The 2025 Tally Up: What Zeller Delivered This Year

Australian small businesses have weathered a turbulent few years, juggling softer customer spending, rising operating costs, and the ongoing realities of a post-Covid economy. So, how are they feeling about the 2025 festive season? We asked Zeller merchants to share their outlook, along with the practical tips they use to stay confident and competitive. The Christmas trading season is traditionally the busiest—and most lucrative—time of year for many Australian small businesses. Yet this year, many are heading into the peak period with caution rather than confidence. More than half of the 1000 small business owners we surveyed said they feel only average or low confidence in their financial position leading into Christmas, with concern highest amongst retailers (64%) and businesses operating in events and entertainment (76%). Tight cash flow is a major part of that pressure. Nearly three-quarters of business owners report that their cash flow is already strained ahead of the holiday rush, including a striking 80% of retailers and 78% of hospitality operators. At the same time, 59% believe they’ll earn the same—or even less—revenue this Christmas compared to last year. Despite these challenges, the businesses that feel most prepared tend to be those using data to guide their planning. While 57% of owners reviewed their 2024 sales and transaction data to forecast for the season ahead, more than a third did not—and some don’t have the tools to access last year’s performance at all. Against this backdrop of lower confidence and tighter budgets, preparation becomes more important than ever. To understand how businesses can set themselves up for a strong end to the year, we spoke with six retailers to share the practical strategies they use to make the most of the busy trading season. 1. Use data to forecast demand and staff efficiently When preparing for the festive season, a common theme among the six business owners we spoke to was the importance of reviewing the previous year’s sales data. Amanda Flynn of Smellies Flowers in Geelong says it’s now easier than ever to access this information, making forecasting far simpler: “ Every year I review our sales to see which designs were most popular, using data from Shopify, Zeller , and Xero. It’s much easier now to access that information. ”  Malcolm McCullough, who runs Bill’s Farm , a busy delicatessen at Queen Victoria Market, takes a similar approach. “ We look at which products sold via our POS to inform our orders, then use the Zeller Dashboard to understand overall sales patterns. This helps us predict when customers are likely to shop this year—including the time of day—so we can roster staff effectively and ensure coverage during peak periods. ” 2. Market to your database, your community, and the customers in front of you Scaling up marketing efforts early in December is crucial for keeping cash flow healthy. Both Smellies and Bill’s Farm rely heavily on their subscriber lists. “ They get first access to new products, which really helps with cash flow, ” says Amanda Flynn. Malcolm McCullough adds, “ This year, we offered our subscribers a $25 gift voucher when they spent $300 or more.”   Baffies Oan Books , a small bookshop in Samford, takes a similar approach. A Christmas VIP night in November helps bring subscribers in-store, but owner Leanne Goldsmith says community partnerships are just as important. She’ll run a stall during the local school’s visitor day—offering how-to-read Christmas books to incoming prep students—and set up at the village’s annual Christmas market. “ Being actively involved in the community helps remind people we’re here, ” she explains. Once the Christmas rush hits, the focus shifts to boosting sales per customer. Malcolm runs several promotions advertised on his register’s digital screens. “ We do a $10 off deal when customers buy four or more cheeses, ” he says. “It’s all about encouraging a higher average ticket. ” 3. Cater to all end-of-year celebrations—not just Christmas  While Christmas drives the bulk of sales, the end-of-year period in Australia reflects a much broader range of celebrations. “ Over the past few years, we’ve run a number of corporate wreath-making classes. Many companies invest in their staff at this time of year as a bonding exercise ,” explains Amanda Flynn. “ We also see a lot of flowers going out for end-of-season celebrations: schools finishing, offices closing… it’s a time when people retire, change jobs, graduate, or get promoted, so we cater to all of those occasions as well. ” By planning for these wider milestones, businesses can tap into multiple revenue streams, not just Christmas-specific products. 4. Make the most of school holidays to train young staff For Natalie Tripodi and her team at Queen’s Harvest —a fruit and vegetable vendor at Queen Victoria Market—hiring Christmas casuals is essential to supporting the surge in customers: “ Most students are on school holidays, so it's a nice time to get the young ones skilled up for the busy period,” she explains, while Leanne employs those within her own family: “ We put our children to work”, she laughs. Amanda also emphasises that you don’t always need to have highly skilled staff to support operations during the rush, “ We don’t necessarily hire florists. Sometimes it’s actually better to have fewer florists and more staff focused on floral preparation and related tasks. You have to really target the tasks and the staff who are going to be performing those tasks.” 