Brett Wickard, founder and CEO of FieldStack, has decades of retail experience. He’s seen firsthand how disconnected systems create what he calls the “integration tax” for pet stores. At Global Pet Expo 2026, he shared why pet stores often struggle with inventory errors and disconnected systems — and what you can do to solve it.
Most pet stores use different systems for point-of-sale, eCommerce, inventory, and logistics. Each system stores its own copy of data, and anytime that data moves between them, errors can happen. This is what Brett refers to as the “integration tax” — the hidden cost of relying on software that promises to “integrate.”
“Integration means that data moves from one place to another place,” Brett explains. “Sometimes it moves quickly, sometimes on a cycle… but anytime data crosses a boundary, something can go wrong.”
For pet retailers, even small lags can break the customer journey. A customer might see a bag of Acana online, place an order, drive to the store, and discover it’s sold out because the systems didn’t sync in real time. In pet retail, that’s more than a lost sale — it can disrupt a pet’s routine and shake trust with the customer.
Above: Watch Brett's speech on the Catalyst Stage at Global pet Expo 2026
Unified commerce works differently. Instead of forcing multiple systems to talk to each other, everything is centralized on a single database. Brett describes it as “a single source of truth… There is no integration, there’s no lag, there’s no difference between [systems].” POS, eCommerce, inventory, and logistics all pull from the same data, so errors vanish before they reach your staff or your customers.
This changes how your store operates in a positive way. Accurate, real-time data makes it easier to keep shelves stocked, avoid overordering, and ensure your team can focus on helping pets and pet parents instead of troubleshooting software.
The pet food business is naturally predictable: pets eat on a cycle, and pet parents replenish on a cycle.
Brett explains, “When we improve forecasting, that’s the best thing ever… you are going to get more things in stock at the right time, and at the same time, you might need even less inventory to cover that.”
With unified data, stores can anticipate demand, reduce stockouts, and plan inventory more efficiently. What once felt like guesswork becomes predictable, manageable, and less stressful for your team.
Brett offers a simple guiding question:
“Whenever you think about software, just ask yourself this: will this new piece of software mean that my data is going to be in less places?”
For pet retailers, the answer should lead toward solutions that centralize data, reduce errors, and free your team to focus on what matters most — helping pets and their parents. Because in pet retail, it’s never just about the sale. It’s about the entire journey and the trust you build along the way.
In his discussion at Global Pet Expo, Brett told a story about his dog Ginger, who became his wife’s guardian during a tough time. “When somebody you care about needs you, you show up completely, not partially,” he says. Pet stores should show up for their customers the same way our pets show up for us. Completely.
Reliable, accurate systems mean you’re showing up for pets and families every day, without lag, errors, or frustration. Unified commerce doesn’t replace your expertise — it amplifies it, giving your team the tools to do what they do best.
Above: Ginger, Brett's loving dog, digging one of her many holes in the yard.
PetStack was built for indie pet stores paying the integration tax. For store owners that care about the customer journey, every lag and every mismatch in inventory is a moment where you can’t show up the way you want to.
With PetStack, your POS, eCommerce, inventory, and loyalty all run on the same platform. Everything pulls from a single source of truth, so your data is accurate, your stock is reliable, and your team can focus on what they do best.
This is the system that lets you show up completely, every time — just like Ginger showed up for Brett’s wife — and deliver the care, consistency, and reliability your customers expect.
Book a discovery call today and see how unified commerce can help you show up for your customers the way they expect, every day.