A stocktake sale is a promotional event designed to move excess, slow-moving, or outdated inventory directly after your annual stocktake. Retailers throughout Australia use these sales to convert stagnant stock into cash. You will now notice increased promotional activity, both in-store and online, as businesses compete to offer attractive deals. Hopefully, now you are or have completed your annual stocktake. While the paperwork may be nearly finished, this period presents a unique opportunity: to make a stocktake sale. It can help you clear out surplus stock and get some cash into the business.

A stocktake sale is not merely a seasonal tradition; it is a practical, results-oriented strategy that delivers proven and measurable business benefits.

The Strategic Timing of a Stocktake Sale

Launching a stocktake sale immediately after your inventory review is a highly effective approach for several reasons.

First, consumer expectations are heightened at this time of year. Shoppers are now seeking bargains. They are driven by widespread advertising that highlights stocktake sales offering significant discounts. By aligning your sale with this demand, you can drive increased foot traffic and capitalise on consumers’ readiness to spend.

Second, your inventory data is at its most accurate immediately following a stocktake. You have precise information on which products are underperforming, nearing expiry, or simply occupying valuable space. Now you can make the best decisions with the best information.

Third, clearing out slow-moving stock frees up capital and shelf space, giving you a significant boost to cash flow when we all need it to pay the bills coming now for next year.

Tips

A good stocktake sale should be short and limited to create a sense of urgency among customers. Limiting the duration and availability of your stocktake sale can make it more appealing and exclusive to customers. Your regular customers may become suspicious if you go on for too long.

Promotion is inexpensive and easy to accomplish. All you need is a sign on the window and a stand with the goods in your shop. You don’t need to spend a lot of money or time promoting your stocktake sale. Use simple and effective methods. If you have a social media account for your business, you can use it for free to promote your store.

Conclusion

Making a stocktake sale is excellent to clear old stock, boost sales, and promote your business.

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 to 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 art generators have revolutionised how retail shops create professional, eye-catching marketing images. Today, any retailer with no graphic design experience can design custom visuals for free. Whether you want to update pamphlets, POS displays, or social media with unique, on-brand images, AI art offers a practical, accessible solution as creating professional, eye-catching pictures for your retail shop’s marketing can now be done for free, as today’s AI art generators make it possible for small business owners to design custom visuals with no graphic design background required. If you’re looking to refresh your pamphlets, POS displays, or social media with unique, on-brand images, AI art is a practical solution you can start using straight away.

Recently, I needed images for a POS Solutions pamphlet. Despite having no artistic background, I was able to create several professional visuals in minutes. See above. I liked them all, so I will leave it to our marketing guy, Garth, to decide which one, if any, to use.

Now I’ll share my process and tips to help you do the same for your business.

To get started, you need two things: an art prompt and an AI art generator. The generator takes your written description, known as a prompt, and transforms it into a high-quality image. Best of all, you can use these images commercially for free. For retailers, this means you can easily create pictures that match your shop’s personality and brand.

I decided on Flux, which is free, but it requires some technical skill to set up, and it also requires a high-end computer. But there are many others now free that can run on any computer. I suggest looking at ChatGPT and Grok, both of which make lovely images for free.

It is easy to do, write your image prompt, which is 

Draw "what you want to have an image of"

and wait.

Here are some image prompts that I use for you. These are for you to experiment with 

**Bauhaus Functionalism**    An ultra-realistic image re-envisioning the POS Solutions logo through a stark Bauhaus lens. The logo is constructed from fundamental geometric shapes using primary colored glass and polished chrome. The 'P' is a red circle and rectangle, the 'O' a yellow circle, and the 'S' a series of blue curves, all rendered in smooth, solid-colored glass. The "Solutions" text is built from thin chrome bars. The sculpture is placed within a minimalist architectural space with bare concrete walls and a simple grid window. The lighting is stark, functional, and direct, casting hard-edged shadows, reflecting the movement's emphasis on form, function, and industrial modernism.
 

