Category: Advice

Rent is often one of the most significant overheads for any retail business, typically accounting for 11% to 15% of total turnover. While it is standard for leases to include annual CPI increases, many retailers feel trapped by these rising costs. While you can hire lease consultants, the reality is that the best person to negotiate a rent reduction is often you.

The Consultant vs. The Owner

Lease consultants often come from a leasing background and maintain ongoing relationships with landlords. While they can provide expertise, they may also be inclined to preserve those professional ties. As the business owner, you are the only one truly invested in the outcome. Doing it yourself sends a clear message to your landlord that you are deeply committed to the long-term viability of your shop.

Position Your Business as an Asset

Before entering negotiations, you must look at your business through the landlord’s eyes. Landlords want tenants who add value to their investment. To strengthen your position, ensure you are running:

• An efficient, profitable operation.

• A shop with high “curb appeal” that the landlord is proud to have in their building.

• A business with fast stock turns and tightly managed labour costs.

If your business is a desirable fixture in the local area, the landlord has a vested interest in keeping you there. This may lead them to waive an annual increase or agree to a net reduction to ensure they don’t face a vacancy.

The Power of the Narrative

Negotiation is about more than just asking for a discount; it’s about crafting a narrative. Demanding a reduction without justification will likely result in a “no.” Instead, present a clear, fact-based case:

• Share your P&L: If your net profit is slim despite efficient management, showing these figures can help a landlord understand the necessity of rent relief.

• Keep it concise: Avoid long, emotional emails. A one-to-two-page summary of the facts and your requested outcome is far more effective.

• Offer a win-win: Sometimes you may need to give something to get something, such as a lease extension in exchange for a lower rate.

Have a Plan B

You are in the strongest position when you have an alternative. Whether you are at the end of a lease or mid-term, know what your “Plan B” looks like. This might mean scouting a nearby location or growing your online presence to reduce reliance on physical foot traffic. When you aren’t 100% reliant on a “yes” from the landlord, your negotiation becomes much more objective and less stressful.

Utilise Available Resources

If negotiations stall, remember that there are external resources available. Most Australian states and territories offer mediation through Small Business Commissioners or Ombudsmen. These services can provide a second opinion on whether your rent is commercially viable and help facilitate a fair outcome.

Ultimately, you know the story of your business better than anyone else. By approaching your landlord with a professional, structured, and fact-based case, you can take control of your biggest expense and build a more sustainable future for your retail shop.

In the competitive landscape of Australian retail, many small business owners feel an immense pressure to be the cheapest. There is a persistent belief that to survive against national chains, you must offer the lowest possible price. But is this “race to the bottom” actually serving your business, or is it slowly eroding your sustainability?

Why Customers Really Shop With You

The first step in rethinking your pricing is understanding why your customers walk through your door. Very often, it isn’t just about the price tag. It’s about convenience.

If your shop has parking right out the front, if you are open later than the big-box retailers, or if you provide a level of service that can’t be found in a supermarket aisle, you are providing a premium value. Think about the “convenience tax” we all pay at a cinema or a petrol station. We don’t expect a can of soft drink to cost the same at a service station as it does in a bulk pack at the grocery store. Your customers don’t expect it from you, either.

Don’t Be a Slave to the RRP

Many retailers blindly follow the Recommended Retail Price (RRP) or the suggested prices programmed into their POS software. It is important to remember that these figures are generated by suppliers based on a broad national average. They don’t account for your specific rent, your local labour costs, or the unique demographic of your area.

If you are a regional retailer where getting stock delivered is difficult and expensive, you have every right—and a commercial responsibility—to set your own pricing. Look at your inventory and ask yourself: “What is this item actually worth to someone in this moment?”

Building a Financial Buffer

We are currently seeing significant shifts in the economy, particularly with fuel surcharges and rising overheads. These aren’t secrets; your customers see the same news reports you do. This environment provides the necessary “cover” to revisit your markup policy.

You don’t need to make massive, sweeping price hikes. Success in retail is often a game of inches. By increasing your margin by just 2% or 3% across certain gift, fashion, or specialty categories, you build a vital buffer. This extra gross profit helps you absorb the inevitable annual increases in rent and wages without needing to constantly find a massive influx of new customers.

The Bottom Line

Stop trying to beat the giants at a game you can’t win. They spend millions telling people how cheap they are, then use “house brands” and sneaky tactics to claw back their margins.

As an independent, your strength lies in your agility. Take the time to audit your markup. A series of small, intentional pricing decisions today will lead to a much healthier, more resilient business tomorrow.

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newsXpress helps local retailers thrive.

Cash flow is the lifeblood of any successful retail operation. Yet, for many Australian small business owners, it remains one of the most challenging aspects of daily management. It is a common frustration: looking at a profit and loss statement that shows a healthy surplus, only to find the actual bank balance tells a different story.

Maintaining a healthy cash flow in the current economic climate requires more than just hard work; it requires a strategic shift in how you view your liquidity. Whether you are navigating seasonal fluctuations, managing rising inventory costs, or looking for ways to bolster your bottom line, understanding the movement of money is essential for long-term sustainability.

