HotWax Commerce gives multiple options to fulfill store pick-up orders:
HotWax Commerce BOPIS fulfillment app: For retailers who are open to using third-party apps, HotWax Commerce offers a stand-alone mobile app for fulfilling BOPIS orders from stores.
In-house Custom POS application: Retailers who don't prefer using third-party apps for store fulfillment, avoiding additional training for store associates, prefer to develop custom store fulfillment applications in their existing POS. For these retailers, HotWax Commerce provides APIs to read and fulfill store pickup orders from HotWax Commerce. Using these APIs retailer’s tech team can choose to develop custom applications in existing POS to fulfill store pick-up orders.
Shopify POS BOPIS fulfillment app: For retailers using Shopify POS, we offer a “Store pick-up” application that gets embedded in Shopify POS. Store associates can use this application from Shopify POS to see all the store pick-up orders assigned to their stores and fulfill them when customers come to pick up their orders.
Once the BOPIS orders are fulfilled, HotWax Commerce syncs that information back to eCommerce which also marks the order completed on eCommerce.
Yes, HotWax Commerce can push orders to POS using APIs provided by the POS system. If POS does not offer APIs, orders can be placed in CSV format on a designated SFTP location for the POS system to access.
HotWax Commerce downloads payment method and order status information and syncs these with POS. However, payment processing and capturing are managed in eCommerce, as the transactions are online sales.
HotWax Commerce can display an estimated pickup date by determining the nearest stores or warehouses with inventory and the time required to transfer the product to the selected store. If the customer places a store pickup order, HotWax Commerce initiates a "ship-to-store" process and creates a transfer order in the POS/warehouse system. The transfer order status can be synced from POS/warehouse system to HotWax Commerce.
HotWax Commerce BOPIS Fulfillment App and APIs allow Store Associates to change the order's delivery mode from “Store Pick-Up” to “Delivery.” Associates can consult with customers and modify the delivery mode if approved, routing the order to the nearest store or warehouse. Alternatively, associates can use the HotWax Commerce BOPIS Fulfillment App to send an email to customers, informing them of the product's unavailability and providing alternative pickup options.
The processing time for an order at the store or warehouse depends on the frequency of the order brokering job. For example, if it runs every hour and an order is downloaded at 7:00 AM, with the previous job having run at 6:30 AM, the order will be sent for processing at 7:30 AM.
Yes, you can immediately turn off any store or warehouse for fulfillment using Hotwax Commerce admin screens and reduce the order limit to 0.
Yes, store managers can set a maximum order limit and if the limit is reached, new orders are automatically routed to another fulfillment location. The store becomes eligible for new orders the following day. This ensures efficient order handling and prevents overload on any specific store.
Indeed, HotWax Commerce provides the capability to restrict fulfillment of specific products at store locations. This feature is particularly valuable when certain products, such as special items or new launches, are intended exclusively for in-store sales. In such cases, store managers have the ability to deactivate store fulfillment and online inventory for these select products at designated locations.
If an order is rejected due to unavailability, the order automatically gets re-brokered to a different store or warehouse based on order routing rules.
HotWax Commerce integrates with third-party logistics companies like FedEx to get the delivery confirmation and then the order status is updated in HotWax Commerce.
HotWax Commerce's order routing engine takes into account the following factors:
Explore HotWax order routing solution here
Gain insights from our featured blog post
Watch our informative video for a quick overview:
Order brokering in HotWax Commerce is a batch process by default. This process groups orders placed within specific time intervals and prioritizes them based on delivery methods such as standard, next-day, or same-day. This helps ensure inventory is allocated first to same-day and next-day orders, followed by standard orders, even if standard orders were placed earlier. Retailers can configure the order brokering process in HotWax Commerce to run at specific times and frequencies throughout the day.
HotWax Commerce rate shops by comparing shipping rates across different shipping methods and service levels offered by a carrier.
Before generating a shipping label, HotWax Commerce analyzes rates from various potential shipping methods within a given service level (e.g., one-day delivery, two-day delivery) and opts for the most cost-effective option that meets the service level agreement (SLA).
