How do I check a fulfilment centre’s integrations with online store platforms?

In a fulfilment business, integrations are the pipes that carry orders. Request a list of each client’s connection to their online store, noting the platform, the method and who built it. A connection made by a former employee or a freelancer is a risk to flag.

Test the flow. Place or watch a sample order and follow it through: arrival, picking, packing, label and tracking update back to the store. Check that stock counts sync both ways and note any delays. Ask what happens when the connection is down and how long it usually takes to notice.

Review support records for sync errors, duplicate orders and missed shipments. Count how many clients depend on a custom build rather than a standard connector. Finally, ask about access. Who holds the keys and logins, and do they belong to the business? Confirm those pass to you at closing, with your lawyer’s help. Ask which connections need regular updates from the software vendors, and who handles those, so you do not discover a hidden maintenance burden after closing. Ask whether client store changes, such as new product options, ever arrive without warning and break the flow, and how the team finds out.

Key takeaways

• List every client connection with its builder, owner and method.
• Follow a real order from store to shipping label and back.
• Confirm access and logins belong to the business and pass at closing.