News Limited is now starting a trial run of sending Stop/Starts through XChangeIT. At the moment, people seem quite happy with this but its early days. If you are in the trial, you need to contact us after you get your account numbers from News Limited to activate the system.

We received this for Network, also, please check your Gordon and Gotch returns with all the confusion several have not put them in.

Dear Agent,

Network Services is currently in the process of reviewing July returns submitted after our system outage.

If you have made contact with our Customer Service centre over the past few days, we are reviewing your returns for a deduction from the July statement. You will receive an email from us by Monday 11^th of August detailing the returns we have received and the deduction figure specific to your account.

When you receive this email, please check the list and let us know if there are any missing return forms.

If you have not yet made contact with our Customer Service centre, or if you are still missing a return through XchangeIT, please contact Network Services on 1300 131 169 or reply to this email with your customer number so we can assist you. We will be taking requests for deductions from agents who are still processing July returns up until 8^th of August.

Kind regards,

Network Services
A division of Bauer Media Group
tel: 1300 131 169| fax: +61 2 9126 3733
[email protected]

PLU numbers are used to sell items at the cash register without scanning. They are used for items that a barcode is not warranted such as a bulky item that is too heavy to lift. Setting it up is very easy.

1: Open Stock Maintenance and look up the item.
2: Click on the "Prices" tab
3: Scroll to the far right on the pricing grid and you will see the "PLU" field.
4: Click EDIT and enter a number into the PLU field (for example, 101)
5: Click SAVE

Now, in the cash register, when you are ringing up a sale simply enters the PLU into the "price entry" box, and press ENTER and our point of sale will find the item instantly!

Did you know that our point-of-sale system can automatically email or send an SMS of your shop's End of Day details to up to three different email addresses and mobile numbers? This is a great feature if you are away from the shop, or simply a convenient paperless way to archive your end of day reports!

Well, on Friday, the ACCC decided to allow the Australian Newsagents’ Federation (ANF) to negotiate on behalf of its members with a range of suppliers. Overall, the ACCC felt that "newsagents are often small, family-owned and operated businesses" and "allowing collective bargaining would allow newsagents to pool resources and undertake a more co-ordinated approach to negotiating with suppliers, many of whom are large, well-resourced businesses,” The final decision is here.

I found it interesting to go though some of the submissions here just to see what some suppliers thought about it. I was quite pleased that many of them did not oppose it, for example, pay. News limited and Bupa (an electrical Power Company). One newsagent complained claiming that the ANF record was so bad, and that it was not the ANF job to negotiate. Well even accepting this is true they can rest assure that they do not have to take any offers from the ANF as a result of this decision now. Only two suppliers newsxpess who I am not sure why they put in a submission as the ANF had already stated that it would delete them from the list of suppliers they wish to have rights to negotiate with and Tower systems publicly opposed the submission. Still they did make I thought an interesting point in their submission that the

"The ANF engages directly and indirectly in commercial activities...their commercial activities place the ANF in conflict with the activities one would expect of an industry association for it is the one body engaging in commercial activities and representing some newsagents."

Unfortunately, he did not list any examples and the ANF denied his claim. I could list some examples in the past like Surefire, but I am not sure now if that is true. However, there is certainly room for concern here for many suppliers as the ANF clearly may have more than one hat in a negotiation with a supplier.

There was also I thought a rather a dubious supplier SCCA (the Shopping Centre Council of Australia) who is not a supplier for newsagents but a collective body representing many newsagents' landlords (several of who did not oppose the ANF submission). I confess I did not think much of the SCCA submission, if they have no problem with the ANF aiding individual newsagents why not allow the ANF to act for several at one time? My other question is if they can act here on behalf of their members, why cannot the ANF do so similarly?

Anyway it will be interesting to see what the ANF does with their new power.

Inclusive from Saturday 9th of August

1) The Saturday edition of the Geelong Advertiser will change from $2.00 to $2.20 GST.
2) The Saturday edition of the Herald-Sun will change from $2.00 to $2.20 GST.

An script has been sent to our clients to update these newspapers automatically.

There are still some remaining issues with network returns. You should, however, by now be advised of when you will have them, if not contact Network.

If you have not received by now confirmation of a submitted return relating to the 30th July, please contact network. You may need to print off our POS printout of your return and email it through to them.

To contact Network Services call 1300 131 169.

Other then that it looks like the problem is solved.

We have detailed instructions on setting up a Customer Loyalty Program.

I think this guide is a great way to get a Loyalty Scheme up and running, with advice on discounts, discount vouchers and points-per-dollar as well!

