Give your retail EFTPOS a boost.

More than 100,000 of you are now using Zeller to run your business finances. Your support — and feedback — is what drives every feature and product we build. Here’s a look at everything we created for you in 2025. 1. Personalised Zeller Debit and Corporate Cards At Zeller, we work to bring your brand to life across every customer touchpoint. From the screen on your terminal to the colours of your invoices, our goal is to help you customise every payment experience so it reflects your business. This year, we expanded that personalisation to Zeller Debit and Corporate Cards, giving you the ability to add a custom logo and label to your physical cards. As well as reinforcing your brand’s professionalism, a personalised card makes it even easier to manage business finances by quickly being able to distinguish business from personal spending. Learn more.  2. China UnionPay acceptance This year, China was Australia’s largest tourism spender, contributing $9.2 billion to the local economy — and that’s not counting the thousands of Chinese nationals living and studying locally. That’s why we made it a priority to help Australian businesses better serve this growing customer base by accepting their preferred payment method: UnionPay. With more than 200 million cardholders worldwide, UnionPay unlocks new opportunities for Zeller merchants across in-person payments on Zeller Terminal, as well as invoices, Tap to Pay, and payment links. Plus, it comes with the same simple, low, flat 1.4% transaction fee as all other card payments accepted with Zeller. Learn more . 3. Scheduled one-time and recurring transfers from your Zeller Transaction Account From paying suppliers, employee wages, and rent to transferring funds to your tax or savings accounts — running a business means constantly moving money. This year we rolled out one of your most-requested features: the ability to schedule one-time or recurring fund transfers. You can now send funds at a future date and time — right down to the quarter hour. Set transfers to occur once or on a recurring daily, weekly, or monthly schedule, and choose exactly when that schedule ends. And if plans change, you can update or cancel a schedule at any time. You can schedule transfers from Zeller Dashboard or Zeller App. Learn more.   4. Oracle and Linkly-integrated POS enhancements For businesses using a point-of-sale system integrated via Linkly or Oracle Simphony, we released two major updates this year designed to make customer service even more seamless. The first: accepting over-the-phone payments. You can now manually enter card details on your Zeller Terminal when a sale is pushed from your POS — no physical card needed. Learn more .  The second: issuing refunds that aren’t linked to a previous POS transaction. This update allows you to push an unmatched refund from your Linkly- or Oracle-integrated POS to your Zeller Terminal, which then processes the refund directly back to the customer’s card. Learn more . 5. Bill at Table on Zeller Terminal When we built Pay at Table in 2023, it was our first step toward solving a long-standing challenge for table-service restaurants: the disconnect between finalising the bill at the counter and accepting payment at the table. This year, we introduced its even more powerful successor: Bill at Table . Restaurants can now present diners with itemised bills directly on Zeller Terminal’s large digital screen and instantly accept payment instantly tableside, without locking up the POS. It’s a game changer for customers and waitstaff alike. Diners can select which items they want to pay for, or they can split the bill by percentage — while staff spend less time running between the POS and the table and more time serving guests. Learn more . 6. Smarter item management with Zeller Invoices When we saw how much merchants were loving the ability to use item attributes, discounts, and modifiers in Zeller POS Lite , we made it a priority to bring that same functionality to Zeller Invoices . You can now add any attributes (such as size or colour) or modifiers (like customisations) as well as discounts from your item library directly to your invoices. Learn more . We also introduced the ability to add service charges to Zeller Invoices, which merchants can use if they apply weekend or public holiday surcharges, delivery fees, or packaging costs. And to make invoicing even more affordable, we added the option to pass on the invoice processing fee as a surcharge. Learn more . 7. Invoicing on Zeller App With more business owners running their operations from their smartphones, the ability to send invoices on Zeller App was one of our most-requested features. We’re continually enhancing the app to ensure it offers the same powerful functionality as Zeller Dashboard, and this year we delivered on that promise. You can now create, send, manage, and track invoices directly from your iPhone or Android smartphone. For mobile businesses and tradies, this means you can send an invoice the moment a job is done — helping customers pay faster and keeping your cash flow moving. Learn more .  8. Zeller for Startups Inspired by the experience of our own founders — who had to navigate the outdated business-banking landscape while building Zeller — we set out to create a free, purpose-built solution that gives new founders every financial tool they need to start and scale. This year, we launched Zeller for Startups : a solution designed for founders, by founders, giving early-stage businesses greater control and visibility over their finances: from invoicing to transaction and high-interest accounts, spending cards, expense management, and more. Learn more .  9. Zeller Developer Suite One of the most exciting launches of the year came to the aid of enterprise and multi-location businesses, with Zeller Developer Suite — a developer-focused payments platform designed specifically for complex, high-volume organisations. This enterprise-grade platform brings together a comprehensive suite of software development kits (SDKs) and application programming interfaces (APIs), enabling developers and organisations to seamlessly integrate Zeller’s secure payments stack into their own POS software, kiosks, mobile apps, and websites.  10. Enhanced funtionality with Zeller POS Lite This year, we continued to expand the functionality of Zeller POS Lite , giving merchants even more flexibility to tailor it to their business needs. While card payments remain the preferred method for most Australians, we introduced the ability to record cash sales directly in Zeller POS Lite — whether you’re using it on Zeller Terminal or in Zeller App. Learn more . We also made it easier to recover higher operating costs, such as weekend and public holiday surcharges, delivery fees, or corkage, and introduced the option to apply 100% discounts when offering giveaways or free gifts with purchase. Plus, we rolled out itemised receipts, giving customers a clear breakdown of every item in their order. Learn more .  And so much more… From expanding our list of POS integrations to redesigning receipts, enabling multi-site management on our app, and refreshing the user interface across Zeller Dashboard, we also shipped hundreds of smaller improvements in 2025 that didn’t make it onto this list. If there’s something you didn’t see here — but would make your workday easier — we want to hear it. Share your suggestions at feedback@myzeller.com. We’re looking forward to an even more ambitious 2026, with new tools already in the works to help your business thrive.

