A blog on issues affecting Australia's newsagents, media and small business generally. More ...

Author: Mark Fletcher

Digital remains a key focus at The Lottery Corporation

Retailers selling lottery products, especially outside Western Australia, should read the latest results released by The Lottery Corporation. The investor presentation desk along with the ASX release contain useful information, including this from the CEO:

“We grew our active registered customer numbers and digital share on the pcp and, pleasingly, held onto most of the gains we made during the large jackpots in 2H24.

“This was delivered against a backdrop of 14 per cent lower Division 1 prize offerings across our three most popular games, and economic pressures that saw consumers increasingly seek value and purchase less frequently. The below-model jackpot outcomes are part of the variation in jackpots that can impact volumes in the short term, but naturally smooth out over time.

“We have been pleased with the success of the new Weekday Windfall lottery game, which is resonating strongly with customers. Our next game refresh will be to Saturday Lotto – our second-largest game – which includes increasing the Division 1 prize from $5m to $6m.

“The lotteries market continues to be attractive, delivering uninterrupted, long-term growth, generally ahead of combined population growth and inflation. This, together with the strong fundamentals of our business, underpins our ability to generate strong returns for shareholders through the economic cycle.”

Elsewhere in their published materials they call out digital for its value to their business:

Digital share growth vs pcp, driven by own-digital turnover, benefited margins

Digital is sitting at 40.4% of turnover. Two years ago TLC was reporting digital sitting at 38.4%.

A challenge for retailers remain unchanged: restrictions on use of retail space, especially in city and suburban locations that are more regularly and easily visited for compliance checks.

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Lotteries

Ryman Design is a good stationery shop – it’s no Choosing Keeping of Goods For The Study though

Stationery is having a moment in retail for sure, specialty, niche, high-end stationery especially – stationery bought by people who collect stationery with little regard for price.

Ryman Design is a step up from the regular Ryman shops in the UK. It feels corporate though, and by corporate I mean safe, bland even. In a country, the UK, with so many excellent high-end stationery businesses, this move by Ryman surprises me. They are good retailers though and I am sure have data backing up their move.

Ryman Design (https://www.ryman.co.uk/ryman-design) is a new retail format out of the UK Ryman stationery business. It’s pitched as:

Ryman Design is the one stop shop for stationery enthusiasts, artists and professionals looking for unique, high-quality products. We want to inspire your creativity and self-expression.

Our goal is to build a loyal community of stationery lovers who share our values of creativity, quality, and authenticity. We want to provide you with the products and resources you need to achieve your goals and to express yourself.

Our vision is to make stationery more than just a product – we want it to be a lifestyle that inspires and enriches the lives of people around the world.

While it is a good stationery shop it does not, for me, reach the bar of high-end stationery seen at Choosing Keeping in London, Goods For The Study in New York and other shops in this specialty stationery space. That said, it’s a better stationery offer for the creative user of stationery than we typically see here in Australia.

Here are some photos for those looking for inspiration:

There is plenty of opportunity in our Aussie newsagency channel to play outside of traditional for stationery. It’s an area where newsagency marketing groups can engage. I know newsXpress is.

High end stationery, collectible stationery – these are opportunities in Australia that we can use to attract new shoppers who will gladly give us their money.

This year already I have seen many specialty stationery stores in this hgh end space overseas that are truly inspiring to embrace change beyond the traditional when it comes to stationery.

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newsagency of the future

They lied about my coffee, and I have the receipts

After waiting fifteen minutes for my coffee this morning and seeing several who had ordered after more pick-up theirs, I asked if there was an issue. The staff member couldn’t find the order, said there was a computer glitch and said they’d get onto it.

There was no computer glitch. The staff were busy talking to each other and busy talking to customers they knew. They were not consistent in pulling order dockets and racking them up on the coffee machine.

The computer glitch was a staff glitch. They lied thinking I’d believe their story.

They quickly made a coffee. I’d ordered a medium size flat white. They gave me a small flat white. I told them I couldn’t wait while they got the order right. They offered me a free slice of banana bread. I hate banana bread.

At an airline lounge desk a couple of days ago I asked about the possibility of getting on and earlier flight. Sorry, they’re all full was the immediate response. Would you mind seeing if everyone has checked in I asked. I can but I know they are all full was the response as they turned to continue a conversation with a colleague. I stood there and waited for the staff member to see me again. I’d really appreciate you checking I said when they noticed me again. Oh look, there is a seat on the next flight someone mustn’t have checked in. They switched me over and I was able to fly an hour earlier.

What the airline staff member did not know is that I pay for an app that provides loadings on flights. I knew they had an empty seat.

While the staff members directly involved the two situations described here are to blame for what I experienced (or, didn’t experience), the businesses themselves have a responsibility as they set the goals, create the customer service processes and oversee these.

Each experience dilutes my trust is what I am told in a customer service situation. While it may be unfair to apply this to all customer service experiences, it’s what we do I think.

In 2025, customers have more power than ever thanks to review platforms. A bad word about a business can be spread faster and wider than ever before. There are some who make trash-talking a business their mission.

I think it’s vital we note for ourselves and for our team members the importance of every customer service interaction. It’s important we have easy to follow guidelines on customer service interaction:

  • Be aware of all customers.
  • Be friendly while remaining focussed on the work.
  • Treat everyone equally.
  • If someone asks a question, respond from facts you can proive, not what you think.
  • Always be truthful, even it exposes a mistake we made.
  • Apologise if we made a mistake and offer a make-good if possible.
  • Good customer service does not require us to be best friends.
  • Customers can be wrong. Letting them know this required delicate mastery.

Plenty of big businesses get a free pass because of how much they advertise, that customers expect p0oor service and their prices.

For many local small business retailers, customer service is all we have that differentiates our business. It is vital that we approach it knowing this.

