We are seeing more homewares retailers introduce cafes in their businesses. This is an interesting more – for them and for us. We are enjoying our exposure to the needs of managing a cafe through our Point of Sale software.

In the businesses we have seen and are working with, the cafe / homewares business blend works well. It brings a vibe to the business and this is crucial in retail. Separating your offer from others in a similar space us crucial.

While we don’t see ourselves as delving further into the cafe space, we are certainly enjoying the experience and working with our customers to better blend the needs of the two businesses in one.

One thing we have learnt over the years in this software business is to be flexible.

You know you have had a successful trade show when you pack up at the end of the show with orders.  The last four days in Sydney at the Home and Giving Fair at Homebush have been good, reinforcing the value of our commitment to the gift and homewares channels several years ago.

We are looking forward to more of these trade shows this year since they attract retailers from several channels which interest us.

I have been fortunate to have time yesterday and today at the Gift Fair and the Home and Giving trade shows in Sydney. It was terrific seeing many of our Point of Sale software customers: gift show owners as well as newsagents.

I enjoyed walking the halls, spotting trends and considering the implications of these for our software and hoe we serve our customers. Trade shows in the gift space provide an insight into business for the rest of the year.

The retailers I spoke with are positive about 2010, most saying that they had an excellent Christmas and first two months to this year.

We have people at the trade show for the full five days. This is an indication of our commitment to the gift and homewares retail channels. Our Point of Sale is growing in its penetration.

More homewares suppliers are endorsing our Point of Sale software for gift and homewares businesses by supporting the EDI stock and invoice file standards we offer.

Our work with suppliers and retailers in the channel is helping eliminate work in both types of businesses.  It is also reducing mistakes, making stock management easier and providing better business certainty.

Retailers outside the gift and homewares channels will also benefit as suppliers make electronic invoicing and related facilities available to their broader retail community.

Our work is also strengthening vital relationships in the gift and homewares channel.  Both suppliers and retailers share a common goal of selling more stock.  Our software facilitates this in a way which is respectful of both sides.

With more gift and homewares retailers using our software, the prospects for improving efficiency in the channel this year are promising.

We have just published new advice on choosing the best software for your gift shop or homewares business.  Click here for a copy of this free advice.  We don’t tell the reader to choose Tower Systems.  Rather, we provide guidance on selection criteria and the process of thorough evaluation.

We have received contact from retailers in other field who have followed our advice and found good POS software for their businesses.

Choosing good software is easy if you understand your needs and retain control over the evaluation process.

Sure we have a vested interest - we have excellent POS software for gift shops and homewares businesses.  Above that, we want retailers to be happy with their choice for the long term - hence our investment in providing advice which on the selction process.

We have used the Melbourne Gift Fair this weekend as an opportunity to refresh our gift shop software offer. Click here for a larger copy of the pricing flyer which forms part of our inquiry kit.

This hardware and software package is eligible for the tax break (investment allowance) from the federal government as long as the business turns over less than $2 million annually.

The gift shop package includes fast current-standard hardware (computer, hands-free scanner, receipt printer, cash drawer, laser printer and USB sticks) as well as our specialist POS software and on site training.

The package is backed by our 24/7 support service, free access to our online training academy - Tower users have the opportunity to keep learning long after the system is installed - plus access to our user meetings which we run around the country.

The software included in the package handles traditional POS functions plus lay-by, customer loyalty program, marketing tools, business performance reporting, stock management and reordering, postcode tracking and many other functions our gift shop community is finding useful.

Tower Systems is exhibiting at Melbourne Gift Fair again this year, on stand E2714 - at the Melbourne Showgrounds, Ascot Vale.  The show runs from August 1 through 5.  We are looking forward to meeting with owners of gift shops, homewares shops and newsagencies as we have POS software solutions for all three businesses.

We participated in the Melbourne Gift Fair last year and wrote some excellent business as a result.  That experience and the pre-show comments from the marketplace encourage us to look forward to this year’s event.

We will have the very latest gift shop and homewares shop software available on our stand for demonstration.  We will also have a special offer available for those buying at or very soon after the show.

This is one of eight trade shows we are participating in over the next ten weeks.  Trade shows are an excellent way to meet with existing customers as well as prospective customers.

We serve gift and homewares shops of all sizes and situations from part-time operations through to a network of shopping centre based businesses.  Our software complies with the latest EDI standards -you can load electronic invoices from participating suppliers.