for retailers involve starting with one specific report and running it through your chosen AI tool to test its true data capacity. For example, export your heavy monthly category performance data and explicitly ask the AI to suggest three immediate merchandising changes for the shop floor.

Always verify the totals against your original Point of Sale (POS) system export before taking any physical action. We were shocked to see how badly Gemini performed here.

Conclusion

Clearly, pairing your POS system with an AI report can provide you with better information, but you need to check the results.

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.

What is much easier and quicker for retailers than sifting through a POS report to understand their data is looking at a simple visual screen. Here I will show you how to convert a standard PosBrowser report into a simple AI-generated dashboard. It is not only easier to review but also to share with others.

And it only takes minutes to do.

What Is a PosBrowser AI Dashboard?

A PosBrowser AI dashboard is a visual summary generated from an exported report that automatically turns raw figures into charts and graphs and highlights them.

Here is the basic process.

1. Run your usual report in PosBrowser and save it as a PDF. Remember the name you saved the report under.
2. Click on meta.ai.
3. Please type the + in the box and upload your PDF into an AI assistant.
4. Now ask the AI to produce a dashboard that shows the exact metrics you want, for example, if I printed out a report on stock sales by category, I might ask for a dashboard that shows the exact measures you need.

 

Create a stock valuation dashboard by department, top 20 categories, ageing stock, and sales trends over time.
 

Note: For this example, I specifically used Meta AI because it is currently free. Since most of my clients do not have paid AI accounts, I wanted to select a tool that is highly accessible to everyone. While you can use other AI platforms, Meta AI is a great starting point if you want to test this process without any extra cost.

How Do You Check an AI Dashboard Against the Original PosBrowser Report?

The AI can turn a text-heavy report into a cleaner visual summary within seconds or minutes, depending on the platform and file size. However, you must review the visual output against the original report before sharing it with staff or using it for decisions. AI does make mistakes.

Below, you can see a sample stock valuation report beside the dashboard generated from the same data. The example below shows how a standard POS report became an AI dashboard.The green arrow is where you can add departments to examine.

How to Proceed

I suggest starting off with a few reports you know well, such as a total report. Test how it goes and use this example to improve your requests.

Enjoy.

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.

Today, many prefer to use AI rather than hand-enter supplier invoices into their POS System. If you are ready to scan these invoices, let us know.

Many people have questions about doing this, so here are some questions I have received over the past few months.

What is AI supplier invoice processing?

AI supplier invoice processing is when your POS Software reads supplier bills that are sent to you. It uses AI to extract information from the invoice and enter it into your POS system, so you don't have to type everything manually. AI processed supplier invoices, reducing manual entry and speeding up data entry. People do report saving hours. Its accuracy is equivalent to manual data entry. Since you get a check at the end, the accuracy is rarely a significant problem.

Speed and Accuracy of a typist vs AI?

Here are some observations that I worked out for a single-page invoice, admittedly on a run of invoices.

When humans process an invoice, they do not just read words; they must scan, find specific fields, verify totals, and manually key data into the POS software. Humans take about 12 minutes per invoice. This includes locating vendor details, invoice numbers, and line items, and manually retyping them into the POS System. Interestingly, when I tested a trained typist, she took 4 minutes to type an invoice, mainly because she did not have to look at the keyboard as often, and she typed much faster.

An AI OCR invoice processing took 2 seconds per invoice, as it reads the whole document and then extracts the figures.

So the AI OCR processes invoices 60-360 times faster than a human, depending on your training. Its accuracy was much higher.

Where humans will win is with handwritten or complex invoices, like what we sometimes see coming from places like India.

Here are some questions people have asked me about these AI invoices.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Will the ATO accept digital copies of receipts and invoices?

A: Well, now you are getting the invoices electronically and entering them manually. As for the invoice, you still have the digital version sent by email or the paper one sent with the goods.

Q: How do OCR tools handle multi-currency invoices from AliExpress or eBay?