The Profit vs. Cash Trap

The first fundamental every retailer must master is the distinction between profit and cash. Profit is an accounting figure—the difference between your total sales and your expenses. Cash, however, is the tangible liquidity available to pay your rent, staff, and suppliers today. You can be “profitable” on paper while being “cash poor” because your capital is tied up in unpaid invoices or, more commonly, sitting gathering dust on your shelves.

Inventory: Your Frozen Liquidity

In the independent retail sector, inventory management is often where cash flow battles are won or lost. Every item of stock on your floor represents “frozen” cash. If your stock levels are too high, or if you are holding slow-moving lines, your liquidity is effectively trapped.

Strategic inventory management involves a constant “treasure hunt” for efficiency. By monitoring sell-through rates and being ruthless with aged stock, you free up the capital necessary to reinvest in high-performing categories. Remember, a smaller, faster-turning inventory is almost always healthier for your bank balance than a crowded shop full of stagnant products.

Forecasting for the Leaner Periods

Strategic planning is your best defence against the inevitable ebbs and flows of the Australian retail cycle. Forecasting allows you to anticipate leaner months and prepare your cash reserves accordingly. This might mean negotiating better terms with suppliers during peak periods or adjusting your “bucket of cash” experimentation budget to suit the season.

The Path Forward

Gaining control over your business finances is about making informed, proactive decisions rather than reacting to a low balance. By implementing retail best practices—such as regular financial reviews and disciplined stock ordering—you move from merely surviving to actively growing.

At newsXpress, we are dedicated to supporting a diverse network of independent retailers. We provide the innovative marketing, quality resources, and expert advice needed to navigate these financial complexities. If you are looking to redefine your business and secure its financial future, we are here to help.

Let’s get into practical advice for local small business retailers.

In this video, we explore a pivotal shift in modern retail: the idea that your “shingle”—the name or industry category under which you trade, should never define your future. For too long, independent small business owners have felt restricted by traditional labels, but in 2026, the most successful retailers are those who dare to be non-traditional.

We discuss how retail is moving toward an experience of discovery, or what we call “treasure hunt retail.” From garden centres in Scotland and California offering wine tastings and co-working spaces to newsagents in Tasmania and Queensland finding massive success with garden bulbs and premium coffee, the boundaries are disappearing.

In this video, we cover:

• Breaking the Shingle: Why traditional industry labels are often a self-imposed restriction that customers don’t actually share.
• Treasure Hunt Retail: How to draw customers deeper into your store by offering unexpected and exciting items.
• The “Bucket of Cash” Strategy: How to use a small, dedicated budget (as little as $300–$500) to experiment with products entirely outside your known category.
• Winning the Front Window: Using impulse-buy items to arrest the attention of passers-by and drive new foot traffic.
• The Power of Surprise: Why pushing the boundaries of how customers see your business is the best way to get them talking and returning.

Whether you run a pet shop, toy shop, bike shop, or newsagency, the rules have changed. You have the freedom to redefine your business and create a unique retail experience that can’t be found elsewhere.

At newsXpress, we are dedicated to helping local independent retailers across Australia navigate this evolution. Originally focused on newsagents, our mission has expanded to support a wide variety of small business retail areas, helping them stay successful and central to their communities.

Small business retail is about more than just fulfilling a need; it’s about providing a unique, curated experience that can’t be replicated by big-box competitors. By playing “outside the box,” you not only differentiate your business but also build a more resilient and exciting retail environment.

Visit us at wwwnewsxpress.com.au to learn more about how we can help you innovate.

Email: help@newsxpress.com.au

Is an expensive, professional shop fit truly necessary for retail success today? For many independent retailers, the traditional model of high-capital fit-outs is becoming a burden rather than an asset.

In our latest video, we explore why the “polished” look of major shopping centres may not be the best fit for your local High Street business.

The True Cost of a Shop Fit

Professional shop fitters do exceptional work. However, they are expensive. A fit-out costing $150,000 to $200,000 creates a significant capital debt.

Over a five-year lifespan, that is a $30,000 to $40,000 annual cost. In a tight economic environment with thin margins, this is a heavy weight to carry.

Authenticity Over Polish

Modern customers are looking for authenticity. They want a local shopping experience that feels “real” rather than manufactured.

You do not need an altar or a shrine to your brand. You need a functional space that supports the sale of products. Often, the best way to achieve this is by avoiding expensive fit-out businesses altogether.

The “Smell of an Oily Rag” Approach

Some of the most magnificent shops in Australia have been fitted out on a limited budget. We have seen retailers in Central Queensland create world-class environments using everyday items.

Consider these low-cost alternatives to traditional fixtures:

• Repurposed Furniture: A secondhand dining table can create a stunning centrepiece for a game or gift display.

• Comfortable Seating: Use lounge chairs or couches to make your shop immersive. This works perfectly for bookshops or fashion boutiques.

• Found Props: Items found at charity shops or even old farm equipment can add unique character that a professional fitter cannot replicate.

High Street Freedom

If you trade on a local High Street, you are likely dealing with a local landlord. Unlike major centres like Westfield, these landlords rarely mandate a corporate aesthetic.