While I’ll fly on the airline again, I’ll reframe my question about flying earlier if the situation arises. I’m going to bypass the coffee shop for a while. Where I live I am spoilt for choice when it comes to coffee. All it took for me to skip today’s coffee shop is one bad experience.

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Customer Service

See the latest AI tools available in newsagency software

Join us and a room full of small business retailers as we demonstrate the latest AI integrations in our POS software for newsagents and others and take question from retailers.

Open to any small business retailer, this session recorded on February 20, 2025 is another example of the transparent and accessible customer service from Tower Systems. We regularly host sessions like this.

While use of AI in business remains relatively new, at Tower Systems we are several years in offering time-saving AI integrations for our small business retailer community. Plenty of newsagents have been using AI tools in the software since mid 2022.

The new functionality about to be released to Tower Systems customers opens new opportunities for retailers, helping them do more, sooner. Sessions like the one in the video show how we bring our customers along for these innovations. The demonstrations are real, and relatable as the customer questions and feedback demonstrate.

In the session I host we discuss different AI integrations as well as how retailers can make use of these the AI tools in our POS software.

Beyond simply showcasing features, this session fosters a collaborative environment where retailers can share their unique challenges and explore tailored AI solutions.

We understand that each specialty retail channel we serve has distinct needs, and our goal is to empower retailers with the tools and knowledge to leverage AI for their specific business goals. Whether it’s optimising inventory management for seasonal fluctuations in garden centres or easily importing invoices from suppliers or writing content to promote new products on a blog, we are committed to demonstrating the practical applications of AI that directly translate to increased efficiency and profitability.

I am grateful to everyone who attended live and who will watch this video. Engagement on these types of advances is vital as we evolve our software to serve the needs of independent small business retailers in Australia, New Zealand and nearby.

The advances shared in the video reflect major advances in the AI space for newsagents, in the software. Many newsagents have participated in testing the latest results. And some are already testing the next wave due for release in a couple of months.

There is plenty of noise about AI. I am grateful to be associated with a software company that is going beyond the noise and delivering.

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newsagent software

Are print newspapers worth it any more?

I read the print edition  Australian Financial Review cover to cover yesterday for the first time in years, for free, in a hotel lounge in Sydney.

32 pages.

No breaking news – how can there be anyway with such an old production method.

Plenty of PR dressed as analysis.

Odd news too, like the story about the Toppi family and Machiavelli restaurant.

Even the business gossip was tired.

It wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t good, or valuable – that’s it, it wasn’t valuable.

At the end I had no feeling of $5 of value from the experience. Again, not that I paid for it.

While it’s unfair to consider the future of daily capital city and national newspapers on this one experience, it is the only such recent experience I have.

Back in the day, I’d read newspapers for news – that is, new information that has been rigorously research and fact-checked. I never read newspapers to confirm my own beliefs or biases. I wanted news, discovery.

The AFR yesterday did not provide news. Stories felt more like reinforcement of held views of the intended audience. The whole product felt like a platform of promotion, to a niche audience. I am surprised some people will pay $5 for it.

The AFR yesterday to me did not feel like a newspaper. On some pages it felt more like a lobbying pamphlet.

Certainly in newsagencies, for years, we have seen the value of newspapers to our businesses fade in terms of traffic and margin dollar generation. Those are reasons smart newsagents place newspapers in low cost space rather than the premium value front of store locations they once commanded.

A problem for us with newspapers is the costs of carrying them: retail space, labour in out of date handling practices dictated by the publishers and, theft.

I suspect many newsagents lose money on carrying newspapers.

Reading the AFR yesterday reminded me of the diminishing value of what was once a vital product category for our businesses. We have to be careful to manage the demise of newspapers in our businesses. Newspaper publishers have been doing this for years – making decisions to deliver a soft landing for when they eventually stop print editions. They put their business needs ahead of all else, we should look more critically at this for ourselves.

We know that print newspapers are dead.  The timing of the death of each will depend on the value of them to advertisers, readers and publishers.

There remain some good and valuable print newspapers out there I am sure. If my experience yesterday was anything to go by, the AFR is not one of them. Who am I to judge though – I don’t feel like I am their target audience.

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newsagency of the future

2024 Newsagency Sales Benchmark: The Gap Widens Between Traditional and Transformed Businesses

A big thank you to all the newsagents across diverse locations (rural, regional, and suburban) who participated in this benchmark study by providing their sales data. Your contribution, facilitated by the Tower Systems newsagency software, is invaluable.

This year’s analysis reveals a stark and growing divide between traditional and transformed newsagencies. The benchmark sales datasets paint a clear picture: traditional businesses are struggling, facing declining revenue and an increased risk of closure. Conversely, transformed and transforming businesses are demonstrating profitability and higher sale values.

The key differentiator lies in diversification. Transformed newsagencies have successfully expanded beyond the traditional “newsagency” model, often with minimal impact on customer perception. In fact, customer purchasing habits indicate strong support for these evolving businesses.

Key Performance Indicators: A Comparative Snapshot

Metric Traditional Newsagencies Transformed Newsagencies
Revenue Down 3% Up 5%
Transaction Count Down 5% Down 3%
Average Basket Value Down 1% Up 8%
Gift Revenue Down 3% Up 11%
Greeting Card Revenue Down 4% Up 3%
Stationery Revenue Down 4% Up 5%
Counter Impulse Sales Down 12% Up 15%
Online Revenue $0 Typically $75,000+ annually
Magazine Unit Sales Down 12% Down 7%
Newspaper Unit Sales Down 13% Down 8%

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These figures highlight the fundamental differences in product offerings, pricing strategies, customer demographics, and overall business approach between the two groups.

