A Point-Of-Sale (POS) application integrated with an eCommerce portal can scale up any business. No matter, whether it is a startup company or a multinational company, platforms like Lightspeed and Shopify together can be beneficial for your online store. From providing accurate inventory to enhancing your customer’s experience, Lightspeed Shopify Integration together can reap huge benefits.
In this article, you will be introduced to the key features of Lightspeed and Shopify. Moreover, you will understand the importance of Lightspeed Shopify Integration. In addition, you will explore various methods to set up this Integration. So, read along to gain insights to set up your Lightspeed Shopify Integration.
Table of Contents
Introduction to Lightspeed
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Lightspeed is a Cloud-based Point-of-Sale system ideal for Retail, Hospitality, and Golf Merchants. The main purpose of this solution is to help businesses run smoothly by creating instant Retail purchase orders, manage Inventory, track customer data and Sales. This Cloud solution is highly flexible, can turn your complex business problems simple, provides insightful reports, and any user can access it from anywhere across the globe. It is much easy to create customizable detailed data reports under this platform. It can perform all the essential operations of POS, including Quoting, Invoicing, and Ordering. Lightspeed software is quick and easy to set up. Further, one can avail of technical assistance around the clock with Lightspeed.
Key Features of Lightspeed
Some of the key features that Lightspeed offers are:
- The Lightspeed platform makes it easy to import data via a CSV or Excel file.
- Supports Multiple product variants and Catalogs.
- The platform provides transparent order status.
- Lightspeed is great for inventory management as it updates all data in real-time.
- Manages all customer data from a central location.
- Exercises ready-to-go templates. which makes it a quick-to-use POS solution.
- 24/7 customer support through call, email, and chat.
- Provides customer management tools and services.
- Accept all payment methods, easy refund options, EMV compatibility, and PCI compliance.
- Offers gift cards to enhance customer base.
- Provides Real-time data and Analytics tools.
To explore more about Lightspeed, visit the official homepage here.
Introduction to Shopify
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When it comes to selling products and goods online, Shopify is the ideal choice for many startups companies. It is one of the renowned e-Commerce platforms that are easy to use and requires minimum configuration. Instead of investing your money with Designers and Developers, Shopify offers low pricing options to create a business online with ‘N’ number of features and functions to design an online store.
Shopify has been a regular choice for many brick-and-mortar Merchants as it offers numerous tools, themes, and integration options. One can easily perform Analysis, drive Sales, track Customers, and run Marketing Campaigns. The platform also offers mobile responsive design and 24/7 customer support. One can also sell, ship, and make payment from anywhere as it is one of the safest and secure platforms.
Key Features of Shopify
Shopify is one of the leading eCommerce platforms in the market due to its amazing features. Some of the features are listed below:
- Quick and ready-to-use web application with minimal configuration requirements.
- Customizable and Mobile responsive web design templates and themes. The designs make it easy to add extra features and functionalities.
- Easy to add or import products through CSV files.
- Makes it easy for users to manage multiple Sales Channels.
- Supports point of sale (POS), Dropshipping, and Payment gateways.
- The platform helps boost Sales with Shopify Abandonment Cart Recovery.
- Secure and Reliable e-Commerce platform to build a website, online store, or blog portal.
- Offers 24/7 customer support.
- Supports Customer relationship management by keeping a record of all previous purchases across different channels.
- No code is required to customize the platform.
- Provides multi-channel to boost sales, like Facebook, Instagram, etc.
- Provides Better Insights and Analysis Tools.
To learn more about Shopify, you can visit their homepage here.
Importance of Lightspeed Shopify Integration
Integrating Lightspeed in Shopify can be highly beneficial for your business and its performance. Remember, a customer will return to your services or products only if he is satisfied. For example, I ordered parcels from two different stores, but one was quick and on time, whereas the other was late. Which one would you prefer? Obviously, the faster one and on time. This means you would again book the better one for placing the next order. Similarly, a customer will re-visit your store only if your services are good. When your backend processes work on time, right from providing accurate inventories to shipping products, everything will happen accordingly, i.e., right on time.
