For over 160 years, FAO Schwarz has been more than a toy store, it’s been a destination. From its legendary Rockefeller Center location in New York City, it’s where dreams come to life for millions of visitors each year: oversized teddy bears, musical staircases, glittering toy displays, and the kind of joy that bridges generations.

But in today’s fast-paced, digital-first world, even icons must evolve. And behind the scenes is something far more complex: the day-to-day challenge of delivering high-touch, high-volume, high-stakes retail—flawlessly, and at scale.

“We see anywhere from 10,000 to 15,000 guests a day, and each one expects that same magic,” says Doran Finneran, General Manager of Global Retail at FAO Schwarz. “Our job is to meet those expectations, but also keep the business moving.”

The Challenge: Turn Legacy Magic into Scalable Modern Experience

When FAO Schwarz relaunched its flagship location in 2018, they knew the legacy brand needed a next-generation engine. They weren’t just reopening a store, they were reimagining what the future of guest-first retail could look like. But magic alone doesn’t scale, FAO needed:

• Flexibility to serve guests anywhere, not just behind a register

• Real-time visibility across multiple inventory sources

• A system that minimized staff training and maximized customer focus

• The ability to bridge in-store and digital with no gaps in experience

The Solution: Teamwork Commerce’s Unified, Mobile-First Retail Solution

Teamwork Commerce isn’t just a POS platform, it is a retail solution that gives FAO the freedom to be agile, the tools to be strategic, and the infrastructure to keep every guest at the center.

Mobile POS that Moves with the Story

At FAO, the store is the stage and the ability to serve guests wherever the moment happens is essential. With Teamwork’s mobile POS, associates now operate like hosts, not cashiers—ringing up purchases beside giant teddy bears or next to the piano stairs.

“We’ve eliminated the long lines that used to break the experience,” says Doran.
“With mobile POS, we can pick people off the queue, engage them on the floor, and speed up service, without losing the joy.”

Mobile checkout stations are placed throughout the 20,000-square-foot store, and associates can carry POS devices to high-traffic areas, adjusting in real-time based on crowd flow.

“We’ve been able to pivot our operations in line with where we see traffic go,” Doran continues.  “Whether it’s expanding our cash wrap or creating new checkout zones, we’re making data-driven decisions, powered by Teamwork.”

Real-Time Inventory That Powers Endless Possibilities

Whether a guest is searching for the perfect gift or trying to avoid carrying toys across Manhattan, FAO needs to fulfill requests fast. Teamwork enables real-time inventory visibility: across the floor, the stockroom, or even the distribution center across the river.

“Everything here moves fast,” says Blake Gillen, Director of Direct-to-Consumer Technology. “We need perfect visibility; what’s in stock, what’s sold, what’s in transit. Teamwork gives us that.”

If an item isn’t on the shelf, associates can check if it’s online, in another store, or in stock for same-day shipping using the Send Sale feature, turning any in-store visit into an endless aisle experience.

“Being in New York, we get a lot of tourists,” Blake adds. “They don’t want to walk around the city with a huge toy bag. With Teamwork, we can ship it to their hotel, or straight to their home with just a few taps.”

One Unified System for Guests and Associates Alike

FAO uses Teamwork’s integrated CRM and employee tools to manage every interaction from a single system. The result? Personalization at scale, faster service, and reduced friction for both team and guest.

• Customer data: Associates can access purchase history and preferences to offer more personalized service.

• Gift cards & loyalty: Guests can use digital or physical gift cards across any channel, seamlessly.

• Compliance & data privacy: One system means fewer silos and faster compliance action when needed.

“It’s a single source of truth,” Blake explains.  “Everything flows through Teamwork, from e-commerce to the store. No duplication, no confusion, just clarity.”

Technology That Empowers Teams

In a store as lively and theatrical as FAO, staff energy is everything. So the tech has to enhance the experience, not interrupt it.