While the data provides valuable insights, some of the most compelling examples are difficult to categorise. In the results I have observed newsagencies generating substantial revenue (approaching $100,000 annually) from coffee and related products, clothing, and high-end collectibles. The inconsistent categorisation of these segments across stores makes direct benchmarking challenging, but the overall trend is very clear to see.

Transforming the business away from traditional is profitable and vital.

Transformed newsagencies are even outperforming traditional businesses within core newsagency categories. This success isn’t driven by supplier support or increased compliance with traditional product demands. Instead, it stems from a more dynamic business environment, a positive in-store atmosphere, and a broader customer base.

Traditional suppliers would benefit from actively supporting newsagents in diversifying beyond the traditional shingle.

There is no doubt that transforming a traditional newsagency is hard work. Some do not embrace the opportunity because of concerns over costs. In my experience the costs are not great. The biggest challenge is making the decision to act as in doing this you have to leave tradition behind. There many who purchased newsagencies because of the ease of tradition.

The Path to Transformation

There’s no one-size-fits-all solution for success. Anyone claiming otherwise is mistaken. The first step is understanding your current position through data analysis. Next, develop a tailored plan and execute it with clarity, commitment, and by leveraging the experience of others.

newsXpress, a marketing group supporting newsagents, can assist in this process. We help newsagents navigate this transformation. For more information, contact Michael Elvey (not a salesperson, but a dedicated support team member) at help@newsxpress.com.au or 0400 331 055.

Sincerely,

Mark Fletcher
M | 0418 321 338
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-fletcher-tower/

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newsagency of the future

Sydney Reed Gift Fair begins

At 9am today the Sydney Reed Gift Fair gets underway. As an exhibitor I know the fair is smaller than last year. I am as excited as ever for the show as number of suppliers displaying and feet through the door is not a measure of success. It’s new customer accounts that matter the most.

Last year at Reed there was a more diverse type of retail businesses represented. This proved to be commercially valuable. I am expecting the same this year. Being the only software company at the event helps.

For Tower Systems, this trade show is all about AI in retail. The advances are real, available today and huge.

There is a good mix of suppliers here, including plenty of new suppliers – including a couple who have flown in from overseas for the event. Everyone is feeling up beat.

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Newsagency management

Is your social media content noise or …

You. That person you see in the mirror. That’s the person to love today.

This is what we shared on social media this morning. Our goal is to share something comfortable, inspiring and relevant knowing that today people will be bombarded with plenty of noise about Valentine’s Day.

Noise is not the best way to sell.

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newsagency marketing

Sydney Reed Gift Fair 2025 POS software pitch from Tower Systems

If you can’t make the Reed Gift Fair in Sydney this month, here’s a short video with our Tower Systems POS software pitch.

Join Tim, Justin and me while we talk about some of the highlights we will share and show at the Reed Gift Fair in Sydney. hear about some innovation about to be released in the Tower Systems newsagency POS software and on show at the Gift Fair.

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newsagent software

newsXpress launches exclusive $10M opportunity with a beloved Australian brand

My newsXpress newsagency marketing group has launched an exclusive product range opportunity to its members valued at more than $10 million to retailers in the group.

Bring supported by professional public relations and marketing teams with a focus on national, state and regional TV, radio and print media, this newsXpress exclusive is set to drive traffic to newsXpress stores listed in all the marketing.

To be in-store in a few months, newsXpress members have been fully briefed on the products and they are making arrangements to support the opportunity with value-add products to maximise the revenue from the program.

From what I can tell, this is the largest exclusive opportunity for newsagents in a marketing group in the history our channel. It has come about following over a year of work by the newsXpress team working the key stakeholders.

This program will attract new shoppers to the participating newsXpress businesses and the websites they operate.

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newsagency of the future

newsXpress promoting all newsagents in Valentine’s Day card pitch

My newsXpress newsagency marketing group has been actively promoting all newsagents in the lead up to Valentines Day, encouraging Aussies to shop local regardless of newsagency banner. This has been in the form of a range of social media posts including:

Love locally this Valentine’s Day and buy your Valentine’s Day cards at your local newsagency. Local newsagents support the local community thanks to your support. Choosing your local newsagent over a supermarket or a national chain is a choice for supporting local. #SmallBusiness #Retail #ShopLocal

I am proud that newsXpress is providing such public support for the whole channel like this.

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Newsagency marketing group

Are you leveraging brands in your newsagency?

Pokémon continues to be one of the top performing brands in Australia. There’s the game people play on their phone, collector cards and sets, magazines, plush, clothing and plenty more.

In Australia right now there 9,300,000 searched online a month related to Pokémon. There are 1,269,477 different keywords used in search that include Pokémon.

Now let’s look at Pokémon cards since these are products some newsagents sell with excellent success. There are 788,000 searches each month in Australia for Pokémon cards.

My point here is that flowing from the Pokémon is opportunity for newsagents, in-store as well as online, but more important online than in-store since that’s where shopping starts now for products like this.

Now if you think you’re customers are not Pokémon players or interested in Pokémon product, think again.

There is a passionate community surrounding Pokémon, a multi-generational community with dedicated fans actively seeking products and experiences. By tapping into this enthusiasm through targeted online promotions and a well-curated selection of Pokémon merchandise, newsagents can not only drive sales but also cultivate customer loyalty.

Think exclusive online bundles, early access to new releases, or even virtual events connecting local collectors. Embracing the digital landscape and understanding the nuances of the Pokémon market allows newsagents to position themselves as go-to destinations for fans, ultimately boosting their bottom line and ensuring long-term success.

Pokémon is just one of the brands with strong and loyal communities that you can leverage is you have a website connected to your newsagency software and if you take a brand-forward approach to your business decisions, especially marketing. My advice is to lean more into brands with strong followings and find new customers through this.