While HotWax does not support cross-carrier rate shopping, it does offer integration with aggregators like EasyPost and ShipStation for retailers seeking to rate shop across multiple carriers.
Yes, HotWax Commerce handles pre-orders/backorders. The Shopify Pre-Order App by HotWax Commerce replaces the "Add to Cart" button with a "Pre-Orders/Backorder" button and displays an estimated delivery date for out-of-stock items. It also automatically converts the button back to "Add to Cart" once inventory is available. Available inventories are allocated to pre-orders/backorders on a first-come, first-served basis.
Here is a demo video for pre-orders and backorders:
HotWax Commerce ensures transparent communication regarding shipping delays to comply with FTC Pre-Order regulations. In the event of a delayed Purchase Order, automated alerts promptly inform customers of the revised delivery schedule.
Learn more about Pre-Orders.
HotWax Commerce provides an out-of-the-box reporting module, BI Reports & Analytics (BIRA), that helps retailers analyze sales, returns, pre-orders, and fulfillment operations. Additionally, retailers also have the flexibility to create custom reports that suit their specific requirements using BIRA.
Learn more about reporting.
HotWax Commerce readily integrates with Shopify POS, X-Store POS, and Predict Spring. Furthermore, HotWax Commerce features a rapid POS integration kit that supports POSLog and TLog standards.
HotWax Commerce offers out-of-the-box integration with shipping carriers such as FedEx and UPS along with shipping aggregators like EasyPost and ShipStation. For hyper-local last-mile delivery, HotWax also integrates with ShipT.
Moreover, HotWax extends its reach to Central American countries with shipping carrier integrations including C807, Guatex, CargoTrans, and TerminalExpress.
Custom shipping integrations can be developed upon request for an additional fee with an estimated turnaround time of one week.
HotWax Commerce supports CSV-FTP-based integration with NetSuite ERP, Infor M3 ERP, and Microsoft Dynamics AX. It also offers a rapid ERP integration kit that facilitates swift ERP integration.
HotWax Commerce provides ready integration with Shopify & Shopify Plus. Additionally, HotWax Commerce offers open APIs and its own integration toolkit, enabling rapid eCommerce integration with various eCommerce systems such as BigCommerce, Adobe Commerce, Salesforce Commerce Cloud, and Commerce Tools, among others.
HotWax Commerce retrieves orders from Shopify using its API, which allows for downloading 250 orders in a single call. However, HotWax Commerce downloads 100 orders per call to prevent file size limit errors, as some orders may contain multiple items, increasing the file size.
The order throughput from Shopify depends on the API response time, which is generally 2-3 seconds but can take 5-10 seconds during peak seasons. Each API call is made after the previous one is completed.
Order throughput can range from 600 to 5,000 orders per minute. HotWax Commerce has achieved a throughput of 17,500 orders in 5 minutes, or 3,500 orders per minute, during the holiday season.
Yes, HotWax Commerce allows for custom enhancements. Clients can either utilize our APIs to develop their own extensions or request specific features using an SOW for customization.
If there's a feature already on our roadmap that requires prioritization, enterprise clients can choose the SOW route to accelerate the implementation.
HotWax Commerce is a cloud-based SaaS solution, eliminating the need for retailers to manage server hardware scaling. All in-store HotWax Commerce apps are web-native, so any device with full browser support can access and use them.
HotWax Commerce is cloud-based and requires an internet connection to function.
HotWax Commerce support system is designed to address urgent issues promptly and effectively both during and after implementation. HotWax adheres to industry-standard incident prioritization levels to ensure that critical issues receive the highest level of attention.
1. Priority 1 Incidents (P1): For critical production issues that severely impact service usage and halt business operations, our target initial response time is within 30 minutes, with a resolution time of 2 hours. Dedicated resources are required from both the client and HotWax Commerce to address these issues.
2. Priority 2 Incidents (P2): Major functionality issues causing high impact to business operations but allowing service continuity with restricted functionality are addressed with an initial response time of within 1 hour and a resolution time of 4 hours.
3. Priority 3 Incidents (P3): Partial, non-critical loss of service use with medium-to-low impact on business operations is handled with an initial response time of within 4 hours, with resolution targeted by the next business day.
