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.

As 2026 approaches, your POS software is your most valuable asset. By analysing historical data, you can predict exactly which diary formats will sell, preventing costly stock-outs. Don't guess, use your data.   [Learn how to run the Best Sales Report for forecasting here].

Prominently Display Diaries In-Store

Place diaries where people can see them, make sure to add signage and posters noting your stock diaries; don't assume they know—mention them while serving other shoppers. Make sure customers easily spot your diary selection by placing it in a prime spot. Arrange them attractively. I advise pyramid stacking for hardcover diaries on tables to create height, and place 'impulse' items like gel pens in bins directly next to them. I also suggest highlighting your top sellers. People will gravitate to these if you point them out. 

Promote Related Products Like Planners

Boost sales beyond standard diaries with these hot categories:

• Travel Planners: Help plan dream trips with journals—pair with your gift lines.
• Health and Fitness Planners: Many people today are using wellness journals 
• Work Planners: Attract professionals with workflow tools; display beside nice pens, highlighters, and notepads.

Handling Common Customer Questions

Your team must receive brief training that positions your shop as the "expert" hub.

Equip your team with these answers to close more sales on the floor: 

Q: Will my fountain pen bleed through this paper?
A: "That is a common concern with the recent changes to the cheaper paper that the diary companies are using. Make sure you can show these customers diaries that use 100GSM paper, which is thick enough to prevent ghosting, even with wetter inks.

Q: Do you have any vertical layouts for time-blocking?
A: Make sure you have them, and you can show them. Most people use ones with 30-minute increments.

Q: Are Australian public holidays and school terms marked?
A: Many international brands miss our local dates. Make sure you have an Australian-designed calendar that includes state-specific public holidays and 2026 school term dates.

Q: Is A5 or B6 better for carrying in handbags?
A: "A5 is the classic standard if you mostly leave it on your desk. However, for carrying in a handbag, B6 is trending, as its size is compact enough to hold light items but wide enough to write comfortably.

Q: Can I get a layout that has a weekly view on one side and a notes page on the other?
A: These have a 'Weekly Notebook' layout. It is incredibly popular right now because it separates your rigid appointments (on the left) from your flexible to-do lists (on the right). 

Q: Why are there so many undated planners this year?
A: We're seeing a massive shift toward 'guilt-free' planning. Undated planners are perfect because if you go on holiday or skip a busy week, you don't waste pages. You can pick it right back up without seeing empty dates staring you in the face. 

Get Organised for Success

Organise a winning diary campaign by using POS trends, displaying prominently, talking to customers, and stocking 2026 trends like all-in-one lifestyle planners. This leverages peak sea

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.

Readership vs. Unit Sales

Years ago, I tracked official magazine sales figures religiously. I stopped because the magazine industry shifted from reporting verified sales (copies sold) to readership (estimated readers). The result became increasingly disconnected from retail reality.

Despite this, we must work with the data we have, so I decided to look into it. So, let us look at the latest Roy Morgan figures for the 2024/25 financial year by Roy Morgan.

Roy Morgan 2025 Data: Niche Growth vs. Mass Market Decline

Analysing the "Top 25" magazines by print readership (excluding free titles like Coles Magazine), the market is seeing a slow squeeze rather than a cliff-edge drop. Across a sample of 20 major paid titles, the total print readership declined by approximately 2% year-on-year.

This aligns with broader market data showing that print readership is holding surprisingly steady. As of late 2025, over 10.9 million Australians (nearly half the population) still read a print magazine, and when digital audiences are included, that number jumps to over 14.6 million .

However, the stability is uneven. The market has split into two distinct directions:

• Mass-market decline: General interest weeklies and "catch-all" lifestyle titles are under pressure. For example, major weeklies like Woman's Day have seen readership dips of around 9% in recent reports.
• Niche growth: Specialist titles are thriving. Enthusiasts are still buying content they cannot easily find for free. We are seeing significant gains in titles such as Australian Geographic and House & Garden, as well as automotive titles such as Street Machine .

The "Neighbour" Effect

The 2% overall decline is so minor that most retailers wouldn't notice. The fact is that a store's performance depends more on local competition for retail profitability than on national trends.

Interestingly, here, benchmarks showed more than 50% of newsagents reported magazine sales are up in 2025.