By understanding the scale of online interest and the passionate community surrounding a brand, newsagents (and other retailers) can strategically leverage both their physical and online presence.

While in-store displays and promotions will attract impulse buys, a smart online strategy, including engaging content, and a diverse product offering, is crucial for reaching the wider Pokémon fan base far away from your shop and driving substantial revenue growth. This proactive approach, focusing on brands with popularity and a following, offers a clear pathway to success in today’s changing retail world.

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Newsagency opportunities

Visting the Christmasworld trade show in Frankfurk was inspring, eye-opening

I am so grateful for the opportunity of visit the huge Christmasworld trade show in Frankfurt a couple of days ago. It was my first time.

When I say Christmasworld is huge, I meant it sincerely. This is a big trade show over several hal;ls with each hall bigger than any trade show hall in Australia. Once you add Christmasworld, Stationeryworld, Creativeworld and Ambiente together, three trade shows across one large campus in Frankfiurt, you have a trade event bigger than Spring Fair in Birmingham and much much bigger than anything in Australia. And, yes, size does matter for you are presented an extraordinary range for businesses from those who focus on the low end through to those who focus at the high end.

I’d talked myself out of going previously because of importation challenges. Now we have a viable solution for importation that has worked for a couple of years, I was ready. I was keen to be challenged in terms of what we could sell to Christmas-focussed shoppers, especially all year round.

While the trade show floor did offer what we’d call everyday Christmas decorations, they occupied a fraction of the space. What dominated was European craftsmanship and aesthetic in what I’d call the seasonal decor space. Whereas we might focus on classic Santa decorations for Christmas, the European approach is richer, more diverse and more stylish.

So many times on the trade show floor I saw products I’ve never seen from an Australian supplier that I knew would work. I also saw some products I’ve seen in Australia. I know of some major high end Aussie retailers who have sourced products at Christmasworld previously.

It was interesting talking with people working the trade show booths about what sells where and to hear stories of any business with Australia retailers. My most enjoyable thing to do though was to watch other retailers purchase. It was instructive to see what they had seen, that I had missed. Some insights I picked up were valuable.

So many suppliers at Christmasworld presented products I have never seen in Australia. I have come away with several orders in place and more on the way. I walked 21,000 steps, took over 500 photos and had genuinely meaningful business discussions with many suppliers.

I was surprised at how many suppliers did not use tech on their stands for taking orders. This also fed into some good conversations about software being used in retail. In our type of retail channel in Australia we are more tech advanced than what I heard about in Frankfurt.

Now, if you’ve read this far, thanks, and you’re be right to be annoyed at the little specific detail I have shared. I’ve kept specific details to myself for competitive advantage. Please don’t begrudge me that.

Here are some photos. Looking at them, they do not do the event justice. These first four though show how educational the event is. The first is a very popular display. The next 3 are of the same display showing some small details from the display, demonstrating the educational value of seeing this level of visual merchandising in action.

Here are some other photos:

Any retailer doing reasonable business in the Christmas space should attend Christmasworld at least once.

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Newsagency opportunities

World Money Fair in Berlin showed the appeal of serving collectors

Collectors come in all sorts today. Take coin collectors, there are coin collectors, licence fans who purchase coin products, nostalgia lovers who purchase coin products and then there are those celebrating birthdays, anniversaries, citizenship, new babies, Lunar New Year and other events who buy coins. The huge success of the Bluey, remembrance, AFL, NRL and other coin series attest to the diverse mix of customers in the coin space.

At the World Money Fair in Berlin this past week you could see a range of types of buyers of coins.

One of the biggest mistakes I see retailers making is dismissing coins as a viable product category. They think they can’t find or sell to coin collectors. But the reality is, everyone is a potential coin collector given the right circumstances. Coins tap into something primal – a connection to history, a fascination with craftsmanship, and the thrill of owning something rare and valuable. That’s what makes the World Money Fair so important. It showcases the breadth of the market, from classic gold bullion to pop culture collectibles, and everything in between.

Attending the trade show and talking with so many people has helped me understand even better the extent of the coin collector opportunity. It’s an important category in my own shops as well as online, into $1M+ a year. See our mint coin shop website for example.

Unlike the Spring Fair trade show I mentioned in my previous post, World Money Fair in Berlin took up as much space as I had seen previously and the floors were as busy with attendees as ever. This is a show for businesses as well, as individuals, which is interesting if you want to better understand one section of your customer pool.

I am grateful for the opportunity to attend and the insights gained. If all goes well, we will have another couple of mints to represent soon.

Oh, and yes, newsagents can do very well out of selling mint coins and related products.

If you decide to give coins a go, start with a smaller selection to gauge interest and build your knowledge. Partnering with reputable distributors is essential to ensure authenticity and fair pricing. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and learn about the fascinating world of numismatics – your enthusiasm will be contagious!

Here is an example of the broad appeal of coins: Major League Baseball Trading Coins. We have these at mint coin shop.

The New Zealand Mint has launched these and we are grateful to offer them. These aren’t your typical baseball cards; they’re meticulously crafted coins that celebrate America’s favourite pastime. Here’s what makes them stand out:

  • Officially Licence by Major League Baseball. 

  • High-Quality Craftsmanship.

  • Collectible Variety.

  • Rarity and Value.

  • Unique Packaging.

  • Blending  Hobbies.

Whether you’re a die-hard baseball fan, a seasoned coin collector, or someone looking for a unique gift, the New Zealand Mint’s Major League Baseball Trading Coins offer a compelling blend of sports memorabilia and numismatic artistry.

This is one example of a coin product that covers coin collecting, pop culture, sport and gift giving.

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Newsagency management

Spring Fair 2025 in Birmingham is another indicator of the fading role of trade shows

While I am grateful for the opportunity to attend Spring Fair 2025 in Birmingham this year it was smaller than last year and for the time I was there if felt like there were fewer attendees.

