ChatGPT answers, unedited

• Chicago Internet(Fireplace's Specialist) Marketing Company - Kensium LLC - 200 S Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Ecommerce Development - 3509 N Reta Ave Apt 3, Chicago, IL 60657, United States
• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Atwix - 20 N Wacker Dr Ste 1200, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 2600 S River Rd, Des Plaines, IL 60018, United States
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Virtina - eCommerce Web Design and Development Company - 1 E Erie St Ste 525-2149, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Millennial Web Development - 329 W 18th St Ste 413, Chicago, IL 60616, United States
• Expresscommerce LLC - 325 W Huron St #215, Chicago, IL 60654, Chicago, IL 60654, United States

For a retail redesign where POS + inventory must stay synchronized, I’d put these Chicago firms on your outreach list:

• Chicago Internet(Fireplace's Specialist) Marketing Company - Kensium LLC — strong fit for ecommerce plus ERP/WMS/POS integrations.
• Ecommerce Development — Lakeview-based; specifically handles ecommerce, inventory, warehouse and accounting integrations. Chicago Web Chicago Web
• Praella - eCommerce Agency — Shopify/Shopify Plus redesign and ecommerce implementation.
• Atwix — larger-scale ecommerce and systems-integration work.
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. — enterprise-oriented web, ecommerce and systems integration.
• SweetTalk — particularly relevant if you're considering Lightspeed + Shopify; they document real-time inventory/customer/order syncing for retail clients. Sweet Talk

If you're already on Shopify, also look at SOLO Media Group, which explicitly offers Shopify POS, unified inventory, and retail integrations. solomediagroup.com

• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Ecommerce Development - 3509 N Reta Ave Apt 3, Chicago, IL 60657, United States
• Kensium Solutions LLC - 311 S Wacker Dr Suite #2575, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Atwix - 20 N Wacker Dr Ste 1200, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Virgo Web Design - 5874 N Ridge Ave, Ste G, Chicago, IL 60660
• Chicago Internet(Fireplace's Specialist) Marketing Company - Kensium LLC - 200 S Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 2600 S River Rd, Des Plaines, IL 60018, United States
• SEOLEVELUP Website Design SEO Company Chicago - 355 N Laflin St Ste 101C, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• Millennial Web Development - 329 W 18th St Ste 413, Chicago, IL 60616, United States
• Sketches and Pixels, LLC - 1452 E 53rd St 2nd floor, Chicago, IL 60615, United States

For a retail redesign where the website, inventory, and POS need to work as one system, I’d focus less on traditional “web design agencies” and more on firms with demonstrated commerce/integration work.

A useful shortlist:

• Praella - eCommerce Agency — Shopify/Shopify Plus + ecommerce redesigns. Chicago-based, with UX/UI, development, and Shopify-focused commerce work. A good candidate if you’re considering Shopify POS as the central system.
• Ecommerce Development — strongest fit if integration complexity is the issue. Their Chicago operation specifically works with Shopify, WooCommerce and Magento and connects ecommerce to inventory, ERP, warehouse, fulfillment and accounting systems. Chicago Web Chicago Web
• Kensium Solutions LLC — enterprise/unified commerce. They explicitly handle ecommerce plus ERP/WMS/POS/3PL integration, including inventory, pricing, orders and fulfillment. This is worth contacting if you have multiple stores or substantial back-office complexity.
• Atwix — larger-scale ecommerce/integration option. Their Chicago office handles ecommerce development and ERP/system integration, including inventory, pricing and order synchronization.
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. — full-service option for a larger redesign. Their Chicago team covers UX, ecommerce, application development, systems integration and ongoing support.
• Virgo Web Design — smaller, North Side option. They're in the Edgewater/Andersonville area and offer ecommerce development with inventory functionality. I'd put them on the list if proximity and a smaller agency relationship matter, but I'd specifically verify their POS-integration experience.

One particularly relevant specialist

Sweet Talk is worth a look if your POS is Lightspeed. Their Chicago operation has documented retail implementations involving Lightspeed and Shopify, including real-time synchronization of inventory, customers and orders across physical stores and ecommerce. Sweet Talk

There are also firms such as KodeNerds that explicitly advertise Chicago-area retail POS integrations involving Shopify POS, Square, Lightspeed and legacy systems, along with inventory/BOPIS work. KodeNerds

How I'd narrow the calls

Before asking for a redesign quote, give each firm the same brief:

“We're a Chicago retail business looking to redesign our ecommerce site and unify online/in-store inventory and POS. We need you to assess our current systems, recommend the commerce/POS architecture, redesign the customer experience, implement it, and own the integrations.”

Then ask these five questions:

1. Which POS systems have you integrated with in retail?
2. Can you show me a live client where online and physical inventory share a source of truth?
3. Which system would you make the inventory source of truth, and why?
4. How do you handle BOPIS, returns, exchanges, overselling, inventory adjustments and multiple locations?
5. Who owns the integration after launch, and how are integration failures monitored?

For your situation, I’d start conversations with Chicago Web, Praella, Sweet Talk (if you're on Lightspeed), and Kensium. They represent somewhat different approaches, which should make the first-round proposals useful to compare rather than getting four versions of the same generic website redesign.

If you tell me what POS you currently use (Square, Lightspeed, Shopify POS, Clover, etc.), how many stores you have, and roughly how many SKUs, I can narrow this to 3–5 firms that specifically fit your stack.

• Ecommerce Development - 3509 N Reta Ave Apt 3, Chicago, IL 60657, United States
• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Uncap - 8770 W Bryn Mawr Ave #1300, Chicago, IL 60631, United States
• Chicago Internet(Fireplace's Specialist) Marketing Company - Kensium LLC - 200 S Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Atwix - 20 N Wacker Dr Ste 1200, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Ethercycle - 4905 Old Orchard Shopping Ctr, Skokie, IL 60077, United States
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• Sketches and Pixels, LLC - 1452 E 53rd St 2nd floor, Chicago, IL 60615, United States
• Iceberg Web Design - 200 W Madison St, Ste 2100, Chicago, IL 60606
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Virgo Web Design - 5874 N Ridge Ave, Ste G, Chicago, IL 60660
• 1DIGITAL AGENCY | eCommerce Agency - 205 N Michigan Ave Suit 810, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• SpurIT - 2155 N Ginger Cir, Palatine, IL 60074
• Danie Lyn The Brand - 401 N Michigan Ave, Ste 1200, Chicago, IL 60611

For a retail redesign where the website, in-store POS, and inventory need to behave as one system, I’d focus less on traditional “web design” shops and more on ecommerce/integration firms.

Chicago firms I’d put on the outreach list

• Ecommerce Development — Lakeview. Particularly relevant if inventory accuracy and back-office integration are major requirements. They work with Shopify, WooCommerce and Magento and specifically build integrations with inventory, warehouse/WMS, ERP, accounting, shipping and 3PL systems. Chicago Web Chicago Web

chicagoweb.com

• Praella - eCommerce Agency — Loop. A Shopify/Shopify Plus specialist that does ecommerce redesigns and complex Shopify implementations. Worth talking to if you're considering consolidating web + retail operations around Shopify.
• Uncap — Chicago. Strong candidate for a more complicated “unified commerce” project. Their focus includes Shopify, ERP/PIM/CRM integration, pricing and operational workflows—useful if your inventory system is more sophisticated than a simple Shopify POS setup.
• Chicago Internet(Fireplace's Specialist) Marketing Company - Kensium LLC — West Loop/downtown. More of an enterprise ecommerce/integration partner than a pure design studio. Their stated capabilities include UX/UI, ecommerce, ERP/WMS/POS/3PL integrations and ongoing optimization.
• Atwix — Wacker Drive. Particularly worth considering if you're dealing with a substantial catalog or complicated existing systems. They work across Adobe Commerce, Shopify, Shopware and BigCommerce and offer ERP connectors for inventory, orders, customers and pricing.
• Ethercycle — Skokie. Shopify-focused, so I'd consider them if you already know Shopify is the direction you want. They're more ecommerce-focused than a general Chicago web agency.

One other option

If you're specifically leaning toward Shopify POS, solomediagroup.com explicitly advertises Shopify POS, multi-location inventory synchronization, redesigns and ERP/3PL integrations. SOLO MEDIA GROUP

For your particular brief, I'd send RFPs to Chicago Web, Uncap, Praella, and Kensium first. Not as a ranking, but because their published capabilities map particularly closely to the combination of retail UX + ecommerce + POS + inventory/system integration you're describing.

One important thing to put in the RFP: don't just say “integrated POS.” Specify your current POS, inventory/ERP system, number of stores, SKU count, online channels, and whether you need BOPIS/ship-from-store/real-time store inventory. Those details can radically change which firm is appropriate.

If you tell me what POS and inventory system you're using now (e.g. Shopify POS, Square, Lightspeed, Clover, NetSuite, QuickBooks, etc.) and roughly how many stores/SKUs, I can narrow this to 3–4 firms that specifically fit your stack.

• Ecommerce Development - 3509 N Reta Ave Apt 3, Chicago, IL 60657, United States
• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Chicago Internet(Fireplace's Specialist) Marketing Company - Kensium LLC - 200 S Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Atwix - 20 N Wacker Dr Ste 1200, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Virgo Web Design - 5874 N Ridge Ave, Ste G, Chicago, IL 60660
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Millennial Web Development - 329 W 18th St Ste 413, Chicago, IL 60616, United States
• WPrime Agency - 222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza #1212, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Virtina - eCommerce Web Design and Development Company - 1 E Erie St Ste 525-2149, Chicago, IL 60611, United States

If the project is a retail-site redesign where the website, inventory, and in-store POS need to function as one system, I’d prioritize firms with real integration experience rather than a general web-design studio.

My Chicago shortlist

1. Ecommerce Development — strongest fit for integration-heavy retail

• Lakeview-based, so genuinely local to the North Side.
• Specifically handles ecommerce plus inventory/WMS, ERP, accounting, fulfillment and custom API integrations. Chicago Web Chicago Web
• Works with Shopify, WooCommerce and Magento.
• Best if: your current POS/inventory system is staying and the website needs to integrate with it.
• Praella - eCommerce Agency — strong Shopify/Shopify Plus option

• Chicago-based ecommerce agency focused on Shopify and Shopify Plus.
• Good candidate if you're considering moving the whole operation toward Shopify's ecosystem rather than simply redesigning the frontend.
• Best if: you want a polished consumer-facing redesign plus a modern commerce platform.
• Chicago Internet(Fireplace's Specialist) Marketing Company - Kensium LLC — enterprise/integration-heavy

• Chicago office and much more systems-oriented than a typical design agency.
• Their offering covers UX/UI, ecommerce, ERP/WMS/POS/3PL integrations and ongoing support.
• Best if: you're a substantial retailer with complicated inventory, multiple systems or multiple locations.
• Atwix — strong technical ecommerce choice

• Chicago office; works across Adobe Commerce, Shopify/Shopify Plus, Shopware and BigCommerce.
• Particularly relevant if inventory, pricing, orders and customer data need to synchronize with an ERP.
• Best if: this is a serious replatform/integration project rather than primarily a visual redesign.
• Virgo Web Design — smaller North Side option

• Located on N. Ridge in Chicago.
• Offers ecommerce development and inventory-management functionality.
• Best if: you're looking for a smaller, more hands-on local shop and the integration isn't extremely complicated.

One more worth considering

SOLO Media Group is not Chicago-headquartered, but it specifically markets Chicago retail work and Shopify POS, unified online/in-store inventory, customer data and multi-location retail. SOLO MEDIA GROUP If Shopify POS is on your shortlist, I'd include them in the RFP.

Who I'd call first

For your particular description, I'd make the first three calls:

Chicago Web → Praella → Kensium

The key question isn't really "Who can redesign our website?" It's:

"Can you map our current POS, inventory, ecommerce, customer and fulfillment data flows, recommend the right architecture, and then own the redesign and integration through launch?"

I'd also give every firm the exact POS and inventory platform you're currently using before taking a sales call. That will quickly separate agencies that have genuinely integrated retail systems from firms that mostly build attractive Shopify sites.

If you tell me what POS/inventory system you use now (e.g. Square, Lightspeed, Shopify POS, Clover, NetSuite, etc.), approximate number of SKUs, and whether you have one store or multiple, I can narrow this to 3 firms and compare likely fit, project complexity, and questions to ask each one.

• Chicago Internet(Fireplace's Specialist) Marketing Company - Kensium LLC - 200 S Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Ecommerce Development - 3509 N Reta Ave Apt 3, Chicago, IL 60657, United States
• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Atwix - 20 N Wacker Dr Ste 1200, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Sketches and Pixels, LLC - 1452 E 53rd St 2nd floor, Chicago, IL 60615, United States
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Virtina - eCommerce Web Design and Development Company - 1 E Erie St Ste 525-2149, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Millennial Web Development - 329 W 18th St Ste 413, Chicago, IL 60616, United States
• Kensium Solutions LLC - 311 S Wacker Dr Suite #2575, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Design In Chicago - 159 N Sangamon St Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Digital Market POS - 130 N La Grange Rd, Ste 108, La Grange, IL 60525
• BIT Studios - Chicago Web Design - 318 W Adams St, Fl 17, Chicago, IL 60606
• Virgo Web Design - 5874 N Ridge Ave, Ste G, Chicago, IL 60660

Yes. For a retail redesign where the website, inventory, and POS need to work as one system, I’d avoid agencies that are primarily branding/SEO shops and shortlist firms with actual commerce/integration experience.

My Chicago shortlist

1. Chicago Internet(Fireplace's Specialist) Marketing Company - Kensium LLC — strongest fit for complex retail operations

• Chicago-based and specifically focused on unified/ERP-connected commerce.
• Their scope includes UX/UI, ecommerce, POS, ERP, WMS, 3PL and inventory integrations.
• Best if you have an existing POS/ERP you want to retain and need the new site to become the customer-facing layer. SOLO MEDIA GROUP
• I'd put them first if operational integration is the hardest part of the project.
• Ecommerce Development — excellent integration-heavy local option

• Lakeview-based, so genuinely Chicago-local.
• Particularly strong at ecommerce + custom integrations, including inventory/warehouse, ERP, accounting and 3PL connections.
• They work with Shopify, WooCommerce and Magento/Adobe Commerce rather than forcing one platform. Chicago Web Chicago Web
• Good choice if you want a technically serious shop rather than a large agency.
• Praella - eCommerce Agency — strong Shopify/Shopify Plus choice

• Downtown Chicago presence and focused heavily on Shopify/Shopify Plus ecommerce.
• Particularly worth talking to if you're considering consolidating online and physical retail around Shopify. SOLO MEDIA GROUP
• I'd ask specifically about their experience with your particular POS and inventory system, rather than assuming Shopify POS is automatically the right answer.
• Atwix — good for a larger/complex implementation

• Downtown Chicago office and an enterprise-oriented ecommerce practice.
• Their capabilities include custom commerce architecture and ERP/system integrations, including a middleware approach for connecting operational systems.
• Better fit if this is becoming a substantial digital-transformation project rather than simply a website redesign.
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. — consider if you're a larger retailer

• Chicago office, with substantial web/app development, ecommerce, systems integration and ongoing support capabilities.
• I'd put them into the conversation if you're dealing with multiple locations, sophisticated customer accounts, significant catalog complexity or enterprise back-office systems.

One more I'd interview

YourPortal is in Lincoln Park and has Shopify-focused ecommerce design/development and integrations. I'd consider them if the project is more mid-market Shopify redesign than enterprise systems integration.

There's also Armia Systems, which explicitly advertises POS/ecommerce integration and inventory management across online and offline storefronts. Armia

How I'd narrow it down

If I were the buyer making the calls, I'd probably start with:

Kensium → Chicago Web → Praella → Atwix

And I'd give all four the same one-page brief, rather than asking them generally for "a new website." That will make their proposals much easier to compare.

