Why separate systems are a burden for retailers
Many retailers operate a cloud shop in parallel to their bricks-and-mortar business, their own online shop or other sales channels. Stocks and prices are often maintained centrally in the ERP or merchandise management system, for example in systems such as Xentral.
However, if platform orders do not automatically flow into these systems, manual work steps are required. Orders have to be transferred, availabilities checked, prices compared and status information updated. This not only increases the time required, but also the risk of errors.
This is particularly critical for perishable goods, products in high demand or peak times. For retailers with multiple locations, availability and prices also need to be managed on a location-specific basis.
Typical operational consequences
- additional time and costs due to manual order processing
- increased number of cancellations and queries due to data inconsistencies
- Risk of overselling due to high demand or limited stock levels
- delayed or incomplete status reports
- more complex control with several branches or local delivery zones
- increased support costs in the event of incorrect stock, prices or delivery information
Opportunities through well thought-out integration
An integration that connects Wolt with the central ERP creates clear advantages: Incoming Wolt orders can be automatically created as orders in the ERP via webhook (including items, delivery and customer data), status changes are transmitted bidirectionally and stocks and prices remain synchronised. This reduces manual process steps, lowers the error rate and allows retailers to control prices and availability centrally - even if they have several locations.
Advantages at a glance
- Automatic order import speeds up fulfilment and reduces errors.
- Bidirectional status handling improves customer transparency and reduces support costs.
- Stock and price synchronisation prevents overselling and enables central price control.
- Multi-venue support enables location-specific control of availability and prices.
Decision-making aid - when is integration worthwhile?
To decide whether and when you should start an integration, it helps to look at four criteria:
- Order volume: With regular or growing volumes via Wolt, automation gains quickly amortise the implementation.
- Number of locations: If there are several locations, administration becomes confusing without integration; multi-venue support makes all the difference here.
- Assortment type: Perishable goods or SKU groups in high demand require real-time synchronisation to avoid losses.
- Internal resources: If there is no capacity for manual maintenance, integration reduces labour costs and errors.
If at least two of these points apply to your business, integration is recommended. Very small retailers with sporadic delivery orders can work manually in the short term, but should have a clear growth plan that anticipates later integration.
Cost-benefit consideration
- Short-term expenses: Project planning, connection test, possible partner setup.
- Ongoing benefits: Time savings in order processing, fewer cancellations, improved customer satisfaction, scalability without major personnel costs.
- Break-even: Depending on the order volume, integration can pay for itself within a few months to a year.
Practical example: How a Wolt integration works technically
In a typical Wolt integration, orders are received via webhook and automatically transferred to the connected ERP or merchandise management system. There they are created as orders and can be further processed in the existing fulfilment process.
At the same time, stocks and prices can be synchronised between the central system and Wolt. This means that changes do not have to be maintained multiple times. Status information such as accepted, in process or delivered can also be automatically fed back.
Multi-venue logic is particularly important for retailers with several locations. It ensures that availabilities are not only mapped globally, but also on a location-specific basis. This allows local delivery processes to be controlled more precisely.
Conclusion: Local delivery needs integrated processes
Local delivery services such as Wolt can be a relevant additional sales channel for retailers. However, the actual scaling effect only comes about when the platform, ERP, merchandise management and operational processes are properly connected.
Integration reduces manual work, improves data quality and creates the basis for operating local delivery services economically. For retailers with growing order volumes, multiple locations or time-critical product ranges, this makes it an important component of the digital retail strategy.
Are you checking whether Wolt integration makes sense for your system landscape? Get in touch with us!
