FieldNotes

Halloween is not a one-night event. It’s a whole season — and for retailers, it’s one of the biggest shopping opportunities of the year. According to the National Retail Federation, 49% of consumers ...

Most pet retailers know their current system has limitations. Maybe the reports don’t quite add up. Maybe online orders don’t sync right with in-store inventory. Maybe your staff has their own ...

Opening a second location — or even a small regional chain — can feel exciting and overwhelming at the same time. More stores mean more inventory, more staff, more customers … and a lot more moving ...

Every demo needs a good host — or in our case, a co-host with four legs, a wagging tail, and a knack for winning over a room. Meet Walter, the happy-go-lucky pup who joined FieldStack in 2024 and ...

Most retailers spend their energy getting customers to the checkout. But what happens after the order is placed? For many shoppers, that “post-purchase” phase — the shipping, delivery, and returns ...

You know that feeling when a customer comes in for their weekly pet supplies, and your staff isn't sure which location actually has it in stock? It slows the checkout and can leave a bad impression. ...

Independent pet retailers win on service. It’s the personal touch, the advice, and the sense of community that keep customers coming back. But there’s one part of the customer journey where things ...

Many retailers think they’ve chosen a unified commerce solution — until the sync errors start. Inventory numbers don’t match across channels, reports don’t line up, and staff are stuck working around ...

Retailers today face constant pressure to do more with less — serve customers seamlessly across channels, manage inventory with accuracy, and grow profitably in a competitive market. Many believe ...

Ask any retailer what keeps their business alive, and the answer is almost always the same: loyal customers. The folks who swing by every week, grab what they need, and tell their friends why they ...

Investing in new retail software isn’t just about having features. It’s about using them well. FieldStack gives you the tools, but the retailers who get the most value are the ones who stay curious, ...

SuperZoo is one of the largest annual gatherings for pet industry professionals — a place where brands, retailers, and thought leaders come together to explore what’s next. Over the years, we’ve had ...

Switching to a new retail software platform is a big move. Most retailers are either excited to get started with implementation or dreading what could be a major disruption to their business. But ...

If you’ve ever had a customer call asking if you have an item in stock — and you weren’t completely sure — you know the pain of inaccurate inventory. It’s a common problem. The culprit usually isn’t ...

Retail tech’s gotten complicated. If you’re a mid-sized or regional retailer, you’ve probably seen the pitch deck parade by now. “Composable.” “Unified.” “Headless.” Every vendor’s got a new term, ...

If you’re a regional pet retailer with a growing footprint, you’ve likely felt the tension between scaling operations and maintaining the customer experience that sets you apart. Maybe your store ...

Over the years, retailers have asked for more flexibility at the register — the ability to take an order in-store and deliver it in a way that works for the customer. Whether that’s shipping to a ...

When you're running a pet store, your point-of-sale system can't just be "good enough." You're juggling way more than just transactions. You've got shelves to stock, loyal customers to keep happy, ...

At FieldStack, we stay closely involved with our clients long after go-live. One of the ways we do that is through regular Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs) where we sit down together to look at ...

Independent pet stores and regional chains alike are navigating a complex and fast-changing retail landscape. While the pet industry remains resilient — even during economic downturns — today's ...

When it comes to a pet store POS system, understanding the unique challenges of pet retail is crucial. At FieldStack, our journey into the pet industry began with a simple observation – and a passion ...

At FieldStack, we don’t just sell software – we partner with retailers for long-term success. That’s more than a tagline. It's a core part of how we structure our client relationships and what we ...

For retailers today, eCommerce is about a lot more than just having a website. It’s a key part of how you build and strengthen relationships with your customers — especially when it’s connected with ...

Most people don’t think of software as something you feel. But in a fast-paced retail environment, where every scan, tap, and screen matters, how software works physically is just as important as ...

When retail leaders think about the cost of a point-of-sale (POS) system, they usually zero in on the obvious: licensing fees, hardware, payment processing. But according to FieldStack’s Client ...

When you think of a tech internship, what comes to mind? Grabbing coffee? Fixing typos? Watching from the sidelines? That’s not how we do things at FieldStack. We believe that an internship should be ...

When it comes to retail technology, change isn’t optional — it’s essential. At FieldStack, we know that standing still means falling behind. That’s why we’re always working to move our software ...

Retailers today are standing at a crossroads. On one side, there's rapid innovation – AI, automation, and machine learning are unlocking new possibilities every day. On the other side, there's a real ...

Record Store Day 2025 is in the books – and as always, it was a celebration of music, culture, and community across the country. But this year’s Record Store Day had some unique twists and takeaways ...

