Selling books online is only one part of the ecommerce process. Once a customer clicks “Place Order,” that order still needs to reach the warehouse, inventory needs to be allocated, the right products need to be picked and packed, and the shipment needs to get to the customer. When those systems are connected, much of that process can happen automatically.
For publishers using platforms such as Shopify, WooCommerce on WordPress, or a custom ecommerce website, integrating the ordering platform with a fulfillment partner’s warehouse management system can create a much more efficient path from order placement to shipment. Instead of manually downloading orders, sending spreadsheets, or entering the same information into multiple systems, order data can flow directly to the warehouse for fulfillment.
At Bradford & Bigelow, our warehouse management system can integrate with publishers’ websites and ecommerce platforms to support this type of order flow. For publishers already using B&B for printing, warehousing, and distribution, that means the process can continue well beyond manufacturing, with finished inventory stored and ready to fulfill orders as they come in.
What Does an Ecommerce Integration Actually Do?
At its simplest, an integration allows two systems to exchange the information needed to process an order. A customer might purchase a book through a publisher’s Shopify store, for example. Once that order is submitted, the relevant order information can be sent to B&B’s warehouse management system, where the fulfillment process begins.
The warehouse receives details such as the products ordered, quantities, customer information, and shipping instructions. The order can then move through picking, packing, and shipping without someone at the publisher manually re-entering the same information. Depending on the integration and the systems involved, shipment information and tracking details can also be sent back so the publisher and customer have visibility into the order.
The exact workflow will vary depending on the publisher’s website, ordering platform, and business requirements. The goal is to establish a reliable connection between the place where the order originates and the warehouse responsible for getting it out the door.
Connecting Shopify, WordPress, and Other Ordering Platforms
Publishers do not all sell books the same way. Some have a Shopify storefront built specifically for direct-to-consumer sales. Others operate a WordPress website with WooCommerce or another ecommerce solution. Larger organizations may have custom ordering portals, internal systems, or multiple websites serving different audiences.
The integration does not necessarily need to look identical for every publisher. What matters is understanding what information needs to move between the systems and how that information should trigger activity in the warehouse.
For example, a straightforward consumer order may include one or two books being shipped to a residential address. Another publisher may need to send cartons of workbooks to a school, assemble several products into a kit, or process orders containing multiple titles from the same program. The technology needs to support the fulfillment requirements behind those orders, not simply transfer an order number from one system to another.
That is why the integration conversation should start with the publisher’s actual ordering process.
Where are orders coming from?
What information does the warehouse need?
What shipping options are offered to customers?
Are there different rules for different products or order types?
Answering those questions helps determine how the systems should work together.
One Inventory Pool Can Support Multiple Sales Channels
Many publishers are no longer fulfilling orders from a single source. Orders may come through an ecommerce store, sales team, school or institutional customers, customer service department, or another ordering channel. Managing those orders becomes more complicated when each channel is treated as a separate fulfillment operation.
Connecting those channels to the warehouse management system can allow orders from multiple sources to be fulfilled from the same physical inventory. Instead of maintaining one group of books for online orders and another for larger customer orders, inventory can be managed centrally while the warehouse fulfills according to the requirements of each order.
This can be particularly useful for educational publishers that serve a mix of customers. A single title might be sold directly to an individual parent through an online store, shipped in larger quantities to a school, and included as part of a multi-component curriculum order. Those orders look very different to the customer, even though they may ultimately pull from the same inventory in the warehouse.
Eliminate Manual Order Entry
Manual processes tend to become more difficult as order volume grows. Downloading an order file from one system, reformatting it, sending it to another team, and entering information into a warehouse system may be manageable when there are only a handful of orders. At higher volumes, those extra steps take time and create more opportunities for mistakes.
An integration can remove much of that repetitive work by passing order information directly from the publisher’s system to the warehouse. Customer addresses do not need to be typed again, product information does not need to be copied from one system to another, and fulfillment teams can receive orders without waiting for someone to manually send a file.
The benefit is not simply speed. Reducing the number of times order information is handled manually can also reduce errors caused by duplicate entry, outdated files, or missing information. It gives both the publisher and fulfillment team a more consistent process to work from.
Inventory Visibility Matters Too
Order transmission is only one side of the integration. Publishers also need to know what they have available to sell.
When inventory information is shared between systems, publishers can have a clearer picture of stock levels without relying on separate spreadsheets or repeated warehouse inquiries. Depending on how the integration is configured, inventory data can help support purchasing decisions, customer service, reprint planning, and the availability displayed through an online store.
This becomes particularly valuable when several sales channels are pulling from the same inventory. If a large school order consumes a significant portion of a title’s available stock, the publisher needs that information reflected in its broader inventory picture. Better visibility can help teams identify when a title is approaching a reprint point and reduce the chance of continuing to accept orders against inventory that is no longer available.
The Integration Should Reflect the Fulfillment Program
Technology is only useful when it supports what actually needs to happen in the warehouse. Before connecting an ecommerce platform to a fulfillment provider, it is worth mapping out the entire order journey.
Think about the types of orders you receive, where they originate, how quickly they need to ship, what packaging they require, and what information needs to come back after shipment. Publishers offering kits or multi-component products should also consider how those items are represented in the ordering system and how the warehouse will identify, assemble, and fulfill them.
Shipping requirements are another important part of the conversation. The information needed for a small direct-to-consumer shipment may be different from what is required for an order going to a school, distributor, or other business customer. Establishing those rules during the integration process makes it easier to automate the appropriate workflow once orders begin arriving.
Connecting Printing, Warehousing, and Ecommerce
For publishers that print and warehouse with the same partner, an ecommerce integration can connect several parts of the supply chain that are often managed separately. Books can move from manufacturing into inventory and remain in the same operation until an order triggers fulfillment.
At B&B, finished books can move from our manufacturing operation into our distribution center, where inventory is stored and available for B2B and B2C fulfillment. When a publisher’s ordering platform is connected to our warehouse management system, incoming orders can trigger the next step in that process without requiring the publisher to coordinate a separate handoff between the printer, warehouse, and fulfillment provider.
That becomes especially useful as a publisher grows. Adding more titles, customers, or online orders does not have to mean adding the same amount of manual administrative work behind the scenes. The systems and fulfillment workflow can be designed to handle that growth while giving the publisher visibility into what is happening with its inventory and orders.
Plan the Integration Before You Need It
The best time to discuss an integration is before inventory arrives at the warehouse and orders are waiting to ship. Setting up the connection early gives the publisher and fulfillment team time to understand the order flow, identify the information that needs to move between systems, and test the process before it becomes part of day-to-day operations.
If you are moving fulfillment from another provider, launching a new ecommerce store, or consolidating printing and distribution with one partner, include the integration requirements in those conversations from the beginning. Bring your existing ordering workflow, the platforms you use, the types of orders you expect, and any special fulfillment requirements. From there, the technical connection can be built around the way your business actually operates.
For publishers, the end goal is fairly simple: when a customer places an order, the systems behind the scenes should be able to get that order to the warehouse and keep it moving without creating unnecessary work along the way.