A: Double-check it, as I have seen it confuse US and Australian dollars and go wild with the invoice in Indian rupees.

Q: Do AI tools understand line items?

A: It understands line items; with line credit notes, people have reported mixed success.

Q: How do you stop ABN errors?

A: It's not doing any checks on the ABN number. Again, you need to do it manually.

Q: How does it handle duplicate invoices?

A: It is a very real problem with AI. The supplier sends an invoice by email, so people enter it in. When the goods arrive, they OCR the invoice and use AI to process it. Because it is so much faster than manual typing, it happens much more often with AI.

Q: Why does your AI tool say VAT instead of GST?

A: People are importing British invoices that have VAT.

Q: Can AI handle all suppliers' invoices with OCR?

A: Almost all, but I have seen some problem ones. Most suppliers today use accounting software to issue invoices, and they can send them to you electronically. At first, you'll need to monitor each supplier to see how it goes.

Q: Does it have a cost?

A: AI is not free; it's very cheap, but it's not free.

Q: What is the break-even point for switching to AI processing invoices?

A: I have asked several people that question with mixed results; one of my clients can type at 65 words a minute, I assume her answer would be very different to mine. It depends on how many invoices you process, how quickly your typist works, and the condition of the invoices.

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 lock the shop door every night, secure the till, and run a stocktake. However, if a laptop goes missing or someone copies your files, your confidential information could be completely exposed. To keep your POS system and back office running, you probably have many staff members and occasionally repair technicians accessing it. This shared access creates a problem for your sensitive information.

Everyday Risks in Retail

While sharing system access with staff keeps the shop floor moving, it does create security problems.

• Employees snooping through documents on back-office PCs.
• Unattended computers left unlocked while you help customers browse greeting cards or magazines.
• Stolen devices from your shop, car, or home.

These risks can expose confidential information, so we recommend a simple tool like VeraCrypt to protect your information even when your computers are out of your control.

How VeraCrypt Works

POS Solutions has been recommending VeraCrypt for years.

It is one of the simplest and most effective tools for securing confidential retail data. It is a free, open-source program. It acts like a digital safe on your device. You can use it as usual, or drag your private files into it. Without your password, no one can open or read anything inside it.

How secure is VeraCrypt

In 2008, in the Brazilian Banker Case. Police seized five hard drives from a suspect that were fully encrypted using a predecessor to VeraCrypt. The Brazilian National Institute of Criminology failed to crack them for five months, so they went to the FBI. The FBI spent 12 months attempting to break the encryption but ultimately failed.

In a 2015 U.S. case involving a former police sergeant, the U.S. government was unable to access the data.

Based on this, I can say that VeraCrypt is exceptionally secure.

Getting Started

You can easily set up this level of security for your own files without any special IT skills.

1. Download VeraCrypt for free from its official website.
2. Install and run it.
3. Create a new volume and select a size. I suggest 4GB for your files.
4. Select the default AES encryption and set a strong, unique password of at least 12 characters that includes letters, numbers, and symbols.

Mount the volume so it appears as a new drive letter, say I:

• Move your sensitive files to I: and work as usual with the files on I:
• Dismount the volume when finished to safely lock everything away.

You still need to back up the encrypted file just like any other information. People tend to forget that computers are mechanical devices and they can fail like any other machine.

Mistakes to Avoid

Even simple tools work best with good daily habits to ensure your data stays secure.

1. Simple passwords: Avoid "password123". This is the first thing a hacker will try. Pick something memorable but unique that only you know, like your wedding song, the singer and year.
2. Suspicious filenames: Prevent suspicion by giving your vault an obscure video file name rather than "Private Payroll", say something like "Zootopia_2"
3. Leaving volumes mounted: Always dismount your volume when stepping away from the computer; this only takes seconds.

