Note: Some of the links in this post are currently not working as Order Desk's affiliate partner works through some downtime issues. In the mean time, I highly encourage you to give them a visit at https://orderdesk.com. If you sign up for a trial (and I recommend you do), you can support PromoPilot by telling them we sent you. 😊
If you're anything like me, you've probably launched online company stores and redemption sites on multiple platforms. Sometimes you need the right tool for the job, whether it's Liftoff for its powerful web-to-print capabilities, PromoHunt for its flexible access control, or Shopify for a B2C-focused project.
Managing orders from multiple e-commerce platforms can be a daunting task for print and promo distributors. When you also need to split orders between suppliers, 3PLs, or even electronic delivery, it can quickly become overwhelming 😵💫.
Order Desk is a powerful SaaS application designed to simplify and automate this process, integrating seamlessly with numerous industry-specific platforms and suppliers such as Liftoff, Order My Gear, SAGE, SanMar, and hundreds more.
Seamless Integration with E-Commerce Platforms
Order Desk supports integration with a variety of e-commerce platforms that are important to the print and promo industry. For example, it connects with Order My Gear (OMG), enabling you to import orders directly from OMG. Order Desk features a powerful rules engine that allows you to split, filter, and organize these orders, automatically sending them to the appropriate fulfillment services or sales team. The integration also lets you set up custom automations for order routing and prefix order numbers for better tracking.
Similarly, Order Desk integrates with Shopify and other popular e-commerce platforms, allowing you to distribute POs for each line item and send shipment details back to your e-comm once the orders are fulfilled. You can manage these integrations easily from the Order Desk interface, setting preferences such as order download frequency and specific inventory locations to monitor.
Efficient Supplier Management
Order Desk excels in managing multiple suppliers. It supports splitting orders between different suppliers, such as SPOKE Custom, Crystal-D, and 4Over. This feature is particularly useful when different parts of an order need to be fulfilled by different vendors. Order Desk can also send custom email notifications or export data as CSV files, making communication with suppliers seamless and ensuring orders are processed smoothly.
If you're working with a supplier who is not integrated and simply requires an email to be sent to them with the order information, Order Desk can handle it. You can even customize the email to include the data they require in the format they wish to see it in. When emailing an order in this way, a link is included for the supplier to click and enter tracking information into, which then is returned to your e-comm software to trigger shipment notifications. Nice!
Customizable Order Fulfillment
The flexibility of Order Desk extends to various fulfillment options. Whether you are using print-on-demand services or working with suppliers that have minimum order quantities, Order Desk accommodates both. It integrates with fulfillment and 3PL services like ShipStation, enabling you to keep track of shipments, manage returns, and keep customers updated on their order status without additional manual effort.
You can even set up items that, when ordered, are routed to members of your sales team to be managed within your existing processes.
Streamlined Business Operations
Beyond order management, Order Desk integrates with essential business tools such as Slack, Stripe, and TaxJar. If you have a currently unsupported app that you'd like to send order information to, you can request an integration be built by the capable Order Desk team. Order Desk also supports Zapier and so it's possible to integrate easily with over 6,000 apps. You can even configure Order Desk to post order JSON data to your own endpoints.
What is JSON?
JSON is a way to format data so that different computer systems can understand and share it easily. It looks like this:
{
"name": "Douglas",
"age": 42,
"favorite_color": "blue"
} APIs use JSON to send and receive information between systems. For example, a weather app asks a server for the weather, and the server sends back JSON with the temperature and conditions.
No matter the use case, if you need your order data pushed to another app, Order Desk offers multiple methods to do so. With its ability to:
- output custom CSVs
- send emails
- perform FTP drops
- post JSON data
- and integrate with Zapier
...there are numerous approaches you can take to ensure your data reaches the desired destination.
Conclusion
Order Desk offers a comprehensive solution for print and promo distributors, streamlining order management and fulfillment processes. By integrating with various e-commerce platforms and providing robust supplier management capabilities, it ensures that your workflow remains efficient and organized. Embrace the power of Order Desk to transform your business operations and enhance your productivity.
Ready to simplify your order management? Discover how Order Desk can revolutionize your operations and bring efficiency to your workflow.Visit Order Desk today and take the first step towards hassle-free order management. They offer a generous 30 day free trial (no credit card required) which should give you plenty of time to explore the possibilities.
In our next post, we'll look at how to send order from Liftoff Commerce to SPOKE Custom for POD fulfillment using the Order Desk Liftoff integration. Consider subscribing to our newsletter so you don't miss it.
