Category: Advice for retailers

newsXpress has provided its members with an AI acceptable use policy for members to consider applying within their businesses.

This is on the back of training for newsXpress members in the use of AI everyday in their businesses, and support for members on various AI platforms and advice on to make the most of the opportunities.

In the small business retail space the use of AI is a bit all over the place at the moment and this guidance from newsXpress for its members helps provide focus and structure from which the businesses can benefit.

A Framework for Responsible Innovation

The core of this policy is designed to ensure that while we embrace the future, we do so ethically and securely. Key pillars of the newsXpress guidance include:

• The “Golden Rule” of Data Privacy: Protecting sensitive information is paramount. Members are advised never to input customer data, financial figures, or proprietary business strategies into public AI tools.
• Human-in-the-Loop: While AI can assist with drafting and research, it is not infallible. All generated output must be fact-checked by a human, edited for brand voice, and personally owned by the staff member responsible.
• Operational Security: The policy encourages the use of business-owned devices and specific privacy settings—such as “Temporary Chat” modes—to ensure business data is not used to train public models.
• Transparency & Bias Checks: We believe in being open with our customers. Significant AI-assisted work should be disclosed, and all outputs must be reviewed to ensure they do not reflect or amplify social biases.

Building AI Literacy Together

AI is a powerful tool for brainstorming and content drafting, but its true value is unlocked through collaboration. By providing this structured policy, newsXpress is helping members move beyond a “hit-or-miss” approach toward a culture of AI literacy.

newsXpress encourages all members to use this policy as a starting point to craft their own internal guidelines, ensuring their teams remain at the cutting edge of retail technology while maintaining the highest professional standards.

All newsagents need this

All newsagents, all small business retailers, all businesses, need an AI policy, to set the ground rules, to establish processes. This is at the core of driving outcomes that are safe and right for the business.

This area of AI is another where newsXpress leads the channel.

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newsXpress is a marketing group that supports small local independent retailers to thrive. Find out more at help@newsxpress.com.au.

Sometimes the path ahead in your business can seem overwhelmingly obstructed. The air can feel thick with uncertainty, making it difficult to see a clear way forward. We understand this, and have experience with it ourselves.  The situation can feel helpless, leaving you exhausted and simply wanting the struggle to be over.

If this describes your current state of mind, please know that you are not alone. There are many within the newsagency channel and the broader retail community who can help. Talking to someone provides clarity and eases the burden, even if they only listen. You are welcome to call us anytime on 0418 321 338. Our advice is simple: do not walk through this alone.

Why Today Matters
We are sharing this message today because we know 2026 has started off with some challenges.

If you are at a point where closing your newsagency feels like the only viable option, we urge you to seek a second opinion. Many in our community are willing to offer a perspective based on your business data. This includes your sales figures, Profit & Loss statements, and local economic facts.

Often, the evidence within your data holds hidden opportunities. These can become obscured by the noise of perceived obstacles and the fog of exhaustion. By sticking to the facts rather than the emotion, we can often find a way through.

Strategies for a Turnaround
Moving away from the idea that closing is your only option usually requires a combination of four specific strategies:

• Attracting new shoppers.
• Encouraging existing shoppers to purchase more.
• Increasing profitability on current sales.
• Reducing operating costs.

While these points seem straightforward, the difficulty lies in the execution.

Attracting New Shoppers

The most effective way to bring in new customers is to introduce a completely new product category. You must represent this well in-store and promote it actively on social media. Your existing suppliers may not have helpful advice here, as their focus is on what you already sell. Look outside your current pool of influencers. Choose a category that is fun, appealing, and generates foot traffic. Ideally, it should be something not easily found locally that also interests you personally.

Increasing Basket Value and Profit

To get existing customers to spend more, implement a smart loyalty program and ensure your shop is an environment people genuinely enjoy visiting. To increase profitability, you may need to charge more, secure better purchasing terms, or both. Even a modest increase in your gross profit percentage can make a significant difference to the bottom line.

Managing Costs

Reducing costs is a common tactic, but in my experience, it is rarely enough to save a business on its own. A well-run business has usually trimmed its costs already. While cost-cutting should be part of the mix, it is seldom the sole solution.

Looking Over the Horizon
A successful turnaround requires addressing issues early. It is vital for business owners to look well ahead and cultivate assets that can be deployed when change is needed. If you feel stuck, it may be because your business is too deeply rooted in the past of the newsagency channel.

Our inspiration comes from looking far outside our industry. We look at trade shows for other channels, different types of retailers, and online trends. We must have the courage to play outside the limitations of our traditional “newsagent” shingle.

Practical Steps to Take Now
If you are contemplating closing, please consider these steps first:

• Analyse your data: Look for “green shoots” of good news that you can grow.
• Stop unprofitable activities: If a service or product does not make money, stop doing it.
• Be a retailer, not an agent: Take control of your floor space and your margins.
• Diversify: Find products that generate traffic in your specific location.
• Seek outside help: Join a marketing group or partner with an outside force that will challenge your perspective and open you to new opportunities.