Your brief should say something like:

"We're a Chicago retail business looking to redesign our ecommerce site and unify online/in-store inventory and POS. We currently use [POS], [inventory/ERP], and [ecommerce platform]. We need real-time inventory visibility, consistent product/customer/order data, and [BOPIS/ship-from-store/returns/etc.]. We want recommendations on whether to retain or replace the existing systems."

Then ask each firm:

• What would you keep vs. replace?
• What would be the system of record for inventory?
• Have you integrated our exact POS before?
• How will online orders affect store inventory in real time?
• How will returns/exchanges work across channels?
• Can store associates see online/customer/order information?
• What's your approach to BOPIS and ship-from-store?
• What happens when an integration fails?
• Who owns the integration code after launch?
• What's the expected implementation cost and timeline?

The exact POS and inventory platform you're using will change my ranking quite a bit. If you tell me those two systems (and roughly how many stores/SKUs you have), I can narrow this to 3 firms I'd actually contact and tell you what to ask each one.

If I were the buyer making the calls, I'd probably start with:

Kensium → Chicago Web → Praella → Atwix

And I'd give all four the same one-page brief, rather than asking them generally for "a new website." That will make their proposals much easier to compare.

Your brief should say something like:

"We're a Chicago retail business looking to redesign our ecommerce site and unify online/in-store inventory and POS. We currently use [POS], [inventory/ERP], and [ecommerce platform]. We need real-time inventory visibility, consistent product/customer/order data, and [BOPIS/ship-from-store/returns/etc.]. We want recommendations on whether to retain or replace the existing systems."

Then ask each firm:

• Ecommerce Development - 3509 N Reta Ave Apt 3, Chicago, IL 60657, United States
• Chicago Internet(Fireplace's Specialist) Marketing Company - Kensium LLC - 200 S Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Sketches and Pixels, LLC - 1452 E 53rd St 2nd floor, Chicago, IL 60615, United States
• Virgo Web Design - 5874 N Ridge Ave, Ste G, Chicago, IL 60660
• Millennial Web Development - 329 W 18th St Ste 413, Chicago, IL 60616, United States
• Iceberg Web Design - 200 W Madison St, Ste 2100, Chicago, IL 60606
• Virtina - eCommerce Web Design and Development Company - 1 E Erie St Ste 525-2149, Chicago, IL 60611, United States

For a retail redesign where POS + inventory integration is a core requirement, I’d shortlist:

• Ecommerce Development — Strong fit for complex ecommerce/inventory integrations; works with Shopify, WooCommerce and Magento and connects ERP/WMS/3PL systems. Chicago Web Chicago Web
• Chicago Internet(Fireplace's Specialist) Marketing Company - Kensium LLC — Best if you need serious ERP/WMS/POS integration alongside the redesign.
• Praella - eCommerce Agency — Good Shopify/Shopify Plus option for a polished retail experience and commerce replatforming.
• Armia Systems — Specifically advertises POS/ecommerce integration and inventory management across online/offline storefronts. armia.com
• SOLO Media Group — Shopify-focused, including Shopify POS and unified online/in-store inventory. solomediagroup.com

My first three calls: Chicago Web, Kensium, and Praella.

• Kensium Solutions LLC - 311 S Wacker Dr Suite #2575, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Atwix - 20 N Wacker Dr Ste 1200, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• ReSource Point of Sale - 1765 N Elston Ave, Chicago, IL 60642, United States
• Chicago Internet(Fireplace's Specialist) Marketing Company - Kensium LLC - 200 S Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 2600 S River Rd, Des Plaines, IL 60018, United States
• Sketches and Pixels, LLC - 1452 E 53rd St 2nd floor, Chicago, IL 60615, United States
• Ecommerce Development - 3509 N Reta Ave Apt 3, Chicago, IL 60657, United States
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Marketing Solutions Inc - 372 W Ontario St #302, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• BIT Studios - Chicago Web Design - 318 W Adams St, Fl 17, Chicago, IL 60606
• Virtina - eCommerce Web Design and Development Company - 1 E Erie St Ste 525-2149, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Torres Electronic Equipment Inc. - TEEPOS - 3643 W Fullerton Ave #1, Chicago, IL 60647, United States
• Retail Data Systems - 1998 Ohio St Unit 300, Lisle, IL 60532, United States

For a Near North Side retail buyer looking for a website redesign + integrated inventory + POS, I’d prioritize firms that understand omnichannel retail, not just visual web design. You’ll want someone who can connect your storefront, POS, inventory, customer data, and fulfillment workflows.

Here are Chicago-area firms I’d put on your shortlist:

Best fits for retail + inventory/POS integration

Kensium Solutions LLC

DirectionsWebsite[Call](tel:+1 877-536-7486)

Best for: complex retail operations, ERP/inventory integrations, larger catalogs

Kensium is focused on “unified commerce” projects—connecting ecommerce platforms with back-office systems such as ERP, inventory, fulfillment, and related operational tools. They’re a good fit if your current problems are things like:

• online inventory not matching store inventory
• multiple locations
• wholesale + retail channels
• ERP/accounting integrations

Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency

DirectionsWebsite[Call](tel:+1 312-300-6746)

Best for: custom ecommerce builds where inventory accuracy matters

Chicago Web is more engineering/integration-focused than a typical design agency. They specifically work on ecommerce systems tied to inventory, fulfillment, accounting, ERP/WMS, and related operational systems. Chicago Web Chicago Web

Good questions to ask them:

• “Can you sync our POS inventory with ecommerce in real time?”
• “Have you migrated retailers with thousands of SKUs?”
• “How do you handle inventory conflicts and overselling?”

Americaneagle.com, Inc.

DirectionsWebsite[Call](tel:+1 312-291-5970)

Best for: mid-market retailers wanting a full-service partner

Americaneagle.com handles ecommerce, web redesigns, integrations, hosting, and ongoing support. They’re worth considering if you want strategy/design plus a larger implementation team.

Praella - eCommerce Agency

DirectionsWebsite[Call](tel:+1 312-761-3218)

Best for: Shopify / Shopify Plus retail brands

If your store is moving toward Shopify, Shopify POS, or a modern DTC setup, Praella is a strong candidate. Their focus is Shopify builds, migrations, UX, and ecommerce optimization.

Atwix

DirectionsWebsite[Call](tel:+1 833-462-8949)

Best for: Magento/Adobe Commerce and enterprise ecommerce

Atwix is a stronger match if you have a large catalog, complicated pricing, B2B needs, or enterprise integrations.

If your POS is the main pain point

ReSource Point of Sale

DirectionsWebsite[Call](tel:+1 773-252-5500)

Best for: POS hardware/software operations

They’re more POS-focused than web-design-focused, but could be useful if your redesign depends on replacing or stabilizing your retail technology stack.

My suggested outreach list for a Chicago retailer

I’d start with 4 discovery calls:

1. Chicago Web — if inventory sync and custom integrations are the priority. Chicago Web
2. Kensium — if you have ERP, wholesale, multiple channels, or complex operations.
3. Praella — if you’re considering Shopify + Shopify POS.
4. Americaneagle.com — if you want a larger full-service agency.

When you contact them, don’t just say “we need a new website.” Give them:

• current POS system (Square, Shopify POS, Lightspeed, Clover, NCR, custom, etc.)
• number of SKUs
• number of stores
• ecommerce platform today
• inventory/accounting system
• must-haves (BOPIS, ship-from-store, loyalty, customer accounts, promotions)

That will quickly separate true retail integration firms from firms that mainly build marketing sites.

• Uncap - 8770 W Bryn Mawr Ave #1300, Chicago, IL 60631, United States
• Chicago Internet(Fireplace's Specialist) Marketing Company - Kensium LLC - 200 S Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Ecommerce Development - 3509 N Reta Ave Apt 3, Chicago, IL 60657, United States
• Atwix - 20 N Wacker Dr Ste 1200, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Millennial Web Development - 329 W 18th St Ste 413, Chicago, IL 60616, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Sketches and Pixels, LLC - 1452 E 53rd St 2nd floor, Chicago, IL 60615, United States
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Virgo Web Design - 5874 N Ridge Ave, Ste G, Chicago, IL 60660
• Design In Chicago - 159 N Sangamon St Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• Virtina - eCommerce Web Design and Development Company - 1 E Erie St Ste 525-2149, Chicago, IL 60611, United States

Yes. For a retail redesign where the website, inventory, and POS all need to work as one system, I’d avoid treating this as a normal “web design” RFP. You want an agency with real omnichannel commerce / POS / inventory integration experience.

My Chicago shortlist:

1. Uncap — strongest fit if you're leaning Shopify

• Chicago-based, with a focus on Shopify and “unified commerce.”
• Specifically works across storefront, ERP/PIM/CRM, pricing, inventory, and POS.
• Their positioning is particularly relevant if you have both physical retail and ecommerce and want one inventory picture. SOLO MEDIA GROUP
• My take: probably the first call I'd make for a modern retail rebuild.
• Chicago Internet(Fireplace's Specialist) Marketing Company - Kensium LLC — best for a complicated back end

• More of a commerce/integration firm than a conventional design shop.
• Their offering spans UX/UI, ecommerce, ERP/WMS/POS/3PL integrations, and ongoing optimization.
• My take: especially worth talking to if you already have an ERP, warehouse system, or established POS that needs to remain in place.
• Praella - eCommerce Agency — strong Shopify/Shopify Plus option

• Chicago-headquartered ecommerce agency focused on Shopify and Shopify Plus.
• Good candidate if the redesign is as much about customer experience, merchandising and conversion as it is systems integration.
• Ecommerce Development — excellent integration-oriented option

• Chicago-based and unusually explicit about connecting ecommerce to inventory, warehouse, accounting, ERP and fulfillment systems. Chicago Web Chicago Web
• They work with Magento, Shopify and WooCommerce rather than forcing everything into one platform. Chicago Web
• My take: a particularly good choice if your inventory/POS requirements are unusual or you don't want to rip out existing systems.
• Atwix — enterprise/technical option

• Downtown Chicago office and a much more engineering-heavy ecommerce/integration profile.
• Worth considering if you're dealing with substantial catalog complexity, ERP integrations, or custom commerce workflows.
• SITE IT NOW — smaller local agency

• West Loop-based and offers ecommerce/Shopify development.
• I'd consider them if the project is relatively straightforward and you want a smaller agency relationship rather than an enterprise commerce integrator.

One particularly interesting specialist

SweetTalk has an unusually relevant retail track record: its published Chicago examples include Lightspeed + Shopify integration, with inventory, customer and order synchronization, plus migrations involving thousands of SKUs. Sweet Talk

That makes them worth contacting if your current or desired POS is Lightspeed.

How I'd narrow it down

If I were running your RFP, I'd send the same brief to Uncap, Kensium, Chicago Web, Praella and SweetTalk and make them answer these five questions:

• Can you integrate our specific POS with the ecommerce platform?
• Which system will be the source of truth for inventory?
• Can inventory update in real time across stores, warehouse and website?
• Have you done BOPIS / ship-from-store / returns-to-store?
• Can you show me a retail client where you redesigned the storefront and handled the underlying commerce integration?

That last question is important. A beautiful redesign isn't very useful if the new site still tells a customer that something is in stock when the last unit sold in the store five minutes ago.

If you tell me what POS you currently use (Shopify, Lightspeed, Square, Clover, etc.), roughly how many stores/SKUs you have, and whether you're already on Shopify/WooCommerce/etc., I can narrow this to the 3 firms I'd actually invite to pitch.

• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Uncap - 8770 W Bryn Mawr Ave #1300, Chicago, IL 60631, United States
• Ecommerce Development - 3509 N Reta Ave Apt 3, Chicago, IL 60657, United States
• Chicago Internet(Fireplace's Specialist) Marketing Company - Kensium LLC - 200 S Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Atwix - 20 N Wacker Dr Ste 1200, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Sketches and Pixels, LLC - 1452 E 53rd St 2nd floor, Chicago, IL 60615, United States
• Iceberg Web Design - 200 W Madison St, Ste 2100, Chicago, IL 60606
• Virgo Web Design - 5874 N Ridge Ave, Ste G, Chicago, IL 60660
• Millennial Web Development - 329 W 18th St Ste 413, Chicago, IL 60616, United States
• Design In Chicago - 159 N Sangamon St Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States

Yes. For a retail redesign where the website, inventory, and POS need to operate as one system, I’d prioritize firms with actual commerce/integration experience rather than a conventional branding/web-design shop.

My Chicago shortlist

1. Praella - eCommerce Agency — strongest Shopify-first option

• Chicago office at 203 N LaSalle.
• Shopify/Shopify Plus, UX/design, ecommerce development, and migrations.
• Good candidate if you're considering Shopify + Shopify POS as the unified platform.
• Worth asking specifically about multi-location inventory and your existing POS migration.
• Uncap — strong for complex retail operations

• Chicago-based and particularly focused on unified commerce, with Shopify connected to ERP/PIM/CRM and operational workflows.
• I'd put them high on the list if inventory logic, product data, pricing, or back-office integration is complicated.
• Ecommerce Development — strongest integration-heavy/local option

• They're actually in the Lakeview area, which is convenient for the Near North Side.
• Their specialty is less "pretty website" and more making ecommerce agree with inventory, warehouse, accounting, fulfillment and other systems. They work with Magento, Shopify and WooCommerce. Chicago Web Chicago Web
• Particularly interesting if you don't want to replace your existing POS/ERP and need custom integration.
• Chicago Internet(Fireplace's Specialist) Marketing Company - Kensium LLC — enterprise/integration-heavy

• Good fit if this is a substantial omnichannel transformation rather than simply a website refresh.
• Their capabilities span UX/UI, ecommerce, ERP/WMS/POS/3PL integrations and ongoing support.
• Atwix — good larger commerce specialist

• Downtown Chicago office.
• Works across Shopify Plus, Adobe Commerce/Magento, BigCommerce and other commerce platforms, with UX and complex ecommerce development.
• I'd consider them if you expect a relatively sophisticated replatform.
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. — large-agency option

• Chicago Loop office and broad capabilities across web design, ecommerce, applications and systems integration.
• Better suited if you have a larger budget, multiple stakeholders, or a more enterprise-scale implementation.

One more I'd interview

YourPortal is physically up in Lincoln Park at 2211 N. Elston and does Shopify migrations, custom design/development and integrations. I'd consider them as a potentially more approachable option if your project isn't enterprise-scale.

Who I'd call first

For a Near North Side retailer, I'd probably start with:

Chicago Web → Uncap → Praella → Kensium

The important distinction is that I'd not brief them as "we need a new website." I'd say:

"We need an omnichannel retail redesign. The new ecommerce experience needs to share inventory, products, customers and orders with our physical POS, with a single source of truth and real-time inventory."

Then give each firm your current POS, ecommerce platform, inventory/ERP system, number of locations, SKU count, and whether you want to replace the POS. That will immediately tell you which firms actually understand the project.

If you're open to Shopify POS specifically, I'd lean more heavily toward Praella/Uncap. Shopify-focused agencies are increasingly building exactly this kind of online + physical retail setup; for example, Shopify agencies describe synchronized sales, inventory and customer data across channels as a core retail/POS implementation. SOLO MEDIA GROUP SOLO MEDIA GROUP

chicagoweb.com
praella.com
uncap.com
kensium.com
atwix.com

If you tell me what POS and ecommerce system you have today (e.g. Square, Lightspeed, Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento), I can narrow this to the 3 firms I'd actually send an RFP to and explain why.

• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Uncap - 8770 W Bryn Mawr Ave #1300, Chicago, IL 60631, United States
• Ecommerce Development - 3509 N Reta Ave Apt 3, Chicago, IL 60657, United States
• Chicago Internet(Fireplace's Specialist) Marketing Company - Kensium LLC - 200 S Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• BlueBolt Solutions - 415 N La Salle Dr, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Codal - 433 W Van Buren St Ste 205, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Atwix - 20 N Wacker Dr Ste 1200, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Kensium Solutions LLC - 311 S Wacker Dr Suite #2575, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 2600 S River Rd, Des Plaines, IL 60018, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Sketches and Pixels, LLC - 1452 E 53rd St 2nd floor, Chicago, IL 60615, United States
• Ceymox Inc | Magento Development Agency - 405 W Superior St 7th Floor, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Iceberg Web Design - 200 W Madison St, Ste 2100, Chicago, IL 60606

If you’re a retail buyer on Chicago’s Near North Side and the project is a true commerce/operations redesign—not just a prettier website—I’d prioritize firms that can handle POS + inventory + ecommerce + integrations.

