Marketplace integration and multichannel, centrally controlled
We connect your online shop with additional sales channels and provide automated stock synchronization, centralized order routing and consistent product data across all channels. No duplicate data entry, no overselling, no manual order transfer.
SAP · JTL · DATEV
systems connected
50+
integration projects
3–8
weeks to go-live
24/7
stock monitoring
Fixed price per channel · net plus VAT
- Fixed price per channel instead of an open estimate
- Amazon, eBay, OTTO and Kaufland connected as channels
- Real-time stock sync and centralized order routing
- Monitoring of your channels well beyond go-live
Every additional channel is cheaper on a tiered basis, because stock pooling and order logic are built only once. Plugin or middleware licence depending on the platform approx. 30 to 100 € per month, shown transparently and separately. Extensions and custom logic on a time basis: 119 € per hour, project day 990 € net. All prices net plus VAT. The project day is a package price for a reserved working day and therefore deliberately not a multiple of the hourly rate — the rationale is on the pricing overview.
Anyone selling products across multiple channels knows the problem: unsynchronized stock leads to overselling. Orders transferred manually from one system to another cost time and create errors. And product data that has to be maintained separately on each channel ties up resources the core business needs. Our multichannel integrations solve these problems through a central integration layer that connects all sales channels with your shop system and your inventory management.
Order flow from every channel into the ERP
What multichannel retailers really need
Multichannel commerce means more than listing the same product on different platforms. It means keeping stock levels consistent across all channels in real time, ensuring that every order regardless of the incoming channel goes through the same processing workflow, and managing product data centrally while delivering channel-specific variants. A professional integration covers all three dimensions: inventory, orders and product data.
Real-time stock sync
Every sale on one channel immediately reduces stock on all others. Buffer quantities, safety stock levels and channel-specific reservations are configurable. Overselling is prevented at the system level before it can occur.
Centralized order routing
Orders from all channels flow into a central order management system. From there they are uniformly forwarded to your ERP or inventory management without your team needing to switch between different back-end systems.
Product data synchronization
Item master data, descriptions, images, prices and variants are maintained from a single source and prepared channel-specifically. Different category structures, required attributes and image sizes are adjusted automatically.
Order confirmations and status updates
Shipment confirmations, tracking numbers and status changes are automatically pushed back from the ERP or warehouse system to the respective channel. Customers receive channel-specific notifications without manual intervention.
Error handling and monitoring
Failed transmissions are placed in a dead-letter queue with complete error information. Monitoring alerts notify your team before individual failures become system disruptions. Every data flow is logged.
Channel-specific pricing
Channel-specific prices, promotional prices, tiered pricing and currencies are centrally configured and automatically transferred to each platform. Platform commission costs can optionally be factored into the calculation.
Which sales channels we connect
Our multichannel integrations support all common sales channels relevant in German-speaking e-commerce. The integration architecture is designed so that new channels can be added without rebuilding existing connections.
- Online marketplaces: all major German and European marketplace platforms via standardized APIs
- Comparison portals and price engines: product data feeds in various formats (CSV, XML, JSON) for price aggregators
- B2B platforms: connection to sector-specific B2B marketplaces and procurement portals
- Social commerce: product catalogs for shopping features in social networks
- Own online shop: Shopware CE, TYPO3, WordPress or other CMS-based shops as the base platform
- Brick-and-mortar retail: POS systems and checkout solutions as an additional channel in stock synchronization
No direct marketplace access required
The stock synchronization in detail
Stock synchronization is the most critical component of a multichannel integration. Errors here lead directly to overselling, cancellations and negative customer feedback. A robust stock synchronization must reliably cover several scenarios.
Real-time reduction on every sale
When an order comes in on any channel, available stock is immediately reduced in the central integration layer. All other channels receive the updated availability within seconds, not hours.
Buffer quantities and safety stock
Channel-specific buffer quantities prevent the last remaining item from showing as available on too many platforms simultaneously. Safety stock is configurable per channel or globally and can be automatically adjusted by time of day or seasonality.
ERP back-synchronization
Goods receipts, stock transfers and inventory corrections from the ERP or warehouse management are propagated in real time to all channels. Transactions from physical retail feed into the same pool.
Conflict resolution for simultaneous orders
If two orders for the same item arrive on different channels in the same second, a configured priority sequence decides. The lower-priority order is automatically cancelled and the customer informed.
Consistency checks and reconciliation runs
Hourly or daily consistency checks reconcile the actual stock across all connected systems and correct discrepancies caused by network interruptions or temporary system outages.
Reporting and audit trail
All stock movements are logged with timestamp, channel and trigger. Reporting shows which channel consumes how much stock and supports procurement planning for multichannel retailers.
Order routing: From every channel into the ERP
Alongside stock synchronization, order routing is the second critical component. Orders must go through the same processing workflow regardless of the incoming channel: credit check, warehouse assignment, picking, shipping and invoicing.
Order flow from purchase to invoice
Normalization and enrichment
Orders from different platforms arrive in different formats. The integration layer normalizes this data into a unified internal format and enriches it: customer master data from the CRM, price calculations including platform commissions, tax classification by delivery country.
