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So while having an e-commerce platform is a good start, it’s the integration that makes it sustainable and scalable.
THE RISK OF DISCONNECTED SYSTEMS One of the most common issues we see with e-commerce implementations in the timber sector is that they’re treated as standalone projects. A WooCommerce or Magento site is launched with great enthusiasm – but it doesn’t talk to the merchant’s stock system, pricing database, or customer accounts, resulting in:
• Stock discrepancies (selling what you don’t have)
• Manual re-keying of orders • Out-of-date pricing • Poor customer experience • Lost time and money
Disconnected e-commerce creates more problems than it solves. It increases the admin burden and introduces risk, at a time when timber businesses are trying to improve efficiency, not reduce it.
WHAT INTEGRATION LOOKS LIKE IN PRACTICE
True integration means real-time, two-way communication between your e-commerce platform and your ERP or stock control system. That might include:
• Automatic syncing of stock levels so online availability is always accurate
• Live pricing pulled directly from your main system, including customer-specific pricing
if applicable
• Orders placed online automatically appear in your ERP or POS, just like a counter or
phone sale
• Updates to order status, fulfilment or tracking info fed back to the e-commerce
platform
Done right, this kind of set-up creates an extremely helpful flow of information. It reduces admin, improves accuracy, and allows your online sales to grow, without requiring a bigger team or more hours in the day.
INTEGRATION OPTIONS There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, and the “right” e-commerce set-up depends on the scale and structure of your business. But here are a few platforms we regularly see timber merchants working with – and the role integration plays in each. 1. NearSt: NearSt is less about selling directly online and more about driving local footfall through digital visibility. It connects your physical store to nearby customers searching online by showing real-time product availability on Google. For timber merchants with a strong local presence but no full e-commerce operation, this is a great first step. The key is making
sure your stock system feeds NearSt automatically, so customers searching “treated timber near me” actually see what you have in stock – and come in to buy it.
2. WooCommerce: WooCommerce is a popular choice for WordPress users, offering flexible, open-source e-commerce. For timber merchants with a small team and limited budget, it’s an accessible entry point.
But the default set-up is standalone – so without integration to your stock and sales systems, you’ll be stuck updating stock manually and re-keying every order. Integration solves this by ensuring WooCommerce always reflects accurate availability and pricing, and that orders flow straight into your internal processes.
3. EKM: EKM is built for UK SMEs and offers a more guided e-commerce experience with less technical set-up. It’s particularly suited to merchants who want to get online quickly and have more control over site design, layout, and updates. With integration, EKM becomes a connected sales channel that works alongside your counter and phone orders – without duplicating admin effort.
4. ShopWired: ShopWired is a fast-growing UK platform designed with business users in mind. It supports multi-channel selling, including B2B and B2C functionality, and is becoming increasingly popular with merchants selling direct to consumer. An integrated ShopWired set-up allows stock, pricing, and order data to flow between systems in real time. That means trade customers and retail customers alike get a consistent experience, and your internal team isn’t buried in manual updates.
5. Magento: Magento is the heavyweight of the e-commerce world – highly customisable, scalable, and suited to larger merchants with more complex requirements. It’s powerful, but it demands good integration to be effective. For timber merchants using Magento, integration is essential to avoid drowning in manual order processing. With live sync of stock, customer info, and order status, Magento can become a core part of your trading infrastructure – not just a flashy front end.
6. Shopify: Shopify is one of the most widely used e-commerce platforms – and with good reason. It’s easy to set up, beginner- friendly, and offers a clean, professional- looking storefront. Many web developers see it as a solid ‘starter’ option for merchants dipping a toe into e-commerce, particularly for those selling to DIYers or small trade customers.
It’s a great way to get online quickly without needing heavy technical input. That said, costs can creep up as your online business grows, especially when compared with other platforms. With integration in place, Shopify becomes much more powerful – syncing stock levels, pricing, and order data directly with your ERP system, so you can scale with confidence and avoid double-handling.
BEYOND THE TECH: WHY THIS REALLY MATTERS At its core, integration is about efficiency, customer service, and profitability. A well- integrated e-commerce platform helps you:
• Spend less time on manual admin
• Provide better service with accurate pricing and availability
• Scale your online offering without hiring a new team
• Make faster, more confident decisions with connected data
It’s also about giving your customers the experience they now expect – whether they’re builders, developers, or homeowners. That could mean checking stock on their phone before collecting, placing an order out of hours, or simply knowing the price will be the same online and in-store.
FINAL THOUGHTS
As the timber trade continues to modernise, the most successful merchants will be those who understand that e-commerce is a core part of a broader business strategy. And that strategy only works when systems are joined up.
Integration turns e-commerce from a side project into a real growth engine. For timber merchants looking to reduce admin, serve customers better, and future-proof their operations, it’s a move worth making – and one worth getting right.
E-commerce is a core part of a
broader business strategy. And that strategy only works when systems are joined up
That starts with the right foundation. A stock management system built for merchants, such as Ten-25’s Merchanter, gives you the control, visibility, and flexibility to run your operations efficiently behind the scenes. With built-in integration options for platforms like WooCommerce, EKM, ShopWired, NearSt, and Magento, you can build a system that suits the way you work – not the other way around. The result – a business that’s better connected, more resilient, and ready for what’s next. ■
www.ttjonline.com | July/August 2025 | TTJ
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