“Teamwork’s UI is so intuitive, our staff trains on it in under an hour,” Blake notes.
“It feels like using an iPhone. That means associates can focus on the guest, not on figuring out how to use the system.”

Real-time dashboards help leadership make better scheduling and merchandising decisions. And because the tools are all connected, the team spends less time chasing reports and more time creating moments that matter.

“Teamwork lets us stop worrying about backend logistics,” says Blake.
“Instead, we can keep our eyes where they belong: on the customer.”

A True Partnership

For FAO Schwarz, Teamwork isn’t just another tech vendor, it’s a strategic ally.

“We’re not a typical store,” Doran explains. “We have unpredictable traffic, live demos, toy soldiers marching down the aisles. Teamwork understands that. They help us adapt, not just function.”

With a dedicated support team, constant collaboration, and real responsiveness, Teamwork has become part of the FAO fabric.

“It’s not just a platform—it’s a relationship,” Doran adds. “They make the hard stuff feel easy, so we can focus on what we do best: bring joy.”

The Tools Behind the Toys

• Mobile checkout across the floor reduces wait times and increases engagement
• Real-time inventory + Send Sale transforms every visit into an endless aisle
• Unified CRM + loyalty supports personalization at scale
• Simplified UI leads to faster onboarding and better staff confidence
• Advanced analytics drive smarter decisions on staffing and product mix
• Dedicated support team enables ongoing innovation, not just maintenance

Magic That Grows With You

FAO Schwarz will always be a place of wonder, and now, it’s also a model of what modern experiential retail can be. By combining emotion and efficiency, personalization and performance, the team is proving that magic doesn’t have to come at the expense of operational excellence.

“We’re excited to continue working with Teamwork,” Doran concludes.  “Whether it’s improving the guest experience or scaling our operations, we’re in it for the long haul. And with Teamwork—it actually feels easy.”

FAO Schwarz + Teamwork Commerce: Where legendary retail meets next-gen technology.

Andrea Elliott, Executive Vice President of Direct-to-Consumer at Moose Knuckles, shared insights into the brand’s successful partnership with Teamwork Commerce. Her role spans all retail operations and customer interactions in their global stores, emphasizing Moose Knuckles’ commitment to delivering a top-tier retail experience.

One of the key highlights of this collaboration was the seamless integration of Teamwork’s POS system, which facilitated “send sales,” allowing store teams to link inventory across the portfolio and prevent missed sales opportunities. “All stores would never lose the opportunity for a sale,” Andrea stated, noting how this enhanced the customer journey by ensuring product availability and improving interactions.

Beyond operational improvements, the Teamwork POS system offered robust support in data validation and reporting. Andrea explained, “We were able to validate the sales data that feeds to other reporting… that backup is there.” This feature was unexpectedly smooth and reliable, building confidence among the store teams and IT department by ensuring data accuracy across the system.

Andrea emphasized the importance of Teamwork’s dedicated service team, describing it as the “mojo of making things work.” This close, responsive support allowed her team to work collaboratively without delays, ensuring both internal alignment and better external communication. She described this relationship as “like a family,” fostering open communication, quick responsiveness, and mutual respect, which is often rare in partnerships with POS providers.

The relationship is not static; Moose Knuckles consistently pushes Teamwork to innovate. Andrea remarked, “We’re always asking questions like, what are other people doing? What’s a best practice?” This active engagement ensures that Moose Knuckles remains at the forefront of retail technology. She further stressed the brand’s high expectations: “We push Teamwork to meet that expectation at a luxury, at a high level, because we want it.”

In addition to improving store operations, Andrea pointed out the brand’s commitment to supporting in-store teams. By providing reliable tools and responsive support, her goal is for store employees to feel empowered, knowing they can provide outstanding service. This approach aligns with Moose Knuckles’ luxury brand identity, as Andrea stated, “If they’re happy, then I know they’ll treat our customers in a really great way.”