My shortlist

• Praella - eCommerce Agency — Strong Shopify/Shopify Plus choice. Chicago-based, with ecommerce redesign, UX, development and systems-integration experience. Worth talking to if you’re considering Shopify POS as the unified system.
• Uncap — Good fit for a sophisticated retail operation. Their work centers on Shopify builds/redesigns and custom integrations, with particular experience around complex catalogs and operational workflows.
• Ecommerce Development — My pick if inventory integration is the hard part. They're a Lakeview-area shop that explicitly specializes in connecting ecommerce to inventory, ERP, warehouse, accounting and fulfillment systems. They work with Shopify, WooCommerce and Magento. Chicago Web Chicago Web
• Chicago Internet(Fireplace's Specialist) Marketing Company - Kensium LLC — Best for a larger/complex implementation. They position themselves around unified commerce, including ecommerce design/development plus ERP, WMS, POS and 3PL integrations. This is the kind of firm I'd call if your inventory/POS architecture is messy or mission-critical.
• BlueBolt Solutions — Shopify Plus + integration-heavy option. Good candidate if you want a polished redesign but also need the technical side—custom integrations, UX, ecommerce engineering and ongoing support.
• Codal — Consider for a larger custom digital transformation. They're a Chicago digital product/ecommerce consultancy rather than a small web-design shop, so I'd put them on the list if the redesign involves substantial custom functionality.

One more worth a look

Makro is specifically positioning its Chicago practice around Shopify Plus for retailers, including multi-location inventory and integrations with ERP/CRM/logistics systems. Makro Agency

For a retail buyer, I'd probably start with Chicago Web, Praella, Uncap, and Kensium and give all four the same requirements document. That will make the proposals much easier to compare.

The key question I'd ask each firm isn't simply “Can you redesign our site?” It's:

“Can you make our website, in-store POS, inventory, customer data and orders operate as one system, and can you show us a comparable retail implementation?”

Also ask them to diagram which system is the source of truth for inventory and exactly how POS sales, online orders, returns, transfers, and stock adjustments propagate between systems. That's where these projects tend to succeed or fail.

If you tell me what POS/ecommerce system you're using now (Shopify, Lightspeed, Square, Clover, WooCommerce, etc.), number of stores, and roughly how many SKUs, I can narrow this to 3 firms and tell you which one I'd hire.

• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Chicago Internet(Fireplace's Specialist) Marketing Company - Kensium LLC - 200 S Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Ecommerce Development - 3509 N Reta Ave Apt 3, Chicago, IL 60657, United States
• Atwix - 20 N Wacker Dr Ste 1200, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Axis Web Art - 29-31 W 47th St Ste 1605, New York, NY 10036, United States
• Arctic Grey, Ltd. - 101 avenue of the Amercia's 8th and 9th floor, New York, NY 10013, United States
• Magneto IT Solutions LLC - eCommerce Development Company - 347 5th Ave, New York, NY 10016, United States
• Avex E-commerce Agency - 368 9th Ave 5th Floor Suite 146, New York, NY 10001, United States
• Lemonade Creative (NY) - 611 Broadway, New York, NY 10012, United States
• Blackbelt Commerce Solutions - 115 Broadway, New York, NY 10005, United States
• Green Retail Consulting - New York, NY 10280
• Wolfpoint Agency - 450 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10017, United States
• BlueSwitch eCommerce Agency | Shopify Platinum Partner - 29 Broadway, New York, NY 10006, United States
• Parkfield NYC Office - 335 Madison Ave, New York, NY Build CoWorking Attn:, Parkfield Commerce, New York, NY 10017, United States
• Web Solutions NYC - 1220 Broadway, New York, NY 10001, United States

Yes. For a retail redesign where the website, POS, and inventory need to behave as one system, I’d prioritize firms with actual systems-integration experience rather than a conventional branding/web-design shop.

My Chicago shortlist

1. Praella - eCommerce Agency — best overall if you're considering Shopify/Shopify Plus. They’re Chicago-based and handle UX/design, Shopify builds, migrations, and systems integration. Their work is a good fit if you want a polished retail experience without losing the operational side. SOLO MEDIA GROUP
2. Chicago Internet(Fireplace's Specialist) Marketing Company - Kensium LLC — best for a more complicated back-office environment. They explicitly work across ecommerce, ERP, WMS, POS and 3PL integrations, so I'd put them high on the list if inventory accuracy and existing business systems are major concerns.
3. Ecommerce Development (Chicago Web) — best smaller/local engineering-oriented option. They specialize in ecommerce where inventory, fulfillment, accounting and pricing have to stay synchronized, and they work with Shopify, WooCommerce and Magento. Chicago Web Chicago Web
4. Atwix — worth talking to if this is a larger or technically complex implementation. They handle ecommerce architecture plus ERP/inventory/order synchronization and enterprise integrations.
5. Axis Web Art — a strong option if you specifically want Shopify Plus. Their Chicago offering includes multi-location inventory, ERP/WMS integrations and custom Shopify development. Axis Web Art

One particularly relevant specialist

If your current POS is Lightspeed, I'd also talk to SweetTalk. Their Chicago retail work specifically includes Lightspeed implementations and syncing Lightspeed with Shopify for inventory, customers and orders. Sweet Talk

If you're not committed to Shopify, I'd lean toward Kensium or Chicago Web first. If you're open to making Shopify + Shopify POS the new unified platform, I'd start with Praella, Axis Web Art and Kensium.

What I'd ask in the first call

Don't just ask, "Can you redesign our website?" Tell them:

"We're a Chicago retailer looking to redesign our ecommerce site and unify online/in-store inventory and POS. We need you to assess our current POS, inventory system, ecommerce platform and integrations, then recommend the architecture—not just design the front end."

Then ask each firm to show you a comparable retail implementation and specifically explain:

• How inventory updates between POS and ecommerce, and how quickly.
• Whether they recommend Shopify POS, Lightspeed, Square, or keeping your existing POS.
• What becomes the system of record for inventory.
• How returns, exchanges, transfers and in-store pickup work across channels.
• Whether customer profiles and purchase history are unified.
• What happens when an integration fails or inventory gets out of sync.
• Who owns/supports the integrations after launch.
• A realistic implementation budget and timeline.

One caution: don't choose the firm with the prettiest portfolio. For your project, the expensive failure mode is a beautiful new site that still requires staff to reconcile inventory manually.

If you tell me what POS/ecommerce platform you're currently using (e.g. Shopify, WooCommerce, Lightspeed, Square, Magento) and roughly how many stores/SKUs you have, I can narrow this to the 3 firms I'd actually invite to bid and compare them on likely fit, integration capability, and project complexity.

Then ask each firm to show you a comparable retail implementation and specifically explain:

• Kensium Solutions LLC - 311 S Wacker Dr Suite #2575, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Atwix - 20 N Wacker Dr Ste 1200, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Chicago Internet(Fireplace's Specialist) Marketing Company - Kensium LLC - 200 S Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Ecommerce Development - 3509 N Reta Ave Apt 3, Chicago, IL 60657, United States
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Millennial Web Development - 329 W 18th St Ste 413, Chicago, IL 60616, United States
• BIT Studios - Chicago Web Design - 318 W Adams St, Fl 17, Chicago, IL 60606
• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States

For a retail buyer on the Near North Side looking at a website redesign plus integrated inventory + POS, I’d focus less on “pretty website” agencies and more on firms that understand omnichannel retail, Shopify/Adobe Commerce, POS sync, ERP/WMS connections, and SKU complexity.

Here are Chicago-area firms I’d put on your outreach list:

Best fits for inventory + POS integration

• Kensium Solutions LLC — Strong fit if you have a more complex retail operation. They position around digital commerce plus ERP/WMS/POS/3PL integrations rather than just storefront design.

Ask them about: POS synchronization, ERP connections, inventory accuracy across channels, and long-term support.

• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency — A good option if you need a commerce rebuild where the website has to stay aligned with inventory, fulfillment, accounting, or B2B workflows. They work with Magento, Shopify, and WooCommerce plus custom integrations. Chicago Web

Ask them about: Shopify vs Magento recommendation, POS/API architecture, and migration risk.

• Americaneagle.com, Inc. — Better suited if you’re a larger retailer needing a full-service partner (design, development, integrations, analytics, ongoing support).

Ask them about: multi-location inventory, customer accounts, loyalty, and omnichannel roadmaps.

• Atwix — Worth considering if you’re leaning toward Adobe Commerce/Magento or have a complex catalog. Their focus is enterprise ecommerce development and integrations.

Ask them about: catalog size, integrations, and whether Magento is justified for your business.

Strong Shopify-focused options

• Praella - eCommerce Agency — Shopify Plus-oriented agency with experience in redesigns, migrations, UX, and integrations.

Ask them about: Shopify POS, retail locations, online/offline inventory, and app strategy.

• The Chicago Web Co. — Shopify-focused design/development shop with retail-oriented redesign experience. Shopify

Ask them about: whether they handle your POS integration directly or through a partner.

• Makro — A fit if you’re scaling and need Shopify Plus, B2B features, or complex inventory/catalog workflows. Makro Agency

Retail-specific POS implementation experience

• Sweet Talk — Has retail examples involving POS migrations and syncing ecommerce with systems like Lightspeed and Shopify. Sweet Talk

Ask them about: POS-first projects, store operations, and minimizing downtime during migration.

What I’d send in your first outreach

Include:

• Current ecommerce platform (Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento, custom, etc.)
• Current POS (Square, Shopify POS, Lightspeed, Clover, NCR, etc.)
• Number of stores/locations
• Approximate SKU count
• Whether inventory needs to sync in real time
• Must-haves: BOPIS, ship-from-store, loyalty, wholesale accounts, returns, mobile checkout

A good shortlist for a typical Chicago retailer would be:

1. Kensium (complex omnichannel)
2. Chicago Web (integration-heavy rebuild)
3. Praella (Shopify ecosystem)
4. Sweet Talk (POS-heavy retail workflows)
5. Americaneagle.com (larger full-service engagement)

If you tell me your current POS, ecommerce platform, number of locations, and approximate SKU count, I can narrow this to the 3 firms most likely to fit.

• Kensium Solutions LLC - 311 S Wacker Dr Suite #2575, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Ecommerce Development - 3509 N Reta Ave Apt 3, Chicago, IL 60657, United States
• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• BlueBolt Solutions - 415 N La Salle Dr, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Riess Group - 900 Austin Ave #403, Waco, TX 76701, United States
• NINE15 - 2579 Western Trails Blvd, Ste 100, Austin, TX 78745
• Braun Design - Scarbrough Building, 101 W 6th St, Austin, TX 78701, United States
• Chicago Internet(Fireplace's Specialist) Marketing Company - Kensium LLC - 200 S Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Braun Design - 7310 Menchaca Rd, Ste 150651, Austin, TX 78715
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 1001 Warrenville Rd Ste 400, Lisle, IL 60532, United States
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 2600 S River Rd, Des Plaines, IL 60018, United States
• Millennial Web Development - 329 W 18th St Ste 413, Chicago, IL 60616, United States

If you’re a retail buyer on Chicago’s Near North Side, I’d prioritize firms that can handle the systems redesign, not just make the storefront look better. In particular, you want the agency to understand POS ↔ ecommerce ↔ inventory ↔ customer data, ideally with omnichannel features such as BOPIS and multi-location inventory.

My shortlist

• Kensium Solutions LLC — strongest fit for complex retail operations.

Chicago-based, with a focus on “unified”/ERP-connected commerce. Their work spans ecommerce design and development plus ERP, WMS, POS and other operational integrations. I'd put them near the top if inventory accuracy and back-office integration are major concerns.

• Ecommerce Development — strong choice if you need a technically serious Chicago shop.

They explicitly build ecommerce systems connected to inventory, fulfillment, accounting and other operational systems, and work with Shopify, WooCommerce and Magento. Their integration practice covers inventory feeds, order sync and ERP/WMS/3PL connections. Chicago Web Chicago Web

• Praella - eCommerce Agency — worth talking to for a Shopify/Shopify Plus redesign.

They're Chicago-based and specialize in Shopify/Shopify Plus ecommerce builds and redesigns. I'd particularly consider them if the goal is a polished consumer-facing experience on top of a modern commerce platform.

• Solo Media Group — particularly interesting if you want Shopify POS as the center of the architecture. They specifically advertise connected Shopify POS, multi-location inventory synchronization, custom POS functionality and integrations with ERP/CRM systems. SOLO MEDIA GROUP
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. — consider for a larger/more complicated implementation.

Their Chicago operation handles ecommerce, UX/UI, application development and integrations including ERP/PIM/POS. I'd look here if you're a sizable retailer with multiple systems, locations or a substantial ongoing digital roadmap.

• BlueBolt Solutions — another good technical Shopify option.

They're on N. LaSalle in Chicago and focus on Shopify/Shopify Plus, custom apps, headless commerce and technically difficult ecommerce problems.

Who I'd contact first

I'd get 3 proposals rather than interviewing ten firms:

1. Kensium — if the POS/inventory/ERP architecture is the hardest part.
2. Chicago Web — if you want a Chicago-based technical partner with strong integration experience.
3. Praella or Solo Media — if you're leaning toward Shopify + Shopify POS and the customer-facing redesign is equally important.

One important distinction: don't let agencies scope this as a “website redesign.” Your RFP should say something like “omnichannel commerce redesign with integrated POS and real-time inventory”. Ask each firm to diagram the proposed flow for in-store sale → inventory decrement → ecommerce availability → returns → customer profile → fulfillment/BOPIS before you compare prices.

If you tell me what POS you have today (Square, Lightspeed, Shopify, Clover, NCR, etc.), your ecommerce platform, and roughly how many stores, I can narrow this to the 3 best-fit Chicago firms and tell you what I'd ask each one in the first meeting.

• Chicago Internet(Fireplace's Specialist) Marketing Company - Kensium LLC - 200 S Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Ecommerce Development - 3509 N Reta Ave Apt 3, Chicago, IL 60657, United States
• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Atwix - 20 N Wacker Dr Ste 1200, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 2600 S River Rd, Des Plaines, IL 60018, United States
• Creative Labs LLC – Shopify Development Agency & eCommerce Development Company in USA - 901 Alum Springs Rd, Forest, VA 24551, United States
• Virgo Web Design - 5874 N Ridge Ave, Ste G, Chicago, IL 60660
• Iceberg Web Design - 200 W Madison St, Ste 2100, Chicago, IL 60606
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Millennial Web Development - 329 W 18th St Ste 413, Chicago, IL 60616, United States
• Virtina - eCommerce Web Design and Development Company - 712 H St NE Ste 1550, Washington, DC 20002, United States
• AdverGroup Web Design & Digital Marketing - 2021 Midwest Rd Ste 200, Oak Brook, IL 60523, United States
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Blackbelt Commerce Solutions - 115 Broadway, New York, NY 10005, United States

Yes. For a retail redesign where the website, in-store POS, and inventory need to operate as one system, I’d prioritize firms with actual commerce/integration experience rather than a general branding/web-design shop.