I have seen this firsthand with a client whose magazine sales actually increased this year. Why? A nearby competitor drastically reduced their magazine display, effectively handing those customers over. The demand was still there; the competitor just stopped serving it. This proves that magazines can still be a viable category for those who commit to maintaining a proper range.

4 Strategies to Increase Magazine Profit in 2025

To make magazines work in this environment, you need to look less at official "readership" surveys. The relationship between a half-billion-dollar industry and your own shop is not much. Trust and use your own data.

1. Treat Your POS as the Source of Truth

Do not stock based on what publishers push; stock based on what sells. Use your POS system to run a monthly selling report by units sold and gross profit.

• Expand facings for high-performing niche titles (hobbies, health, motoring).
• Cut returns ruthlessly on titles that haven't performed for three consecutive months. These are just taking up space that could be used to sell magazines that do sell.

2. Avoid Driving Digital Migration

3. Value the Magazine Shopper

Basket analysis consistently shows that magazine buyers are valuable. They rarely buy just a magazine. They over-index in high-margin impulse items such as greeting cards, stationery, and lotteries.

4. Long-term

Looking at magazine sales over 20 years, it's clear that magazines aren't a viable long-term investment. So I wouldn't suggest spending a lot of money on it based on long-term future growth, I know I would not, but you can still make money from it now.

Looking Ahead

Millions of Australians still pay for print magazines; it's still a big market. A magazine customer can be a good, repeat and loyal customer. We must be realistic: we cannot expect the boom times of the past, but with a data-led range focused on enthusiast niches, we can maintain a profitable category well into the future.

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.

Have you forgotten or decided to drop out of Black Friday? Here's Your 30-Minute Rescue Plan

• It’s not too late: 30 minutes is enough to launch a profitable campaign.
• Focus on "Dead Stock": Use your POS to instantly find old inventory.
• Please keep it simple: Handwritten signs often convert better than polished graphics because of their urgency.
• Extend the sale: Turn a Friday panic into a weekend profit centre.

Today is the official start of the Christmas Shopping Season. In my experience helping hundreds of retailers, the clients who never planned a Black Friday Sale but did one at the last minute saw sales.

If you are reading this and feeling like you have missed the boat, it is absolutely not too late. You can have a profitable campaign up and running in less than half an hour. Today, you are positioned to capture the "last-minute" wave of shoppers actively seeking deals. Do not lose the chance.

Why You Should Participate (The Evidence)

You might think you need weeks of hype, but the data disagrees. In 2024, in-store shopping made up two-thirds of Black Friday purchases, with Australians spending $2.9 billion in physical stores versus $2.2 billion online. People prefer to touch and take items home immediately.

Even without weeks of planning, participating is highly effective. ABS data shows that retail turnover rose 3% year-on-year last November, driven almost entirely by this event. Shoppers expect these deals, and physical stores in local strips and centres benefit from a "halo effect"—your customers are looking at other shops, and they are already in a spending mindset.

Step 1: Set Up Your Same-Day Flash Sale

You do not need to discount your entire store. In fact, you shouldn't think that it's a mug's game. The goal here is to use the old stock as an introduction to get people into your shop to buy and get cash in the register.

Choose the Right "Doorbuster" Products

Select products that will attract bargain hunters and help you clear space. Focus on:

• Overstocked items: Things you have too many of.
• Slow-selling products: Items that have been sitting on the shelf for months.
• Bundles: Combine a popular small item with a slow-moving one to create a high-value gift pack.

Use Your POS to Find Them Instantly

Your [Point of Sale (POS) system]is your secret weapon here. Manual stock checks take hours; your POS does this in seconds. You don't need to guess what isn't selling; let the data tell you.

1. Search your reports for "Dead Stock Report."
2. Run the report to filter for items with a "Date Last Sold" of more than 180 days ago.
3. Action: These are your sale candidates. Bin them near the front entrance with a sale sign. This creates the visual excitement bargain hunters love.

Step 2: Promote Your Sale (Low Effort, High Impact)

What is the point of having a Black Friday Sale if you don't tell people about it? You do not need a graphic designer. Your "ad" is your physical shopfront, which shoppers will pass today.

Simple Signage

Grab a marker or print some simple A4/A3 signs immediately. Do not worry about them being perfect; urgency sells better than polish.

