What is ecommerce integration

Ecommerce integration is what enables small business owners to set up their own successful online store, despite the multiple platforms and systems needed.

By using ecommerce integration software to centralise all the necessary systems into one hub, you can link your online storefront and other online sales channels to your back-end systems. Ecommerce integration keeps everything organised, similar to how a junction organises a group of roads coming from many different directions.

A single software module connects and coordinates all your ecommerce operations, from inventory levels, customer data and product listings to shopping cart technology and payment gateways.

Advantages of ecommerce integration

There are several major advantages to using ecommerce integration software:

• greater efficiency

• real-time data

• higher accuracy

• flexible customisation

• faster shipping and delivery

• greater customer satisfaction

• increased sales and revenue

Let’s look more closely at how these ecommerce integration advantages can benefit your business.

Greater efficiency

Without ecommerce integration software, a business needs more staff to monitor and manage all required actions across the various platforms. Ecommerce integration software automatically updates inventory levels from all sales channels, eliminating the need for extra staff. Your current staff also have more free time to get creative or engage with customers.

Real-time data

Automatic updates provide you and your customers with real-time data. This means you stop displaying a product as ‘in stock’ as soon as the last item is sold. Integrated ecommerce solutions also let you set up alerts for when the stock starts running low.

Higher accuracy

Removing the need for human input when it comes to inventory management means no more data entry errors. Accurate data helps you run your operations smoothly and stay on top of inventory management at all times. An ecommerce integration platform also helps you accurately calculate taxes, product prices and costs.

Flexible customisation

The best ecommerce integration software is flexible, meaning it is customisable to your unique ecommerce needs. You only use the elements you need, rather than buying into a whole package just to benefit from some of it.

Faster shipping and delivery

Ecommerce integration ensures you always deliver on time. The picking and packing staff are immediately notified of new orders, allowing them to fulfil them quickly and stay ahead of schedule. Such software removes delays and miscommunications, and ensures no order is forgotten or misplaced. To understand how important this is, just look at product reviews on websites and online marketplaces to see how often positive reviews start with the customer being happy with how quickly the item was shipped and delivered.

Greater customer satisfaction

With completely accurate data on your website and all orders picked, packed and shipped quickly and efficiently, your customers will be completely satisfied with their experience with your business. This should be the aim of every type of business, because a satisfied customer will return to spend more, as well as spread the word about their experience. Which leads us to the ultimate benefit of ecommerce integration …

Increased sales and revenue

This is what it is all about. All of these benefits of ecommerce integration increase sales and revenue in the long run. Not only do ecommerce integration solutions make more money for your company, they save you time and energy so you can grow and expand other areas of the business.

We can help

GoCardless is a global payments solution that helps you automate payment collection, cutting down on the amount of financial admin your team needs to deal with. Find out how GoCardless can help you with one-off or recurring payments.