Reflecting on the partnership’s success, Andrea described it as a “harmonious journey,” where the goal is clear: “keeping our customers warm and in fashion in the best possible way.”

ASICS, a global leader in high-performance footwear and apparel, is transforming its retail operations through its partnership with Teamwork Commerce’s advanced point-of-sale (POS) solutions. By integrating this innovative technology, ASICS enhances the customer experience, offering seamless, efficient, and personalized service in its U.S. retail stores.

At the heart of ASICS’ success is its dedication to innovation, not only in product design but also in the overall shopping experience. According to John Lysek, Director of US Retail for ASICS, the brand’s collaboration with Teamwork Commerce has been instrumental in creating a more engaging and streamlined retail environment. Whether customers are shopping online or in-store, Teamwork Commerce’s mobile POS technology ensures a unified, top-tier service across all channels, supporting ASICS’ omnichannel retail strategy.

The Power of Mobile POS

Teamwork Commerce’s mobile POS technology empowers ASICS’ store associates to assist customers more efficiently, providing real-time inventory checks, personalized recommendations, and instant transactions—all through mobile devices. This mobility allows customers to enjoy a more flexible shopping experience, reducing wait times and enhancing the overall in-store journey.

Boosting Operational Efficiency

Beyond enhancing customer interactions, Teamwork Commerce’s POS solutions significantly improve operational efficiency across ASICS stores. The system’s real-time inventory management ensures that stock levels are always accurate, allowing staff to meet customer demand with ease. This efficient management of stock leads to fewer errors, reduced wait times, and increased performance, ultimately supporting ASICS’ commitment to operational excellence.

A Partnership Driving Retail Innovation

The collaboration between ASICS and Teamwork Commerce is a prime example of how advanced retail technology can transform traditional brick-and-mortar stores into dynamic, customer-centric environments. By combining ASICS’ reputation for innovative products with Teamwork Commerce’s expertise in retail technology, the partnership ensures that ASICS remains a leader in customer service and operational efficiency.

Petco, the renowned American pet health and wellness company, has taken a giant leap towards customer experience excellence through its collaboration with Teamwork Commerce. In this exciting success story, Guillermo Prieto, CIO of Petco Mexico, shares how this partnership has revolutionized their operations, propelling them towards true omnichannel capabilities, where every pet and owner are the ultimate beneficiaries.

Before Petco embraced Teamwork Commerce solutions, it faced significant challenges in maintaining a consistent experience across all platforms. With 127 physical stores, an app, and an online store, centralizing information and ensuring customer satisfaction were critical concerns. The implementation of Teamwork Commerce’s Point of Sale and Inventory Control System, seamlessly integrated with Petco’s CRM, Loyalty Program, and Online Store, marked a big shift.

Since then, Petco has built a real-time 360-degree customer profile. Balances, coupons, preferences, history, and promotions – all in one place. This has led to a big decrease in return-related friction and an enhanced shopping experience, both in physical stores and online.

“Teamwork Commerce has helped us gain a holistic view of the customer for all of our systems; It has been the backbone for that. It helps Petco to be an omnichannel company.” Guillermo Prieto, CIO de Petco México.

Guillermo Prieto highlights Teamwork Commerce’s effortless integration with other platforms, further reinforcing the successful “Club Petco,” where 93% of the company’s transactions take place. Moreover, this collaboration has enabled effective customer segmentation to offer personalized experiences through push notifications and email.

“Teamwork Commerce has become one of the main pillars in achieving omnichannel at Petco. It has reinforced Club Petco, our successful loyalty program and we have managed to implement real-time targeted experiences to pamper our customers both in physical stores and in eCommerce.” Guillermo Prieto, CIO of Petco Mexico.

Petco employees have also experienced significant improvements in their day-to-day tasks. The intuitive iOS interface of the Point of Sale System has reduced the learning curve and streamlined the checkout process. Even in unstable network conditions, employees can continue providing efficient service, expediting the payment process using iPads, especially during peak hours.