Spring Fair has been the must-attend trade show for cards, gifts, homewares and related retailers in the UK and, often, from far away as Australia. I’ve been at least six times, and several times to the related event, Autumn Fair.

I know of some suppliers who have pulled out of Spring Fair to concentrate on web sales to their wholesale customers. Others have pulled out to focus on using platforms such as Faire. Speaking of Faire, they had a stand at Spring Fair, which to me is like having your competitor in your shop selling against you.

While the trade show halls were not as full previously – they used temporary walls to make a huge hall smaller – there were some interesting suppliers as well as plenty of existing suppliers to connect with.

There are a few challenges for trade shows:

The labour cost while you are away from the business in this world of reduced headcount is a challenge. The excellent options for sourcing without travelling to a trade show is a factor too.

For suppliers, these trade shows are expensive. In Australia, a basic small stand at a gift fair will cost more than $15,000 for the stand, furniture, staffing and related costs. Businesses have to weigh up the cost versus the return, which can take several to realise.

This all brings me to my point. The suppliers who don’t do well at these trade shows are those who approach them as they have done for years. Those who do best are those with a fresh approach, a time-attentive approach, pitching new ideas, opportunities and products. These suppliers are offering retailers new ways to make money in their businesses.

All of us involved in trade shows need to reinvent our approach to them. The trade show organisers are demonstrating disinterest in this, so it comes to us. I say us with my hat on as a supplier to retailers. We have to deliver more valuable and enjoyable experiences for retailers. We have to offer a new trade show experience.

The biggest benefit of getting to Spring Fair this year is the same as every year I have been – seeing trends months or a year ahead of when they hit in Australia.

Yes, the role of the trade show is changing. While they have a place, they are not  what we build our year around any more.

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newsagency marketing

Here are 3 things you can do in your newsagency that will boost card sales

Growth in card sales is more up to you the retailer than it is up to the card company. This is a controversial view I know – retailers prefer to blame the card companies rather than themselves.

The best way to see if I am right is to make these 3 changes and see if they boost your card sales.

Pitch impulse purchase of cards. If all your cards are in your card department, you’re unlikely to be encouraging impulse purchase of cards.

Create a secondary placement of cards outside the card department, in a spinner or on a stand. Use something you make or source yourself so you 100% control what is on there. Place it near your main entrance. Change the cards every couple of weeks. Start with cards you love on there.

Place two or three cards at the counter. These need to be cards people will buy to have for when they might need them. Change these weekly.

Place two or three relevant cards with your gift displays.

Promote cards. Let people know what you have and why you are grateful to offer them.

Talk about cards you love on social media. One card per post. At least once a week you should have a social media post about cards.

In your front window create an attention-grabbing display promoting cards. Stop people as they walk past with a display unlike anything you’ve done before.

Run a card specific loyalty program. Buy 8 and get your 9th card free, or something along those lines. Keep it simple. Set a date. The goal is top get more people buying cards more often.

Now, here are a couple of additional moves you can make that absolutely will help increase card sales.

Ensure everyone in the shop knows how to put out new card stock and get them doing this when new stock arrives.

Place your own orders. Always have 100% control over what you do order and when. This ownership from the outset will have you more invested in card performance and that is at the core of growth in card sales.

Most of what I have listed here is NOT done by major card competitors of newsagents. Do these things and you differentiate your business and that helps you make more money from cards, for sure.

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Management tip

Many newsagents embracing the Valentine’s Day in-store customer competition

It’s terrific seeing the in-store displays in so many newsXpress businesses where newsagents are each offering a hamper prize pack filled with goodies. Each prize pack was provided by newsXpress at no cost to the retailers. To enter, customers buy a card, any card, up to February 14. The business draws a local winner. The promotion is helping drive card sales across all captions.

This is a simple yet effective promotion, giving the participating businesses n easily understood mechanic that shoppers appreciate. It’s exclusive to newsXpress.

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Newspaper marketing

Tower Systems continues delivering AI tools in newsagency software

In mid 2022 Tower Systems released the first AI tools for newsagents in newsagency software. They have continued to be enhanced thanks to ChatGPT and Google Gemini integrations. Here’s a video I made with a couple of Tower colleagues two days ago in which we demonstrate more AI advances about to be released in the Tower newsagency POS software.

Today, plenty of newsagents are using the AI tools in the Tower software to same time and make financially rewarding decisions.

There is a lot of noise being published about AI. As this video shows, I prefer actions.

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newsagent software

Transforming your newsagency business: A step-by-step guide fresh start in 2025 for your newsagency

If your plans for your newsagency in 2025 are transformation of the business, I am writing this for you. It’s a simple to follow guide for transformation, a safe guide that anyone can follow.  The advice I’m sharing here comes from years of experience helping newsagents like you transform their businesses.

Understanding your business through your own data

Having a clear picture of your business’s health is crucial for taking steps forward. This involves looking at your business from various angles. Here’s a checklist to get you started:

  • Up-to-date profit and loss statement
  • Current debtors and creditors reports
  • A list of all business debts, formal and informal
  • Stock listing showing total stock value
  • Dead stock listing (items with zero sales in six months or more) with their total value
  • Floor map showing the gross profit percentage contribution by product department/category and floorspace allocation
  • Total rostered hours in a week, including owners (paid or not), and a revenue per hour calculation
  • A revenue comparison down to the category level, comparing the most recent six months with the same period a year earlier

Just wanting to transform your business isn’t enough. You need to understand your current standing and your capacity for change. This data will provide insights into immediate opportunities and the resources available to finance the transformation. This list is the foundation for any business transformation journey I embark on with clients.