My Chicago shortlist

1. Chicago Internet(Fireplace's Specialist) Marketing Company - Kensium LLC — strongest enterprise/omnichannel option

• Chicago-based and specifically focused on connected commerce.
• Their capabilities include ecommerce + ERP/WMS/POS/3PL integrations, UX/UI, development, and ongoing optimization.
• I’d talk to them if your inventory/POS environment is complicated or you have multiple locations.
• Ecommerce Development — strongest integration-first option

• Particularly interesting if the website needs to stay synchronized with inventory, fulfillment, accounting, or other back-office systems.
• They work with Shopify, WooCommerce and Magento, and explicitly build integrations to inventory/WMS/ERP systems. Chicago Web Chicago Web
• Their Shopify work specifically includes connecting Shopify to warehouses/3PLs and inventory systems. Chicago Web
• Praella - eCommerce Agency — worth talking to if you're leaning Shopify

• Chicago-based ecommerce agency specializing in Shopify/Shopify Plus, including redesigns, migrations, UX and development.
• I'd put them on the RFP if you want a polished consumer-facing redesign alongside the technical implementation.
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. — enterprise-scale choice

• Their Chicago operation handles ecommerce, UX/UI, development and complex integrations including ERP/PIM/POS.
• Better fit if this is a substantial transformation rather than a relatively small store redesign.
• Atwix — strong technical/integration contender

• Chicago office with a focus on ecommerce development and integration architecture.
• Particularly relevant if you're dealing with ERP/CRM/OMS/WMS systems and need the underlying integration architecture cleaned up rather than simply getting a new theme.

One more I'd put on the call list

Speed Plus is worth considering if you're specifically considering Shopify + Shopify POS. They explicitly offer POS migration, Shopify POS setup, inventory synchronization, payments, and in-store retail implementation. Speed Plus

For your situation, I'd probably start with Kensium, Chicago Web, and Praella, then add Americaneagle.com if the project is sizable.

The most important question to ask each firm isn't “Can you redesign our site?” It's:

“Can you make our ecommerce catalog, physical-store inventory, POS transactions, customer data, and orders share a single source of truth—and can you show us a comparable retail implementation?”

If you tell me what POS you're using now (Square, Lightspeed, Shopify POS, Clover, etc.), your ecommerce platform, number of stores, and approximate SKU count, I can narrow this to 3 firms that are genuinely suited to your stack and compare them on likely project size/cost.

• Ecommerce Development - 3509 N Reta Ave Apt 3, Chicago, IL 60657, United States
• Uncap - 8770 W Bryn Mawr Ave #1300, Chicago, IL 60631, United States
• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• BlueBolt Solutions - 415 N La Salle Dr, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Ethercycle - 4905 Old Orchard Shopping Ctr, Skokie, IL 60077, United States
• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• AdverGroup Web Design & Digital Marketing - 2021 Midwest Rd Ste 200, Oak Brook, IL 60523, United States
• Chicago Internet(Fireplace's Specialist) Marketing Company - Kensium LLC - 200 S Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Flamingo Agency - 3752 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Ceymox Inc | Magento Development Agency - 405 W Superior St 7th Floor, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 2600 S River Rd, Des Plaines, IL 60018, United States
• 1DIGITAL AGENCY | eCommerce Agency - 205 N Michigan Ave Suit 810, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Design Henge - 2259 W Rosemont Ave, Chicago, IL 60659, United States
• Atwix - 20 N Wacker Dr Ste 1200, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Danie Lyn The Brand - 401 N Michigan Ave, Ste 1200, Chicago, IL 60611

Yes. For a retail redesign where the website, POS, and inventory need to behave as one system, I’d avoid ordinary “web design” shops and shortlist firms with actual commerce/integration experience.

My Chicago shortlist

1. Ecommerce Development — strongest fit if integration is the priority

• Chicago-based and specifically focused on ecommerce + custom integrations.
• Works with Shopify, WooCommerce, and Magento, and connects storefronts to inventory, warehouse/3PL, accounting and other back-office systems. Chicago Web Chicago Web
• Particularly interesting if you already have a POS/ERP you want to keep rather than replace.
• chicagoweb.com
• Uncap — excellent for Shopify/unified commerce

• Chicago-headquartered Shopify-focused ecommerce firm.
• Stronger candidate if you're considering Shopify Plus, complicated product catalogs, ERP/PIM/CRM integration, or B2B/B2C together.
• uncap.com
• Praella - eCommerce Agency — good Shopify Plus/design option

• Chicago-headquartered ecommerce agency with Shopify/Shopify Plus design and development capabilities.
• I'd put them on the RFP if the customer-facing redesign and UX are as important as the systems integration.
• BlueBolt Solutions — good technical/enterprise option

• Chicago-based digital commerce and software firm working with Shopify Plus, BigCommerce and Optimizely.
• Worth considering if the redesign involves substantial custom development rather than a conventional Shopify theme project.
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. — best for a larger/more complex organization

• Much larger agency, with Chicago presence and experience across ecommerce, UX, development and integrations including ERP/PIM/POS.
• Probably overkill for a single independent storefront, but worth talking to if you're a multi-location retailer or have a substantial existing technology stack.
• Ethercycle — worth a conversation if you're committed to Shopify

• Shopify-focused Chicago-area consultancy.
• More attractive for a Shopify-centric redesign/optimization than for a highly bespoke POS integration.

One I'd especially investigate

YourPortal is physically on the North Side at 2211 N. Elston and offers Shopify migration, custom design/development/integrations and WooCommerce work. If proximity and a potentially more hands-on agency relationship matter, it's worth getting a proposal alongside the bigger commerce specialists.

How I'd approach the RFP

Don't ask them simply for a “website redesign.” Tell them:

We need an omnichannel retail redesign with a single source of truth for products, inventory, pricing and orders across our physical store and ecommerce site. We want to evaluate whether to retain or replace our current POS, and need the agency to own the architecture, UX, implementation and integrations.

Then give each firm your current POS, ecommerce platform, inventory system/ERP, number of locations, approximate SKU count, and whether you need BOPIS/ship-from-store.

That will quickly separate firms that can genuinely architect the system from firms that mainly make attractive websites.

If you tell me what POS you're using now (Square, Lightspeed, Shopify POS, Clover, etc.), your ecommerce platform, and roughly how many stores/SKUs you have, I can narrow this to the 3 firms I'd actually invite to bid and tell you what I'd ask each one.

• Uncap - 8770 W Bryn Mawr Ave #1300, Chicago, IL 60631, United States
• Chicago Internet(Fireplace's Specialist) Marketing Company - Kensium LLC - 200 S Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Atwix - 20 N Wacker Dr Ste 1200, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Marcel Digital - 445 W Erie St #200, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Ethercycle - 4905 Old Orchard Shopping Ctr, Skokie, IL 60077, United States
• Doejo - 444 N Wabash Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Kensium Solutions LLC - 311 S Wacker Dr Suite #2575, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• BlueBolt Solutions - 415 N La Salle Dr, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• IDE Interactive, Inc. - 2945 W Peterson Ave Ste 103, Chicago, IL 60659, United States
• Uncap - 8770 W Bryn Mawr Ave, Ste 1300, Chicago, IL 60631
• AdverGroup Web Design & Digital Marketing - 2021 Midwest Rd Ste 200, Oak Brook, IL 60523, United States
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Elevate Studios: A Digital Design Firm - 5416 N Wayne Ave, Chicago, IL 60640, United States

Yes. For a retail redesign where inventory and POS need to be part of the architecture—not bolted on afterward, I’d prioritize firms with actual commerce/integration experience over general-purpose Chicago web designers.

My shortlist

1. Uncap — probably my first call

• Chicago-based and strongly focused on Shopify/Shopify Plus.
• Particularly good fit if you want unified online + store commerce, ERP/inventory integration, and a serious redesign rather than just a new theme.
• Their current offering explicitly includes Shopify builds, POS, ERP integration and real-time synchronization. Uncap
• Best if you're considering moving to Shopify Plus or already use Shopify.
• Chicago Internet(Fireplace's Specialist) Marketing Company - Kensium LLC — best for complicated back-office integration

• More systems-integration-heavy than a typical web agency.
• They position themselves around unified commerce connecting ecommerce with ERP, WMS, POS and 3PL systems, including inventory, pricing and order flows.
• I'd particularly consider them if you already have an ERP/POS you need to preserve rather than replace.
• Praella - eCommerce Agency — strong design + Shopify option

• Chicago-based Shopify/Shopify Plus agency with UX/UI, redesign, custom development and integration experience.
• A good candidate if the customer-facing redesign and merchandising experience are as important as the underlying technology.
• Atwix — for a more technically complex build

• Commerce-focused rather than a generic design shop.
• Particularly relevant if you have complicated catalogs, multiple systems, ERP integration or substantial operational requirements.
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. — enterprise-scale option

• Much larger organization, but worth considering if you're a sizeable retailer or expect a substantial omnichannel implementation.
• Their Chicago operation covers ecommerce, UX, development and integrations including ERP/PIM/POS.

One smaller/local option I'd also investigate

Chicago Web is interesting because it's actually in Lakeview and explicitly builds ecommerce systems that connect storefronts to inventory, warehouse/WMS, ERP, shipping and accounting. They work with Magento, Shopify and WooCommerce rather than forcing one platform. Chicago Web Chicago Web

That makes them particularly attractive if you're near North Side and want a genuinely local technical partner, rather than an agency that merely has a Chicago sales presence.

chicagoweb.com

How I'd narrow it down

If I were sending RFPs, I'd start with Uncap, Kensium, Chicago Web and Praella.

The key question to put in the RFP is:

“We need a redesign with a single source of truth for inventory across our physical store(s) and ecommerce, integrated POS, and real-time order/inventory synchronization. Please propose the architecture, platform, integrations, migration approach and ongoing support—not just the website design.”

Also tell them your current POS, ecommerce platform, inventory/ERP system, number of locations, approximate SKU count, and whether you need BOPIS/ship-from-store. Those details will radically change which firm is the best fit.

If you tell me what POS/ecommerce system you're using now (e.g. Square, Lightspeed, Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento, etc.) and roughly how many stores, I can narrow this to the 3 firms I'd actually interview.

For a retail buyer on the Near North Side looking for a redesign plus integrated inventory + POS, I’d focus less on “web design studios” and more on commerce agencies that understand retail operations (POS, ERP, inventory sync, omnichannel, BOPIS, customer data). A pretty storefront without reliable inventory flow will create more problems.

Here are Chicago-area firms I’d put on your outreach list:

Best fits for inventory + POS integration

Kensium Solutions LLC

Good fit if you have a more complex retail operation (multiple locations, ERP, wholesale, large catalog). They focus on commerce implementations, integrations, and ongoing support rather than just front-end design.

Ask them about:

• POS ↔ ecommerce inventory sync
• ERP/accounting connections
• product data management
• migration planning

Chicago Web

Worth considering if you need a technically strong ecommerce rebuild. They specifically work on Magento/Shopify/WooCommerce builds and integrations involving inventory, warehouse, ERP, shipping, and EDI systems. Chicago Web

Best for:

• retailers with complicated catalogs
• inventory accuracy problems
• custom integrations

Americaneagle.com, Inc.

A larger agency option for retailers that need UX redesign plus enterprise-level implementation support. Their services include ecommerce builds and integrations with systems such as ERP/PIM/POS.

Best for:

• established retailers
• bigger budgets
• long-term digital partner needs

Atwix

A strong choice if you’re considering Adobe Commerce/Magento or already have a complex ecommerce stack. They emphasize commerce architecture, integrations, and optimization.

Best for:

• larger SKU counts
• sophisticated merchandising
• B2B/B2C hybrid retail

More retail/POS-specialized options

Sweet Talk

Worth a look if you use or are considering Lightspeed. They have case examples involving Lightspeed migrations and Shopify integrations with inventory/customer/order syncing. Sweet Talk

Best for:

• boutiques
• specialty retail
• Lightspeed users

SWRV Tech

More integration-focused than a traditional design agency. They position their work around connecting storefronts, POS, inventory, payments, and analytics into one system. SWRV Tech

Best for:

• “our systems don’t talk to each other” situations
• custom workflows

If I were sending RFPs, I’d shortlist:

1. Kensium — if operations/integrations are the hard part
2. Chicago Web — if you need hands-on ecommerce engineering
3. Sweet Talk — if you’re a smaller specialty retailer on Lightspeed
4. Americaneagle.com — if this is a major redesign project
5. Atwix — if Magento/Adobe Commerce is in the picture

When you contact them, include:

• current POS (Square, Shopify POS, Lightspeed, Clover, NCR, etc.)
• inventory system/ERP
• number of SKUs
• number of stores
• ecommerce platform (if any)
• whether you need BOPIS, ship-from-store, loyalty, or clienteling

That will separate firms that can actually integrate your retail stack from firms that only build attractive websites.

• Towering Media - 3509 N Reta Ave Apt 3, Chicago, IL 60657, United States
• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Kensium Solutions LLC - 311 S Wacker Dr Suite #2575, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Adage Technologies - 10 S Riverside Plaza Ste 1500, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Chicago Internet(Fireplace's Specialist) Marketing Company - Kensium LLC - 200 S Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Uncap - 8770 W Bryn Mawr Ave, Ste 1300, Chicago, IL 60631
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• 1DIGITAL AGENCY | eCommerce Agency - 205 N Michigan Ave Suit 810, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 2600 S River Rd, Des Plaines, IL 60018, United States
• Wizerunek w Sieci. WWS - Web Development + SEO - 636 S River Rd #218, Des Plaines, IL 60016, United States
• IDE Interactive, Inc. - 2945 W Peterson Ave Ste 103, Chicago, IL 60659, United States
• Atwix - 20 N Wacker Dr Ste 1200, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• 1o8 - 231 S LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60604, United States
• Iceberg Web Design - 200 W Madison St, Ste 2100, Chicago, IL 60606

Yes. For a retail redesign where the website, POS, and inventory need to function as one system, I’d avoid treating this as a normal “web design” RFP. You want a commerce/integration partner that can own the data flow between your storefront and retail operation.

My Chicago shortlist

1. Towering Media / Chicago Web — best fit if you have a complex catalog or existing back-office systems.

They specialize in Magento/Adobe Commerce, Shopify and WooCommerce, and explicitly build integrations between storefronts and ERP, WMS, 3PL, accounting and inventory systems. Their Chicago operation is in Lakeview, which is convenient for the Near North Side. Chicago Web Chicago Web
chicagoweb.com

2. Praella - eCommerce Agency — strong choice for a polished Shopify/Shopify Plus redesign.

They're Chicago-based and Shopify-focused, with UX/UI, custom development and integration capabilities. I'd put them high on the list if you're considering Shopify POS as the underlying retail platform. SOLO MEDIA GROUP
praella.com

3. Kensium Solutions LLC — best for a more complicated omnichannel operation.

Their sweet spot is “unified commerce”: ecommerce connected to ERP, inventory, orders, fulfillment and POS, rather than simply redesigning the front end. This is particularly interesting if you already have systems you don't want to replace.
kensium.com

4. Adage Technologies — good option if design/UX and custom software are equally important.

They're a Chicago strategy, design and software-development firm doing ecommerce, integrations and ongoing support. I'd consider them for a more bespoke build rather than a straightforward Shopify theme redesign.
adagetechnologies.com

5. Americaneagle.com, Inc. — worth including if you're a larger retailer with a substantial budget.

Their Chicago team handles ecommerce, UX, development and complex third-party integrations including ERP/PIM/POS. They're more enterprise-oriented than the typical boutique agency.
americaneagle.com

6. Sweet Talk — particularly interesting if you're on Lightspeed.

Their Chicago retail work specifically includes Lightspeed + Shopify synchronization of inventory, customers and orders, including multi-store implementations. Sweet Talk
sweettalk.io

One I'd add depending on your platform

If you're moving toward Shopify POS, Axis Web Art is worth an RFP. They specifically advertise Shopify Plus, multi-location inventory, ERP/WMS integrations and B2B/wholesale implementations. Axis Web Art

If you're already on Shopify and primarily need the redesign + POS/inventory integration, Ice Nine Online is another Chicago option; their positioning is much more Shopify/POS-oriented than a traditional agency. Ice Nine Online

Who I'd call first

For a Near North Side retailer, I'd probably send the same brief to Chicago Web, Praella, Kensium, and Sweet Talk. That gives you four meaningfully different approaches:

• Chicago Web: complex integrations / inventory / Magento or Shopify
• Praella: premium Shopify experience + redesign
• Kensium: enterprise/unified commerce and back-office integration
• Sweet Talk: retail/POS specialist, especially Lightspeed

The most important question to answer before the calls is what POS you're currently running (Lightspeed, Shopify POS, Square, Clover, NCR, etc.) and whether you want to keep it or replace it. That will dramatically change which agency is the right fit.