Petco’s success story with Teamwork Commerce is a compelling testament to how the right technology can completely transform a company. The collaboration with Teamwork Commerce has taken Petco to new heights in omnichannel capabilities, delivering unique experiences and enhancing both customer satisfaction and operational efficiency.

“At Petco, we highly recommend Teamwork Commerce. The first point is scalability. It has proven to be a robust tool that has given battle to 127 stores, App, and Website.” Guillermo Prieto, CIO of Petco Mexico.

If you’re looking to take your company to the next level, check out Teamwork Commerce’s Flexible Tech Stack omnichannel solution.

Paul Stuart is an 84-year-old American brand that offers exclusive and custom-tailored clothing, sportswear, footwear and accessories for men and women. Founded in 1938 in New York City by Ralph Ostrove, who named the company after his son, Paul Stuart Ostrove, the company was created with the goal of dressing the American consumer in the very finest of men’s clothing.

In addition to the original Flagship store in New York City, Paul Stuart has stores in Chicago, Washington, DC, and Southampton.

Paulette Garafalo, the CEO of Paul Stuart, has been at Paul Stuart since 2016. At Paul Stuart, she’s advancing digital technology, new footwear and sportswear collections for men and women, as the company looks ahead to the future.

Paul Stuart is fully omnichannel since switching to Teamwork Commerce. In 2016 they began the journey by integrating their ecommerce business with the physical stores. Today, you can buy online and pick up in stores, as well as buy in stores and have it shift.

Before Teamwork, Paul Stuart faced challenges with inventory management, customer data information, and inventory optimization among the stores. There were many areas of the business that could not service the customer in the best way, since the company did not have the support from a proper system.

When Paul Stuart first implemented Teamwork, they faced challenges in their own infrastructure. “Training and development were a challenge, but Teamwork was right there for us and helped us understand the system and train our employees, which was critical to our success. We couldn’t have done it without their hands and attention,” mentioned Paulette Garafalo, Paul Stuart CEO.

Paul Stuart needed a customized system and Teamwork provided just that. Sales executives needed to be able to measure the customers, since each garment is a unique piece. Paul Stuart’s customers can pick their fabric, their sizing, and their measurements. Prior to that, Paul Stuart didn’t have a system that could support customized clients’ orders, send it to the factories and ensure that it comes in a timely manner.

According to Paulette Garafalo, one of the best attributes of Teamwork is that it is really easy to use. “Teamwork is the less complicated platform that we could provide to our employees to service the customer.” She also mentioned that with Teamwork Commerce, Paul Stuart empowers their sales associates to know more about the customer and personalize the experience. “Our sales executives now can look up the customer information, customer preferences, find the customer sizes, find merchandise for the customer, ring up the sale, and ship the goods.”

When COVID came, Paul Stuart faced the challenge of having employees returning to work. “Many of the employees were not comfortable yet being in a public space, and thanks to Teamwork we were able to work with a much more limited number of people. We could reduce our staff because our sales personnel could do all the functions”, mentioned Paulette Garafalo, CEO. Paul Stuart stores were able to shift, return, service, look up the inventory, and operate their business, still to this day with a much linear crew that they needed prior to the introduction of Teamwork.

Many other cases have come up where they needed Teamwork’s support, and the help has been personalized. “They responded to us, both with staffing as well as financially. When we hit COVID they were good partners to us, we were together to get through it. People and employees of Teamwork have a very more personal relationship with their clients and their partners than any other software company I’ve worked with.”, remarked Paulette Garafalo.

Paul Stuart CEO, Paulette Garafalo, mentioned that thanks to Teamwork Paul Stuart has changed the customer experience in all stores, both brick and mortar and ecommerce since they are fully connected.

“I would recommend Teamwork to anyone who is looking for a retail management solution. A wonderful partner and a success story.” Paulette Garafalo.