5. Brief staff on what products to push and how to make the decision for your customers For larger businesses like Blackheart & Sparrows , staff training and preparation are essential. Jimi Gill, who oversees the brand’s fourteen retail stores, says he shares curated gifting ideas with teams—such as “Great Gifts for Dad” or the latest craft beers—to help them build compelling in-store displays. Malcolm McCullough emphasises that guidance on the shop floor matters just as much as merchandising. “ We’ve found that customers often want you to make the decision for them. Having staff ready with clear product recommendations is part of our daily routine ” he explains. 6. Put EFTPOS safeguards in place before the rush With such a high volume of trading happening over a short period, fast and reliable payment hardware is essential. “ 90% of our sales come through EFTPOS at that time of year, ” says Malcolm, who has used Zeller Terminal for the past three years. “ Zeller is incredibly fast and reliable ,” says Natalie. “ The terminals are connected via SIM but we can also connect them to WiFi or hotspot, or we can use Tap to Pay on our phones… having those safeguards is key ,” she adds.  7. Plan around the calendar: Christmas and New Year’s Demand patterns shift dramatically depending on which day Christmas falls on. Amanda says Smellies analyses their data from the final fortnight closely, knowing that customers pre-order differently each year. “ When Christmas lands mid-week, a lot of offices close early, which creates different peak days, ” she explains. But Christmas is only half the challenge. Malcolm warns that New Year’s Eve can catch businesses off guard. “ You need enough stock to reopen on the 30th and 31st, because suppliers stop delivering. If you have a huge Christmas and don’t plan for New Year’s, you’re stuck. ” It’s important to map out both events as one continuous trading period. 8. Secure stock early, and work with suppliers who offer terms Stock availability can make or break the season, but so can cash flow. That’s why having suppliers who offer payment terms is invaluable. “ Most of our major suppliers are on account, which really helps with cash flow ” says Leanne.  Malcolm takes a strategic blend of approaches: he pre-orders thousands of dollars’ worth of cheese for mid-December delivery (paid upfront), while sourcing other products on 30-day terms so they’re sold long before the invoice is due. “ It’s a matter of pre-ordering what you know will sell, pre-empting what might sell, and then ordering additional stock during the month to ensure you have enough.” For chocolatier Lee Ann Tan at Cheeky Cacao , preparation starts early too: “ Around September or October I put money aside and start buying labels and packaging, and non-perishable ingredients, ” she explains, “ Because every product is handmade in small batches, preparing early also ensures we can maintain the level of quality and care we’re known for, without rushing production during our busiest season.”  9. Use pre-order forms to manage large Christmas orders For Smellies and Bill’s Farm, having a pre-order system is indispensable. Malcolm says they process about 180 pre-orders each year, managed manually with a $50 deposit and a nominated pickup day. “ Some customers order multiple hams, puddings, a turkey… it can be a $500 sale, ” he says. Preparing these orders ahead of time ensures they’re ready the moment the customer arrives, but coordinating them becomes “ a full-time job for the last ten days ,” so a clear pre-order workflow keeps service running smoothly.  10. Review what worked and build a merchandising library for next year Jimi Gill from Blackhearts & Sparrows emphasised that January is the true beginning of next year’s Christmas planning. “ Usually, I do a short review with all the store leaders where I ask ‘What was the busiest day? Why was it busy? What was the best-selling product?’ It’s a way to get quick, instant feedback. I then compile this into an overarching review that we discuss in an early-year meeting, typically around April .” He also invites his team to share photos of their visual merchandising displays, “ We build up a library of examples so that, even though shelves change daily and new products arrive, the stores have a resource to refer to. They can look at it and say, ‘Okay, let’s display this wine like this,’ and use it as a guide .”  At Bill’s Farm, notes are taken at the end of each day. “ We make a note of what’s working, what isn’t, what we’ve had to mark down due to short shelf life, what’s sold out, and what we could improve,” explains Malcolm, who recalls a multi-price cheese offer that required too much explanation last year: “ We won’t do that again, it took too long to walk customers through it. ” It’s these insights that have informed their new approach this year. 