Complaining is not a management activity. Action is the only way forward. Many newsagents are currently enjoying good results and feeling optimistic about the future. There is no reason why you cannot be one of them.

Having access to the cash you need when you need it’s critical in business. Survey after survey of small business retailers ranks cash flow as the biggest challenge they face.

Cash flow will be a challenge where the business has spent more than it can afford to, revenue is too low, or money is leaving the business in some way. A cash flow challenge could be a combination of any or all three.

The business owner is responsible for any cash flow challenge. They decide what is spent and when it’s spent. Ownership of the challenge is vital to resolving it.

Here are some obvious and often forgotten management principles designed to help improve the cashflow position of a business:

1. Borrow as little as possible. Capital that has an interest cost associated with it’s expensive to the business.
2. Turn stock as quickly as possible. The longer a product sits on your shelves, the higher the cost to the business.
   1. Make shopping easy.
   2. Display products to encourage purchase.
   3. Carry little or no back-room stock. Instead, rely on suppliers to supply just in time.
   4. Buy new stock based on what your data indicates works in the business.
   5. Stock more products like your top sellers and less products that are your bottom sellers.
3. Keep your labour cost as low as is practical.
4. Carefully consider what you expect to make from every business expense before making the expense.
5. Check to see if there are lower cost alternatives before paying overheads such as business insurance or utilities.
6. Set your prices to maximise the opportunity, balancing maximising margin with expected shelf time.
7. Where you can, pay suppliers to access a settlement discount and bank the additional margin on those products.
8. Sell online so the business is trading 24 hours a day and not restricted by the physical shop’s opening hours.
9. Don’t provide customer credit unless it’s essential.
10. Pay bills early if you have the cash.
11. Don’t spend money on anything in or for the business that you cannot measure. Measurement is critical to understanding if the spend has delivered financial value for the business.
12. Have appropriate shopper and employee theft mitigation steps in place.
13. Set aside an amount each week via an automated transfer into a rainy day account. This is to build a buffer should something unexpected happen within the business.

You’re very much in control of whether cash flow will be a problem in your business. Acting ahead of a problem is more important than being in a position where you need to react.

Data is key to cash flow comfort, data about business performance transactionally through to data as represented in the financial statements for the business. The more in control you’re of your business data and the better you understand it, the less likely you’re to encounter a cash flow problem.

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newsXpress is a marketing group that supports small local independent retailers to thrive. Find out more at help@newsxpress.com.au.

The idea of these questions is to put the needs of your business front and centre. Having this list can make it less confronting for you when you ask the suppliers. Think about the answers from your potential suppliers and whether they serve your needs.

1. What is unique about your business?
2. Where are your products made?
3. Do you provide sample products?
4. Will you supply other retailers near my shop?
5. Can I sell your products online?
6. What are your freight charges?
7. What level of inventory do you hold, and how quickly can you supply?
8. Do you provide electronic invoices?
9. Can I order directly online with you?
10. What is your settlement discount?
11. Can you do better on price?

Asking each potential supplier the same questions guides a consistent approach to evaluating suppliers. This should provide you with more consistent results in terms of supplier performance.

Evaluate the Partnership, Not Just the Price

While the answers to logistical questions like freight and discounts are vital for your margins, pay close attention to the quality of communication during this process. A supplier who is transparent about their inventory levels and responsive to your inquiries is likely to be a reliable partner when challenges arise, such as shipping delays or product defects. Remember, you aren’t just buying stock; you are entering into a professional relationship. A supplier whose values and pace align with your own will contribute significantly to the long-term stability and reputation of your retail brand.

Review and Refine Regularly

The retail landscape is constantly shifting, and a supplier that met your needs three years ago might no longer be the best fit today. Use these questions as part of an annual or bi-annual audit of your current partnerships to ensure they remain competitive. If a long-term supplier has slipped on delivery times or ceased offering settlement discounts, having this consistent data allows you to have a constructive, evidence-based conversation with them. Maintaining a high standard for your suppliers ensures that your shop remains agile, profitable, and stocked with the best possible products for your customers.

Your relationship with your suppliers is one of the most significant levers you can pull to control the health of your retail business.

By moving from passive ordering to active, inquiry-based sourcing, you shift the power dynamic in your favour and ensure that every item on your shelves earns its keep. Treat these questions not as a one-time hurdle, but as the foundation of a professional standard that protects your margins and guarantees the quality your customers expect.

When you put your business needs front and centre, you aren’t just buying products, you’re building a resilient, profitable future.

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newsXpress is a marketing group that supports small local independent retailers to thrive. Find out more at help@newsxpress.com.au.