This gives you the freedom to experiment. Be frugal. Be unique. Create an environment that makes customers smile because it is unexpected and warm.

Watch the Video

Before you sign a quote for a major renovation, watch the video below. We discuss how to refresh your store without the massive price tag.

At newsXpress, we are committed to helping independent retailers thrive through innovation and savvy business choices. Visit us at www.newsxpress.com.au.

Selling a newsagency is a significant life event that requires careful preparation to achieve the best possible price.

Too often, owners decide to sell and then pull back or coast, allowing the business to decline just when it needs to look its best for a prospective purchaser. The most attractive shops to a buyer are those that are clean, organised, and demonstrate consistent, verifiable profitability.

newsXpress helps newsagents create businesses that are appealing when it’s time to sell.

The process begins with cleaning house and decluttering.

You must be ruthless in eliminating dead stock from your shelves. A prospective purchaser will not want to pay wholesale prices for inventory that has been sitting for years without selling. By clearing out old stock through targeted clearance sales, you improve the physical look of the shop and show the buyer that the inventory is fresh and moveable.

newsXpress can help with this.

Next, ensure your paperwork and financial records are in perfect order.

Buyers will want to see at least two years of accountant-prepared profit and loss statements and corresponding tax returns. You should also have copies of your premises lease, equipment leases, and up-to-date employee records ready for review. This includes details on accrued leave and long service leave. The more transparent and organised you are with this data, the more confidence a buyer will have in the transaction.

newsXpress can help with this.

It is vital to run the business as if you are keeping it until the day of settlement. Keep innovating, embracing change, and keeping your social media presence active. If there are parts of the business operations you currently dislike or find inefficient, consider fixing them before you go to market. If you find a process frustrating, a buyer likely will too, which could negatively impact the sale price.

newsXpress can help with this.

By presenting a modern, efficient, and happy business, you demonstrate to the purchaser that they are buying a healthy asset with a bright future. Your goal is to be a reluctant seller of a high-performing business. This professional approach ensures you get the best possible return on your years of hard work when you finally decide to move on to your next chapter.

Find out more: help@newsxpress.com.au

Artificial intelligence is a practical tool that Australian newsagents can use to save hours of administrative work every week. Many retailers feel overwhelmed by the daily busy work of running a shop, such as writing social media posts, responding to emails, or reviewing long documents. AI can act as a digital assistant to handle these tasks efficiently, allowing you to focus on the shop floor where the most important customer interactions occur.

newsXpress has an AI strategy for newsagents, that anyone can use, that helps you make money.

For example, you can use AI tools to summarise complex lease disclosures or supplier contracts. By asking the tool to identify key risks or unusual clauses, you can better prepare for negotiations with your landlord or vendors. This level of preparation ensures you are making informed decisions based on facts rather than rushing through paperwork.

newsXpress can help with this.

AI is also exceptional for marketing and content creation. If you have a new product but are not sure how to describe its benefits, you can input a few basic details and ask the AI to generate an entertaining blog post or a series of social media captions. This helps overcome the creative block that many non-creative types experience when trying to promote their business.

newsXpress can help with this.

To maintain security, never input sensitive financial figures, proprietary data, or private customer contact lists into public AI tools. However, you can use these tools to research local trends and shopper interests. Ask the AI what types of gifts are trending for specific demographics in your area, and use that information to guide your next stock order.

newsXpress can help with this.

Another use for AI is creating content for your website to improve search engine rankings. You can use it to generate first drafts of educational articles about the products you sell, which helps set you apart from competitors. The goal is to provide value to the reader while making your shop easier to find online . newsXpress recommends using AI to humanise your digital presence. Take the generated text and edit it so it sounds like it comes from a real person. This ensures your marketing remains authentic and reflects your unique knowledge while allowing you to produce professional content much faster than you could on your own.

newsXpress can help with this.

Find out more: help@newsxpress.com.au

The traditional Australian newsagency model is at a crossroads. It’s possible that the traditional Aussie newsagency is dead.

For decades, the industry relied on a predictable mix of newspapers, magazines, lottery tickets and basic stationery. However, consumer habits have shifted permanently. Relying solely on these legacy lines is no longer a viable long-term strategy for those wanting to build a valuable asset.

To thrive in the current retail landscape, newsagency owners must move past the “agent” mindset.

Being an agent for third parties often results in following rigid rules and accepting razor-thin commissions that do not cover the rising costs of rent and labour.

The most successful newsXpress members today are those who give themselves permission to be different. Whether it is a dedicated gift boutique, a high-end homewares section or a range of artisan products, if it resonates with your local shoppers, it belongs in your store. There are no longer strict rules demanding your business stay in a lane defined by the shingle above your door. By disrupting expectations, you can create a unique destination that people will travel to visit.

Resilience is built through flexibility and a willingness to test new product categories that offer higher gross profit margins. This transformation does not have to happen overnight. It is a journey of small, consistent steps. Start by allocating a small amount of capital to experiment with a niche range. Measure the results through your software and adjust your stock accordingly. When you find a category that works, expand it ruthlessly.

