Top 3 challenges as told by retailers
Ever dealt with dreaded stockouts, spent time and money on costly chargebacks or battled with disjointed payment experiences? You’re not alone.
Inventory management headaches. Credit card fraud. Online and in-store experiences that just don’t mix. These issues do more than make you feel like you woke up on the wrong side of the bed — they cause your business to lose time and money, putting your success on the line. There’s a smarter way to take back control.
Key takeaway
For too many retailers, the hardest part of the job doesn’t happen on the floor, it happens behind the scenes.
We talked to real store owners about the biggest payment and back office headaches they face and the simple changes that help them work smarter, cut costs and grow. From rethinking manual invoicing processes to streamlining your tech stack, get actionable steps to take back control and stop tossing and turning.
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"When we noticed gaps in our data protection, we didn’t just throw up a firewall and call it a day. We went full-in on PCI-compliant systems, even though we’re not a massive company. Then we switched to a payment gateway that tokenizes customer data, so the info never actually touches our server. That alone lowered the risk drastically. We also limited access — even internally — to customer records. Each team has what they need and nothing more. Last step was regular internal testing — having someone try to ‘break in’ so we could find weak points before anyone else did."
Brooke Webber, Head of Marketing | Ninja Patches
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"Added fraud detection technology and established rules for high-risk purchases: for instance, all orders besides those marked $300-plus and having mismatched billing and shipping addresses would be flagged. These measures have cut fraud-related losses by more than 60% in just six months. Proactive communication with customers at the moment of purchase became part of our routine: sending out confirmation emails and flagging for manual review when out of the ordinary activity was detected."
Alfred Christ, Sales Manager | ROKR
"We added a layer of real-time fraud detection to catch orders with mismatched zip codes, bulk quantities going to PO boxes, or sketchy card activity. We also don’t let high-value orders process until someone from our team gives it a once-over. Then, we made sure our internal team is aligned on escalation. If something feels off, they don’t second guess it — they flag it immediately."
Michael Nemeroff, Co-founder and CEO | RushOrderTees
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Fraud and chargebacks
Fraud happening to your store in real life can be scarier than any nightmare.
Fraud and chargebacks
“Fraud isn’t some rare scenario for us. It happens, and you have to be ready.” Michael Nemeroff, Co-founder and CEO | RushOrderTees
Inventory issues
The key to inventory is striking the right balance. But getting it wrong is all too easy.
Inventory issues
“Poor inventory management is like leaving money on the table. Either you're swimming in unsold inventory, tying up your cash or you're always out of the hot items, leaving customers irate. I've learned the hard way that getting this right is essential.” Luca Dal Zotto, Co-founder | Rent a Mac
Disjointed payment systems
When your tech isn’t unified, things are bound to fall through the cracks. (And customers notice.)
Disjointed payment systems
“Payment unification was a significant hurdle for us when we expanded from purely online to offering in-store purchases. At first, customers could only pay through one system online and a separate one in-store, which led to confusion and issues tracking customer orders.” Jehann Biggs, President and Owner | In2Green
Real stories.
Real solutions.
If you’re looking for a path to less hassle and more headspace, you’re in the right place. Check out how these retailers made simple, strategic changes to overcome everyday challenges and sleep more soundly.
Payment security
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"When we noticed gaps in our data protection, we didn’t just throw up a firewall and call it a day. We went full-in on PCI-compliant systems, even though we’re not a massive company. Then we switched to a payment gateway that tokenizes customer data, so the info never actually touches our server. That alone lowered the risk drastically. We also limited access — even internally — to customer records. Each team has what they need and nothing more. Last step was regular internal testing — having someone try to ‘break in’ so we could find weak points before anyone else did."
Brooke Webber, Head of Marketing | Ninja Patches
2 of 3
"Added fraud detection technology and established rules for high-risk purchases: for instance, all orders besides those marked $300-plus and having mismatched billing and shipping addresses would be flagged. These measures have cut fraud-related losses by more than 60% in just six months. Proactive communication with customers at the moment of purchase became part of our routine: sending out confirmation emails and flagging for manual review when out of the ordinary activity was detected."