If you tell me your current POS, ecommerce platform, approximate number of SKUs/stores, and whether you need BOPIS/ship-from-store, I can narrow this to the 3 firms I'd actually invite to bid, including likely project-size fit and what I'd ask each one in the RFP.

• Uncap - 8770 W Bryn Mawr Ave #1300, Chicago, IL 60631, United States
• Chicago Internet(Fireplace's Specialist) Marketing Company - Kensium LLC - 200 S Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Objectwave - 225 W Washington St, Ste 1000, Chicago, IL 60606
• Atwix - 20 N Wacker Dr Ste 1200, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• BlueBolt Solutions - 415 N La Salle Dr, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Uncap - 8770 W Bryn Mawr Ave, Ste 1300, Chicago, IL 60631
• Adage Technologies - 10 S Riverside Plaza Ste 1500, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Kensium Solutions LLC - 311 S Wacker Dr Suite #2575, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• AdverGroup Web Design & Digital Marketing - 2021 Midwest Rd Ste 200, Oak Brook, IL 60523, United States
• Avensia - Digital Commerce Solutions For Businesses - 20 W Kinzie St, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Ethercycle - 4905 Old Orchard Shopping Ctr, Skokie, IL 60077, United States
• Expresscommerce LLC - 325 W Huron St #215, Chicago, IL 60654, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Engine23 eCommerce Agency - 201 W Lake St #134, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Virgo Web Design - 5874 N Ridge Ave, Ste G, Chicago, IL 60660

If you’re a retail buyer on Chicago’s Near North Side, I’d prioritize firms that can handle the storefront redesign and the operational plumbing behind it—inventory, POS, orders, fulfillment, and potentially ERP/accounting—not just visual web design.

My Chicago shortlist

• Uncap — Probably my first call if you’re considering Shopify. They focus heavily on Shopify/unified commerce and explicitly position their work around B2C + B2B + POS and back-office integrations. Their Chicago office is on W. Bryn Mawr. Shopify
• Chicago Internet(Fireplace's Specialist) Marketing Company - Kensium LLC — Best for a more complicated retail operation. Their scope covers UX/UI, ecommerce, ERP/WMS/POS/3PL integrations and ongoing support. Good candidate if inventory accuracy and multiple systems are major concerns.
• Praella - eCommerce Agency — Strong Shopify/Shopify Plus option. Particularly worth talking to if the redesign is customer-experience-heavy but still needs sophisticated ecommerce functionality.
• Objectwave — Enterprise/custom option. They combine experience design with software engineering and systems integration, so I'd consider them if your POS/inventory setup is unusual or you're looking beyond a standard Shopify implementation.
• Atwix — Good integration-heavy candidate, particularly if you're dealing with complex product/order data. Their Chicago team works on UX plus ERP/back-office integration.
• Chicago Web — This one is especially interesting if you already have a warehouse/ERP/accounting ecosystem that needs to remain synchronized. They explicitly integrate Magento, Shopify or WooCommerce with inventory, WMS, ERP, EDI, accounting and shipping systems. Chicago Web Chicago Web
• BlueBolt Solutions — Another solid Shopify/Shopify Plus candidate, with UX and custom commerce functionality for more complicated purchasing workflows.

If I were making the calls

I'd start with Uncap, Chicago Web, and Kensium and give all three the same brief. That should tell you quickly whether you're looking at a straightforward Shopify POS implementation or something more bespoke.

One important distinction: “integrated POS” can mean very different things. If you want customers to see accurate store-level inventory online, buy online/pick up in store, return online purchases in-store, have one customer/order history, and have sales decrement the same inventory pool, I'd make those explicit requirements in the RFP. Shopify POS, for example, can be a very clean answer when your existing retail operation can move onto that ecosystem; other situations call for connecting an existing POS rather than replacing it. Chicago firms are advertising both approaches. Speed Plus Tekglide

If you tell me what POS you're using now (Square, Lightspeed, Shopify, Clover, etc.), what ecommerce platform you have, and roughly how many SKUs/stores you operate, I can narrow this to 3 firms that are the best technical fit and tell you what I'd ask each one in the first meeting.

• Uncap - 8770 W Bryn Mawr Ave #1300, Chicago, IL 60631, United States
• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Chicago Internet(Fireplace's Specialist) Marketing Company - Kensium LLC - 200 S Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Atwix - 20 N Wacker Dr Ste 1200, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Danie Lyn The Brand - 401 N Michigan Ave, Ste 1200, Chicago, IL 60611
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 2600 S River Rd, Des Plaines, IL 60018, United States
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• Uncap - 8770 W Bryn Mawr Ave, Ste 1300, Chicago, IL 60631
• AdverGroup Web Design & Digital Marketing - 2021 Midwest Rd Ste 200, Oak Brook, IL 60523, United States
• 10com Web Development - 205 N Michigan Ave Suit 810, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Ecommerce Development - 3509 N Reta Ave Apt 3, Chicago, IL 60657, United States
• 1o8 - 231 S LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60604, United States
• Sketches and Pixels, LLC - 1452 E 53rd St 2nd floor, Chicago, IL 60615, United States
• Digital Bridge Solutions - 412 S Wells St 6th floor, Chicago, IL 60607, United States

Yes. For a retail redesign where the website, in-store POS, and inventory need to operate as one system, I’d prioritize firms with actual unified-commerce/integration experience rather than a conventional branding/web-design shop.

My Chicago shortlist

• Uncap — My first call. Chicago-based and heavily focused on Shopify/unified commerce, including redesigns, custom Shopify development, and connecting storefronts to back-office systems. Their positioning is particularly relevant if you want Shopify + Shopify POS + centralized inventory rather than simply a prettier website.
• Praella - eCommerce Agency — Strong Shopify/Shopify Plus shop with UX/UI and complex ecommerce experience. I'd include them if the redesign/brand experience is a major part of the project and you expect more sophisticated ecommerce functionality.
• Chicago Internet(Fireplace's Specialist) Marketing Company - Kensium LLC — Better fit if your inventory/POS project is really an operations/integration project underneath the redesign. They work across ecommerce, ERP, WMS, POS and 3PL integrations, so I'd talk to them if you already have substantial back-office infrastructure.
• Atwix — Another technically strong option for a more complicated ecommerce implementation. I'd consider them if you're dealing with a large catalog, complicated pricing, multiple systems, or a migration from an older platform.
• Chicago Web — Worth getting a proposal from if you're open to Magento/Adobe Commerce, Shopify, or WooCommerce. Their particular strength is connecting the storefront to inventory, ERP, warehouse, accounting, shipping and other operational systems. Chicago Web Chicago Web
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. — I'd put them on the list if you're a larger retailer and want a substantial long-term digital partner rather than a small design studio. They're more enterprise-oriented.

One important distinction

If you're currently running something like Square, Lightspeed, Clover, Shopify POS, or another retail POS, tell the agencies that up front. The architecture changes substantially depending on whether you're:

1. Replacing the POS and ecommerce together → Shopify POS + Shopify ecommerce could be a clean unified system.
2. Keeping your existing POS → the website needs a reliable real-time inventory/order integration with it.
3. Running multiple stores → you'll want multi-location inventory, transfers, returns, BOPIS, customer profiles, etc.
4. Already using an ERP/WMS → the ecommerce site may need to treat that system as the inventory source of truth.

For example, Shopify-focused firms explicitly advertise unified inventory and POS implementations; Speed Plus describes migrations to Shopify POS with products, customers and inventory, while CQL focuses on POS implementation, inventory/catalog synchronization and payments. Speed Plus CQL, The Unified Commerce Agency

If I were sending out three RFPs, I'd start with Uncap, Praella, and Kensium. I'd also get Chicago Web involved if your inventory/back-office integration is particularly complicated.

If you tell me what POS you use now, roughly how many SKUs/stores you have, and your approximate redesign budget, I can narrow this to 3 firms and tell you exactly what I'd ask each one in the first call.

• Kensium Solutions LLC - 311 S Wacker Dr Suite #2575, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Atwix - 20 N Wacker Dr Ste 1200, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 2600 S River Rd, Des Plaines, IL 60018, United States
• DotcomWeavers - 178 E Hanover Ave Ste. 105G, Morristown, NJ 07960, United States
• Magneto IT Solutions LLC - eCommerce Development Company - 347 5th Ave, New York, NY 10016, United States
• Chicago Internet(Fireplace's Specialist) Marketing Company - Kensium LLC - 200 S Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Wizerunek w Sieci. WWS - Web Development + SEO - 636 S River Rd #218, Des Plaines, IL 60016, United States
• Optimum7; New Jersey SEO, eCommerce and Web Design Company - 55 Madison Ave, Morristown, NJ 07960, United States
• SEO Design Chicago - 2068 N Western Ave 1F - Front, Chicago, IL 60647, United States
• Virtina - eCommerce Web Design and Development Company - 201 Allen St #10129, New York, NY 10002, United States
• Design In Chicago - 159 N Sangamon St Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• eCommerce Republic - 1983 Marcus Ave Unit 204, New Hyde Park, NY 11042, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States

Yes. For a retail redesign where the website, POS, and inventory need to behave as one system, I’d prioritize firms with actual systems-integration experience over conventional “web design” shops.

My Chicago shortlist

• Kensium Solutions LLC — Best overall fit for a complex retail operation. Their Chicago team focuses on unified commerce and specifically connects ecommerce with ERP, POS, WMS and other back-office systems. They also cover UX/UI, development and ongoing support.

kensium.com

• Praella - eCommerce Agency — Best if you want a polished Shopify/Shopify Plus redesign. They're downtown and specialize heavily in Shopify, UX and ecommerce experiences. I'd ask them specifically about your POS/inventory architecture before choosing them.

praella.com

• Atwix — Strong technical/enterprise option. Their Chicago office handles ecommerce redesigns plus ERP/back-office integrations, including inventory, pricing and order data.

atwix.com

• Chicago Web — Particularly interesting if you have a complicated catalog or existing ERP/WMS. They explicitly build integrations between Magento/Shopify/WooCommerce and inventory, warehouse, accounting and other operational systems. Chicago Web Chicago Web

chicagoweb.com

• Americaneagle.com, Inc. — Best for a larger/more enterprise-scale engagement. Their Chicago-area operation handles ecommerce redesigns and integrations involving ERP, PIM, POS and other systems.

americaneagle.com

• SweetTalk — Worth a conversation if you're a more traditional independent retailer and use Lightspeed. They have specifically implemented Lightspeed across retail stores and synchronized Lightspeed with Shopify for real-time inventory, customers and orders. Sweet Talk

sweettalk.io

Who I'd contact first

I'd send an RFP to Kensium, Praella, and Chicago Web, then use Atwix as the technical/enterprise comparison.

The key is to not frame this as just a website redesign. Tell them:

“We're a Chicago retail business looking to redesign our ecommerce experience and integrate it with our existing POS and inventory systems. We need a single, reliable view of products, pricing, inventory, orders, customers, returns and potentially BOPIS. We want recommendations on platform architecture as well as design.”

Then give them your current POS, inventory/ERP, ecommerce platform, number of locations, approximate SKU count, and whether you need BOPIS/ship-from-store. That will separate the firms that can genuinely architect the project from agencies that mainly build attractive storefronts.

If you tell me which POS you currently use (Shopify, Square, Lightspeed, Clover, etc.) and roughly how many stores/SKUs you have, I can narrow this to the 3 Chicago firms I'd actually interview.

• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Kensium Solutions LLC - 311 S Wacker Dr Suite #2575, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Atwix - 20 N Wacker Dr Ste 1200, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Uncap - 8770 W Bryn Mawr Ave, Ste 1300, Chicago, IL 60631
• Towering Media - 3509 N Reta Ave Apt 3, Chicago, IL 60657, United States
• Adage Technologies - 10 S Riverside Plaza Ste 1500, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 2600 S River Rd, Des Plaines, IL 60018, United States
• Chicago Internet(Fireplace's Specialist) Marketing Company - Kensium LLC - 200 S Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Objectwave - 225 W Washington St, Ste 1000, Chicago, IL 60606
• Marcel Digital - 445 W Erie St #200, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• Iceberg Web Design - 200 W Madison St, Ste 2100, Chicago, IL 60606
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Virgo Web Design - 5874 N Ridge Ave, Ste G, Chicago, IL 60660

If this is a retail redesign where the website, POS, and inventory need to function as one system, I’d prioritize firms with actual omnichannel/integration experience rather than a conventional branding/web shop.

My Chicago shortlist

• Praella - eCommerce Agency — Strong Shopify/Shopify Plus option. Chicago-based and focused on ecommerce, with particular strength in complex Shopify implementations. I’d put them on the RFP if you’re considering Shopify as the core commerce/POS platform.
• Kensium Solutions LLC — Best fit for complicated back-office integration. Their focus is unified commerce, connecting ecommerce with ERP, inventory, orders, fulfillment and POS. This is worth considering if your existing inventory/accounting systems need to stay in place.
• Atwix — Good enterprise-commerce candidate. They specifically work on commerce integrations and inventory/order data flowing between ERP and the storefront, alongside UX/design.
• Uncap — Especially interesting for a retailer with a complicated catalog or B2B component. They're a Chicago-headquartered Shopify Platinum Partner focused heavily on unified commerce. Uncap
• Towering Media / Chicago Web — Good if you're already on Magento/Adobe Commerce. Chicago Web explicitly connects storefronts to ERP, WMS, inventory, accounting and shipping systems, while Towering Media specializes in Magento/Adobe Commerce. Chicago Web Chicago Web
• Adage Technologies — Good custom-build option. More of a strategy/design/software-development partner than a Shopify-only shop, which makes them worth talking to if your POS/inventory architecture is unusual.
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. — Enterprise-scale choice. Their Chicago-area operation handles ecommerce redesigns plus ERP/PIM/POS integrations. I'd consider them if this is a substantial, multi-location transformation rather than a relatively contained redesign.

One specialist I'd add to the calls

Sweet Talk is particularly relevant if you're using Lightspeed. They have Chicago retail experience integrating Lightspeed with Shopify, including real-time synchronization of inventory, customers and orders, and have handled multi-store rollouts. Sweet Talk

There's also Solo Media Group, which is worth a look if you're leaning toward Shopify POS: they specifically describe multi-location inventory, POS rollouts, ERP connections and unified online/in-store customer data. SOLO MEDIA GROUP SOLO MEDIA GROUP

Who I'd contact first

I'd probably send an initial RFP to 4 firms:

1. Praella — if Shopify/Shopify Plus is likely.
2. Kensium — if integrating your existing ERP/inventory/POS is the hard part.
3. Uncap — if you want Shopify plus serious unified-commerce capability.
4. Sweet Talk or Solo Media — depending on whether you're on Lightspeed or Shopify POS.

The big question I'd settle before choosing the agency is what POS/inventory system you're currently using (Shopify POS, Lightspeed, Square, NCR, Clover, custom, etc.). That can completely change which firm is the best fit.

If you tell me your current POS, ecommerce platform, number of stores, and approximate SKU count, I can narrow this to 3 firms and tell you exactly what I'd ask each one in the first call.

• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• Uncap - 8770 W Bryn Mawr Ave #1300, Chicago, IL 60631, United States
• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Atwix - 20 N Wacker Dr Ste 1200, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Kensium Solutions LLC - 311 S Wacker Dr Suite #2575, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• ReSource Point of Sale - 1765 N Elston Ave, Chicago, IL 60642, United States
• OUTFORM - 4300 W 47th St, Chicago, IL 60632, United States
• Uncap - 8770 W Bryn Mawr Ave, Ste 1300, Chicago, IL 60631
• Next/Now - 1200 W Lake St #2, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Marshall Associates - 1131 W Blackhawk St Ste 2, Chicago, IL 60642, United States
• Torres Electronic Equipment Inc. - TEEPOS - 3643 W Fullerton Ave #1, Chicago, IL 60647, United States
• Chicago Internet(Fireplace's Specialist) Marketing Company - Kensium LLC - 200 S Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Lyons Consulting Group, LLC - 20 N Wacker Dr Ste 1750, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• BlueBolt Solutions - 415 N La Salle Dr, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Run Retail - 4100 W 76th St, Chicago, IL 60652, United States
• Retail Data Systems - 1998 Ohio St Unit 300, Lisle, IL 60532, United States

For a Near North Side retail business, I’d focus less on “web design” shops and more on firms that can handle commerce architecture: website redesign + ecommerce + POS + inventory sync + customer data. The hard part is usually not the storefront—it’s making sure a sale at the register, online order, returns, and stock counts all agree.

Here are Chicago-area firms I’d put on your outreach list:

Best fits for integrated retail + inventory + POS

• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding — Strong fit if you need a custom ecommerce rebuild tied into inventory, ERP, warehouse, or POS-adjacent systems. They specifically work on storefront integrations with inventory, ERP, WMS, shipping, and marketplaces. Chicago Web Chicago Web
• Uncap — Worth a look if you’re on Shopify/Shopify Plus or considering it. They focus on “unified commerce” projects where ecommerce needs to connect with operational systems like ERP/PIM/CRM.
• Praella - eCommerce Agency — Shopify-focused ecommerce agency that could make sense for a branded retail store moving toward a more modern online/offline experience.
• Atwix — A good candidate if your catalog is complex or you’re considering Adobe Commerce/Magento-level functionality.
• Kensium Solutions LLC — More enterprise/B2B leaning, but relevant if you have complicated inventory, fulfillment, ERP, or multi-channel requirements.

If your priority is POS + retail operations

• ReSource Point of Sale — More POS/retail systems oriented than a pure web agency. Useful if your current POS is the foundation and the website needs to connect cleanly.
• Sweet Talk Speech Therapy, LLC — Has retail examples involving POS migration and syncing POS inventory with ecommerce platforms such as Shopify/Lightspeed. Sweet Talk

If you’re a smaller specialty retailer (boutique, apparel, home, gifts, etc.)

I’d probably start with:

1. Chicago Web
2. Uncap
3. Praella
4. Sweet Talk

They’re more likely to understand the day-to-day retail issues: SKU management, variants, inventory accuracy, promotions, returns, loyalty, and omnichannel buying. Chicago Web Sweet Talk

When you contact them, I’d ask these questions:

• “Which POS systems have you integrated with?” (Square, Shopify POS, Lightspeed, Clover, NCR, etc.)
• “Can you sync inventory in real time between store and ecommerce?”
• “Who owns the integration layer after launch?”
• “How do you handle returns/exchanges across channels?”
• “Can you migrate our product catalog without losing SEO, photos, or customer data?”
• “Do you recommend Shopify, Adobe Commerce, WooCommerce, or a custom build for our size?”

If you tell me what kind of retail you are (apparel, jewelry, furniture, specialty food, etc.), current POS, approximate SKU count, and whether you already have ecommerce, I can narrow this to the 3 firms I’d actually invite to pitch.

• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Kensium Solutions LLC - 311 S Wacker Dr Suite #2575, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Atwix - 20 N Wacker Dr Ste 1200, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Towering Media - 3509 N Reta Ave Apt 3, Chicago, IL 60657, United States
• Chicago Internet(Fireplace's Specialist) Marketing Company - Kensium LLC - 200 S Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• Street Talk Mizr Corporation - 520 N Michigan Ave #2, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 2600 S River Rd, Des Plaines, IL 60018, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 1001 Warrenville Rd Ste 400, Lisle, IL 60532, United States
• Millennial Web Development - 329 W 18th St Ste 413, Chicago, IL 60616, United States
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• LLT Group - Chicago Website Design - 47 E Chicago Ave #324, Naperville, IL 60540, United States
• Adage Technologies - 10 S Riverside Plaza Ste 1500, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• SEO Design Chicago - 2068 N Western Ave 1F - Front, Chicago, IL 60647, United States
• Cybernautic Web Design - 515 N State St #14-126, Chicago, IL 60611, United States

For a retail buyer on the Near North Side looking for a website redesign plus integrated inventory and POS, I’d focus less on general web designers and more on commerce agencies that understand omnichannel retail (store + online + POS + inventory sync). These Chicago-area firms are worth reaching out to:

Strong fits for retail + POS/inventory integration

• Praella - eCommerce Agency — Good fit if you’re considering Shopify/Shopify Plus. They focus on ecommerce redesigns, UX, and larger Shopify implementations. Makro Agency

Ask them: “Can you connect our Shopify storefront with our POS, inventory, and customer data so store and online stock stay synchronized?”

• Kensium Solutions LLC — Better fit if your project is more complex: ERP, inventory, POS, warehouse, or multi-channel commerce. They position themselves around connected commerce systems rather than just website builds.
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. — Larger agency that handles ecommerce redesigns and integrations for more complex organizations. Useful if you have many SKUs, multiple locations, or ambitious growth plans.
• Atwix — Strong option if you are on or considering Magento/Adobe Commerce and need serious catalog, inventory, and backend integration work.
• Towering Media — Chicago ecommerce specialists with Magento/Adobe Commerce experience and inventory/ERP-style integrations. A good fit for retailers with complicated catalogs or operational systems. Chicago Web

More retail-POS-specific specialists

• Chicago Internet(Fireplace's Specialist) Marketing Company - Kensium LLC — Worth including if your needs include POS/ERP/WMS connections and you want one partner managing strategy through integration.
• YourPortal — More of a boutique web/digital partner; worth considering if the redesign is as much about customer experience and marketing as systems integration.
• Street Talk Mizr Corporation — Has retail examples involving POS migrations and syncing systems like Lightspeed with ecommerce platforms. Sweet Talk

My shortlist for a Near North Side retail operation

I’d probably start with 4 discovery calls:

1. Praella — if you want a modern Shopify-based retail experience. Makro Agency
2. Kensium — if inventory/POS/ERP integration is the hardest part.
3. Americaneagle.com — if you’re a larger retailer or need enterprise-level support.
4. SweetTalk — if your immediate pain is POS + ecommerce synchronization. Sweet Talk

When you contact them, have these answers ready:

• Current POS system (Square, Shopify POS, Lightspeed, NCR, Clover, etc.)
• Inventory system/ERP (if separate)
• Number of SKUs
• Number of stores
• Whether you need buy-online-pickup-in-store (BOPIS)
• Whether you need customer loyalty, gift cards, or email/SMS integration

Those details will quickly separate a true retail systems partner from a firm that only builds attractive websites.

• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601
• Uncap - 8770 W Bryn Mawr Ave #1300, Chicago, IL 60631
• 10com Web Development - 205 N Michigan Ave Suit 810, Chicago, IL 60601
• SEOLEVELUP Website Design SEO Company Chicago - 355 N Laflin St Ste 101C, Chicago, IL 60607
• Affordable Web Design Chicago - 5141 W Altgeld St, Chicago, IL 60639
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611
• 1DIGITAL AGENCY | eCommerce Agency - 205 N Michigan Ave Suit 810, Chicago, IL 60601
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607
• Engine23 eCommerce Agency - 201 W Lake St #134, Chicago, IL 60606
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606
• DS&P Digital Marketing & PR Agency - 332 S Michigan Ave #900, Chicago, IL 60604
• Comrade Digital Marketing Agency - 332 S Michigan Ave #900, Chicago, IL 60604

If the requirement is a redesign plus integrated ecommerce/POS/inventory, I’d prioritize firms with actual systems-integration experience rather than a conventional branding/web-design shop.

My Chicago shortlist

1. Praella - eCommerce Agency — River North/Loop

Strong candidate if you're considering Shopify Plus and want a serious ecommerce implementation partner. I’d ask specifically about Shopify POS, multi-location inventory, and your existing retail/POS stack.

2. Chicago Web — Lakeview

This is probably the most technically interesting option if your inventory/operations are complicated. They explicitly work with Magento, Shopify and WooCommerce, and connect storefronts to ERP, warehouse/WMS, shipping and inventory systems. Chicago Web Chicago Web
chicagoweb.com

3. Speed Plus

Worth talking to if you're leaning toward Shopify + Shopify POS. They specifically offer POS migration, POS setup, inventory/location configuration and Shopify Payments. Speed Plus
speedplus.us

4. Uncap — Chicago

Ecommerce-focused rather than just a general web agency. I'd put them on the RFP list and test their depth around your particular POS/inventory platform.

5. ARMIA

A good option if the integration requirements are unusually custom. They specifically advertise POS integrations with ecommerce and inventory management spanning online and offline storefronts. Armia Systems
armia.com

6. Digital Heroes

More of a Shopify Plus/enterprise-leaning option. Their Chicago practice explicitly describes retail + ecommerce, Shopify POS Pro, multi-location inventory synchronization and unified reporting. Digital Heroes
digitalheroesco.com

Who I'd contact first

For a Near North Side retailer, I'd start with Praella, Chicago Web, and Speed Plus. They represent three useful approaches:

• Praella: polished ecommerce/Shopify implementation
• Chicago Web: deepest-looking custom integration/operations capability
• Speed Plus: particularly focused on Shopify POS and unified retail

One important distinction: don't let the firms quote this as simply a “website redesign.” Your brief should say something like:

“We need a new ecommerce experience with a unified product catalog, real-time inventory, in-store POS, customer data, promotions, and reporting, with the existing retail systems evaluated and either integrated or replaced.”

Then give every agency your current POS, inventory/accounting system, number of stores, SKU count, ecommerce platform, and approximate transaction volume. That will make the proposals much more comparable.

If you tell me what POS/inventory system you're using now (Square, Lightspeed, Shopify, Clover, NCR, etc.) and roughly how many locations/SKUs you have, I can narrow this to the 3 firms I'd actually put on the RFP.

Yes. For a retail redesign where the website, inventory, and in-store POS need to operate as one system, I’d avoid firms that are primarily branding/SEO shops and focus on agencies with demonstrated commerce integrations.

My Chicago shortlist

1. Uncap — strongest fit if you’re considering Shopify
   • Chicago-based and heavily focused on Shopify/unified commerce.
   • Specifically positions its work around B2C + B2B + POS, inventory/system integrations, and custom Shopify apps when an off-the-shelf integration isn't enough.
   • Particularly interesting if you want a modern retail site while keeping operations relatively straightforward. fueler.io
   • My first call if Shopify POS is on your shortlist.

2. Praella — strong Shopify/Shopify Plus option
   • Downtown Chicago presence and Shopify/Shopify Plus specialization.
   • Good candidate if the redesign is also a significant UX/brand/commerce transformation rather than simply connecting a new website to your existing POS.

3. Objectwave — best for a more complex/custom build
   • Chicago digital-commerce and software engineering firm with experience across retail/consumer products.
   • I'd put them on the list if you have unusual inventory logic, multiple systems, or need substantial custom software rather than a conventional Shopify implementation.

4. Kensium Solutions LLC — good for back-office-heavy retail
   • Particularly relevant if your project involves ERP + ecommerce + inventory + orders + fulfillment rather than just a website redesign.
   • They work across Adobe Commerce, BigCommerce and Shopify and emphasize unified commerce/integration work.

5. Adage Technologies — strong custom UX/software choice
   • Chicago firm covering strategy, UX, ecommerce, software development, integrations and ongoing support.
   • Worth considering if the redesign needs to be highly customized rather than fitting your business into a standard ecommerce template.

6. Atwix — integration-heavy option
   • Chicago office with a focus on complex ecommerce implementations and connecting commerce platforms to ERP/back-office systems.
   • More appropriate if your inventory/order architecture is complicated.

One smaller specialist I'd also talk to

Ethercycle in nearby Skokie is worth a conversation if you're leaning strongly toward Shopify. They're Shopify-focused and specialize in custom storefront design/development rather than generic web design.

And Chicago Web is unusually relevant if your inventory system is complicated. They explicitly connect Shopify/Magento/WooCommerce to ERP, WMS, 3PL, accounting and inventory systems, including inventory feeds and reservations. chicagoweb.com

Chicago Web

How I'd narrow it down

For a Near North Side independent/multi-location retailer, I'd probably start with:

Uncap → Praella → Chicago Web → Kensium

The key question isn't really "who makes the prettiest website?" It's which system should be the source of truth for products, inventory, customers and orders?

If you're currently on Square, Lightspeed, Shopify POS, Clover, or another POS, tell me which one and roughly how many stores/SKUs you have. I can narrow this to 3 firms that are specifically equipped for your setup and compare their likely strengths, project complexity, and fit.

For a retail redesign with integrated inventory + POS, I’d prioritize firms that understand omnichannel commerce (website + store + inventory + fulfillment), not just visual web design. Since you’re on the Near North Side, these are Chicago-area firms I’d put on a shortlist:

Strong fits for retail + POS/inventory integration

Praella — good if you’re considering Shopify Plus
sweettalk.io

• Chicago-based ecommerce agency focused on Shopify/Shopify Plus.
• Worth talking to if you need a polished storefront, customer experience redesign, migrations, and integrations with retail systems. sweettalk.io

Sweet Talk — especially relevant for store operations
sweettalk.io

• Has retail examples involving POS migrations and syncing inventory between systems like Lightspeed and Shopify. sweettalk.io
• A good conversation if your pain point is “our website and store inventory don’t agree.”

Armia Systems — better for custom integrations
www.armia.comsweettalk.io

• Works on ecommerce builds, POS integrations, and inventory management across online/offline storefronts. www.armia.comsweettalk.io
• Consider them if you have unusual workflows rather than a straightforward Shopify setup.

Americaneagle.com — enterprise/more complex retail

• Larger agency that handles ecommerce, application development, integrations, and ongoing support.
• Better fit if you have multiple locations, a large catalog, or complex back-office requirements.

Makro — strong Shopify Plus candidate
www.makroagency.comsweettalk.io

• Focuses on Shopify Plus builds, custom apps, and integrations for retailers with more complicated catalogs and operations. www.makroagency.comsweettalk.io

Also worth a look

• Atwix — stronger on complex commerce implementations and integrations than a typical design shop.
• BIT Studios — has experience with ecommerce integrations and POS-related builds. www.bitstudios.com
• 10 US Tech Inc. — local engineering-focused team mentioning ecommerce, POS, and API integration work. 10ustech.com

Questions I’d ask every firm before hiring

1. Which POS systems have you integrated with? (Shopify POS, Lightspeed, Square, Clover, NCR, custom ERP, etc.)
2. Can you show a live retail example where inventory syncs both directions?
3. Who owns the integrations and code after launch?
4. How do you handle SKU migration, variants, barcodes, and historical customer data?
5. What happens when the POS says an item is available but the website sells it?
6. Do you provide post-launch support during holiday/peak sales periods?

For a typical independent Chicago retailer, I’d probably start with Sweet Talk, Praella, Makro, and Armia for discovery calls, then compare their proposed architecture before choosing. sweettalk.io

If you tell me your current POS (Shopify POS, Lightspeed, Square, Clover, etc.), number of stores, and whether you’re apparel/home/gifts/food/etc., I can narrow this to the firms most likely to fit.

Yes. For a retail redesign where the website, POS, and inventory need to operate as one system, I’d prioritize firms with actual omnichannel/integration experience—not generic Chicago web-design shops.

My Chicago shortlist

1. Praella - eCommerce Agency — best overall if you're leaning Shopify
   • Chicago office and strong Shopify/Shopify Plus specialization.
   • Good fit if you want a polished redesign plus custom integrations and a scalable commerce platform.
   • Particularly worth interviewing if customer experience/UX is as important as the back-end integration.

2. Uncap — best for inventory/operations complexity
   • Chicago-based and heavily focused on Shopify, B2B and unified commerce.
   • Their offering specifically addresses real-time synchronization of inventory, orders, customers and pricing between Shopify and ERP/warehouse systems. www.makroagency.com
   • I'd put them high on the list if you have multiple locations, a complicated catalog, or an existing ERP/POS that needs to remain in the picture.