**Gothic Obsidian**    An ultra-realistic, high-resolution image of the POS Solutions logo as a monolithic sculpture carved from polished black obsidian and smoky quartz. The acronym "POS" features bold, heavy forms, with the stylized 'S' elegantly overlapping the 'O' in a fluid, obsidian curve. Above it, two italicized bars are chiseled from the same dark crystal. To the right, "Solutions" is etched in a finer, translucent smoky quartz, while the "Smart software" tagline is subtly engraved in matte grey slate. The entire sculpture rests on a cold stone floor within a vast, dark cathedral interior. Dramatic, high-contrast chiaroscuro lighting, reminiscent of a Caravaggio painting, streams from a distant stained-glass rose window, casting long, colorful shadows and highlighting the sharp, reflective edges of the obsidian. The mood is somber, epic, and reverent, blending corporate form with ancient gravitas.

Render the POS Solutions logo as an ultra-detailed, hyper-realistic glass sculpture, with "POS" crafted from deep navy blue transparent crystal, each letter bold and heavy. The stylized is enlarged and curves gracefully over the its surface polished to a high gloss, refracting light in intricate, gem-like patterns. Above the  two thick, italicized bars, also in navy crystal, are sharply beveled and highly reflective. To the right, "Solutions" is depicted in a thinner, elegant, sans-serif font in translucent navy crystal, while beneath it, "Smart software" is rendered in a soft matte grey crystal. The logo is set against a softly blended pastel background, with gradients of blue and pink, and is surrounded by vibrant, prismatic shadows and highlights. Studio lighting accentuates the reflective and refractive qualities of the crystal, creating an atmosphere that is elegant, dreamy, and technologically sophisticated.
 

Modify each by removing POS Solutions and replacing it with your shop name, the brand you are promoting, etc. 

An exercise I find helpful is creating something you like, then asking the AI, 'Here is my prompt, make it better,' and seeing what it comes up with. If it is not what you want tell it so and ask it to redo. 

Once you’ve created your images, use them across your marketing materials, eg pamphlets, social media, website banners, or in-store signage. Consistent, original and high-quality visuals help your shop look professional, making a real difference in how customers perceive your business. Google ranks them well, as each image is original. Google likes original material.  According to Shopify, retailers using original images see up to 30% higher engagement rates.

Try out the example prompts above, and see how easy it is to create stunning visuals for your retail business. 

If it all seems a bit too hard, please let me know, and I'll create some images for you. I have to have something to do with my retirement.

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 to 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.

There are few key differences and notable changes for EOFY 2024/5 to 2025/6

As such this is still valid for your EOFY accounting.

The only major change for SMB retails is that you need to adjust the Superannuation Guarantee (SG) rate as it rises from 11.5% in 2024/25 to 12% in 2025/26. This is the final step in the legislated SG increases, so you must update payroll systems and budgets accordingly.

You must act now if you want to use the Instant Asset Write-Off for this year's tax return. The $20,000 threshold for eligible businesses (with less than $10 million aggregated turnover) only applies to assets first used or installed ready for use by 30 June 2025. Purchases after this date may be subject to different rules or thresholds.

Written by:

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

If you are like me and like to work while listening to interesting discussions, I would like to recommend the NAB Morning Call podcast. It's an Australian business podcast. The podcast is a daily 15-minute business podcast produced by National Australia Bank that delivers market insights specifically tailored for Australian business owners. The NAB bank has clearly put a lot of effort into producing it.

The podcast's strength lies in its real-world examples and data-driven discussions that directly impact business operations.

Memorable Episodes Worth Your Time

Some I found quite memorable, for example, what happened when the bank discovered a man about to transfer $500,000 to a scammer in China. He planned to send the money to his online fiancée, someone he had never met in person despite corresponding for over a year. He was lonely, he meet someone nice online and what do you do, when you know its a fraud, what do you say to such a guy?

Beyond fraud prevention, the podcast tackles critical business survival topics. A standout episode featured 'Back from the brink: How to save a business in distress,' where Michael Fingland, CEO of Brisbane-based turnaround specialists Vantage Performance, discusses what a company can do in the 11th hour to avoid being shut down. 

Another one I liked was on what retail customers are now buying in shops. I liked that they had data from people's credit cards, so they knew exactly what people were buying and what their analysts thought the public was going. 

Why NAB Morning Call Stands Out

If you are interested in this stuff, I think you will find it helpful (actionable) for SMB owners with SME business advice.

