Supplier Margins Are Often Wrong: Here’s How to Find the Truth

Understanding your actual profit margins is the only way to make a profitable shop. While suppliers often promise healthy returns, the reality of retail with shrinkage, damage, and necessary discounting means your actual number is probably much lower.

For retailers, relying on these "best-case" figures can be dangerous. It's time to stop guessing and use your Point of Sale (POS) system to find the truth.

The "Margin Illusion" Explained

Suppliers and sales reps usually quote a margin based on a perfect scenario: buying at the list price and selling at the Recommended Retail Price (RRP). They rarely account for the hidden costs that happen in a real shop. Even good sales reps often repeat these "best-case" figures because that is what they have been given. They avoid the "leakage" that happens on your floor. In the real world, your margin shrinks every time a staff member offers a discount, a product is damaged, or stock is marked down to clear. 

The Real Math: A Quick Example

Consider a gift item you buy for $10 and sell for $20.

• Supplier Promise: "100% Markup" or 50% Gross Profit.
• The Reality: If you have to discount that item by just 25% to clear the last few units, or if one breaks, your actual margin across that line might drop to 33% or lower.

If you build your budget on 50% but only bank 33%, your badly overestimating. 

How to Verify Your Margins in Your POS System

To fix this, verify your margins using your own sales data. The most powerful tool for this is the Discounted Item Sales Summary in your POS software.

Step 1: Getting the Report

Don't rely on total store averages; get specific.

1. Navigate to Sales > Discounted Item Sales Summary in your POS menu.
2. Select a meaningful date range (the last 12 months is ideal to smooth out seasonal spikes).

Step 2: Reading the Data

Once you have the report, look for the gaps between the List Price and the Average Sell Price. This report reveals exactly where you are discounting by quantity and by price. [conversation_history:1]

Now in sales, select  the "Discounted Item Sales Summary."

Pick a period. I suggest the last 12 months and now check; I would recommend it as a first attempt by the department.

Now you will get a detailed report of where you are discounting by quantity and price.

You will quickly see which products—and which suppliers—are dependent on discounts to move stock.

The Importance of Regular Margin Analysis

Making margin analysis a regular part of your business review process is beneficial. Who said today's price and margin are valid tomorrow? By consistently monitoring your actual margins, you can:

1. Quickly identify trends or changes in profitability.
2. Make data-driven decisions about product lines, pricing, and promotions.
3. Maintain a clear understanding of your business's financial health.

Remember, average retail profit margins can vary significantly by department.

Turn Data Into Profit: Actionable Strategies

Once you know your actual profit margin, you can stop "accidental discounting" and make profitable decisions. 

• Pricing Strategy Refinement: Identify items with consistently low realised margins. Is the buy price too high? Is the RRP unrealistic? Adjust your pricing or drop the product.
• Supplier Negotiations: Your best weapon. Don't just complain; show the rep the data. Tell them, "I had to discount your candles by 20% to sell them, so I need a better buy price to keep stocking them."
• Inventory Management: Stop stocking items that only sell when they are on sale. Shift your budget to products that hold their margin without help.
• Discount Strategy Review: Ask yourself why you are discounting. If you are matching a big competitor on low-margin stationery, ensure you have a strategy to upsell high-margin items to cover that loss.

Conclusion

Margin margins move with time often yesterday's price and margin are not be relevant now. By making margin analysis a regular practice, you can identify trends.  Don’t rely solely on a supplier's promises based on ideal theories.

Are you ready to uncover your actual profit margins? Start by delving into your POS data today and uncovering the true story behind your product profitability. Remember, knowledge is power in retail, and accurate margin analysis is key to unlocking your store's full potential.

Written by:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Here is his video 

Round One: Human Specialists vs AI Alone

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

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

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

Round Two: The Game-Changing Hybrid Approach

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

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

The Winning Formula: Human-AI-Human

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

Step One: The Human Strategy

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

Step Two: Ask the AI

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

Step Three Human Selection

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

Conclusion

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

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

Your Next Step

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

Written by:

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

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

A Four-Year View

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

Step-by-Step: Running Your Analysis

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

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

Go to register reports.

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

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

Step 1: The Recent Comparison (2024 vs 2025)

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

Action

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

Input Dates:

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

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

Step 2: The Historical Context (2022 vs 2023)

Now, we are going to dig deeper

Action

Rerun the same report with older dates.

Input Dates

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

Step 3: Organise Your Data

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

For example, you may have

Interpreting Your Results

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

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

1. Benchmark Against Inflation

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

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

2. Compare to Industry Standards

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

3. Identify the Trend Line

Look at the trajectory in the table.

Steady Growth

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

Decline

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

Taking Action

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

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

Check Inventory

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

Review with others

Start by asking your staff

Analyse Customers

Are you losing repeat customers?

Note: This is an amended post from last year updated 

Written by:

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

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

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

Why AI Inventory Management Needs Human Oversight

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

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

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

That difference matters most in a mixed business:

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

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

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

I will give three scenarios to show the issue.

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

Sales over the last 10 weeks:

...and then you ran out.

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

How the machine “thinks” in simple terms:

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

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

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

Scenario 2: Sustained growth

Sales over the past weeks:

...and then you ran out.

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

Why the higher order can make sense here:

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

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

Why perishables break standard ordering logic

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

Scenario 3: The monthly magazine

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

A generic system suggests: five units.

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

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

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

Human-in-the-Loop Workflow for Automated Ordering

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

Step 1: Classify the product

Ask: What kind of stock line is this?

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

Automation is best suited for regular replenishment lines.

Step 2: Review stock-outs for false zero sales

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

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

There is often a why behind the numbers.

Take Control of Your Ordering Today

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

Written by:

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

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

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

Why Add Notes to a Transaction?

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

Damaged or Defective Items

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

Strict Conditions

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

Irregular Transactions

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

Special instructions for use

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

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

Step-by-Step: Adding Notes to Transactions

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

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

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

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

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

Enhanced Reporting and Search

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

Finding Specific History

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

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

Simplified Filtering

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

Train Staff on Procedures

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

Conclusion

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

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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

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

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

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

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

Written by:

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

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

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

This is not true.

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

The Facebook Reality Check

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

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

Why You Can't Afford to Be Invisible

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

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

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

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

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

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

Step 1: Get Your Visuals Ready

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

Supplier Images

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

Your Own Photos

These are authentic and perform better.

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

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

Step 2: Open Your Business Page

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

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

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

Step 3: Select Your AI Tool

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

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

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

Step 4: The Prompt

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

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

Use this prompt, see the blue arrow above. 

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

Using Supplier Content

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

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

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

I put this in, see the blue arrow above. 

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

So I pasted that text into my advertisement.

Step 5: The Result

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

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

Step 6: Publish and Schedule

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

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

Why This Matters for Your Shop

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

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

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

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

Download 2026 Calendar Here

Written by:

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

We are all walking into 2026.

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

Here is one.

Review 2025 to Build Your Retail Strategy

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

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

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

Data Over Guesswork

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

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

Lighten Your Load

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

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

For 2026, resolve to travel light.

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

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

Trust Your Gear

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

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

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

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

Set Realistic Goals

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

The 2026 Retailer's Checklist

Be Realistic

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

Actionable Steps

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

Be Specific

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

Write It Down

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

Don't Hike Alone

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

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

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

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

The View from Here

The calendar turns make the pages count!

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

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

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

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

Written by:

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

Social Media Calendar for 2026 below

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

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

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

Start Planning Today

Written by:

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

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