Success today is about owning your future rather than waiting for a supplier to tell you what to sell. This requires a leadership mindset where you take responsibility for the profitability of every square metre of your shop floor. The goal is to create a business that is so relevant to your local community that they would genuinely miss it if you closed your doors.

Anyone can do it, anyone can change their newsagency and they can do this without cutting off traditional products like papers or magazines or lotteries. There are ways to do this while enjoying success with them.

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newsXpress supports small local independent retailers to thrive. Find out more at help@newsxpress.com.au.

Retail is a people business. For an introvert, the constant social interaction and high-energy environment can present unique challenges. However, being an introvert doesn’t mean you can’t run a thriving shop; it simply means you need to design your business to work with your energy rather than against it.

Here are several practical strategies for introvert owners to manage their business effectively while caring for their own wellbeing.

Find Your Preferred Voice

You likely have deep knowledge about your products, but sharing that information in a crowded shop or a public group might feel draining.

Look for ways to express your expertise that feel comfortable. If you enjoy writing, use your website, blog, or social media to tell the stories behind your stock. If you prefer speaking but dislike an audience, filming short videos can be a great way to connect with customers on your own terms.

Protect Your Personal Space

In a busy retail environment, it is easy to become overstimulated. It is vital to schedule “recharge” time throughout your day. Whether it is a quiet half-hour in the office or a walk outside, ensuring you have time alone is not a luxury—it is a necessity for maintaining your focus and mental health.

The Power of Delegation

You do not have to be the “face” of every interaction. Identify the tasks that you find most draining and delegate them to team members who thrive on those specific social energies.

In some cases, it may suit your business to have a staff member act as the primary spokesperson. We have even seen businesses use a “store pet” as a persona on social media. A sassy cat or a friendly shop dog can communicate your brand message with a tone that you might not feel comfortable using yourself, and customers often find it incredibly engaging.

Lean on Technology

If you have a small team, technology can act as your frontline. Chatbot platforms can be integrated into your website and social media to answer common customer queries using the knowledge you provide. This ensures your customers get immediate help without requiring you to be “on” at every moment of the day.

Set the Store Atmosphere

You have the power to influence the shopping experience through your environment. By choosing calmer music, softer lighting, and thoughtful product displays, you can set a gentler tone for your shop. Often, a calmer environment leads to a more relaxed customer, making your daily interactions much more manageable.

Recognising Your Limits

Introversion varies from person to person, and it is important to stay aware of how the business is impacting you.

I have known retailers who, after many years, found that the constant social demands began to weigh too heavily on them. Recognising when your business no longer aligns with your personal wellbeing is a strength, not a weakness. How we treat ourselves as owners directly impacts our mental health and the longevity of the business.

Caring for the Owner

We often focus so much on caring for our customers and our staff that we forget to care for ourselves. The goal is to build a business that you enjoy being in. By acknowledging your introversion and building systems to support it, you can create a retail space that is both successful and sustainable.

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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.

In a recent industry briefing, the newsXpress team demonstrated how Australian newsagents and specialty retailers are using Generative AI to move beyond administrative tasks and into high-level business strategy. Rather than viewing AI as a future concept, these retailers are applying it today to solve practical challenges in leasing, inventory, and local marketing.

The following strategies highlight how modern retail intelligence is being reshaped by AI.

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Data-Driven Supplier and Brand Scouting

Modern AI tools allow retailers to map the local competitive landscape with precision. By querying which local competitors stock specific brands, retailers can identify market gaps before making inventory commitments. Furthermore, AI assists in identifying “wholesale-first” suppliers, helping independent retailers avoid competition with brands that prioritise direct-to-consumer online sales.

Optimising the Digital Footprint via GBP

A critical insight shared was the evolving role of the Google Business Profile (GBP). Because AI models now ingest GBP data to understand business offerings, its importance has shifted from a simple map listing to a core SEO driver. Recommendations include:

• Frequency: Posting three to four times per week.

• Granularity: Focusing each post on a singular product or specific service to feed the AI model clear data points.

• Connectivity: Ensuring a seamless link between the physical store, the website, and the GBP content.

Hyper-Local Demographic Merchandising

AI’s ability to synthesise demographic data allows for highly targeted product mixes. For example, analysis of a coastal town with a significant “young grandparent” demographic revealed opportunities for a “Grandparent Economy” strategy. This involves stocking high-end toys and activity kits specifically curated for visiting family, rather than generic convenience items.

Contextual Retail Timing

Retailers are using AI to identify temporal shopping patterns. In holiday regions, this results in a “Friday Arrival/Sunday Departure” strategy. On Fridays, the focus shifts to arrival essentials and pantry-stocking items; by Sunday, the merchandising pivot targets gifts, souvenirs, and “take-home” products for tourists.

Document Scrutiny and Risk Mitigation

The session highlighted the utility of AI in reviewing complex retail leases and disclosure documents. By processing lengthy legal text, the AI can flag concerns regarding outgoings, maintenance responsibilities, and rent review structures. This provides retailers with a summary of risks to discuss with their legal representatives, streamlining the negotiation process.