Analysing data and taking action

Once you have this data pool, my recommendation is to find some “easy wins” to set the stage for productive focus. For instance, if you have $10,000 or more in dead stock that’s been paid for, get rid of it! The freed-up cash and space will be a big boost. To clear this dead stock, designate a special clearance area, like a table or two, and offer a flat discount on everything there. My suggestion is a 50% discount.

While you’re clearing out dead stock, analyse the remaining data to understand your business’s current performance. Look at the comparison report for any promising opportunities related to your existing business categories. This could be a simple first step to get you started.

As you work through your data, create a list of ideas and action items. You might discover some easy wins you hadn’t noticed before or had been neglecting.

Who should guide you?

Some retailers I’ve spoken with consider using their accountants or business consultants for business transformation or improvement. While they can be valuable resources, in my experience, unless they have current hands-on experience in the newsagency industry, their guidance might not be as effective.

The point here is that it’s your business. You’re looking to make a change, a transformation. The next steps are yours to take, and it’s best if you take ownership of them. This way, you’ll be fully invested in the changes you implement.

Getting your business match fit

This initial step involves data gathering, streamlining operations, and getting your business in top shape. It’s all about preparing you for the more significant changes to come.

But what if your current business data isn’t in good shape, and you’re eager to start making changes right away?

Transforming your newsagency with limited data

If you’re set on transforming your newsagency but your data isn’t up-to-date, there are steps you can take on the shop floor to initiate change. In my experience, businesses in this situation often have a traditional shop floor layout.

The advice I’m providing here focuses on disrupting your current setup. I’ve found that this can help retailers see things from a fresh perspective. It’s a radical approach designed to shake things up in your business. Remember, though, that retail is an ever-evolving industry, so continuous adaptation is key.

Disrupt your layout.  If you have a traditional magazine fixture running down the centre of your shop, with newspapers displayed prominently at the front, take all the stock off and remove the fixture entirely. Don’t overthink it – just rip it out! Move papers to the back of the shop.

Make the shop warm. If you have traditional retail fixtures on the shop floor, remove as many as you can and replace them with everyday items, tables and the like that you find on secondhand marketplaces. Use a rug on the floor to enhance warmth.

Stock what you’d never stock. Find one or two product categories yould never stock in your traditional business. Playing like this way outside what’s usual can help you see what’s possible and this is what can really get you thinking about transformation.

This list is not complete. It;s designed to give you an easy starting point.

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Newsagency management

Maybe a sales counter reset could help your newsagency in 2025

The traditional newsagency counter, once a haven of confectionery and impulse buys, has evolved.  As shopper habits further shift and newsagencies diversify, the opportunities available from a reset counter are considerable.

Managed effectively, the counter can significantly boost your bottom line. This requires dedication – consider it your most valuable real estate.

Suggested rules for counter excellence:

  1. No visible food or drinks unless for sale.
  2. Banish personal items like bags and phones.
  3. Daily cleaning is non-negotiable.
  4. Weekly counter refresh: remove all products, clean, and rebuild.
  5. Minimal signage – every message must serve a purpose.
  6. Employees must purchase from the customer side.
  7. Limit the number of staff behind the counter.
  8. Quarterly counter overhaul – for both staff and customers.
  9. Always assess the counter from the customer’s perspective.

What to Place at the Counter: prioritise profitability:

  1. Set a minimum gross profit margin (e.g., 50%).
  2. Select items that define how you want your business seen, that differentiate your shop.
  3. Select items ideal for with quick, easy sales.
  4. Consider your customer base: lottery players, card buyers, families, etc.
  5. Tell a story with your product selection (e.g., “Fun for Kids”).
  6. Don’t be afraid to experiment!

Counter essentials:

  1. Always feature a rotating selection of cards.
  2. Demonstrate products: play with toys, throw a light-up ball.
  3. Showcase new arrivals and price them visibly.
  4. Highlight engaging magazine articles.
  5. Experiment with pricing – find what works best.

A best practice display is clean and simple: Avoid clutter. It also involves thoughtful / strategic placement: Interrupt transaction sight lines.

Now, for some counter upselling techniques – engage customers: use conversation starters:

  1. “Have you seen this?”
  2. “Kids love this!”
  3. “I love this.”
  4. “We’re running a poll…”
  5. “This is our Facebook deal…”
  6. “Look at this recipe in Better Homes and Gardens…”

Upselling requires practice and confidence. Find what works best for your team.

By implementing these strategies and embracing a customer-centric approach, you can transform your newsagency counter from a cluttered afterthought into a profit powerhouse.

Success lies in understanding your unique customer base and adapting your counter accordingly. Continuously monitor sales, gather feedback, and refine your strategy. By embracing these principles and fostering a culture of innovation, you can unlock the full potential of your newsagency counter and drive significant growth for your business.

If your counter has not significantly chan ged in the last few years, resetting your counter is likely to be an easy win opportunity.

7 likes
Management tip

Now, if you haven’t planned 2025 for your newsagency business, here are some tips

I’m going to keep this simple and achievable. If you don’t have a plan for your newsagency for this year, do these things to get started, right away.

Find out what’s not working: the quietest hours of the day, stock that’s not selling, suppliers who are under performing. Your newsagency software can easily reveal these things to you, in seconds. These things provide you with your starting point, they provide you ToDo list.

What’s not working is stock you’re not selling, stock not sold whatsoever over the last, say, six months. List it and quit it. Getting a fraction of the cost is better that you getting nothing, which is what you’re experiencing today. Quit dead stock urgently.

Suppliers not performing are those shown to have stock that’s moving slowly or contributing the least to your grow profit. One you have the list, consider whether to quit the supplier or, maybe, to at least talk with them and explain the situation. Doing nothing with this information is not an option. Take action based on the evidence you have.

The quietest hours of the day are the most expensive in terms of labour cost. Look at your roster. Roster the business for profit over friendship. Or, figure out steps you can take to make those underperforming hours work better for you. Is there work on the business done in other times that can be moved to them?