No doubt, Shopify is a great tool and carries many features, but integrating Lightspeed in it will enhance your performance and help gain better results and customers’ trust. Lightspeed is one of the best Cloud-based POS solutions. In the next section, you will learn how to integrate Lightspeed into Shopify.
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Methods to Set Up Lightspeed Shopify Integration
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If you have made your mind for Lightspeed Integration with Shopify, we recommend following the best approach. Following are the 3 methods that you can use to set up Lightspeed Shopify Integration:
Remember, any mismanagement in the Integration of these two platforms might ruin your efforts, time, and money. Thus, you will discuss each method and its requirement in detail.
Method 1: Set Up Lightspeed Shopify Integration Using an Add-on or Plug-in
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Are you a Start-Up company or a small Retailer? If yes, then Lightspeed or Shopify’s app stores are the best solutions for growing online. These solutions are affordable for any company or retail that cannot afford highly complex solutions. To begin with Integration, you need to have an Add-on or Plug-in App.
Lightspeed and Shopify provide point-to-point Integration, which means no other system is needed to transfer data, files, or information. It is the best option for simple processes, but to handle complex procedures, such as buying online, multi-location fulfillment, you will need to invest in Add-ons. The moment you update additional Inventory locations or Sales Channels, there will be a need for connectors.
Having Add-ons is an effective way to manage Integration and demanding operational requirements.
Method 2: Set Up Lightspeed Shopify Integration Using a Custom Integration
It is essential to support Customer, Order, Item, Inventory, and Shipping data under the Custom Integration method. If you are not synchronizing the data, you are in no form making efforts to fully support your business operation. To synchronize data, Custom Integration must carry out operations with Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) accessible in both platforms – Shopify and Lightspeed. Let’s consider it this way.
- Item Data: If you are adding an item on Lightspeed you would expect the same will happen to your Shopify store.
- Inventory Data: If a user wants to buy a product from your store, then you require to make adjustments in your inventory on Shopify.
- Customer Data: Accumulation of customer data for both in-store and online purchases is a must to create a more personalized customer experience.
- Shipping and Order Data: It does not matter where the customer bought a product or service, you need to showcase shipping and order details.
This method is expensive, yet suitable for organizations that have adequate resources, budgets. The Custom Integration method is complex but great for firms that have a specific requirement for integration. Also, the biggest advantage of using this method is that you will not require to start from scratch.
Method 3: Set Up Lightspeed Shopify Integration Using Commerce Integration Platform
Another method to set up Lightspeed Shopify Integration is by using a Commerce Integration platform. We want you to grow your business, get maximum benefits and fuel your operations as merchants, which is why we are here to help you choose the right method. nChannel provides full disclosure and connects POS and websites. Further, it works as an operational hub to transfer data amid both endpoints. To integrate both applications, the platform must use pre-built connectors.
A Commerce Integration platform is more scalable than the above two methods and has much better functions. Another advantage of using a Commerce Integration platform is it is easy to add more technologies. It might be expensive on comparing with Add-ons or Plug-ins but can perform configurations as per your requirement. It supports real-time synchronization of the data that further helps your business to grow.
Bravo! You have gained a basic understanding of 3 methods to set up your Lightspeed Shopify Integration for your business.
Conclusion
In this article, you learned the key features of Shopify and Lightspeed. You also understood, why Lightspeed Shopify Integration is required. Moreover, you explored 3 methods to set up your Lightspeed Shopify Integration.
It is important to check the requirements of your business, resources, operations, and budget before choosing the best method for setting up Lightspeed Shopify Integration. Add-on or plug-in app is cheap but suitable for small businesses. Similarly, the other two methods have their pros and cons. Thus, consider each one of them before making the final call to set up your Lightspeed Shopify Integration.
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Share your experience of setting up Lightspeed Shopify Integration in the comments section below!