The podcast maintains high production values and has received consistently positive listener reviews, with ratings of 4.8-5.0 stars on Apple Podcasts. 

For SMB owners like myself who want to stay informed about economic developments that could impact their operations, the NAB Morning Call provides an efficient and authoritative source of daily market intelligence. 

Format and Accessibility

It is published daily at around 7 a.m. AEST is available on weekdays and most major platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts.

You can also get it here  if you are not set up for Podcasts.

Written by:

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

I formally announced my retirement publicly yesterday. After 50 years in the workforce, I think it's enough. This decision comes after careful consideration. It is indeed a moment that makes you feel much. I will continue as a stakeholder but no longer as a director. Forty years as a director is enough. 

As the editor and founder of this point-of-sale (POS) industry blog, I feel immense pride and gratitude for everything we have accomplished since launching this blog in 2006. It has become a leading resource for retailers, POS professionals, and the industry. Our readership now has over 8,200 monthly reads and over 6,400 readers. These figures are not just statistics. They represent a vibrant network of business owners, managers, and technology enthusiasts who have shaped the direction and relevance of our content.

Celebrating its public achievements

Today, this blog’s domain authority (DR) has reached an impressive 70, a level typically reserved for major brands and industry leaders. This places us among the most authoritative sites in our market space, reinforcing our position as a dominant voice in the POS industry.

Recently, Feedspot, an organisation with over 4 million registered users worldwide and over 2 million blog visits per month, recognised us as the #2 point of sale blog worldwide and the top POS Software blog in Australia in its prestigious awards, further validating the impact and quality of our work. These milestones reflect the worth that so many readers have placed on us.

What Sets Our Content Apart

At the core of our success is a commitment to providing relevant, original information. This information was selected to help retailers make informed business decisions. We have always focused on practical solutions, valuable insights, and actionable strategies tailored to the unique challenges faced by SMB and large retailers. For example, I know a senior executive at Safeway reads it, too. This approach has enabled our readers to save money by optimising their inventory, streamlining operations, and enhancing customer experiences.

The Blog’s Future

The POS management team will now determine the direction of this blog. I have provided my recommendations. While I will remain available to support the process, my involvement will be reduced as I want to keep blogging. Each article is a lot of work, requiring over three hours of research, writing, and editing; some, like the AI research ones, took much longer. I doubt whether any POS Software blog could have done something as advanced as these studies.

We made this investment willingly, knowing its positive impact on our readers and the broader retail community.

Personal Reflections and Gratitude

Reflecting on this journey, I am deeply grateful for the feedback and trust shown by our readers over the years, both here and on Facebook, LinkedIn, etc. It has been a privilege to serve you, readers, and it was so pleasing to witness this blog's growth often through the innovation of our POS Software. In truth, this growth was only possible because of our software lead in the market space. It's easier to blog new stuff when your software is the best.

Continuing the Legacy

Thank you for your ongoing support and for making this blog a cornerstone in the POS industry. I look forward to seeing how this platform continues to empower and inform retailers.

Written by:

Bernard Zimmermann is the founding director at POS Solutions, a leading point-of-sale system company with 45 years of industry experience. He consults to 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.

Electricity costs represent significant operational expenses for Australian retailers. Recent price increases, 20% to 30% across various regions, are bringing a shocker, and it's clear that more increases are coming. So many retailers are now actively seeking better deals to protect their bottom line. You need a strategic approach to avoid costly mistakes.

The Reality of Energy Agent Limitations

The electricity market is saturated with agents and brokers promising substantial savings for retailers. However, my recent experience revealed significant flaws in this approach here, The main reason I approached them was an industrial group, I was associated with recommended them. The prices were not better; they were higher. Yet the agent presented her figures as a cheaper rate. This experience highlights a fundamental issue: agents operate on commission structures that may not align with your best interests.

Government Comparison Website Inadequacies

While well-intentioned, Government energy comparison websites present challenges for retailers seeking accurate market information. My investigation into the Victorian Energy Compare website here. Significant discrepancies between displayed rates and actual provider quotes were revealed which when I contacted the provider directly, I found that they offered rates substantially better than those shown on the government platform.