Alfred Christ, Sales Manager | ROKR
"We added a layer of real-time fraud detection to catch orders with mismatched zip codes, bulk quantities going to PO boxes, or sketchy card activity. We also don’t let high-value orders process until someone from our team gives it a once-over. Then, we made sure our internal team is aligned on escalation. If something feels off, they don’t second guess it — they flag it immediately."
Michael Nemeroff, Co-founder and CEO | RushOrderTees
1 of 3
Payment security
3 of 3
"Inventory management was the big one. We moved to a real-time system that syncs our warehouse and online store. No more 'Sorry, that's out of stock' emails. It gave us a clearer picture of what's moving and helped us reorder smartly."
Chris Putrimas, CEO | Teak Warehouse
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"Syncing sales with our reorder rules helped us with inventory management. It used to be reactive — we’d only reorder once something hit zero. Now, the system flags low stock based on actual sales velocity, not just fixed thresholds. That shift alone cut our out-of-stock incidents by 43%. We also saw a 26% drop in rush shipping costs because we’re not scrambling last-minute. Doing this also streamlined how our ops team works. They spend 30% less time chasing down numbers or guessing what to order next. Stockouts during high-volume weeks used to derail production. Now, even during promo surges, we stay ahead. Automation did more than save time — it protected revenue."
Tom Golubovich, Head of Marketing | Ninja Transfers
"I often oversold items. I solved this by integrating my sales channels with inventory software that auto-updates stock in real time. These changes streamlined operations, improved customer trust, and saved both time and money."
Gabe Garcia, Founder | PierrePark
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Automated inventory
Retailers agree: The best fixes are a combination of the right technology, intentional team training and clear customer communication. And they’re easier to implement than you think.
Key takeaway
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"We integrated a payment processing system straight into our website. All payments may be handled instantly using this system, and everything automatically synchronizes with our backend. Payments are now instantly updated regardless of the volume of orders we receive, saving time and effort and ensuring accuracy."
John Serrano, Operations Manager | The Trade Table
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"I’ve seen people overcomplicate their tools. One team was using four different platforms to manage inventory … Most SMBs think they need more tech. Usually, they just need fewer tools that actually talk to each other. That’s the unlock."
Josh Neuman, Founder | Chummy Tees
"We set up a full, unified customer profile system that stores payment details and preferences for all sales channels in one place. This technology solution creates a persistent profile of each customer that remembers their payment preferences no matter where they shop."
Brian Akdemir, Director of eCommerce | Bahdos
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Synced tech stack
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Focus on data protection and compliance
Prioritize data security by using PCI-compliant payment technology like encryption and tokenization to prevent cardholder data from being directly stored on your servers.
Limit internal access to essential information only, and conduct regular security assessments to identify and address vulnerabilities.
4
Adopt a unified customer profile system
Create a comprehensive customer profile system that consolidates payment details and shopping preferences across all sales channels.
Ensure a personalized and consistent shopping experience for customers — and increase loyalty and sales while you’re at it.
3
Simplify tools and tech for efficient operations
Avoid overcomplicating your tech stack, and opt for a more streamlined set of tools that seamlessly integrate with each other to manage inventory and sales.
Boost efficiency by reducing the time your team spends managing disconnected systems.
2
Integrate fraud detection and enhance payment security
Use fraud detection tools that check orders for potential red flags, like mismatched shipping and billing information or unusual purchasing patterns. (Add another layer of protection by training your team to recognize and act on suspicious activities too.)
Use secure payment gateways with strong encryption and consider using two-factor authentication for additional security to reduce chargebacks and earn customer trust.
1
Implement real-time inventory and
sales syncing
Shift to a real-time inventory management system that synchronizes your sales channels with your stock levels, so your inventory data is always up to date. Use technology that flags products for reorder based on actual sales velocity instead of set thresholds.
5 simple fixes to take back control
You’ve heard what works for other retailers, now here’s a breakdown of how you can put their tips into action.
Retail moves fast, you can move smarter
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