- Automatic duplicate detection for double transmissions
- Address validation and normalization before ERP handoff
- Tax handling by delivery country (OSS, reverse charge, third countries)
ERP handoff and status feedback
The normalized order is handed off to your ERP or warehouse system. Order confirmations, delivery notes, tracking numbers and invoices automatically flow back to the respective channel. The accounting handoff to DATEV uses the same data flow.
- Support for SAP, Microsoft Dynamics, JTL, Lexware and other ERP systems
- Channel-specific invoice formats and sender addresses
- Automated returns processing and credit note creation
Which channel delivers the fastest additional revenue?
In the free channel analysis we review your sales channels and your ERP and give you a fixed price per connection — from 2,480 € net, before development starts.
Technical architecture of a multichannel integration
A professional multichannel connection follows the hub-and-spoke principle: all sales channels connect to a central middleware that acts as the single source of truth for inventory, orders and product data. The ERP or warehouse system is one of several connected nodes, not the direct communication partner for every channel.
Central middleware as hub
The middleware normalizes data, manages stock pools, routes orders and controls the connectors to all connected systems. New channels are added as additional connectors without touching existing data flows.
Event-driven vs. polling
Where platforms offer webhooks, we use event-driven synchronization for sub-second latency. Where only polling is possible, we optimize intervals by data volume and operating hours. Hybrid architectures combine both approaches.
API abstraction and versioning
Platform APIs change regularly. Our connector layer abstracts the API specifics so that changes on one platform only affect that connector. The core architecture and other connectors remain unchanged.
Fault tolerance and idempotency
Every message contains a unique ID. Duplicate order transmissions are detected and ignored. Transient errors are retried with exponential backoffs. Persistent failures go to the dead-letter queue.
Privacy and GDPR
Customer data is held in the integration layer only for the duration of active processing and then deleted. Data processing agreements with all connected platforms are part of the integration. Logs contain no personal data in clear text.
Analytics and reporting
The central integration layer aggregates cross-channel metrics: revenue per channel, return rates, order value distribution and stock turnover. This data supports strategic channel prioritization decisions.
Distinction: marketplace integration vs. inventory management integration
Preparing product data for each channel
Different sales channels place different demands on product data. What works as a detailed product description on your own online shop may need to be condensed to specific required attributes, maximum character lengths and predefined category structures for a marketplace. At the same time, images must be available in the required formats and resolutions.
- Title optimization: Channel-specific title templates auto-populated from product attributes
- Category mapping: Automatic assignment of internal categories to platform-specific category trees
- Required attributes: Validation before transfer to check all channel-required fields are populated
- Image transformation: Automatic scaling and format conversion for channel-specific image requirements
- EAN/GTIN management: Consistent management and transfer of product identifiers across all channels
- Variant handling: Correct representation of size, color and other variants according to platform-specific schemas
Integration with existing systems
Multichannel integration is rarely the only integration project. In most cases it is part of a broader system landscape. We know the typical system combinations and build marketplace connectivity in a way that works seamlessly alongside existing or planned integrations.
If you already operate a SAP integration or DATEV connection, the multichannel middleware is embedded as an additional layer built on top of the existing interfaces. Order routing from marketplaces and accounting handoff share the same data basis. For new projects we recommend designing APIs from the start so that multichannel expansion becomes possible at a later stage with minimal additional effort. Contact us for a non-binding initial assessment of your system landscape.
Our project approach for multichannel integrations
- 1
Channel analysis and data flow mapping
We capture all planned sales channels, analyze their API documentation and data models, and create a complete data flow map. Critical questions about stock pooling, order routing and product data normalization are conclusively answered in this step.
- 2
Architecture design and proof of concept
Based on the mapping, the integration architecture is specified. For the two to three most critical data flows, we develop a proof of concept on a staging environment to identify technical risks early and validate architectural decisions.
- 3
Iterative channel connection
Channels are connected in a prioritized sequence. After each connection, all data flows are tested in a structured way. The first live channel goes into production after approximately four to six weeks; additional channels are added in shorter cycles.
- 4
Parallel operation and migration
When an existing manual process is replaced by automation, both procedures run in parallel for one to two weeks. Discrepancies are analyzed and the integration adjusted accordingly before the manual process is discontinued.
- 5
Go-live and hypercare
Full go-live with close monitoring. During the two-week hypercare phase, we respond to anomalies within hours and optimize synchronization parameters based on real load data.
- 6
Regular operations and evolution
In regular operations we monitor all synchronization processes and alert on anomalies. Quarterly reviews evaluate performance metrics and identify optimization potential. New channels or API changes to existing platforms are implemented in defined maintenance windows.
Measurable benefits of multichannel automation
What automation concretely saves
Beyond direct time savings, automation significantly reduces error risk. Overselling events caused by unsynchronized stock damage ratings on marketplace platforms and can lead to account suspension if they recur. Consistent product data improves discoverability and conversion across all channels. And centralized reporting across all channels enables informed decisions on channel strategy.
Frequently asked questions about marketplace integration
Further reading: Marketplace Integration via Middleware describes the multichannel architecture, Inventory Synchronization Across Multiple Warehouses explains stock allocation across channels, and Connecting Shipping and Logistics Interfaces shows how labels and tracking flow back automatically.