Ocean Grove’s Ian Pattison Jewellers has been a fixture on the Bellarine Peninsula for nearly five decades. This family-owned fine jewellery store, founded by master jeweller Ian Pattison, built its reputation through quality craftsmanship and personalised service. In the on-site workshop, experienced jewellers (including a certified gemmologist and diamond specialist) handcraft custom pieces with precision.  The result is a unique collection of bespoke designs and one-off pieces sourced from around the world, ensuring diversity and the highest quality. Over the years, this close-knit team has fostered strong relationships with loyal local customers and visitors from afar, becoming a trusted part of the Ocean Grove community. In an industry where purchases often mark special moments, the team knows that trust and impeccable service are as precious as the gemstones they sell. Cutting away hefty fees and clunky hardware. Even a longstanding business must evolve with the times. For Ian Pattison Jewellers, the tipping point came when mounting merchant fees and costly EFTPOS terminal rental fees started eating into the bottom line. “The main decision to join Zeller came from high merchant fees and terminal rental costs,” explains Adele Pattison, Manager at Ian Pattison Jewellers. Their previous payments provider (one of the big banks) charged steep per-transaction rates plus monthly hardware rental, a common scenario that was unsustainable for the family-run retailer.  Zeller offered a lower flat transaction rate and no monthly terminal fees, a welcome change from the old bank’s charges. By purchasing their own Zeller Terminal outright, the business eliminated recurring rental costs, immediately reducing their overheads. In short, cutting fees didn’t mean cutting corners, it meant freeing up resources to reinvest in the service and quality Ian Pattison Jewellers is known for. Flawless payments: streamlined, swift, and secure. Beyond the cost savings, Zeller proved to be a perfect fit for this fine-jewellery business’s aesthetic and values. The modern Zeller Terminal is minimalist and paperless, which means it complements the elegant showroom rather than cluttering it. “Zeller has a streamlined appearance that complements our store at the point-of-sale counter,” Adele explains. Equally important, Zeller aligns with the jeweller’s strict security and confidentiality standards. Handling high-value pieces and intimate customer purchases, the business prioritises discretion with every transaction. “We pride ourselves on confidentiality and security as a manufacturing jeweller,” Adele notes. With Zeller, every card payment is encrypted and securely processed, giving both staff and clients peace of mind. After all, buying an engagement ring or thoughtful gift should feel special, not marred by clunky card machines or privacy concerns. A paperless approach: the gold standard in modern payments. In day-to-day operations, switching to Zeller has simplified life behind the counter. The team opted for Zeller’s paperless terminal, removing the hassle of constantly restocking receipt rolls. “We opted for the paperless terminal, eliminating the admin of supplying receipt rolls,” Adele explains, noting that they can still print a hardcopy receipt via their POS system if a customer really needs it. In practice, very few do. “A majority of customers are very receptive to receiving receipts via text or email,” which was a service their previous bank’s system didn’t offer. Checkout options that are brilliantly convenient. Perhaps the biggest wins have been in customer convenience. Ocean Grove is a popular coastal town, drawing many tourists and seasonal visitors. These customers often prefer cashless, flexible payment options – and Zeller delivers. “Being located in a coastal town we have many visitors during seasonal periods. The convenience of customers making payments via phone or the secure link enables them to pay at their convenience and not just in store,” Adele notes.  For those physically in the shop, the checkout experience is just as seamless. Shoppers can tap-and-pay with their phones or watches (thanks to Zeller’s support for Apple Pay, Google Pay and other mobile wallets) without a hitch. There’s no need for messy paper receipts either – a digital receipt arrives in their inbox before they’ve even stepped out the door. It’s the ideal blend of old-school service with new-school tech: customers get personal attention, as well as the speed and convenience of cutting-edge payment tech. Real-time insights offer perfect clarity. Another benefit Ian Pattison Jewellers discovered after switching to Zeller is how it simplifies business management. Zeller’s online dashboard provides detailed, real-time visibility into every transaction, something the big-bank EFTPOS lacked. “The dashboard function is very comprehensive. Being able to view sale-by-sale transactions in real time enables us to track our business from any location,” Adele says. For a busy family business, this has been a game-changer. Whether she’s in the workshop, meeting a supplier, at home or on the road, Adele can instantly check the day’s takings and get sales insights on her phone or laptop with a tap. What's more, Zeller integrates seamlessly with Retail Edge POS — a jewellery-specific point-of-sale system designed for the industry’s unique needs. With tracking for repairs, special orders, and custom jobs, plus real-time sales insights and CRM tools, Retail Edge POS paired with Zeller, gives Ian Pattison Jewellers complete visibility over their sales, customers, and inventory. Sales entered in the POS automatically sync to the Zeller Terminal, eliminating manual entry – a must when handling high-value transactions. A perfect match for family-run, high-value retailers. By embracing Zeller, Ian Pattison Jewellers successfully bridged the gap between tradition and innovation. Adele wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the solution to peers. “We would highly recommend joining Zeller,” she says, noting that no other EFTPOS service they’ve seen offers the same blend of features and value. From the sleek terminals and secure transactions to the convenient digital receipts and insightful dashboard, Zeller has proven to be a great fit for high-value, service-oriented businesses like theirs. With the payments side of things running smoothly, this family business can focus on doing what it does best – crafting exquisite jewellery and creating memorable experiences for every customer, just as they have for the last 50 years.