VeraCrypt vs BitLocker

A common question is why we prefer VeraCrypt to Microsoft's built-in BitLocker, which is heavily pushed by one of our competitors. Here is why VeraCrypt provides a much better solution.

The Functional Differences:

BitLocker is designed to lock the entire computer; this is not required in most shops. Plus, BitLocker automatically unlocks at startup, meaning any staff member using the till has access to all the data on that machine. VeraCrypt requires a password, giving you control over who can see your private files.

The Technical Problems with BitLocker:

Recently, BitLocker has suffered from major technical issues that can severely disrupt a business. In both October 2025 and April 2026, routine Windows security updates contained bugs that caused PCs to enter an "infinite BitLocker recovery loop". We have seen people locked out of their own computers as a result. Not good for a retailer to be locked out of their POS system at the start of the day.

The YellowKey Exploit:

Even worse than the bugs is a newly discovered vulnerability, "YellowKey. If what is said is correct, then someone can bypass BitLocker protection without a password. It is now being debated whether Microsoft built a backdoor into BitLocker after reading the information. I think they did.

The Trust Factor:

VeraCrypt is open-source and audited by independent experts. Its code is fully visible, meaning it is unlikely to have a hidden backdoor. BitLocker is closed, meaning you must trust Microsoft.

Conclusion

VeraCrypt is one hell of a good cyber protection.

FAQ

Q: I caught staff snooping on the back-office PC through the network. Can VeraCrypt help?

A: Yes, even if someone snoops on your computer, no one can read, or even detect, what is inside a VeraCrypt volume, unless they know the password.

Q: I forgot the password to my locked folder. How do I recover my files?

A: You cannot retrieve the information unless you can remember the password. This is one of the biggest problems we have with VeraCrypt, and there is nothing anyone can do about it.

Q: Is VeraCrypt hard to set up?

A: Not at all. I have set up many VeraCrypts and never had a problem. You need about 4GB of space on the computer, and choose a strong password (I suggest at least 12 characters). You do not need any special tech skills to get started.

Q: If I leave the computer to serve customers, are my files safe?

A: On your computer, your files are only safe if you dismount (lock) the volume before stepping away from the computer to the shop floor.

Q: Is VeraCrypt actually secure against hackers?

A: VeraCrypt is incredible. Real-world cases involving the FBI and international police forces have shown that without the password, even government agencies cannot crack the AES encryption.

Hackers will typically program your name, dates of family births, etc., and search for passwords, so avoid weak, easily guessable ones.

Q: Will VeraCrypt slow down my POS system?

A: A little. In practice, the files that need this level of security rarely require super-speed operation.

Q: What should I name my locked folder so it doesn't attract attention?

A: Avoid suspicious or obvious names like "Private Payroll" or "Confidential Data". I suggest using an obscure video file title, e.g., "The Shawshank Redemption (1994).AVI".

Q: Do I still need antivirus software if I encrypt my files?

A: Absolutely.

Update notes: I wrote an article on this a few months ago, but recently, YellowKey changed a lot here, so I totally rewrote the article 

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.

Your suppliers and business partners often look you up online before they meet with you. It's how business is done today. The main source is LinkedIn. A bad LinkedIn profile will hurt your business. It will make you look less credible. I have a fix for this here that takes at most 20 minutes.

What happened recently is that after a career change, I updated my own LinkedIn profile. Did not think much about it until a week later, when I checked LinkedIn before a meeting with a bank official about some upcoming changes. It told me what sort of a guy he was and what he was in the bank. Then, almost immediately, I had a meeting with a retailer, and just before I talked, I automatically checked him up on LinkedIn too. That profile told me almost nothing. He did not look very credible.

Ultimately, that contrast exposed a gap. So I checked some more and found many of my clients also had poor LinkedIn accounts, so I decided to make a tool to fix them.