Creative Visual Problem Solving

The use of visual AI—taking photos of items to generate descriptions or instructions—is being used for everything from merchandising inspiration to troubleshooting store equipment without manuals. This adds a layer of efficiency to the “back-of-house” operations that often consume a retailer’s time.

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The core takeaway is that AI is a tool for broadening knowledge and accelerating decision-making. For the independent retailer, it provides a level of analytical depth previously reserved for large-scale corporate entities.

Full Session Recording: https://youtu.be/jh4jq9efR5M

Artificial Intelligence is no longer just a futuristic concept. For local business owners, like Aussie newsagents, it has become a practical, everyday tool that simplifies complex tasks and uncovers new opportunities for growth.

Here is how you can start using AI to give your retail business a competitive edge. This is advice from the team at newsXpress based on experience in the office and in shops. We are publishing it here with free access so all can benefit from it. It’s another way newsXpress gives back.

Smarter Product Research

One of the most immediate benefits of AI is its ability to act as a sophisticated search engine. Instead of manually trawling through supplier lists, you can ask AI to identify which competitors in your area stock specific brands.

This allows you to see gaps in the local market. If a nearby store is performing well with a particular range, you can use AI to suggest complementary products that might attract a similar demographic to your shop.

Local Insights and Demographics

Understanding your local community is vital for curated retailing. AI can help you analyse the specific needs of your suburb. For example, if you operate in a seaside town with a mix of retirees and holidaymakers, AI can suggest tailored stock.

It might recommend ‘modern grandparent’ gifts, such as high-end activity kits for visiting grandkids, or ‘welcome home’ pantry boxes for weekend residents. These specific insights help you move beyond generic stock.

Simplifying Complex Paperwork

Retailers are often buried in legal and administrative documents. Tools like Gemini or Claude can now ‘read’ and summarise long documents, such as lease disclosures or supplier contracts.

By uploading a PDF, you can ask the AI to highlight potential concerns, such as hidden outgoings or unusual rent increase clauses. While it does not replace legal advice, it provides a valuable first look that saves hours of reading.

Refreshing Your Digital Presence

If your website or social media feels stagnant, AI can provide a ruthless critique. You can ask it to review your online store from the perspective of a customer and suggest improvements for better discovery.

It is also excellent for generating unique product descriptions. Instead of copying and pasting supplier text, use AI to rewrite descriptions in your own brand voice. This improves your search engine rankings and makes your site feel more personal.

Improving Your Google Visibility

Your Google Business Profile is more important than ever. AI models often use this data to recommend shops to users.

To stay relevant, try to post three or four times a week. Each post should focus on a different product. This constant stream of information helps AI understand exactly what you sell, making it more likely to suggest your shop to local customers.

Getting Started

The best advice for any retailer is to simply start experimenting. Treat the AI as a collaborator. If you aren’t happy with an answer, ask it to think harder or provide more detail. It is a tool designed to broaden your knowledge, not replace your intuition.

The traditional Australian newsagency is at a crossroads. Actually, we think the traditional Australian newsagency is dead.

This is the advice newsXpress provides in our focus on helping newsagents run thriving businesses.

Recent benchmarking data confirm a widening gap between businesses that have embraced transformation and those still operating on a model from twenty years ago.

If your shop relies solely on newspapers, lottery tickets, and basic stationery, the path forward is increasingly difficult. However, for those willing to innovate, the opportunities for growth have never been better.

Moving Past the ‘Agent’ Mindset

For decades, many owners saw themselves primarily as ‘agents’ for third parties—handling parcel collections, bill payments, and lottery distributions. While these services bring people through the door, they often offer razor-thin margins.

The future of the industry lies in shifting from an agent to a true retailer. You are not bound by the sign above your door. You have the freedom to curate a product mix that reflects what your specific local community wants to buy today.

High-Margin ‘Upside’ Categories

Data from high-performing stores shows that double-digit growth is coming from categories that didn’t exist in newsagencies five years ago. Items like high-end homewares, collectible mint coins, and trading cards are driving significant revenue.

Consider the shift toward fashion and clothing. Many successful newsagencies now include small change rooms with mirrors. This simple addition allows them to sell apparel with gross profit margins of 60% or higher. It is a simple way to turn a $20 customer into a $300 customer.

Incremental Change on a Budget

Transformation does not require a massive capital investment or a complete shop fit-out. You can introduce new categories with a focus on stock rather than expensive renovations.

By introducing pop culture items or unique giftware, some stores have seen these new lines account for 25% of total revenue and over half of their gross profit within just a few years. This proves that resilience is built through flexibility and a willingness to test new ideas.

Permission to be Flexible

The most successful newsagents in 2026 are those who give themselves permission to be different. They don’t worry about whether a product ‘belongs’ in a newsagency.

Whether it is a café corner, a range of artisan gifts, or local boutique clothing, if it resonates with your shoppers, it belongs in your store. The goal is to create a business that is resilient, profitable, and relevant to the modern Australian shopper.

Next Steps for Your Business

Take a critical look at your current sales data. Identify which categories are declining and where there is potential for growth. Transformation is a journey of small, consistent steps rather than one giant leap.