3. Americaneagle.com, Inc. — best for a larger/more complex retailer
   • Chicago presence and considerably more enterprise-oriented.
   • They handle ecommerce, UX, development and integrations involving ERP, PIM, POS and other third-party systems.
   • Probably overkill for a small independent retailer, but compelling if this is a substantial operation.

4. Ethercycle — best boutique Shopify option
   • Chicago-area Shopify specialist with an emphasis on custom storefront design/development and ongoing ecommerce support.
   • I'd consider them if you want a more hands-on boutique relationship rather than a large systems integrator.

5. Makro — best for a sophisticated Shopify Plus build
   • Their Chicago practice specifically targets retailers with large catalogs and multi-location inventory, plus ERP/CRM/logistics integrations and POS extensions. www.makroagency.com
   • They're a particularly interesting option if you're expecting significant integration/custom-app work.

6. Soda Web Media — not Chicago-based, so lower priority
   • I wouldn't put them ahead of the Chicago firms, but their retail experience is unusually relevant: they've implemented Lightspeed across multiple stores and synchronized Lightspeed with Shopify for real-time inventory, customer and order data. www.makroagency.comsweettalk.io

One important decision before you call them

If you're currently using something like Square, Lightspeed, Clover, NCR, Shopify POS, or another retail POS, tell each agency exactly what you have. The architecture changes substantially depending on whether you're:

A. replacing the POS with Shopify POS
B. keeping the existing POS and integrating it with a new ecommerce site
C. replacing both POS and ecommerce simultaneously.

For example, Shopify has a documented Chicago retail case with Vin Chicago, where Shopify unified POS, ecommerce, inventory and customer data across three locations. www.shopify.com

My first three calls would be Uncap, Praella, and Makro. I'd ask all three for a proposed architecture before discussing visual design. That's the fastest way to discover whether they're actually capable of solving the inventory/POS problem versus simply making a prettier website.

If you tell me what POS/inventory system you're using now, number of stores, approximate SKU count, and whether you want to move to Shopify, I can narrow this to 2–3 firms and tell you exactly what I'd ask each one.

Yes. For a retail redesign where the website, inventory, and in-store POS need to work as one system, I’d prioritize firms with actual omnichannel/POS integration experience rather than a general Chicago web-design shop.

My shortlist

1. Ice Nine Online — Chicago-based and explicitly focused on Shopify. They build and maintain Shopify sites, and Shopify can provide the ecommerce + POS foundation. icenineonline.com

Best for: a relatively straightforward Shopify/POS modernization where design is still important.

2. Praella - eCommerce Agency — A dedicated ecommerce agency in the Loop. I'd put them on the RFP list if you expect a more sophisticated commerce build rather than a simple website refresh.

3. Sweet Talk — Particularly interesting for your requirements. They've implemented Lightspeed + Shopify, including real-time synchronization of inventory, customers and orders, and have worked with multi-store retailers. sweettalk.iosynectadigital.com

Best for: if you're already on Lightspeed or are considering it.

4. Makro — Their Chicago practice specifically handles Shopify Plus redesigns, custom applications, large retail catalogs, multi-location inventory, and ERP/CRM/logistics integrations. www.makroagency.com

Best for: a larger retailer or complicated back-office/inventory environment.

5. CQL — More of a unified-commerce implementation specialist than a traditional web-design firm. They explicitly offer Shopify POS implementation, hardware/software integration, inventory/catalog synchronization, POS data migration and analytics. www.cqlcorp.com

Best for: making the POS/inventory architecture rock-solid, particularly if the redesign is part of a broader omnichannel project.

6. Uncap — Worth including as another Chicago ecommerce specialist for comparison, particularly if you want a broader ecommerce agency rather than a pure creative shop.

Who I'd contact first

For a Near North Side retailer, I'd probably send an RFP to Ice Nine + Sweet Talk + Praella, and add Makro or CQL if you have multiple locations, a large SKU count, an existing ERP, or complicated inventory rules.

One important distinction: don't let the agencies treat “website redesign” and “POS integration” as two separate projects. Your brief should require a single architecture for:

• ecommerce catalog ↔ POS catalog
• real-time inventory by location
• online orders ↔ store fulfillment/returns
• customer profiles/loyalty
• promotions and pricing
• BOPIS/curbside, if applicable
• sales and inventory reporting
• accounting/ERP integration
• migration of historical products, customers and orders

For example, Synecta describes a Shopify POS setup with real-time physical/online stock synchronization and multi-outlet management, while Sweet Talk has demonstrated Shopify/Lightspeed inventory and order synchronization. sweettalk.iosynectadigital.com

If you tell me your current POS (Shopify, Lightspeed, Square, Clover, etc.), number of stores, and roughly how many SKUs you carry, I can narrow this to 3 firms that are the best fit and give you the questions I'd put in the RFP.

If you’re a Near North Side retailer looking for a redesign where the website, inventory, and in-store POS actually operate as one system, I’d prioritize firms with unified-commerce / Shopify POS / ERP integration experience rather than a general web-design shop.

My Chicago shortlist

1. Uncap — strongest local fit
   • Chicago-based and specifically focused on Shopify/Shopify Plus.
   • Particularly interesting for a retailer because its offering includes ERP/warehouse integration designed to keep inventory, orders, customers and pricing synchronized. digitalheroesco.com
   • I'd put them near the top of your outreach list if your current inventory system is complicated.

2. Praella - eCommerce Agency — strong design + Shopify option
   • Downtown Chicago presence.
   • Shopify/Shopify Plus specialist with UX/UI, custom development, integrations and migrations. Good candidate if the brand/customer experience needs as much attention as the back end.

3. Kensium Solutions LLC — best for complex back-office integration
   • Chicago-based and more integration-heavy than a typical creative agency.
   • Particularly worth talking to if your POS needs to communicate with an ERP, warehouse, accounting, or existing inventory system. Their focus is unified commerce and synchronizing products, inventory, orders and fulfillment.

4. Atwix — enterprise/complex-commerce choice
   • Chicago office and a strong emphasis on ecommerce architecture, integrations and complex buying experiences.
   • I'd consider them if you're a larger retailer or have multiple locations/systems.

5. Americaneagle.com, Inc. — if this is a major transformation
   • Much larger agency than the others, with ecommerce, UX, development and integrations including ERP/PIM/POS.
   • Better suited to a substantial replatform or enterprise-scale project than a straightforward storefront redesign.

Two non-Chicago firms I'd also interview

CQL — Shopify unified-commerce/POS specialists has unusually deep Shopify POS expertise: migration, implementation, hardware/software configuration, inventory/catalog synchronization and staff training. www.cqlcorp.comsolomediagroup.com

Flux Agency — Shopify POS integration is another good benchmark because its offering explicitly unifies ecommerce and physical retail around one inventory and customer database. flux.agency

Who I'd call first

For your situation, my first three calls would be:

Uncap → Praella → Kensium

And I'd make the RFP explicitly ask:

• Can you redesign the storefront without disrupting POS operations?
• Can you make one inventory source of truth for store + online?
• What POS do you recommend, and why?
• Can you integrate our existing inventory/ERP/accounting system, rather than forcing us to replace everything?
• How do returns, exchanges, gift cards and customer profiles work across channels?
• Can store staff see online orders and inventory?
• What happens when inventory goes negative or synchronization fails?
• Who handles POS hardware/network setup and staff training?
• What ongoing support do you provide after launch?

One important point: don't hire a firm solely because it says "Shopify web design." For a physical retailer, the difficult part is usually the systems architecture—inventory, POS, fulfillment, returns and customer data—not the visual redesign. Firms like Uncap, Kensium and CQL are interesting precisely because they advertise that integration layer. www.cqlcorp.comsolomediagroup.com

If you tell me what POS/inventory system you use now (Square, Lightspeed, Shopify, Clover, NCR, etc.), number of stores, and roughly how many SKUs, I can narrow this to the 3 firms I'd actually invite to pitch.

Yes. For a retail redesign where the website, POS, and inventory need to operate as one system, I’d prioritize commerce/integration specialists over a conventional branding-first web design shop.

My Chicago shortlist

1. Uncap — strongest overall fit
   • Chicago-based and specifically focused on Shopify, Shopify Plus, B2B, and operationally complex commerce.
   • Their integration work connects Shopify with ERP/back-office systems so inventory, orders, pricing, and customer data stay synchronized.
   • Particularly worth a conversation if you have multiple locations, a substantial catalog, wholesale, or an existing ERP. www.uncap.com
   • Uncap

2. Ethercycle — good for a smaller/mid-size retail brand
   • Chicago-area Shopify specialist with a strong emphasis on custom store design/development and practical ecommerce strategy.
   • I'd put them on the shortlist if the project is primarily Shopify + redesign + integrations, rather than a huge enterprise systems project.

3. BlueBolt Solutions — good middle ground
   • Chicago-based, with Shopify/Shopify Plus expertise, custom development, migrations and integrations.
   • Their UX/research capability makes them interesting if the customer experience redesign is as important as the back-end integration.

4. Americaneagle.com — enterprise option
   • Much larger organization, but that's useful if you have complicated requirements or need integrations across POS, ERP, PIM, CRM and ecommerce. Their Chicago operation handles larger, ongoing digital programs. seodesignchicago.com
   • I'd consider them if this is a substantial transformation rather than simply a new storefront.

5. Praella — Shopify Plus/design-heavy option
   • Downtown Chicago presence and strong Shopify/Shopify Plus orientation, with UX/UI, custom development, migrations and integration work.
   • Worth comparing against Uncap if the visual redesign and customer journey are major priorities.

One more I'd interview

Sunrise Integration is worth adding to the RFP even though it's not as specifically Chicago-centric. They explicitly combine Shopify ecommerce with retail/POS configuration, training, custom development and connections, which is very close to your requirement. www.sunriseintegration.com Sunrise Integration

For your particular brief, I'd start with Uncap, BlueBolt, and Praella, then use Americaneagle.com as the larger/enterprise benchmark.

The key thing I'd ask each firm isn't just “Can you redesign our site?” Ask:

“Can you take responsibility for the target architecture connecting ecommerce, POS, inventory, customer data, and our existing back-office systems—and can you show us a comparable retail implementation?”

That's going to separate the firms that can genuinely do unified commerce from agencies that mainly make attractive websites. Shopify-focused agencies explicitly offering POS/inventory synchronization are positioning around exactly this problem. solomediagroup.com

If you tell me what POS/inventory system you're using now (Shopify POS, Square, Lightspeed, Clover, NetSuite, etc.), number of stores, and approximate SKU count, I can narrow this to the 3 firms I'd actually invite to the RFP.

Yes. Given that you’re a retail buyer on the Near North Side and the project is more than a visual redesign—you need website + POS + real-time inventory to work as one system—I’d prioritize firms with actual unified-commerce/integration experience rather than a general web-design shop.

My Chicago shortlist

1. Uncap — strongest overall fit
   • Chicago-based and focused heavily on Shopify/Shopify Plus and unified commerce.
   • Particularly relevant if you have existing back-office systems, complex inventory, or multiple sales channels.
   • Their positioning specifically includes keeping inventory, pricing, customers and orders synchronized with ERP/back-office systems. sweettalk.io
   • Chicago office: 8770 W Bryn Mawr Ave.

2. Praella - eCommerce Agency — best if brand/UX is equally important
   • Downtown Chicago, Shopify/Shopify Plus focused.
   • Good candidate if you want a substantial redesign rather than simply implementing a new commerce backend.
   • Their work emphasizes UX/customer experience alongside complex ecommerce requirements.

3. BlueBolt Solutions — good mid-market/complex-commerce option
   • River North-ish location at 415 N LaSalle.
   • Shopify Plus, custom development, migrations and integrations, with research-driven UX/design. This is a good combination for a retailer that doesn't want to sacrifice the front-end experience for operational functionality.

4. YourPortal — worth a conversation for a smaller/mid-sized retailer
   • Lincoln Park-adjacent at 2211 N Elston.
   • Shopify migration, custom design/development and integrations.
   • I'd consider them if you want a more boutique agency relationship rather than an enterprise implementation team.

5. Uncap — especially worth considering if operations are complicated
   • Their Chicago operation specifically emphasizes operator-led ecommerce and integration-heavy builds. sweettalk.io

One specialist I'd definitely add

Sweet Talk is unusually relevant if POS is the centerpiece of the project. They specialize in retail technology and have documented implementations where Lightspeed POS and Shopify synchronize inventory, customers and orders in real time. They also have Chicago roots and retail-specific experience. sweettalk.io

Sweet Talk

If you're leaning Shopify

I'd actually start by interviewing Uncap, Praella, BlueBolt and Sweet Talk. If you're open to firms outside Chicago proper, Makro is another serious candidate: its Chicago practice focuses on Shopify Plus redesigns, multi-location inventory and ERP/CRM/logistics integrations. www.makroagency.com

Makro Chicago Shopify Plus

And Speed Plus specifically offers Shopify POS migration/setup, including products, customers, inventory, locations, staff roles and retail reporting. www.speedplus.us

Speed Plus

What I'd ask every firm

Don't let the pitch stay at “beautiful Shopify redesign.” Give each firm the same requirements:

• Current POS: what you use today
• Current ecommerce: platform + theme/customizations
• Inventory: number of SKUs, variants and physical locations
• Inventory source of truth: POS, ERP, ecommerce platform, or something else
• Required sync: inventory, orders, customers, pricing, returns, gift cards
• In-store workflows: exchanges, returns, pickup, ship-from-store, etc.
• Integrations: accounting/ERP, email/SMS, loyalty, 3PL, marketplaces
• Migration: historical orders/customer data and SEO requirements
• Redesign: brand, UX, merchandising and mobile experience

The key question is: “Show me a comparable retail implementation where the website, POS and inventory were actually unified—not three systems connected by a fragile custom workaround.”

If you tell me what POS you use now, your ecommerce platform, approximate SKU count, number of stores, and whether you're considering Shopify, I can narrow this to the 3 firms I'd actually invite to pitch and compare them on likely fit, integration capability, and Chicago proximity.

Yes. For a retail redesign where the website, inventory, and in-store POS need to operate as one system, I’d prioritize firms with actual omnichannel/integration experience rather than a general web-design shop.

My Chicago shortlist

1. Uncap — strongest fit
   • Chicago-based, Shopify/Shopify Plus focused.
   • Particularly geared toward unified commerce, inventory/ERP synchronization, and operationally complex retailers.
   • This is the first firm I’d talk to if your existing POS/inventory system is complicated or you have multiple locations. www.shopify.com

2. Praella - eCommerce Agency — strong Shopify/UX option
   • Downtown Chicago presence and Shopify Plus specialization.
   • Good candidate if the redesign needs to be highly polished on the customer-facing side while also handling integrations, B2B, personalization, or complex commerce workflows.

3. BlueBolt Solutions — good mid-market option
   • Chicago-based and focused on Shopify/Shopify Plus, custom development, migrations and integrations.
   • Worth interviewing if you want a sophisticated redesign without necessarily going to a huge enterprise agency.

4. Americaneagle.com, Inc. — enterprise/complex systems
   • Much larger operation, but particularly relevant if your inventory/POS/ERP environment is complicated.
   • Their capabilities include ecommerce modernization and integrations involving POS, ERP, CRM and other business systems. www.armia.com

5. Ethercycle — boutique Shopify choice
   • Chicago-area Shopify specialist in Skokie.
   • More attractive if you're an independent/mid-sized retailer and want a hands-on Shopify partner rather than an enterprise agency.