Retail is no stranger to pressure. But when a retailer faces bankruptcy (especially against economic headwinds like a looming recession), the pressure intensifies. It’s a tough place to be, but not ...

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the retail world was flipped upside down. Stores faced overnight closures, supply chains fractured, and consumer behavior changed dramatically. But while it was one of ...

Economic downturns are scary. And tariff uncertainties are a valid concern. Recessions can feel like a daunting challenge for retailers, but they’re also a huge opportunity – if you know where to ...

If you've ever looked into unified commerce solutions, you've likely come across terms like "omnichannel" and "unified commerce" being used interchangeably. But here’s the truth – while they share ...

Retail is complicated. And the checkout process can be downright frustrating at times. (We know. We’ve been in the trenches ourselves.) And we know that checkout isn’t just the final step of a ...

In retail, the only constant is change. Because our industry is always evolving.

The retail industry is constantly evolving. And retailers everywhere are struggling to operate profitably while keeping up with increasing customer demands.

Whether it's called buyback or trade-in, recommerce is making headlines in the retail world as a fast-growing trend – and for good reason. Retailers and customers alike benefit from this sales model. ...

Recommerce, also known as buyback and resell, resale or reverse commerce, continues to be a leading retail trend in 2024. As retail continues to transform based on consumer preferences, economic ...

If you’re one of the many retailers evaluating your technology investments, then you understand just how overwhelming the options can be. While there are many software solutions and providers to ...

For retailers, market volatility, inflation, and evolving customer expectations have presented a whirlwind of conflicting forecasts for 2023. Despite the uncertainty, one trend is clear: retailers ...

Today’s ultra-competitive environment presents a unique opportunity for nimble mid-market retailers to outperform the competition. Consumers are rewarding merchants that offer seamless, unified ...

The trends are clear and new data continues to shape the direction of pet specialty retail. With an encouraging backdrop of increased pet ownership and strong segment growth, inflationary concerns ...

Hollywood Feed, winner of Global Pet Expo 2024's Retailer Excellence Award and named the #1 pet care retailer in Newsweek’s 2022 America’s Best Retailers, has established itself over the years as a ...

Today, business leaders and employees alike rely on dozens of legacy software tools and manual processes to carry out their day-to-day operations. Pet store chains and retailers are no exception. As ...

Inventory management is an important part of any retail business. But if you’re manually handling your inventory or relying on a cobbled tech stack to get the job done, then it’s also the part of ...

The word is out: brick and mortar stores are the “new” secret weapon of successful retail. Yes, independent and regional retail chains with physical locations are positioned to win in 2022 and beyond.

In recent years, retailers have introduced new capabilities at a record pace. To stay ahead of intense competition and ever-changing customer expectations, many are leveraging lean retail principles ...

While physical retail has been disrupted by COVID, the pandemic also ignited an inspiring fire of innovation. In my last post, I explained why brick and mortar would survive and thrive in 2021. I’ll ...

People have been predicting the death of brick-and-mortar retail for years. Yet here we are. Stores are still open, customers still show up, and retailers who know what they’re doing are still making ...

You’ve been hearing the term everywhere, and you’re wondering: “What is omnichannel retail?” Beyond that, you may be nervous that it is out of reach for your retail chain.

So you want to ramp up your retail operations, and you’re wondering: “What’s the best retail point of sale system?” In this post I’ll help you answer that question.

We’ve looked across the web to find the make-or-break trends to watch for the 2020 holiday shopping season. Here’s our key takeaway: This is the year where omnichannel capabilities become ...

This third post in our Reopening Retail series focuses on curbside contactless pickup as well as Buy Online/Pickup In Store (BOPIS) purchases. We will discuss:

In this series we explore ways to serve your customers better and keep your retail business resilient in the mid- and post-pandemic world. Visit the CDC’s coronavirus website for official guidance ...

Perpetual inventory is a wonder of our time, and we encourage every retailer to apply it. But, you may ask, what the heck is it?

Note: With SuperZoo 2019 on the way, we’re preparing by sharing info for pet specialty retailers. If you’re in a different category, FieldStack will optimize your chain, too!

Pet retail isn’t like other industries. You’re not just stocking shelves — you’re helping pet parents care for furry family members. There are giant bags of kibble to move, last-minute ...

It’s ancient wisdom: If a product doesn’t turn, I drop it. If a product’s returns aren’t high enough, I drop it. Any inventory manager will tell you to remove a slow-seller from your shelf to make ...

Updated: 8/25/2025 If you’re a multi-location retailer, chances are you’ve asked yourself this question: Should every store order like your strongest store? It seems like a logical idea. After all, ...