The retail landscape will continue to change, but those who are willing to look beyond the traditional ‘newsagent’ label will find plenty of reasons to be optimistic about the 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.

Security is important in any retail business. Here are some security tips, starting from the basic and simple and progressing to the more tech oriented:

1. Keep a record of all keys used in your business and who has them.
2. Keep a spare key in a safe place away from the business.
3. Change the most powerful/valuable password for your computer software monthly, and share it sparingly. Check the strength of your passwords with a reputable website like https://howsecureismypassword.net
4. Keep a current data backup off site, in the cloud, preferably. Regularly check that you can restore the backup and that the restored information is current.
5. Use your business software to check for the deletion or alteration of data, as this could indicate employee fraud.
6. Have current reputable virus protection on all computers.
7. Have a current reputable firewall installed on your network.
8. Never open a zip file sent by email.
9. Never open an email that is not clearly official. Read the sender email addresses carefully.
10. Be discreet when talking about the business and its performance.
11. Don’t do banking at the same time. Don’t follow the same route. Don’t carry the same bag.
12. Have a camera system installed to get a good shot of the faces of everyone entering and leaving the business.
13. Consider registering your CCTV with the local police.
14. Let customers see that they are being filmed.
15. Train employees to make eye contact with customers.
16. Train employees on emergency procedures for handling theft, aggressive people and shoplifters.
17. Use the full stock control facilities of your software to understand the financial costs of shoplifting.
18. Ensure that your windows are not cluttered. Cluttered windows can hinder someone outside noticing a crime.
19. Ensure that there is good lighting outside the store.
20. Ensure that you have good sightlines from the counter.
21. Have a ‘no personal items at the counter’ policy.
22. If you catch someone shoplifting, ask them to wait in the store, and call the police.
    1. Tell the person in your store who you’re.
    2. Tell them why they have been asked to stay in the store. Advise them that police have been called.
    3. Ask them to surrender anything from the shop that doesn’t belong to them. You have no legal right to search them.
    4. Don’t put yourself at risk.
23. Have a clear refund processing policy and ensure that all employees are trained on this.
24. Track all sales by employee code.
25. When hiring, ask applicants to agree to a police check. Check their references.
26. Don’t hire friends of employees, and make sure to explain your commitment to zero tolerance regarding theft.
27. Have an employee theft policy in full view.

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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.

At the end of the day, you want to feel like you have achieved something, that your grind has been worth it, regardless of whether the day in this phrase is an actual day, a week, a month or a year. You want to feel your efforts have been worthwhile.

Being tired is not a worthwhile measure, as tiredness will not pay for a holiday or your retirement.

The best measure of achievement is value and the easiest measure of value is money.

Did you make money today?

If the answer is yes, terrific. Now, let’s work on making more tomorrow.

If the answer is no, what can we stop doing so we have more freedom to do better tomorrow?

Don’t get us wrong here, we are not suggesting that you obsessively chase getting rich. That’s up to you to figure out. Rather, we are suggesting that at the end of the day, check in with yourself. Has it been a worthwhile day in terms of how you measure success?

This simple check-in can be useful for setting you up for a better tomorrow.

Without this honest audit, it is too easy to drift into the trap of productive procrastination, doing things that feel like work but deliver no return.

You can spend years being busy, ticking off to-do lists, and yet remain standing in the exact same spot financially.

By asking the hard question about value every single day, you strip away the noise and force yourself to focus on the signal. It ensures that the time you invest today actually buys you the freedom you want tomorrow.

Treat our check-in suggestion as a judgment, but as a course correction.

If today didn’t deliver, you have the power to adjust the coordinates for tomorrow before the sun even comes up. It allows you to discard the tasks that are merely filling time and double down on the actions that fill the till. Success isn’t usually a lightning strike; it is the accumulation of these small, daily pivots toward value.

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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.

Despite truckloads of lobbying and advertising cash being spent by property developers and landlord groups keen to see their property assets achieving good returns for them, working from home is here to stay for a chunk of people. Indeed, we expect it will expand as the nature of work evolves.

The COVID pandemic that kicked off in early 2020 showed the world what mass working from home looked like for those in office-based roles that could be fulfilled from home.

In our own businesses, a software company and a retail marketing group, as soon as COVID hit, everyone usually in the office was given the option to work from home even though we were classed essential by the government.

We have not asked or required people to return to the office. Eighty per cent of the workforce across both businesses continue to work from home. The average employee saves eight hours in commute time each week. That right there is a compelling reason they prefer it, I think.

Our view for a business with work that can be done anywhere is that if you have the right people in the business and provide them with good tools, an office is not as important as it once was.

While some big businesses have forced employees to the office either full time or on some regular cycle, my sense is that working from home is here to stay for many previously office-based employees.

This is an opportunity for local retailers to serve those living and working locally with food, home office support products and office-related services.