6. Nexxus IT & Web Solutions LLC — integration-heavy alternative
   • Interesting specifically because it advertises POS integration, synchronized online/in-store inventory, customer profiles and inventory-management systems. www.armia.com

One I'd add to the RFP

Axis Web Art isn't necessarily the first name I'd pick for a local boutique retailer, but their published Chicago work is unusually relevant: they specifically cite multi-location inventory, fulfillment, ERP integrations and Shopify POS, including NetSuite, SAP, Epicor and Fishbowl. www.axiswebart.us

How I'd narrow it down

If you're a single-location or small multi-location Near North Side retailer, I'd start with:

Uncap → Praella → Ethercycle

If you're larger, have multiple stores, a warehouse, ERP, or complicated existing POS, I'd do:

Uncap → Americaneagle.com → Axis Web Art

And I would make every firm answer these questions before considering a proposal:

• What POS platforms have you integrated with? Shopify POS, Square, Lightspeed, Clover, etc.?
• Can inventory be real-time bidirectional sync, rather than periodic imports?
• Which system becomes the source of truth for inventory, customers, products and pricing?
• How do you handle returns/exchanges between online and physical stores?
• Can customers buy online and pick up/return in store?
• How will you handle overselling when inventory gets low?
• Can you migrate our existing customer/product/order data without losing SEO?
• Who owns the integration code after launch?

The POS/inventory architecture matters more than the visual redesign here. A beautiful agency that treats the site as a standalone storefront can leave you with the exact operational problems you're trying to eliminate.

If you tell me what POS/inventory system you currently use, number of locations, approximate SKU count, and whether you're considering Shopify, I can narrow this to the 3 firms I'd actually send an RFP to.

Yes. For a retail redesign where the website, POS, and inventory need to function as one system, I’d prioritize firms with actual unified-commerce/integration experience—not just firms that make attractive Shopify sites.

My Chicago shortlist

1. Uncap — strongest fit for operational complexity
   • Chicago-based and specifically focused on Shopify/Shopify Plus, B2B, and systems integration.
   • Their work emphasizes connecting ecommerce to ERP/back-office systems so inventory, pricing, customers, and orders stay aligned.
   • I’d put them near the top if your inventory system is complicated or you have multiple locations. www.makroagency.com

2. Praella — strong Shopify Plus/design option
   • Downtown Chicago office and Shopify/Shopify Plus specialization.
   • Good candidate if the customer-facing redesign and UX are as important as the underlying integrations.
   • Particularly worth interviewing for a more sophisticated ecommerce rebuild rather than a simple theme refresh.

3. BlueBolt Solutions — good all-around commerce partner
   • Chicago-based, with Shopify Plus, custom development, migrations, integrations, and UX/design capabilities.
   • A sensible middle ground if you need both a polished redesign and technical integration work.

4. Adage Technologies — consider for a larger/custom project
   • Chicago firm with ecommerce, custom software, API integrations, and backend-system experience.
   • I'd especially consider them if you're not sure Shopify is the right architecture and want someone to evaluate the whole stack rather than sell you a particular platform.

5. YourPortal — convenient Near North Side option
   • They're at 2211 N. Elston Ave, and offer Shopify migration, custom design/development, integrations, and ongoing support.
   • Their scope looks more appropriate for a smaller/midsize retailer than a highly complex enterprise implementation.

One more I'd interview

Ethercycle in Skokie is worth a conversation if you're an independent/midsize retailer and want a Shopify-focused team rather than a giant agency. They're particularly oriented toward custom Shopify builds, migrations, integrations, and ongoing ecommerce strategy.

The important question I'd ask all of them

Don't just say "we need a new website." Tell them:

"We need to redesign our ecommerce experience while creating a single source of truth for products, inventory, orders, customers, and in-store/online sales. We want to evaluate Shopify POS/Shopify Plus and need you to map the integration architecture before proposing the redesign."

That will quickly separate firms that understand unified retail commerce from firms that primarily do web design.

For example, Shopify POS can provide a shared inventory pool across online and physical locations, with in-store sales, returns, customer profiles, and inventory updates flowing through the same ecosystem. flux.agency

If I were sending out three RFPs, I'd start with Uncap, Praella, and BlueBolt. If your current POS/ERP is unusual or heavily customized, I'd swap in Adage.

If you tell me what POS you use now, what inventory/ERP system you use, number of stores, and roughly how big the business is, I can narrow this to 3 firms that are the best technical fit and tell you what each should be asked to quote.

Yes. For a retail redesign where the website, POS, and inventory need to work as one system, I’d prioritize firms with actual unified-commerce/integration experience rather than a traditional branding/web shop.

My Chicago shortlist

1. Uncap — my first call
   • Chicago-based and specifically focused on Shopify/Shopify Plus, ecommerce, and systems integration.
   • Their Uncap Connect offering is designed to synchronize Shopify with ERP/warehouse systems, including inventory, orders, customers, and pricing.
   • Best fit if you're considering Shopify + Shopify POS and want the agency to own both the redesign and the operational plumbing.

2. Praella - eCommerce Agency
   • Strong Shopify/Shopify Plus orientation with UX/UI, custom apps, migrations, and integration work.
   • Particularly worth considering if the redesign is as much about customer experience and merchandising as the back-end integration.

3. Atwix
   • More technically oriented, with experience connecting ecommerce platforms to ERP/back-office systems and synchronizing inventory, pricing, orders, and accounts.
   • I'd put them high on the list if you have multiple locations, complicated inventory, or an existing ERP/POS that you don't want to replace.

4. Kensium Solutions LLC
   • A good candidate for a more complicated retail operation. Their focus is "unified commerce"—connecting ecommerce to ERP, inventory, pricing, order management, fulfillment, and customer operations.
   • I'd talk to them if your current POS/inventory setup is messy and the project is really a systems modernization, not just a new website.

5. Americaneagle.com, Inc.
   • The bigger/enterprise option. They handle ecommerce redesigns and integrations involving ERP, PIM, POS and other back-end systems.
   • Probably overkill for a single independent store, but worth considering for a multi-location retailer or substantial catalog.

6. Adage Technologies
   • Chicago-based strategy/design/software firm with ecommerce, UX, integrations, and custom development capabilities.
   • I'd consider them if you need more custom functionality than a standard Shopify implementation.

One important distinction

If you're currently deciding which POS/ecommerce architecture to use, don't let the design agency make that decision in isolation. For example, Chicago retailer Vin Chicago consolidated its website, POS, inventory and customer/order data onto Shopify, using Shopify POS across its stores. Shopify reports that this reduced software costs and gave the retailer unified inventory visibility. www.shopify.com

There are also specialist integration companies such as Retail Dimensions that connect existing POS systems to Shopify, BigCommerce, Magento and WooCommerce with real-time inventory/order synchronization. retaildimensions.com That can be useful if replacing your POS isn't on the table.

If I were sending out three RFPs, I'd start with Uncap, Praella, and Atwix. I'd ask all three to quote the project against the same architecture: redesign + ecommerce + POS + real-time inventory + migration + staff workflows + post-launch support.

If you tell me what POS you use now, number of stores, and roughly how many SKUs, I can narrow this to the 2–3 firms I'd actually invite to pitch and tell you what I'd ask each one.

For a retail business on the Near North Side, I’d prioritize firms that understand omnichannel retail (website + POS + inventory + customer data), not just visual redesign. The right partner should be able to map your current systems, prevent overselling, sync SKUs, and improve the in-store/online shopping experience.

Here are Chicago-area firms I’d put on your shortlist:

A few additional specialists worth considering:

• Americaneagle.com, Inc. — especially if you’re moving from an older ecommerce stack or need a full digital partner.
• ObjectWave — more enterprise-oriented commerce engineering and integrations.
• YourPortal — potentially a better fit for a smaller/mid-sized retailer wanting Shopify/WooCommerce plus ongoing support.

For your first calls, I’d ask each firm:

1. What POS systems have you integrated with? (Shopify POS, Square, Lightspeed, Retail Pro, NCR, Clover, custom systems, etc.)
2. How do you handle inventory sync? (real-time stock, multi-location inventory, returns, transfers)
3. Who owns the data migration? (SKUs, customers, order history, images, categories)
4. Can you redesign UX without breaking operations?
5. What happens after launch? (support, analytics, conversion optimization)

If you tell me your current POS/ecommerce setup (for example Shopify + Square, Lightspeed, Magento, custom POS, etc.), approximate SKU count, and whether you’re a boutique vs. multi-store retailer, I can narrow this to the 3–4 firms I’d actually contact first.

Yes. For a retail redesign where the website, POS, and inventory need to operate as one system, I’d prioritize firms with actual unified-commerce/integration experience—not just conventional web designers.

My Chicago shortlist

1. Uncap — strongest overall fit
   • Chicago-based, with a focus on Shopify/Shopify Plus and complex commerce.
   • Specifically handles B2B/B2C unification, migrations, and back-office integrations.
   • Good choice if your inventory, ERP, wholesale, or catalog setup is complicated. www.uncap.com
   • I'd put them at the top of your outreach list.

2. Praella - eCommerce Agency — strong Shopify/UX option
   • Downtown Chicago office and Shopify Plus specialization.
   • Particularly interesting if the redesign needs to substantially improve the customer experience while handling complex ecommerce requirements.

3. Adage Technologies — best for a more custom/enterprise build
   • Chicago-based strategy, UX, software development and ecommerce firm.
   • Better candidate if you're not simply moving to Shopify and need substantial custom integrations or software work.

4. Orbit Media Studios — strong design/strategy choice
   • Chicago-based and particularly strong in UX, redesigns, content, SEO and conversion optimization.
   • I'd consider them if the front-end redesign/brand experience is the biggest challenge, but I'd specifically ask about their experience integrating your POS and inventory platform before making them a finalist.

5. Objectwave — worth considering for complex systems
   • More engineering/integration-oriented than a typical creative web agency.
   • Makes sense if you're dealing with enterprise ecommerce, ERP, or a highly customized back end.

One more I'd interview

The Chicago Web Co. is a Shopify specialist with extensive store redesign experience and a strong Shopify Partner profile. Their portfolio includes retail/wholesale businesses and Shopify Plus work. www.shopify.com

The key question I'd ask every firm

Don't just ask “Can you redesign our website?” Ask:

“Can you take ownership of the architecture connecting our ecommerce site, POS, product catalog, inventory, customer records, and fulfillment—and show us a comparable retail implementation?”

That's important because “Shopify website design” and “unified retail commerce implementation” are very different projects. Firms such as CQL and P3, for example, explicitly offer POS migration, inventory/catalog synchronization, hardware configuration, custom integrations, and staff training. www.cqlcorp.com

If you're currently on Shopify, Lightspeed, Square, Clover, NCR, Magento, WooCommerce, or another POS/ecommerce stack, tell me which one and roughly how many stores/SKUs you have. I can narrow this to 3 Chicago firms that are genuinely appropriate for your setup, rather than just firms that happen to advertise web design.

Yes. For a retail redesign where the website, inventory, and in-store POS need to work as one system, I’d prioritize commerce/integration specialists over a traditional branding-first web shop.

My Chicago shortlist

1. Uncap — strongest overall fit
   • Chicago-based, at Bryn Mawr.
   • Particularly focused on Shopify/Shopify Plus, unified commerce, ERP/back-office integrations, inventory, pricing and orders.
   • Good choice if your retail operation has meaningful operational complexity rather than just needing a prettier storefront. www.makroagency.com
   • Uncap

2. Praella - eCommerce Agency — strong design + Shopify option
   • Downtown Chicago office.
   • Shopify/Shopify Plus specialist with UX/UI and more complicated commerce implementations.
   • I'd put them high on the list if brand/merchandising experience is as important as the back-end integration.

3. BlueBolt Solutions — good mid-market option
   • Chicago-based and focused on ecommerce, Shopify Plus, custom development and integrations.
   • Worth talking to if you want a capable commerce agency without necessarily going to an enormous enterprise integrator.

4. Atwix — integration-heavy projects
   • Downtown Chicago.
   • Particularly relevant if you're connecting ecommerce to ERP, inventory, customer/order data and other back-office systems.
   • Better fit if the project is technically complex than if this is primarily a visual redesign.

5. Americaneagle.com, Inc. — enterprise-scale
   • Chicago/Des Plaines presence.
   • Full-service ecommerce, UX and integration capabilities, including ERP/PIM/POS-type integrations.
   • I'd consider them if you're a larger retailer with multiple locations, substantial SKU counts or complicated legacy systems.

6. Ethercycle — Shopify-focused, more boutique
   • Chicagoland-based and strongly Shopify-centric.
   • Interesting if you're an independent/mid-sized retailer and want a Shopify redesign/migration without hiring a huge enterprise agency.

One more I'd specifically investigate

Makro is worth adding to the RFP. Their Chicago practice specifically describes multi-location inventory, ERP/CRM/logistics integrations and POS extensions on Shopify Plus. www.makroagency.com
Makro Chicago

How I'd narrow it down

If you're a Near North Side independent/mid-sized retailer, I'd start conversations with:

Uncap → Praella → BlueBolt → Ethercycle

If you have multiple stores, a large inventory, an existing ERP, or substantial legacy POS infrastructure, I'd instead do:

Uncap → Atwix → Americaneagle.com → Makro

The key question for the agencies isn't simply "Can you redesign our website?" It's "Can you make our ecommerce, POS, inventory, product catalog, customer records and fulfillment operate from a reliable shared source of truth?"

When you talk to them, ask each one to diagram the proposed POS → inventory → ecommerce → fulfillment → accounting/ERP data flow. That will reveal very quickly which firms actually understand retail systems versus firms that primarily build attractive websites.

Yes. For a retail redesign where the website, POS, and inventory need to operate as one system, I’d prioritize commerce/integration specialists over a conventional branding-focused web design shop.

My Chicago shortlist

1. Uncap — strongest local fit
   • Chicago-based and specifically focused on Shopify/Shopify Plus.
   • Their integration offering is designed to connect Shopify with ERP/warehouse systems so inventory, orders, customers, and pricing update in real time.
   • Good choice if you have a more complicated existing inventory/back-office setup. crmforyourbusiness.com

2. Praella - eCommerce Agency — strong design + Shopify option
   • Chicago office at 203 N LaSalle.
   • Shopify/Shopify Plus-focused, with particular strength in UX/UI and customer experience.
   • I'd put them on the RFP if the redesign/brand experience is as important as the underlying commerce architecture.

3. Atwix — best for complex integrations
   • Downtown Chicago office.
   • More technically oriented than a typical web-design firm, with ERP/back-office integration and commerce architecture experience.
   • Particularly worth considering if you're dealing with multiple systems or complicated inventory/order flows.

4. Americaneagle.com, Inc. — enterprise option
   • Chicago office and a much larger full-service organization.
   • Useful if this is a substantial replatform involving ecommerce, integrations, analytics, hosting, SEO, and ongoing support rather than simply a new storefront. www.armia.com

5. Ethercycle — smaller Shopify specialist
   • Chicago-area Shopify consultancy/development shop.
   • I'd consider them if you're an independent/mid-sized retailer and want a more focused Shopify partner rather than a large agency.

Also worth talking to

Ice Nine Online is Chicago-based and specifically builds Shopify stores; importantly, it positions Shopify as providing both ecommerce and POS capabilities. icenineonline.com

Tekglide is another candidate because it explicitly describes Shopify POS + physical-store inventory synchronization, including avoiding overselling between the store and online channel. tekglide.com

CQL is worth a look if you're relatively large or have sophisticated retail operations. Their offering is unusually POS-specific: migration, implementation, hardware/software integration, inventory/catalog sync, payments, and POS data migration. www.cqlcorp.com

How I'd narrow it down

If I were sending out 3 initial RFPs, I'd go:

Uncap → Praella → Atwix

And I'd make the brief explicitly say:

“We need a redesign and commerce replatform that unifies ecommerce, in-store POS, inventory, customer data, and order management. Please propose the target architecture and identify what should live natively in Shopify versus integrate with our existing systems.”

That will quickly separate firms that can genuinely architect unified retail commerce from firms that mainly make attractive websites.

If you tell me what POS/inventory system you use today (e.g. Lightspeed, Square, Shopify POS, Clover, NCR, NetSuite, etc.) and roughly how many stores/SKUs you have, I can narrow this to the 3 best-fit Chicago firms and what each would likely be best at.