These three moves are not a complete plan, they are not even part of a plan. The goal here is to give you thinks you can do today, action you can do today.

Action is what 2025 has to be about in every newsagency business. I think this has to be a year of urgency in our channel and we need to drive that urgency ourselves as no one else is likely to drive it for us.

Now before you say I am being melodramatic, the reality is that lottery purchases continue to migrate online, print media sales continue to decline, rents are increasing as are labour costs. These are known things. They alone are enough of a reason for us to see an urgency for us working on our businesses.

If you don’t have a plan for this year, use the steps here and, hopefully, while doing that opportunities for your own plan will come to you.

What you achieve in, with and from your newsagency in 2025 is 100% up to you. Success will come from change.

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Newsagency management

It’s 2025, what can the local Aussie newsagency expect for this year?

With the school year about to start and many now back at work after a summer break, we have an opportunity to turn our mind to 2025.

Hmm, if you’re starting to think about 2025 in your newsagency now, you are coming late to the party. For many, planning for 2025 was well under way six month ago. Never mind. Even late planning is better than no planning.

Let’s start by looking at what we think might happen in 2025 in the context of our Australian newsagency channel.

Newspaper sales will continue to decline. Newspapers will generate less traffic for your business. The financial contribution they make to your profit will fall. I expect over the counter newspaper sales to fall by between 10% and 12% this year.

Magazine sales will continue to fall. While magazines will generate less traffic, the decline will not be as much as newspapers depending on your approach to magazines. Newsagents with a strong commitment to special interest and niche category titles will have a good year. Those who focus only in the top 100 magazine titles will have a less good year. I expect overall magazine unit sales to decline by between 9% and 11% with the majority of that decline to come from the top 100 titles.

Stationery sales will be good, up, in newsagencies that gave a range tuned to local everyday needs as well as a focus on offering stationery for those who love stationery. This is an important distinction. People who buy stationery because they have to focus on convenience and function whereas those who buy stationery because they love it buy because they have found something not often seen elsewhere. Newsagency can play in both of ese spaces well, and thrive. I think stationery revenue can be up 10% if we put our mind to it.

Greeting card sales. As with stationery, people buy greeting cards for different reasons: obligation, guilt, expressing love, to be remembered in the future and because they like the look of a card. Newsagents who do the bare minimum and leave managing the card department to their card suppliers will have a flat year, maybe a decline – not because of the card company but because of the disinterest by the business owner in this vital category. Newsagents actively engaged with cards, those who pitch cards as an impulse purchase and those who understand and lean into the different reasons for buying cards, they will have a good year – I expect growth of 5% to 10% in card sales.

Gift sales. This is open land for harvesting, good land, fertile, ours for the taking – as long as we approach gifts as if this was the only category on which we could rely in our business. If we stock the kind of gifts a supplier says are perfect for a newsagency, the year won’t be so good. If we stock outside that quaint expectation and play outside what our businesses are known for, it could be a good year. I know newsagents expecting 25% growth in gift revenue this year, and more.

Online. This is the biggest opportunity for it’s us reaching people who will never set foot in our shop. In one of my own shops where our website is barely eight months old, we’ve already done $25,000 in online sales in 2025, with nothing spent on marketing. I know of a newsagent mature in online who has done $40,000 this year online. What we achieve is only constrained by our imagination. No, budget is not a factor, not from what I see.

2025 is a year of opportunity for our Australian newsagency channel. What we achieve is up to us. If we do nothing outside of what has been usual for us, we hold our business to the trajectory of 2024 and prior. If we change our approach, if we have a 90p degree turn, if we open some new does, if we fundamentally reset our shop with little consideration of what some expect of an Aussie newsagency, 2025 can be a year of terrific grow, wonderful profit and a feeling of achievement.

What have you got planned for 2025?

17 likes
Management tip

How AI tools in newsagency software are helping newsagents run more successful businesses

Since mid 2022, newsagency software had offered embedded AI tools to help newsagents in a range of ways. Tower Systems was first with this and continues to innovate with enhanced facilities that target saving time, enhancing decision making and revealing the unknown abut a business using the software.

Newsagents can choose whether they use the AI tools or not in their software. Here are some ways newsagents are using the AI tools in newsagency software already:

  • Discovering potential in-store theft.
  • Uncovering guaranteed sales opportunities from missed inventory purchases.
  • Knowing what stock to target that has sat unsold for too long.
  • Generating SEO tuned product descriptions.
  • Generating appealing and SEO tuned longer form product descriptions for online sales.
  • Capturing product images and other details without having to manually load these.

A key difference with the AI tools is that the retailer does not had to think, oh, I should go looking for this information. The AI tech., pushes the insights, the opportunities, cutting the time involved by the retailer. It presents the opportunity along with the data to back up the advice / recommendations.

Retailers are time poor and they don’t know what they don’t know. The AI tools never tire and they are always on and available with advice and insights.

I have seen retailers save hours each month. I’ve also seen some make thousands extra in sales as a result of leveraging the insights from the AI tools.

AI facilities are real and available for newsagents. They are a game changer. I say that based on what’s out there now. What’s coming in the next couple of weeks is a generational leap in AI tools for newsagents that will take the benefits to a whole new level. I have been playing with them and they are exciting.

Ai is not something to ignore, not something to think it’s in the future and not practical for today. Too many small business retailers are already making money using these AI tools. They are an opportunity for getting ahead faster, making more money, achieving more with less. It’s exciting.

The integration of AI within newsagency software signifies a pivotal shift in how retailers operate. By proactively identifying theft, uncovering hidden sales potential, and optimising inventory management, these tools empower newsagents to make data-driven decisions, enhance efficiency, and ultimately increase profitability.

