Interface development for an online store with drugstore products

The initial situation

Our client has been running a successful online store for drugstore items for years - including care products, household supplies, natural cosmetics and hygiene products. The product range is large and stocks need to be updated daily. An established ERP system runs in the background, centrally managing prices, stock movements, item master data and orders. The existing web store was also already connected to the ERP.

Then came the desire to set up an additional Shopify store - to specifically address younger target groups and tap into new markets. The requirements were clear from the outset:
The new store must not be an additional expense. Everything had to be automated - from stock levels to price changes.

The challenge

At first glance, everything seemed simple: set up Shopify, link the data and get started. In practice, however, it quickly became apparent that there was no ready-made solution that would integrate Shopify directly with the existing ERP and store.

The problem:

• The ERP had an API, but no native Shopify interface
• The existing online store worked with a completely different structure
• Articles, variants, availabilities - everything had to be precisely synchronized
• And the whole thing should be integrated as inconspicuously as possible during ongoing operations - without data chaos, without duplicating work

In short, we needed a clean, stable solution that would connect all the systems without disrupting the existing setup.

The solution

We developed the Shopify connection individually from the ground up - always with the aim of ensuring that all systems work together automatically in the end. No additional tool for the team, but an invisible data flow that simply works.

1. analyzing existing processes

First, we looked at how the ERP communicates with the existing store:

• Which fields are used?
• What does the pricing logic look like?
• Where are special cases, e.g. graduated prices or variants?

This was crucial for seamlessly integrating Shopify later on.

2. maintain central control

The ERP remained the centerpiece:
All prices, stock levels and product data continue to come from there. Shopify should take over this data automatically, without additional maintenance.

3. individual middleware developed

As there was no suitable interface, we wrote our own middleware. This translates the data between ERP and Shopify - reliably, scalably and comprehensibly. It ensures that:

• new products in ERP also appear in Shopify
• Stock levels are automatically reconciled
• Price changes are adopted directly
• Shopify orders are correctly booked in the ERP - including payment and shipping data

4. error control built in

We have integrated a simple monitoring system to ensure that everything runs smoothly even with high order volumes or last-minute changes. This means that discrepancies (e.g. missing stock data or duplicates) are detected early - before they become a problem.

The result

The new Shopify store was successfully launched - fully automatically connected to the ERP system, without any additional maintenance work for the team.

Since then, the synchronization has been running smoothly:

• Stock levels are always up to date, even for fast-moving items
• Price adjustments in ERP take effect immediately in Shopify
• New items appear automatically in the store - including variants, descriptions and images
• Orders flow directly back into the ERP for further processing

This makes a noticeable difference, especially in the drugstore sector, where many items are handled on a highly seasonal basis or according to stock levels.

A second online store does not automatically mean twice the work - if the technical basis is right. In this project, we have shown how Shopify can be cleanly integrated into an existing ERP setup - even with individual requirements from the drugstore sector.

The customer has not only gained new reach, but also no additional effort in everyday life. That's exactly how it should be.

If you also want to connect Shopify to an existing system - whether drugstore, fashion, technology or food - we'll help you make it work. And not just somehow, but properly.

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