4. Priority 4 Incidents (P4): General technical inquiries, cosmetic issues, or routine technical inquiries are responded to within 24 hours, with resolution within five business days.
For self-help troubleshooting, HotWax Commerce provides resources including user manuals, instructional videos, and community forums.
For enterprise clients, the support also includes a dedicated account manager that is available daily over email, chat, and phone.
HotWax Commerce offers different support levels depending on the chosen plan. We also provide comprehensive user manuals, a growing collection of online tutorials, and initial onboarding training. IT teams receive training on common browser settings and configurations to troubleshoot any unexpected behavior from HotWax Commerce.
The expected time frame for the entire OMS implementation varies depending on project specifics and the number of integrations involved.
Typically, it could range between 90 to 120 days. However, if your tech stack includes systems like Shopify for eCommerce and NetSuite for ERP, for which HotWax Commerce offers out-of-the-box integrations, the implementation timeline could be expedited, with the potential for going live within 60 days.
The data is securely stored on the server hosted by Amazon Web Services (AWS) in the United States.
Yes, you can access a copy of all your data, such as orders, products, and inventory. You retain ownership of that data throughout its lifespan. HotWax Commerce does not store your data after the commercial relationship ends, unless specified in your contract.
HotWax Commerce provides flexibility to manage multiple brands, each with its own eCommerce store, within the same OMS. This often occurs when a retailer supports multiple brands with a centralized operations team and enables access to shared data between brands.
Scenarios where HotWax Commerce recommends each brand should have a separate OMS instance:
1. If a retailer operates multiple brands as independent legal entities, each with its own operational requirements and confidentiality protocols regarding data access, separate OMS instances are necessary. This ensures that each brand maintains autonomy and compliance with legal regulations.
2. If a retailer operates different brands in various countries, each brand may have unique regulatory requirements, tax obligations, and operational processes. In this scenario, having separate OMS instances for each brand allows for better localization and compliance with regional laws and standards.
Using ready-made integrations, HotWax Commerce can process orders from eCommerce platforms like Shopify and BigCommerce. Shopify's integrations with social media sales channels like Facebook and Instagram also allow HotWax Commerce to handle orders from those platforms. Additionally, HotWax Commerce can process in-store Endless Aisle/Send Sale orders from POS systems, either through APIs or FTP locations. New sales channels can be integrated using HotWax Commerce's open APIs.
The three main resources expected from the client's side are:
1. A dedicated project coordinator tasked with facilitating communication and gathering input from business stakeholders to define project requirements effectively.
2. The IT head, responsible for discussions related to integrations, who will approve integration methodologies and make decisions on integration strategies.
3. A Quality Analyst (QA) responsible for conducting User Acceptance Testing (UAT) and ensuring that the system aligns with business processes based on the specified requirements.
Additionally, as the project progresses, it's expected that additional team members, potentially from the business team, may be involved in discussions related to specific aspects such as order routing and inventory flows.
The team plans two-week sprints for implementation and customization, with weekly client calls for user training and progress updates.
HotWax Commerce has a streamlined contract process. Once both parties sign the online contract, implementation can begin immediately.
User manuals, videos, and onboarding sessions are provided for all omnichannel features and functionalities.
Yes, visit https://forum.hotwax.io/
HotWax Commerce continuously updates its platform, providing the latest features and bug fixes without a traditional release cycle.
Clients have full control over deployments for their instances. HotWax Commerce acknowledges the need for auditing certain changes within client teams or platforms and is ready to collaborate accordingly. Ensuring version control for enterprise retailers, particularly regarding API dependencies, is prioritized. While new versions are regularly available and recommended, clients are fully supported in their decision to remain on a specific version until instructed otherwise. Particularly during critical periods like the holiday season, upgrades are not enforced to maintain stability and operational continuity.
HotWax Commerce offers open APIs, enabling retailers' tech teams to extend the platform and create custom applications. Back-end apps are also open-sourced for further customization.
In the OMS, every user is assigned specific permissions based on their roles and responsibilities. Users can be divided into administration, fulfillment, catalog management, and customer-facing roles.
By establishing user profiles, retailers can grant access to critical operations involving orders, products, and inventory data.
Learn more about user user management.