Here are some other ways local retailers can cater to those working from home:

• Offer a weekly or some other regularly scheduled catch-up for those in the area working from home to talk business. One of the benefits of being in an office is the chat between colleagues. Your business could fill this need by facilitating a local group.
• Out of home office. There may be a need for a quiet space away from home but close to home for an important call or to complete a project. If you have space in your shop, you could create a pod or two for people to rent by the hour.
• Communal table. People working from home are often able to work mobile, with just their laptop. If you have the space, consider offering a large table to seat several people. They can use this as they wish by paying a low hourly cost or even subscribing for unlimited access.
• Friday drinks. Host Friday after-work drinks for people working from home in the area. This goodwill gesture could help better connect them with your business.
• Secure document destruction. Some folks working from home will print documents that need to be securely destroyed. You could offer a secure collection point for these for a modest fee, offering their employer peace of mind.
• Help them spend saved time. Think about the commute time saved each week and how this could be used in ways related to your business. Are there services or products you could sell from which they would benefit? Consider packaging these as WFH timesavers or similar gifts.
• Host a food truck. Every couple of weeks or so, arrange for a food truck offering a cuisine not offered in town to park outside your shop. Pitch this on social media, demonstrating that you’re providing those working from home a fresh option for lunch.
• Ask what they need. Talk to people working from home and ask if there is anything they need that they cannot easily access locally. The old advice of find a need and fill it’s so true.

Local retailers are well positioned to leverage the work-from-home opportunity. Don’t be restricted by what is expected of your type of business.

Just as working from home has disrupted how, when and where people work, serving this community unshackles local retailers from what is expected of their type of business.

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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.

How do you answer the question what do you do? when someone asks? Do you have a good answer ready to go, something that takes 30 seconds or so to get out, something that shows your pride and excitement and has them wanting to know more?

In business books, they call it the elevator pitch—something you can get across in the short time you’re on an elevator.

So, what do you do? Your answer needs to speak to how you see yourself, the value you apply to it, and how it makes you feel.

In this short pitch, you’re going to speak about what matters about your business and why it matters.

When someone asks you the question, don’t be shy or self-effacing. Rather, smile, face them, and launch into your pitch because that is what the answer is: a pitch; your pitch.

Be ready.

Take your time and work on it until every word feels right, until it has the right emotional connection and demonstrates a value of which you’re proud.

Do it in a way and with words that encourage an emotional connection.

Be memorable.

Be proud as you answer.

What do you do?

Now, for some tips:

To get started, try moving past the function of what you do and focus on the outcome you create. Instead of just stating your job title or industry, describe the problem you solve or the joy you bring to your customers. Think about the best compliment a customer has ever given you, what did they say? That specific feedback often holds the key to your most powerful pitch. It turns a mechanical description into a story about connection and service.

Once you have your draft, don’t just keep it on paper, speak it out loud. Say it to yourself in the mirror, say it while you’re driving, and test it on friends who will give you honest feedback. You want to reach a point where the words roll off your tongue naturally, without sounding rehearsed or robotic. When you believe in what you are saying, your body language changes, your eyes light up, and that energy becomes infectious.

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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.

Are you—a shopkeeper, an agent or a retailer? One of these is the best option to choose

If you own a retail business, it’s important to know what type of retailer you’re.

A shopkeeper keeps shop. They keep it clean and tidy and keep the doors open. They tend to follow expectations and don’t innovate.

An agent sells products on behalf of others, usually for a low-profit margin, essentially a commission. They don’t control product prices or marketing.

A retailer controls their business, what they sell, prices and marketing. They determine their own future.

How you see yourself can determine how you run your retail business.

A shopkeeper tends to do what is expected for their type of shop.

An agent will follow the requirements of the supplier.

A retailer is more likely to be an entrepreneur, looking to maximise returns for the business.

We know plenty of happy business owners in each of these three categories.

In our experience, shopkeepers and agents tend to be risk-averse, thinking hard work can grow their businesses within the parameters of expectations. Retailers tend to be more open to risk in order to grow the business and maximise their returns.

Knowing the type of retail business owner you’re can help define your business focus and set the boundaries of expectation.

Now, some tips:

To figure out where you currently sit, look at your to-do list for the week. Is it dominated by maintenance tasks, cleaning, restocking, and administration? That is shopkeeper work. Is it filled with processing orders for big suppliers where you have no say in the price? That is agent work. Or, are you spending time scouting new unique products, planning your own marketing campaigns, and calculating how to increase your margin? That is retailer work. To change your business results, you first have to change where you spend your energy.

The good news is that the label you have today is not permanent. You can choose to stop just opening the doors and hoping for the best. You can decide today to take back control from suppliers who treat you like a passive distribution channel. By shifting your thinking from ‘keeping shop’ to ‘running a retail business,’ you unlock the freedom to experiment, to make mistakes, and ultimately, to build an asset that works for you, rather than you just working for it.

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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.

>Here are four must-do things on hiring and retaining good staff for for your retail business:

1. Make your business look and feel appealing.
2. Provide opportunities for development.
3. Pay above the standard, as the standard wage as set by regulators is average.
4. Be open.

Talk to anyone in business and they will tell you that hiring and retaining employees is one of the biggest, if not the biggest, challenges they face.