Our software has a very powerful and easy to use Loyalty system, which can dramatically improve your customer traffic and turnover with most importantly tracking.

 There is at the moment, a big queue in network processing the returns.

They are working through it, it is just going to take time. Please do not be concerned if you do not get a confirmation now. Wait till Monday, if there is still nothing then contact network.

As a result of networks IT system problems. You should be aware that they are having trouble processing returns. EDI returns can be sent, but Newsagents may not receive a confirmation message. Hopefully they will fix the problem soon. For further information please call Network Services on 1300 131 169.

Many you today will have problems with Network computer systems. They are working though it now and hopefully have a fix soon.

Update: There are no XchangeIT files from Network going out today though XchangeIT, they intend to send these files by email, they are hoping to fix it so the returns can get on this month statement.

Sometimes what people want is to print a not on a specific item for example say you sold someone a printer paper, why not tell them that you have a great selection for ink cartridges. Well it is easy in our software to do.

Call up the item in stock maintenance, now see the arrow here in green, press the box notes and put in a note in the box starting with "^", This will make it print on the receipt when the item is sold.

I was talking to our supplier of video security today and he discussed some of the latest research from the US. I thought some it would be very interesting to my clients.

Its a survey done in the US of 23 large retail companies with 23,204 stores having over $660 billion in retail sales in 2013 compared to 2012. According to the latest study, currently, about 30% of all stock shrinkage is estimated to be theft.

On average, dishonest employees steal 5.4 times the amount stolen by shoplifters ($706.21 vs $130.89).

I will be speaking soon about some exciting new functions we will be introducing to help our clients which we are very excited about.

From the August 1, 2014, which is next week as a general rule cardholders will no longer be able to use a signature when they make a purchase with their credit card, it will be only PIN. What will happen is the option to sign will not be available on the terminal.

We have been assured by several major suppliers that our software will work after August 1, 2014.

For most people, it is an upgrade to your terminal that will be coming electronically, but you need to check your terminal on August 1, 2014 as some terminals will not be upgraded immediately. With these you will for a time still be able to accept a signature.

I have been told by Tyro (our main supplier) that they will be doing the changeover overnight so they can update you outside of regular trading hours, which is nice. If you are with another supplier, you need to check when they will do it.

Be aware there will be some other exceptions that allow signatures besides terminal that are not yet updated such as International cards, mail orders, telephone orders, signature preferred cards, pre-paid and gift cards.

Now she is the largest shareholder, and thinking about it. You can read more here.

Our support manager Phil, after looking into it has decided the best solution to audit the subscriptions is to follow the check Subscriptions process as outlined  here.

While this may take some time to get the subscriptions aligned initially, once completed there should be very little variation when you run the report in the future. Delivery agents will benefit as in the long run they will be able to use this process in their weekly routine to quickly audit their subscriptions and make sure variations are not creeping into their system.

The alternate process some have suggested of running the Customers / Customer Reports / Customer Standing Orders / Order Enquiry with criteria  of publication, special offer, charge delivery=N depending on your setting up your deliveries appropriately so although it is quicker at first, is not that accurate.

 There are problems in checking publisher subscriptions' credits. The main two problems are: 

1) Newsagent is delivering to addresses they should not be and are not being credited.
2) Publisher details are incorrect and newsagents are not being credited correctly.

Please click here (link removed) for details.

Note we now have a program to automatically check these details with News Limited.

The Saturday Herald Sun and Geelong Advertiser cover price will rise on 9th August 2014. An automatic patch has been sent out to update the prices and commissions.

1) Checking your News Limited Subscriptions

This one is to handle shows how to audit your subscribers from the News Limited iServices web site to your records.

2) Managing News Limited subscriptions

News Limited has implemented a common computer system in all states of Australia. This document describes how best to manage your News Limited subscription customers using iServices.

One department that I believe my clients are doing much worse than they should is in drinks. Almost invariably when I do a big data analysis on one of my clients' shop data, what is clear is that the drink department is doing worse than it should. So what I do notice  when I go overseas, is the drink departments in many shops there in stores similar to my clients' stores in Australia are much bigger.  It must mean something.

I realise that it is for many a small department but still that is no excuse for not getting better value.

Another problem here, I think is that the mix in the drink department is fast changing, yet many of my clients are stuck on the old drinks like Coca-Cola and Lemonade. This is often due to your history files telling you what did sell but not what is selling outside your shop. As a result many are neglecting the growing functional beverage market such as health, energy and sports drinks all of which are rapidly growing.

Have a read here for more on this subject. [link removed]