All City Candy
Clarity that turned a software question into a systems strategy.
The Situation
All City Candy had grown into a thriving multi-channel retailer with a strong eCommerce presence on Shopify, Amazon, and Walmart. But behind the bright storefronts, the systems powering the business were showing strain. Their point-of-sale platform had become the central hub for inventory and purchasing, connected to Shopify through a fragile, custom-built integration supported by a freelance developer. The team knew that a single API change or bug could disrupt daily operations. Concerned about stability, they began exploring ways to strengthen that connection, but every option felt like a patch, not a plan.
All City Candy had grown into a thriving multi-channel retailer with a strong eCommerce presence on Shopify, Amazon, and Walmart. But behind the bright storefronts, the systems powering the business were showing strain. Their point-of-sale platform had become the central hub for inventory and purchasing, connected to Shopify through a fragile, custom-built integration supported by a freelance developer. The team knew that a single API change or bug could disrupt daily operations. Concerned about stability, they began exploring ways to strengthen that connection, but every option felt like a patch, not a plan.
The Struggle
On the surface, the problem seemed simple: invest in a more reliable integration and, if needed, a new POS to support it. But beneath that was growing anxiety. The team felt increasingly dependent on manual workarounds to keep everything in sync, using spreadsheets, late-night fixes, and manual data checks to prevent costly listing errors on Amazon or Walmart.
The risk wasn’t just technical. It was operational. Their systems were holding together because of smart, dedicated people, not because of solid architecture.
On the surface, the problem seemed simple: invest in a more reliable integration and, if needed, a new POS to support it. But beneath that was growing anxiety. The team felt increasingly dependent on manual workarounds to keep everything in sync, using spreadsheets, late-night fixes, and manual data checks to prevent costly listing errors on Amazon or Walmart.
The risk wasn’t just technical. It was operational. Their systems were holding together because of smart, dedicated people, not because of solid architecture.
The Refinery’s Role
When All City Candy engaged The Refinery for a QUILT Assessment, they were seeking confirmation that improving the integration was the right next step. Instead, we helped them look deeper.
As we mapped how information flowed through the business, it became clear that the POS wasn’t simply a point-of-sale tool. It had quietly become their ERP. It was managing purchasing, vendor relationships, inventory forecasting, and cost data, all far beyond its intended purpose.
That realization changed everything.
When All City Candy engaged The Refinery for a QUILT Assessment, they were seeking confirmation that improving the integration was the right next step. Instead, we helped them look deeper.
As we mapped how information flowed through the business, it became clear that the POS wasn’t simply a point-of-sale tool. It had quietly become their ERP. It was managing purchasing, vendor relationships, inventory forecasting, and cost data, all far beyond its intended purpose.
That realization changed everything.
The Plan
Rather than rushing to replace or rebuild integrations, we guided the team toward a broader, ERP-centric roadmap. We recommended exploring modern, API-first ERP platforms that could become the true backbone of their operations.
With that foundation in place, they could then select a POS system purpose-built for retail, without overloading it with responsibilities it was never designed to carry.
Rather than rushing to replace or rebuild integrations, we guided the team toward a broader, ERP-centric roadmap. We recommended exploring modern, API-first ERP platforms that could become the true backbone of their operations.
With that foundation in place, they could then select a POS system purpose-built for retail, without overloading it with responsibilities it was never designed to carry.
The Victory
What All City Candy gained wasn’t a new system, but a new way of seeing their business. The QUILT Assessment gave the team perspective, reframing the problem and bringing clarity about where to invest next and how to protect their operations from hidden risks.
They left with a clear direction and confidence that their next system would support the business, not strain it.
What All City Candy gained wasn’t a new system, but a new way of seeing their business. The QUILT Assessment gave the team perspective, reframing the problem and bringing clarity about where to invest next and how to protect their operations from hidden risks.
They left with a clear direction and confidence that their next system would support the business, not strain it.
The Lesson
All City Candy’s story shows the power of digging deeper before deciding. What began as a search for a stronger integration revealed a much larger opportunity, a chance to strengthen the entire foundation of the business.
At The Refinery, that’s what LoBI brings to every engagement: clarity before code, and the discipline to uncover the real problem before solving it.
All City Candy’s story shows the power of digging deeper before deciding. What began as a search for a stronger integration revealed a much larger opportunity, a chance to strengthen the entire foundation of the business.
At The Refinery, that’s what LoBI brings to every engagement: clarity before code, and the discipline to uncover the real problem before solving it.