• Sign 1: "Black Friday Flash Sale - Today Only!"
• Sign 2: "Doorbuster Specials - While Stocks Last"
• Sign 3: "Shop Small, Save Big - Support Local"

Step 3: Leverage Your POS Software

Track results: Monitor your "Real-Time Sales" dashboard to see what is moving. If a specific item isn't selling by 2 PM, increase the discount instantly.

Post-Black Friday Strategy: Extend It

You don't have to stop today. Rename the sale "Black Friday Weekend" to keep the momentum going through Sunday and Monday.

Australian consumers are active all weekend. By extending your offers, you give people who worked on Friday a chance to buy on Saturday and Sunday.

Black Friday Strategy FAQ

Common questions we get from retailers launching last-minute campaigns.

Q: Will a last-minute sale make my business look desperate?
A: No. Shoppers expect Black Friday deals. If you don't participate, you look like you're missing out. A "Flash Sale" implies exclusivity and excitement, not desperation.

Q: I can't afford to discount my best-sellers. What should I do?
A: Never discount your best-sellers; they will sell anyway. Only discount inventory that is costing you money by taking up shelf space (dead stock). This converts stagnant assets into cash flow.

Q: Is it worth competing with the big box stores?
A: Yes, you have as much right to this traffic as they do. They are spending the money on advertisements, and you can also get some benefits.

Post-Black Friday Strategies

Extend it, extend it and extend it. Black Friday is much longer than a day nowadays.

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.

Businesses in Australia are facing significant changes with the Government's push to ban surcharges on debit cards and, now, possibly the Reserve Bank's call to remove many other card surcharges, such as EFTPOS and credit cards, from mid-2026. This shift won't wipe out payment costs; it'll just force someone to absorb them, as it will hit business margins.

We have now been actively involved in this discussion, having submitted to the RBA on the matter. Other submissions can be see here.

If surcharges vanish, that feed eats straight into the slim profit they give now for products like Lotto. Many such low margin items raise a major problem. Here for example the ticket price is set by the lottery operator, not the shop. If we are banned from putting a debit surcharge on those transactions, but still pay fees on every tap, the only place left to recover the cost is the rest of the shop. That could mean having to nudge up prices on other prices to make up for the margin lost on fixed‑price lines such as Lotto. Whether that is what regulators and product suppliers intend to allow remains unclear. We are already now starting to look into this problem for our POS System users.

If you want to know where you stand now use your POS system reports to help you track the current situation.

Premium Debit Cards

This matter is not being discussed, but should be, as not all debit cards play fair. Premium ones, for example, those with Qantas points or cashback, run on Visa or Mastercard schemes rather than on cheap domestic EFTPOS. These "rewards debit" cards have higher fees to subsidise the value of flyers' points. It's unfair that merchants are paying for bank customers to get extra benefits. If a blanket surcharge ban treats all these debit cards the same with no surcharge, you will be subsidising flyers' points without recourse.

If all "debit cards" are made surcharge-free, that most likely means these high‑cost reward debit cards will also have to be accepted with no surcharge, even though they cost a lot more to process than a plain EFTPOS debit card. That creates a fundamental unfairness for small retailers: customers are encouraged to chase rewards, while the shop silently absorbs the extra cost. From the retailer's point of view, a "tap‑and‑go" debit card on the credit card route can be expensive, like some credit cards. It will be great for the banks and payment providers as the public will rapidly switch to these debit cards.

There is also a practical problem that no one has really answered yet: how is a merchant supposed to know that a card is such a "debit card" before processing it? Most terminals only reveal the transaction type **after** authorisation. If the rules say "you may not surcharge debit, that leaves us guessing at the point of sale, even if surcharges are allowed. Banks and payment providers should be required to give merchants a clear, simple way to see that this tap is not a standard debit card but a premium card **before** acceptance. If they did this, our software could adjust the surcharge.

Conclusion

For now, we are waiting to see where the final rules land, but our message in the review has been simple. Suppose governments want to make debit card payments surcharge-free. In that case, they also need to make sure that (1) high‑cost "reward" debit cards do not quietly dump even more cost on small retailers, and (2) the systems give merchants clear information at the point of sale so we can actually follow the rules in the real world.

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.