Key Takeaways

• LinkedIn profile quality shapes first impressions before meetings, supplier calls, finance discussions, and store visits.
• Specific retail detail makes a business easier to trust than vague labels such as 'Owner' or 'Self-Employed.'
• Personal credibility helps readers understand the experience, systems knowledge, and operational skill behind the shop.
• Retail context explains what you sell, who you serve, and why your business is worth contacting.
• AI assistance improves wording best after accurate facts about the business are already in place.
• Twenty-minute updates are enough to improve a headline, About section, Experience section, and Skills list.

Core Definitions

• LinkedIn profile is a public professional summary that explains who you are, what your business does, and why someone should trust your business.
• Retail LinkedIn optimisation involves updating your headline, About section, Experience section, and Skills so readers can understand your business quickly.
• LinkedIn headline is the first short description most people see, so it should state your role, shop type, and product focus.
• Business credibility on LinkedIn involves specific facts about your store, your customers, and the experience behind the business.
• AI rewriting involves improving clarity after accurate facts about your products, location, role, and strengths are already in place.

What Is a LinkedIn Profile for a Shop Owner?

It is a professional page that explains the business and emphasises your role.

Why Does LinkedIn Matter for Independent Retailers?

LinkedIn matters for independent retailers because they deal with a complex network of stakeholders who verify credibility online. You also deal with suppliers, banks,

Consequently, a weak profile creates uncertainty and leaves the other person guessing what you actually do. A label such as 'Owner at Self-Employed' says almost nothing about the business, the products, or the experience behind it. For example, leaving your skills section blank deprives a prospective landlord of knowing your strong background in retail operations.

Conversely, a strong profile makes that easier. what sort of person you are, and what experience you bring to the table. Someone should be able to see in seconds what you are skilled at, what sort of operational, technical, or commercial experience you have. If LinkedIn shapes their thoughts about you before the first conversation.

How Can Shop Owners Improve a LinkedIn Profile in 20 Minutes?

Improving a LinkedIn profile in 20 minutes requires focusing only on the core sections that drive immediate credibility. Simply follow these six structured steps.

Step 1: Research other people's profiles similar to yours

What you are looking for are strong LinkedIn profiles from people like you. Pay attention to their headline, About section, Experience section, and the way they explain their business.

Step 2: Starting

If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, create one; if you have one, log into it.

Now check your existing email, phone number, and location are completely up to date. Verify that carefully. It will do you damage if these details are wrong.

Step 3: What Business Details Should You Add First?

Then, fill out your profile with the basics. Do not worry about perfect wording, spelling, grammar, etc., yet; get the facts down first so the profile accurately reflects what you did.

Make you your present position shows what the business you are in does, not just what you do in the business for example, not just I am responsible for buying, merchandising, customer service, supplier relationships, and day-to-day store operations in Johnson's Pet shop but add to this that Johnson's Pet shop which sells pet foods, toys.... in the Morrabbin area for over 30 years."

When you are happy with it, save it. Then print out your LinkedIn profile to PDF, see the green arrow below

Step 4: AI prompt

Now run the AI prompt below on that PDF. You can use any AI for this prompt. I tested it on ChatGPT, Grok and Claude.

It can turn rough facts into clearer, more professional wording without changing the real meaning, as business people want to read. Many of you will be surprised by how you sound after the prompt does its magic.

Now review it. One of the good points of AI is that you can ask it to add, change, or delete parts. A common change, in my experience, is dates.

Step 5: Updating LinkedIn

This tends to be the messy part. What you have to do is paste the newly generated text into your LinkedIn page. While doing this, make any last-minute changes you feel are appropriate.

Step 6: Review Your Profile

I find reading it aloud helps ensure it sounds like a real person and feels natural.

Make sure the facts are accurate and demonstrate your competence.

Conclusion

You have probably now spent a very profitable 20 minutes. Many people update their profiles every 3 to 12 months.

Conclusion

I do believe strongly that today we all must be as professional as possible, and a strong LinkedIn profile acts as a silent ambassador for your retail business. All it takes is just 20 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.