In the UK
41 sections, about 10,000 wordsRenewals and deadlines Greymill tracks
- Premises licence annual feeYearly
Figures Greymill knows, with their sources
- 50.8pEngland 2026 to 2027 rates multiplier for any property with a rateable value of £500,000 or more.As of Sep 2026. Source: gov.uk
- 38.2pEngland 2026 to 2027 rates multiplier: retail, hospitality and leisure property under £51,000 rateable value.As of Sep 2026. Source: gov.uk
- 43.0pEngland’s 2026 to 2027 retail, hospitality and leisure multiplier for rateable values of £51,000 to £499,999.As of Sep 2026. Source: gov.uk
Words of the trade it understands
- footfall
- conversion
- basket
- EPOS
- shrinkage
- markdown
- sell-through
- stock turn
Free lessons for the UK
- Am I really making the margin I think, once VAT and markdowns come off?How to work margin on the price net of VAT, price a new line from a target margin, plan markdowns before they eat the season, and keep shelf prices and promotions legal.Read the lesson
- Paying for Christmas stock before Christmas pays youWhy a shop's cash can run out in January, straight after its best month, and how a 13-week forecast shows it in time to act.Read the lesson
- Am I charging the right VAT, and paying the right business rates?Which of a shop's lines carry VAT, how to code the till and pick a retail scheme, what to do about a past mistake, and how a shop's rates bill is worked out.Read the lesson
- Selling alcohol, tobacco and vapes without putting the licence at riskThe ages, the defence that protects you, the fireworks sale windows, keeping the licence live, what to do after a failed test purchase, and the tobacco and vape changes landing between October 2026 and March 2027.Read the lesson
- Signing or renewing a shop lease without walking into a trapSecurity of tenure, notice deadlines, break clauses, service charges and personal guarantees: the lease terms that decide whether a shop can stay and what it really pays.Read the lesson
- Sundays, under-18s on the till and customers who cross the lineThe shop-floor staff rules: Sunday opt-outs, young workers selling alcohol, harassment by customers, and what staff should do about shoplifters.Read the lesson
- A customer is back with something faulty and wants a refundWhat the law says you owe on day 25, day 70 and in month 5, why a 'no refunds' sign can get you into trouble, and what a gift voucher must say about expiry.Read the lesson
In the US
36 sections, about 9,400 wordsWritten for retail stores in the US.
Figures Greymill knows, with their sources
- $2,000Form 1099-NEC threshold for payments to contractors from January 1, 2026.As of Sep 2026. Source: irs.gov
- $2,560,000Section 179 expensing limit for equipment and fixtures in tax years beginning in 2026.As of Sep 2026. Source: irs.gov
- 0.4 milligramCombined THC cap per container for hemp products in the section 781 definition, after the temporary extension.As of Oct 2026. Source: govinfo.gov
Words of the trade it understands
- foot traffic
- conversion
- average ticket
- POS
- shrink
- markdown
- sell-through
- inventory turns
Free lessons for the US
- Am I really making the margin I think, after markdowns?Margin versus markup, pricing from a target margin, what a markdown really costs, and working out open-to-buy before you order.Read the lesson
- Paying for holiday inventory before the holidays pay youWhy a store's cash runs short in the fourth quarter, how a 13-week forecast shows it early, and what to borrow if you must.Read the lesson
- Do I charge sales tax on candy, soda and clothing?Grocery exemptions and the items that stay taxable, clothing rules, resale certificates and use tax, and what to do if the POS has been wrong.Read the lesson
- Selling alcohol, tobacco, vapes and hemp without losing a licenseAge 21 for alcohol and tobacco, pseudoephedrine limits, which vapes you can legally sell, why hemp is a moving target, SNAP, and what to do after a failed sting.Read the lesson
- Signing a store lease without overpaying on CAM and percentage rentNNN, CAM caps and audits, percentage rent breakpoints, co-tenancy and guaranties: the clauses that decide what a store really pays, and what to do when a notice arrives.Read the lesson
- Schedules, teenage stockers and staff who chase shopliftersRetail scheduling laws, the federal limits on 14 and 15-year-olds, commission pay, and why staff must never try to stop a thief.Read the lesson
- A customer says my card fee or gift card is illegalCard surcharges, dual pricing, gift card expiration dates and refund signs: where stores get caught, state by state.Read the lesson
Questions owners ask
Is there an AI for shops and retail?+
Yes. Greymill is an AI team for small businesses that is briefed on shops and retail, written separately for the UK and the US: 41 sections for the UK and 36 for the US, about 19,400 words of reviewed industry knowledge, as of Oct 2026.
Which renewals and deadlines does Greymill track for shops and retail in the UK?+
In the UK: Premises licence annual fee (yearly). As of Oct 2026.
Which figures does Greymill know for shops and retail in the UK?+
England 2026 to 2027 rates multiplier for any property with a rateable value of £500,000 or more: 50.8p (gov.uk, as of Sep 2026). England 2026 to 2027 rates multiplier: retail, hospitality and leisure property under £51,000 rateable value: 38.2p (gov.uk, as of Sep 2026). England’s 2026 to 2027 retail, hospitality and leisure multiplier for rateable values of £51,000 to £499,999: 43.0p (gov.uk, as of Sep 2026).
Which figures does Greymill know for shops and retail in the US?+
Form 1099-NEC threshold for payments to contractors from January 1, 2026: $2,000 (irs.gov, as of Sep 2026). Section 179 expensing limit for equipment and fixtures in tax years beginning in 2026: $2,560,000 (irs.gov, as of Sep 2026). Combined THC cap per container for hemp products in the section 781 definition, after the temporary extension: 0.4 milligram (govinfo.gov, as of Oct 2026).
Does Greymill replace my accountant, solicitor or other professional advisers?+
No. Greymill gives you a whole team to think with every day: the numbers modelled, the contract read, the campaign planned, the hire prepared, the filing checklist ready, all before you speak to anyone by the hour. What Greymill produces is software output from the information you give it, so Greymill takes no instruction, owes no professional duty and files nothing unless you send it yourself. Where a matter needs a regulated professional to sign it off, Greymill says so and tells you exactly what to take to them. Customers arrive at their accountant or lawyer with the work done and the questions sharp, which is usually the cheapest hour they will ever buy.
How much does Greymill cost?+
Plans start at £100 a month plus VAT in the UK and $130 a month plus tax in the US. Every plan starts with a 7-day free trial on full Scale access, no card needed.
How Greymill helps
Tell Greymill about your business once. Its sixteen specialists share one memory of it, so the one you ask already knows your trade, your country and your numbers. Connect your books and inbox. Nothing is sent unless you press Send, and your books change only when you press Approve. Greymill files nothing unless you send it yourself and is not a regulated adviser: where a matter needs one, it says so and tells you what to take to them.