eCommerce isn’t just a nice to have in today’s business world, it’s a must have. For Sage 100 users, integrating eCommerce with your ERP can bring efficiencies, increased revenue, customer satisfaction and business insights. But it’s not without its challenges.
This post covers the top 5 eCommerce integration challenges and what Sage 100 users and resellers can do about them.
1. Data syncing issues between eCommerce and Sage 100
One of the biggest and most frustrating problems businesses face is the lack of data syncing between their eCommerce platform and Sage 100.
The Challenge:
When orders, inventory and customer data don’t sync automatically between systems, businesses are left with manual processes that are prone to error. Duplicate entries, mismatched inventory counts and delayed order processing means unhappy customers and lost revenue.
The Solution:
To fix this, an integration solution should offer real-time or near real-time syncing between systems. This means that:
Orders are reflected in Sage 100 immediately.
Inventory levels update across all sales channels.
Customer records are up to date.
Look for an integration platform that keeps a continuous connection between your ERP and eCommerce platforms. One example is the Web-Stor Integration Platform for Sage 100. Web-Stor keeps a continuous connection and notifies you proactively when something unexpected happens (for example, your ERP system goes off-line), so you can respond quickly. If your ERP system is down, Web-Stor will queue eCommerce orders so they can be integrated as soon as your system becomes available. All of this minimizes manual intervention and keeps everything running smoothly.
2. Managing orders across multiple sales channels
Many businesses sell through multiple channels – whether it’s their own eCommerce store, online marketplaces like Amazon or physical stores.
The Challenge:
Without integration, managing orders across multiple channels is a logistical mess. It’s easy to lose track of which orders came from where and end up with delayed shipments, incorrect order fulfillment or over-selling of inventory.
The Solution:
A centralised system that aggregates orders from all sales channels into Sage 100 is key. With an integration:
Orders from Shopify, WooCommerce or BigCommerce flow directly into Sage 100.
Status updates (e.g. shipped, returned or cancelled) sync back to the eCommerce platform, so customers are informed.
Sage 100 reporting gives you a single view of sales across all channels so you can make better decisions.
That centralization saves time, reduces errors and improves the customer experience.
3. Managing complex pricing and discounts
Many businesses use dynamic pricing, customer specific discounts or seasonal promotions to stay competitive. These complexities can be a problem when integrating eCommerce with Sage 100.
The Challenge:
If the eCommerce platform and Sage 100 don’t agree on pricing rules, customers will see the wrong prices online and abandon their carts.
The Solution:
An integration solution should:
Sync customer specific pricing and discounts from Sage 100 to the eCommerce platform.
Handle tax and promotional discounts during checkout.
Be flexible to adapt to changes in pricing structures as your business grows.
By having pricing consistency across all systems you build trust with your customers and reduce errors.
4. No visibility into business operations
Many businesses have siloed systems where information is stored in separate databases that don’t talk to each other. This lack of visibility is a barrier to growth.
The Challenge:
Without integrated systems you may have:
No insight into which products are selling well.
Difficulty in finding bottlenecks in the order fulfillment process.
No ability to forecast inventory requirements.
The Solution:
Integration solutions with reporting and analytics tools can give you actionable insights by combining data from Sage 100 and the eCommerce platform. Look for:
Dashboards showing key performance metrics like sales trends and inventory turnover.
Alerts for low inventory or order fulfillment delays.
Detailed reporting to help you identify areas to optimise.
When data flows between systems you can make informed decisions that drive efficiency and growth.
5. Long and expensive implementation times
The final challenge for many businesses is the time and cost of implementing an eCommerce integration solution.
The Challenge:
Some integration projects can take months and require a big upfront investment, leaving businesses struggling to justify the ROI.
The Solution:
Not all integration platforms are equal. Look for providers that:
Have pre-built connectors for popular eCommerce platforms like Shopify, BigCommerce and WooCommerce.
Provide a project plan with milestones.
Provide great support during and after implementation.
By choosing a solution that deploys fast you can go live quicker and get benefits sooner.
Conclusion: Integration is key to growth
For Sage 100 users integration is no longer a nice to have – it’s a must have. Addressing data syncing, multi-channel order management and pricing consistency is key to staying competitive and growing your business.
By investing in the right integration solution you can simplify your operations, improve customer experience and get actionable insights to make better decisions.
Learn more at our webinar
If you’re a Sage 100 user or reseller wanting to simplify eCommerce integration and get actionable insights join our upcoming webinar: “Simplify eCommerce Integration and Get Actionable Insights”.
📅 Date: Tuesday, November 19, 2024, at 1:00 pm ET
💻 What You’ll See: Live demo of our Web-Stor Integration Platform for Sage 100 and expert tips to overcome common challenges.
