Connecting Your Brick-and-Mortar Store and Online Store: Payments, Pickup, and Returns

Click-and-collect, online exchanges in-store, and completing a purchase on the sales floor can improve customer service. However, they do require clear agreements regarding order status, inventory, payment providers, refunds, and accounting.

Determine where the order is generated

An online order is created in the web store and is assigned a unique reference number there. The payment provider confirms the payment. The store must be able to see the correct status at the time of pickup without relying solely on an email or screenshot.

An in-store order for home delivery can be placed at the register, through the online store, or via a separate order module. Choose one source.

For online payments and a smooth checkout process, you can also check out our e-commerce payment solutions.

Inventory is a separate integration issue

A payment integration does not automatically synchronize inventory. For that to happen, the online store, point-of-sale system, or ERP must have a supported integration. Determine how quickly inventory changes, how reservations for in-store pickup work, and what happens during offline sales.

Prevent a paid order from having to be canceled later because the inventory source was not up to date.

See how a point-of-sale system and payment terminal can better handle peak times in retail.

Returns are processed using the original payment method

Determine whether an online purchase can be refunded in-store, through which system, and to the same payment method. A point-of-sale system can record a return, but the refund may still need to be initiated through the provider’s portal or the online store.

Restrict permissions and use the original transaction reference. Inform the customer of the processing time.

Report channels without double-counting

An order paid for online and picked up in-store should not be recorded again as in-store revenue. Use clear revenue and fulfillment statuses. Compare the payment from the provider with the channel to which the sale belongs for accounting purposes.

Also test partial delivery, partial refund, and cancellation after picking.

Omnichannel Check

• Unique order reference across all systems
• Reliable Provider Status
• Current or intentionally delayed inventory source
• Clear Pickup and Identification Procedure
• Refund to the correct payment method
• Accounting Without Double-Counting Revenue

Making the right choice starts with how you operate

Omnichannel works when orders, payments, inventory, and returns each have a clear source. Only integrate systems with official support, and test for exceptions before widely communicating the service.

Would you like to know how point-of-sale and payment solutions can work together from a technical standpoint? Then check out "POS Integration" and "Payment API.".