Retail is finding it tougher because working in retail is tough. Besides the obvious of being on your feet all day and how working in retail is seen by many, dealing with difficult customers is challenging. Abuse of staff in retail is common, and no matter how much support we provide in a shop, there are customers who are itching to take their anger out on someone.

There are ways we can make working in retail more appealing so as to attract and retain good people. Here are some of my thoughts on this:

• Hire people who want to work with you and help the business thrive. People working to make money will focus only on that. You need to try to find people looking beyond this week’s pay cheque. You need people who want to build something for themselves long term.
• Give your people power. Let them make decisions about the business and encourage them to be personally invested in the business, which helps develop their skills. The more their future is enhanced working in the business, the more they will love working there and contribute positively. Support them.
• Everyone working in your business is on your team. Nurture them. Train them. Support them. Have their backs. The more they experience this, the more they will do it for you. This support is especially key in retail, where customers may be abusive at the counter.
• Cut the mundane as much as possible. If there are mundane tasks in the business that could be eliminated with better processes, do it. The less mundane the work, the more people enjoy their jobs, and that helps them stay with you.
• Open the books. Sometimes, people look for work elsewhere because they think the business can afford to pay them more. By opening the books, you might be able to show enough for them to respect and appreciate what they are paid. Opening the books also offers the opportunity for them to think and act more like owners and to be more invested in the financial success of the business.
• Offer a pathway. As much as you’re able in your local retail business, offer people working in the business a forward pathway; that is, opportunities for them to personally advance.

This is not a complete list, of course. It’s offered to get you thinking about your situation.

The only topic I have not canvassed is pay. Of course, paying the standard is inadequate, as it’s the bar of minimum wage as regulated for the role, and plenty would say it’s a low bar. What you pay depends on your circumstances and, considering them, how you view your staff. If your staff is adequate, pay the award. If you value them more, pay them more, within your capacity, and consider what else you can offer, such as flexibility to their schedule.

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It’s easy to complain that finding and retaining employees is difficult. It’s hard to take steps to fix the problem/challenge for your business. Complaining achieves nothing. It’s the forward steps, no matter how small, that matter.

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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.

For any small business retailer, the shop fit-out is one of the most significant capital expenditures you’ll face. It’s expensive, and the hard truth is that a reasonable return on that investment is rarely achieved in the world of local small business.

We often fall into the “monument” trap. We’ve seen many small business owners commission a shop fit they are immensely proud of: a beautiful, polished monument to themselves, one that simply doesn’t deliver the necessary financial return to the business.

We are reminded of a franchise business in our channel where they pushed a new franchisee into a $250K+ shopfit that did nothing for sales and was not paid off before the business closed. What a waste.

We must remember a fundamental misalignment of incentives: A shopfitter wants to profit from their work on the project. The retailer needs to profit from the space over many years. Their needs are not aligned.

We often think a shopfitter’s recommendations would be quite different if they were paid a commission on sales generated by the new fit-out over the next several years.

A Case for Frugality and Longevity

Years ago, I opened a shop in a major shopping centre. The lease required a substantial, expensive fit-out update five years in, at the renewal period.

We had that shop for 13 years and only closed it because the centre was being redeveloped. In all that time, the shop fit was never updated.

Not once.

Despite protests from the landlord, my sales continued to grow as the product mix evolved. This strong performance made it difficult for them to demand I incur what was clearly an unnecessary expense. The $250,000 we’d spent on that initial shop fit delivered 13 years of returns, far exceeding the five years I had originally expected.

The lesson is clear: A dynamic product mix and good sales will always trump a static, “perfect” fit-out.

How to Be Frugal and Build Character

Our advice is to be aggressively frugal with your shop fit.

Use readily accessible, free, or low-cost everyday items wherever possible. Only invest in purpose-built, custom fittings when there is absolutely no other option.

The benefits go far beyond cost savings. Regular furnishing items, “found objects,” and repurposed pieces bring a unique character to a shop. They reinforce your local connection and subtly show customers that you care about sustainability and the environment.

Instead of custom-milled shelving, consider these ideas:

• An old dining table in a fashion business, with chairs holding jackets and shirts “served” on plates, with a dress as the centrepiece.
• Old, rusted farming equipment used as a rustic display for locally made gifts.
• An old cast-iron bath filled to the brim with bath bombs, soaps, and lotions.
• A classic old school desk (complete with lift-up lid) for displaying stationery.
• Wooden chairs dotted around the shop, each hosting a small stack of books or a family of plush bears.
• A decades-old wooden workbench used to display modern, high-tech tools, creating a powerful contrast.
• A rack of old school lockers used as a quirky bookshelf.
• An old tool shed workbench repurposed to display gifts for men.

Warmth Wins Over Polish

While shoppers may occasionally comment positively on a beautiful, expensive shop fit, they are highly unlikely to purchase more because of it. The main exception is in high-end, luxury fashion, where customers are buying into an image built on overpriced brands.

For the rest of us, our product is the hero.

Be frugal. Create your retail space with items that, in and of themselves, add warmth, history, and character to your shop. That’s a return on investment you can’t get from a catalogue.