From customising your Zeller Debit Card with a logo to promoting an offer on the screen of Zeller Terminal, or adding a QR code to your receipts: Zeller ensures your brand is central to your payments and finances. A strong brand doesn’t have to mean a big one. Even small businesses are able to derive as much benefit from a recognisable brand identity as major international companies, it’s all a question of scale. The beauty of building your brand as a small business is that you don’t have to go to huge lengths to achieve it. You just have to be consistent. Emphasising your brand at every customer touch point – whether it’s a simple logo printed on your napkins or the colour of your bathrooms – can leave a lasting impression. In this article, we offer you four innovative ways to integrate your brand into the payment process, whether you're selling or buying, to engage customers or vendors with your business. 1. Personalise Zeller Debit Card with your business logo. Regardless of whether you’ve been in business for three years or three days, good branding gives the appearance of being well-established and of higher quality. It’s why adding your logo to your Zeller Business Debit Card or Zeller Corporate Cards is a great way of communicating professionalism to everyone you’re paying. Nothing says “we have our finances in order” like flashing a branded business debit card in front of a supplier. There will be no doubt in anyone’s mind as to the credibility of your business, nor will you ever accidentally pay for a business expense with your personal credit card.  For business owners running multiple venues, being able to visually distinguish each card ensures expenses are paid for with the correct account, reducing reconciliation errors. Similarly, for companies with multiple employees, expense management is made simpler by labelling corporate cards by team or purpose and with a colour to match. All Zeller cards can be created and personalised online in minutes and linked to your chosen Zeller Transaction Account . Virtual cards are ready to use the very same day, and physical cards will be delivered securely via Australia Post to your business address fast.  To add a logo to a Zeller Debit or Corporate Card: Open Zeller Dashboard and navigate to Cards Create a new card and assign a cardholder + linked account Add a card label (optional) Upload your logo Review and create card Find out more about supported specs and dimensions here . 2. Add a custom screensaver to Zeller Terminal. Even when Zeller Terminal goes to sleep, it keeps working for your business. You can set a custom screensaver that will appear on your Terminal screen when it’s not in use. While customers wait for you to scan their items or pull up their order at your point-of-sale, it is the perfect opportunity for you to engage them with your brand. Whether you’ve got a new offer to promote, need to remind customers to place their Christmas orders, or want to highlight a new product or item on the menu: the large, digital screen on Zeller Terminal is the perfect place to do it. Any image can be uploaded, as long as it is sized correctly (320 x 496 px). By incorporating a QR code into the image you can invite customers to sign up to a newsletter, referral program, or competition. This is a great way of bolstering your mailing list with people you know have already interacted with your business. However you choose to use Custom Screensavers on Zeller Terminal, it’s a great way to maintain brand consistency throughout your premises. When you upload a screensaver via Zeller Dashboard, there’s no need to update each Terminal individually, it will automatically update to all the Terminals operating within the site you have selected. By featuring your logo, as well as colours and fonts consistent with your style, a slogan or key message; you will emphasise your brand identity just before your customers walk out the door. To upload a Custom Screensaver: Open the Zeller Dashboard and navigate to Sites Locate and click the site to see its settings Click the Appearance tab Upload your logo Select a background colour (Zeller will automatically recommend some colours based on your logo) Click Save All Zeller Terminals within the site will display the image when in sleep mode 3. Keep customers engaged with branded receipts. Whether they’re printed or sent digitally as an email or SMS , receipts can be used in clever ways to help drive return business or help your customers connect with you. With Zeller, you can add a custom image at the top of the receipt, where a simple logo and/or QR code will catch people’s eye. Below this, you can add in your business details, so your customers know how to contact you, as well as your social media handles. In the case of digital receipts – these are live links that will take customers directly to your social profiles. There are two spaces, above and below the purchase details where you can add a message of 500 characters or less. You could include a brief history of your business, details of a competition you’re running, or a message or slogan that aligns with your brand. Much more than a simple proof of purchase, receipts are an innovative marketing tool that can be leveraged to instil your brand messaging. 4. Align your invoices to your brand identity. You don’t necessarily need a shop front to create a strong brand. Having a clear, identifiable web presence will set you apart from your competitors, and ensure your business is the first that comes to mind when your service is required. Or even when it’s not! Your online presence doesn’t end at your website. Every interaction with your customer is an opportunity to remind them of your brand, and invoices are no exception. Zeller Invoices provides you with the best of both worlds: the ability to create and send invoices quickly, but also the flexibility to customise them to align with your brand. With different colours and layouts to choose from, space for your logo and a custom message, your clients will be able to instantly recognise your business and your service. Not only does this make it easier (and therefore faster) for your clients to pay you, but they’ll associate the service with your brand, and are much more likely to return to you next time. Bringing your brand to life across the payment process is just one of the many ways Zeller lets you tailor your financial solution. With many different ways to take payments, make payments and manage your money, Zeller’s tools are designed with the flexibility and versatility to adapt to your business. Find out for yourself by signing up for a free Zeller Account today or by contacting our Sales Team to learn how Zeller could be a great fit for your business, and your brand.