The future of newsagency software promises a new era of automation, intelligence, and unprecedented success for retailers who embrace these transformative technologies.

These AI tools are key to the newsagency of the future.

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newsagency of the future

Hey magazine publishers: here’s how to pitch your magazines and retail newsagents on social media

I love this pitch from Cross Stitcher magazine un the UK:

7 likes
magazines

Vela APX Announces the Acquisition of Tower Systems

On November 1 last year, I sold my newsagency software company, Tower Systems, to Vela APX, a division of Vela Software Group and Constellation Software Inc (CSI). Fro that date, vela has been in full control of the business and, as Tower customers have experienced since, it’s business as usual: software updates are flowing, customer service is as accessible and helpful as it has always been, and I remain with the company, doing what I was doing.

I am grateful to the thousands of newsagents who have chosen Tower over the decades since 1981 when I started the company. This has been a good channel to me, one I hope to serve for many years to come.

Newsagents were the cornerstone of the Tower Systems business for many years and while the company today operates successfully in sixteen specialty retail markets, newsagents remains a marketplace of considerable value and importance.

As the company serving many more newsagents with its software (57 new newsagency customers in the last 12 months alone) than any other company, Tower appreciates the leadership role and leans into it with care and respect. In our Tower newsagency software there are facilities newsagents can leverage to expand the reach of their businesses, to make them more relevant in a changing marketplace.

2025 will be an exciting year in newsagency software. I say this knowing work already done over the last year and more that is soon to become available.

While the acquisition was finalised on November 1 last year and announced confidentially to Tower customers on that date, it could not be publicly announced until a range of tasks had been completed as required by the public company acquiring the business.

Now, here is the official announcement from Vela:

January 21st, 2024 – Melbourne, Australia – Vela APX, a division of Vela Software Group and Constellation Software Inc (CSI), is pleased to announce the formation of Tower Systems, following the acquisition of assets from Tower Systems International Pty Ltd. This acquisition strengthens Vela’s portfolio and enhances its capabilities across independent retail in Australia and New Zealand.

Tower Systems provides Australian-made and supported Point of Sale (POS) software designed specifically for independent and specialty retailers. With tailored solutions for sectors such as jewelers, garden centres, bike shops, pet stores, and more, Tower Systems empowers local businesses to streamline operations, enhance customer experiences, and grow sustainably. The company also offers integrated services such as eCommerce website development, inventory management, and accounting integrations, ensuring a comprehensive solution for retailers. Backed by a dedicated support team and decades of industry expertise, Tower Systems is a trusted partner for small businesses across Australia and New Zealand.

Mark Fletcher, founder of Tower Systems commented: “I am grateful to have found a happy and strong home for the Tower Systems community of team members and customers and to have done this at a time of my choosing. I am also thankful for the opportunity to continue to serve the business as it evolves in its service of local independent small businesses. Our mission remains: to help local indie retailers thrive.”

Gavin Williams, General Manager of Tower Systems, expressed excitement about joining the Vela Software Group, “We’re excited to join the Vela Software Group, a move that builds on the dedication and talent of our team. This partnership will help us grow, innovate, and continue providing practical solutions that make a real difference for the Retail businesses we are proud to serve.”

Mark Schmutter, Group Director at Vela APX, echoed this sentiment in saying “We are thrilled to welcome Gavin, Mark and the Tower Systems team to the Vela Group. Their expertise in providing real solutions for independent retailers helps to strengthen our position in these markets both in Australia/New Zealand and with our other business unit servicing similar customers in the UK. Tower’s agility, innovation and flexibility, combined with Vela’s network of expertise and resources, will allow them to thrive and continue evolving with their customers.”

This acquisition reinforces Vela’s “connected autonomy” model, providing Tower Systems with the agility to innovate while benefiting from the broader support and resources available within the Vela Group.

For more information on Tower Systems and Vela APX, please visit velaapx.com or contact us at vela_m&a@velaapx.com.

For those interested, here’s what I shared on Facebook today about this:

Tower Systems, a company I founded in February 1981 ( originally as Fletcher DP Services – what a name!), was sold in November 2024 to a subsidiary of a Canadian public company (Constellation Software). I’d been approached many times over the years, but this time felt right, even though selling wasn’t easy.

It was better to place the company, its team, and its customers in good hands now than to risk needing to find a buyer under different circumstances later.

I am grateful to the many who have been part of the Tower team over the years, both those who stayed for decades and those who passed through. This eclectic mix made our work uncommonly interesting, fun, and valuable.

Having my daughter Laura in the business was a joy. Her counsel and support over the last few years and especially the last few months as I approached the decision to sell has been invaluable.

In 2009, the company had a near-death experience, nearly being wiped out. I lost everything I thought I had. The following 14 years have been our best, a testament to the crew from those years, many of whom are still with the company today. We got through it by taking things one step at a time, and by realising who cared.

It’s been an odd time since the sale on November 1, 2024, finding memories of the first days filtering up along with other memories of embarrassment, excitement and joy. I am also reminded of opening the envelope in December 1973 to read my high school results, discovering I had failed. While school is important, the number you are given is not necessarily a measure of your capabilities.

My first job ever, four years with the CSIRO, is what set me on a path in computing and having worked in a newsagency while at High School taught me about business. The two experiences were at the heart of starting Tower in 1981.

I’ll stay on with Tower Systems for two years. I still have, and love, the newsXpress business that serves 200 awesome local Aussie newsagency businesses as well as the associated websites: www.mintcoinshop.com.au, www.myornaments.com.au and www.hugsandlove.com.au.

In the meantime, a short play I wrote, Shirley, is being produced next month for the first time ever – in Chapala, Mexico of all places, by Bravo Theatre (https://thebravo.org).

28 likes
Newsagency management
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