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. 

Whether you’re imposing them or paying them: service charges can be confusing. Here’s everything you need to know. In this article, we break down what service charges are, why businesses use them, how they differ from other types of fees, and the key legal requirements to be aware of in Australia. Plus, if you’re a small business owner, we’ll explain a quick, easy way to add service charges to your sales with Zeller’s free point-of-sale system. What is a service charge? A service charge is a mandatory fee added by a business to a customer’s bill to cover the cost of delivering the service, such as staff labour or administration. Unlike a tip, however, a service charge is not optional and the amount is set by the business and automatically applied to the bill, usually presented as either: A percentage of the total bill (e.g. a 10% service charge on group bookings), or A fixed fee (e.g. a $2 per-ticket booking fee). Why do businesses apply service charges? A service charge allows businesses to recover operational costs that aren’t fully covered by standard pricing. It can provide transparency, showing customers exactly what they are paying for, rather than inflating base prices for everyone. Why businesses apply service charges can vary widely depending on the industry: Hospitality: Weekend and public holiday service charges help cover higher wages, extra staffing, and increased operating costs. Banking and financial services: Fees like account, ATM, and wire transfer charges recover administrative, compliance, and infrastructure costs. Travel and airlines: Baggage, booking, seat selection, and airport fees offset fuel, staffing, and infrastructure costs, while charging only for extra services used. Residential property and accommodation: Strata levies, Airbnb fees, and cleaning charges cover facility maintenance, insurance, repairs, and property management. Utilities: Water, electricity, and connection fees fund infrastructure development, maintenance, billing, and regulatory compliance. What is the difference between a service charge and a surcharge? A service charge is a fee added by a business to cover the additional costs involved in delivering a particular service. Because it’s set by the business, they have full discretion over whether to apply a service charge, what it covers, and how much it is. In Australia, many venues apply a service charge of around 10–15%, but the exact amount varies depending on the business and the service being provided. A surcharge , on the other hand, is a fee added specifically when a customer pays by credit or debit card. Its purpose is to help businesses recover the merchant fees charged by their payment provider for processing that transaction. Unlike service charges, surcharges are regulated by the ACCC : under Australian law, a business cannot charge more than its cost of acceptance—that is, the lowest amount it costs the business to process each card payment type. Read our blogs to learn more about surcharging in Australia and what to be aware of with zero-cost EFTPOS . What are the legal requirements around service charges in Australia? Because every industry and business operates differently, there’s no specific law limiting how much a service charge can be. The ACCC does, however, mandate that businesses be transparent and accurate when presenting any service charges they choose to apply. The key legal requirements are: Prices must be clear and accurate Businesses must clearly communicate the full cost of a product or service before a customer books, orders, or makes a purchase. They cannot mislead customers about prices or hide additional fees. Total prices must be displayed upfront If a service charge is unavoidable or automatically applied, it must be included in the total price shown to the customer. This total must incorporate any taxes, duties, or pre-selected extra fees. Service charges must follow strict display rules If a business applies card payment surcharges or weekend/public holiday surcharges, they must be displayed clearly and prominently so customers understand when and why these fees apply. The following words must be displayed on the menu and/or price display: “ A surcharge of [percentage] applies on [day or days]. ” Additionally, the words must be at least as prominent as the most prominent price on the menu, or made visible elsewhere in your venue. What are the tax implications of service charges? In Australia, service charges are treated as part of the business’s revenue and are subject to tax like any other income. Even if the service charge is applied to cover employee wages, it is still considered assessable income and taxed as part of their regular wages.  Tips or gratuities, on the other hand, are directly received by employees. While not technically the business’s income, tips are also considered taxable income and must be reported by the employee to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). Can you challenge a service charge? In Australia, whether you can challenge a service charge depends on how it is presented and whether it complies with consumer law. Businesses must clearly display prices, including any unavoidable service charges, before you book, order, or pay. If a service charge is misleading, hidden, or incorrectly displayed, it may be a breach of the law. You can report concerns to the ACCC if you believe a business is not complying with pricing rules. The ACCC can investigate and take enforcement or compliance action if the law has been broken. However, the ACCC does not resolve individual complaints or give legal advice about your rights, so it cannot force a business to remove a service charge for one customer. In practice, your options are: Carefully check the menu and/or price display before paying—the total must include all unavoidable fees. Raise the issue directly with the business if you think a service charge is incorrect or misleading. Report it to the ACCC if you believe there is a systemic breach of pricing rules. Add a service charge to your sales with Zeller POS Lite Zeller POS Lite is a free point of sale that comes in-built with Zeller Terminal . If you’re looking for a quick and easy solution for applying service charges to your sum total, follow the steps below: In Zeller Dashboard or Zeller App, select Items , then Service Charges Tap Add Service Charge (or the + button in Zeller App) Add a percentage or fixed dollar amount Give it a clear name, like “Public Holiday 15%”. This will appear on customer receipts If you have multiple locations, assign the charge to the relevant sites only Your newly created service charge will now appear in Zeller POS Lite under Shortcuts . Apply it to relevant sales and it will automatically appear on your customers’ receipts—no need for manual price edits.