This experience demonstrates that government comparison sites may not reflect real-time market conditions or the full range of available offers. The platforms work with standardised data that doesn't capture the dynamic nature of energy pricing or the flexibility providers have in direct customer negotiations.

Strategic Energy Approach

I am sorry, there is no way out of doing your research. An approach that works for me is to

1) Use government comparison sites as baseline information, but understand their limitations. My comparison website is here.

2) Select the best three offers and research their customer online satisfaction ratings. The reviews are readily available through Google. Narrow in on the ones that look good for your shortlist. I was left with two.

3) With the information, call your existing provider if you are happy with them, and those on your shortlist to see what they can do. Present your research findings professionally, highlighting competitive offers. I stayed with my provider even though they were slightly dearer on the new plan they offered, and I was happy with them

Conclusion

Rising electricity costs present ongoing challenges for Australian retailers, and we all know more are coming. Strategic energy procurement can deliver meaningful cost reductions.

Written by:

Bernard Zimmermann is the founding director at POS Solutions, a leading point-of-sale system company with 45 years of industry experience. He consults to 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.

How much to offer on your loyalty program points is a big decision. Understanding whether your point structure remains competitive whilst maximising customer engagement through strategic promotions directly impacts your program's profitability. In 2025, retailers must carefully design loyalty programs to maintain customer retention and growth, as we can see, brand loyalty is declining. While loyalty programs offer benefits like increased revenue and customer lifetime value, overly generous rewards will impact profit margins. The reality is that a loyalty program costs about 1% of turnover to operate. So, most of my clients offer too much to make it profitable.

Most successful Australian loyalty programs use a point value between 0.3 and 0.7 cents per point. It positions a business within a competitive framework that balances customer satisfaction with sustainable profit margins. Here are some I found doing a net search:

House VIP Rewards maintains a straightforward one-point-per-dollar-spent structure. Members must accumulate 500 points within 12 months to unlock a $20 reward, which translates to a 4% return rate once the threshold is reached.

Woolworths Everyday Rewards provides at least one point per dollar spent across their network, including BIG W, BWS, Ampol, Origin, and Marley Spoon. Members can redeem 2,000 points for a $10 off qualifying purchases, establishing a 0.5 cent per point value.

VIP point work as studies show that perceived value often matters more than the actual value. Thirty thousand flyby points sound more than $150, and this half-cent per point value observed in programs like Flybys is the benchmark.

Customers perceive points as valuable currency when earned through regular purchases. This perception has been found to drive repeat visits as customers return, increasing visit frequency and lifetime value.

Delayed Gratification Benefits

Unlike immediate discounts, points encourage future visits and sustained engagement. Yet not all customers redeem their accumulated points, creating breakage, which are unredeemed points. You can consider these a failure, as what you have does not interest your potential customers or a bonus profit. What does work here often is an email to say that your customer has XXX VIP points that will expire on such a date.

Strategic Implementation of Double Points Promotions

Double-point sales are one of the most effective tools in a loyalty program's arsenal. These promotions create immediate perceived value while maintaining control over your reward structure and profit margins, as they instantly make exceptional value sense for customers. Please promote during slower business periods to boost sales when needed; they are great for flash sales, too. Many successful retailers utilise such campaigns during post-holiday periods and slow periods.

Urgency

Time-limiting the points generates urgency without permanently devaluing your regular offerings. I strongly recommend using your POS software on such a day, say, the EOF year, when all points get zeroed.

Targeted Customer

Rather than offering double points universally, consider targeting specific customer segments, e.g. customers who haven't visited within 60 days.

Also, you can try specific products or categories.

Performance Measurement KPIs

Always track your VIP sales to see how they went. I like to look at participation numbers, average transaction value and new member acquisition.

Strategic Business Outcomes

With a half-cent point value, you're positioning your business competitively within the Australian market.

These work better: 

Substantial welcome bonuses: 1000 points to join your VIP club sounds better than $5

A VIP program with a double point sale offering 0.5 cent per VIP point compared to a 1-cent VIP point.

Written by:

Bernard Zimmermann is the founding director at POS Solutions, a leading point-of-sale system company with 45 years of industry experience. He consults to 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.