There’s a buzz in the air in May 2025, with plenty of newsagency businesses changing hands across the country. A newsagency is a good business to buy and a good business to work on, improve and make more valuable.

A question we frequently encounter from prospective buyers is, “What should I ask for when I’m looking to buy a newsagency?”

Our advice is: thoroughly understand the newsagency business as it stands today. The newsagency of the present and future is a far cry from the predominantly agency-focused model of the past, for which the Australian newsagency channel is well known.

To help you get a clear picture, here’s a list of essential data we recommend all prospective newsagency buyers request from the vendor or their representative:

• The accountant’s Profit & Loss (P&L) statements for the last two years. Insist on the actual financial statements, not a specially prepared spreadsheet.
• A detailed list of all add-backs used to arrive at the profit figure upon which the asking price is based.
• Tax returns for the same two-year period. While their relevance can vary depending on business structures, they can serve as a valuable cross-reference against the accountant’s P&L.
• Sales data reports directly from the Point of Sale (POS) software for the last two years. This is critical data for verifying the claimed income.
• Sales data reports from the lottery terminal to corroborate the income figures.
• Business Activity Statements (BAS) to further confirm the data presented in the P&L.
• A comprehensive inventory list detailing every item in the business, including its purchase price and the date it was last sold. Additionally, request copies of invoices for random verification.
• A copy of the current shop lease agreement.
• Copies of any other leases that the vendor expects you to assume as part of the sale.
• A list of all forward orders that have been placed on behalf of the business.
• A complete list of all employees, including their names, hourly rates, employment type (e.g., full-time, part-time, casual), start dates, accrued annual leave, and accrued long service leave.

This information is fundamental for any buyer to properly assess a business opportunity. If a business for sale cannot readily provide this data, it raises serious questions about its preparedness for sale.

Once you have this information in hand, take the time to analyse it yourself. Don’t outsource the critical decision of whether a business is a sound investment.

For newsagents considering selling, and who might feel apprehensive about this list, our advice is to address these points proactively. Focus on running your business effectively now, ensuring that the data outlined above reflects a healthy and well-managed operation. Preparing your newsagency for sale is an ongoing process, something you should be mindful of every day you’re in business.

This is why we here at newsXpress often say that every day in a well-run business is a payday. Operate a smart, lean, and profit-focused newsagency, and you’ll enjoy success today and a significant reward when you decide to sell.

The most attractive businesses for buyers are those that are straightforward to operate and consistently profitable. While a buyer might be willing to turn a business around, they should rightfully reap the rewards for that effort, not the seller.

Ultimately, the selling price of your business will be determined by its current performance. So, get your affairs in order and make your newsagency as appealing as possible to potential buyers. The effort you put in now will undoubtedly be worth it in the long run.

newsXpress helps newsagents run businesses they enjoy and that are profitable. We love helping new newsagents settle in and then to evolve the businesses to be relevant into the future.

From easy actionable business advice to advocacy to practical in-store help, newsXpress is helping local Aussie newsagents transform their businesses.

As you’re out shopping for Mother’s Day, it’s likely you’ll encounter a mum working in or running a shop, juggling work, the business, family, home and more. Plenty of mums we see in local retail are mentors to others in their business. Plenty are champions in their local community. See them. Celebrate them. Appreciate them.

Ten months ago, we embarked on a small experiment: building a POS software connected Shopify website for a local suburban Melbourne newsXpress shop on a tight budget. The goal was to test the waters and see what could be achieved with minimal investment.

That website has, as at the end of April 2025, racked up more than $125,000 in online sales.

What a huge boost to the physical shop!

Starting with a modest product range, the website quickly began generating sales. In just the past seven weeks, this simple online store has raked in over $18,000 without any additional marketing spend or inventory investment. This new video from us takes you behind the scenes on what we have been able to do through the Hugs and Love website integration with our POS software.

The Hugs and Love website (www.hugsandlove.com.au) is a prime example of how seamlessly integrating Tower Systems POS software with Shopify can streamline online sales and fulfilment processes for local businesses. This powerful combination allows businesses to efficiently manage their inventory, process orders, and fulfill purchases both in-store and online.

By leveraging the strength of these two platforms, local shops can:

– Expand their reach: Attract new customers and increase sales beyond their physical storefront.

– Simplify operations: Streamline inventory management and order processing, saving time and reducing errors.

– Enhance customer experience: Offer a convenient and efficient online shopping experience.

The experience with this website has been valuable in helping us take care of the tech for local small business retailers and provide business advice for implementation, advice based on lived experience.

With so many offering website development services, we differentiate ourselves by providing business operational advice and support to make the revenue dream from online sales a reality.

Everything we do in this POS software / Shopify integration space is about maximising profit for the local small business retailers we are grateful to serve. Our innovation with Shopify is part of this.

Profit is vital in any business and especially vital in local small retail businesses.

If you are a small business retailer looking to earn more money from online sales, Tower Systems can help. Our team of experts will work with you to create a customised solution that meets your unique needs. We can demonstrate our POS software and demonstrate integrations like with we have done with Shopify for many of our customers. Better still, we can connect you with many other retailers for whom we have done this already.

Tower Systems is a small business focussed POS software company developing, and supporting POS software for niche specialty retailers.

Here is a video we made five months ago.

newsXpress shops across Australia are running a local in-store Mother’s Day competition. Each store has a prize pack valued at close to $400.00 to give away to a local shopper. Locals love it when a local wins.

Every card purchase is eligible to enter, not only Mother’s Day. This has been key to above-average card sales growth for newsXpress stores over the last year – this Mother’s Day promotion is the fourth of a series of seasonal promotions.

newsXpress funds the promotion for members: providing the prize packs, the in-store collateral, digital assets and more. We do this with some support from Henderson Greetings and Simson Cards.

A vital piece of this promotion is the analysis using our POS software data. This is key to the evolution of these campaigns to maximise the value for retailers. Our retail and tech expertise combine to help our local retailers cultivate more valuable businesses.

If you haven’t shopped for Mother’s Day yet, please shop local, preferably in a newsagency. There you’ll find many local Aussie made cards that also do good by supporting a local charity you’re bound to love.