Shopify Locations, DotApparel Locations and Inventory Buffers

Definitions

Shopify Locations

• Purpose: This is where Shopify orders can be fulfilled from

• Where to find: Shopify Admin > Settings > Locations

• Who should set this up? Merchant

• Capabilities:

  • Fulfilment Settings: You can determine whether a Shopify location allows for local pick-up and/or fulfil online orders from this location. Make sure you enable the correct checkboxes in Shopify because based on these settings, the correct shipping method will automatically display at the checkout experience. So, if an item available for Click & Collect at Shopify Store A is selected, the customer will see the “Pick-up” option at checkout.

  • Flexible Setup:

    • Merchants can control the Shopify location setup in case they want to temporarily disable Click & Collect during peak trades like Christmas and BFCM. Then after, merchants can reenable for local pick-up as they wish.

    • Merchant can control whether specific Shopify stores allows for local pick-up. For example, Store A allows for Click & Collect, Store B is exclusively in-store.

• How many Shopify locations can I have?

  • Shopify Starter & Basic Plan: Up to 4 active locations

  • Shopify Plan: Up to 5 active locations

  • Advanced Plan: Up to 8 active locations

  • Shopify Plus: Up to 1,000 active locations

On the settings page, you will find Shopify locations. In some cases, merchants may only have one location configured in Shopify, but in most cases (especially for brands with a large retail footprint), there will be many other locations.

ERP Locations

• Purpose: This is where orders across your enter business can be fulfilled from. That can include retail stores, not just locations exclusive for online fulfilment.

• Where to find: ERP admin

• Who should set this up? Merchant and if assistance is required, ERP support

• Capabilities:

  • Each ERP location and the ERP stock formula within that can be setup based on your business needs.

DotApparel Core Locations

• Purpose: Configure ERP location and associate them with the respective Shopify location. These locations will relate to online fulfilment.

• Where to find: Shopify Admin > DotApparel Core App > Settings > Locations

• Who should set this up? DotApparel Team or Merchant

• Capabilities:

  • Every DotApparel location can be setup based on your business needs. Read more below.

On the settings page, you will find Shopify locations. In some cases, merchants may only have one location configured in Shopify, but in most cases (especially for brands with a large retail footprint), there will be many other locations.

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Set inventory buffers in DotApparel

For each store, you can set a buffer that will deduct that amount from the store count. Buffers are used for physical locations or mixed-use warehouses to avoid overselling items when there are only a few left in stock.

Any active inventory buffer will be applied to reflect the final inventory count for that location.

Add a location in DotApparel

To add more stores, click on the Select a store dropdown, then click Add

The dropdown will list all of the stores that are already set up in Shopify.

Every store will need to be set up as a Shopify Location before it can be mapped in DotApparel. Only then, will their inventory values be synced to the ERP.

Store inventory (applies to the Find In Store feature)

For merchants with Find In Store enabled, customers can easily view whether a product is in stock, by simply clicking on the Find In Store button on the PDP.

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Configure a DotApparel Location

Associate these together: ERP Location(s) ↔ Shopify Location

A Shopify location must be configured with a minimum of 1x ERP Location (1:1 relationship). Depending on your requirements, you can connect a Shopify location to multiple ERP locations (1:many relationship).

Configure an ERP Location

This is a pre-requisite before DotApparel can associate an ERP Location(s) with a Shopify Location

Merchants are responsible for maintaining accurate ERP locations and ensuring that their stock formulas include the correct ERP locations (e.g., stores and/or warehouses).

If you need to make any adjustments to your ERP Location(s), you can request changes from ERP support.

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Questions to ask before setting up locations

• How do I want to apply inventory buffers? Individually or to a group?

• Do I have (or want) Brauz or Native Click & Collect?

• How are my locations currently setup in my ERP?

Based on your answers, our team can lead you to the right direction.

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Here are all the possible location setups

Usually a brand will have a warehouse which is their default Shopify location. Some brands have a warehouse and store(s) so their DotApparel Locations will be configured accordingly.

If you’re using Brauz or native Click & Collect, you must have separate ERP locations which means that each Shopify store must be connected to a single ERP location.

STAPLE CLOTHING

Summary: One Shopify Location setup is 1:1 exclusively for the warehouse.

Why? This brand does not fulfill any online orders via a store, nor does it have any physical stores; it operates purely online.

DotApparel Setup:

• Shopify Location: Warehouse

  • Warehouse

Compatible with:

Only possible if the Warehouse ERP location allows for local pick-up.

❗️Native Click & Collect

❗️Brauz

Reference:

HENRY CLOTHING

Summary: One Shopify Location setup with a 1:many that it includes the warehouse and selected retail stores.

Why? This setup allows the brand to fulfil online orders using inventory from both the warehouse and specific retail stores. The ERP stock pool combines stock levels from these various locations, creating a unified inventory source for online.

DotApparel Setup:

• Shopify Location: Online Store

  • Online Store

  • ERP Stock Formula: Warehouse + retail store(s)

Compatible with:

A Shopify Location with a combined virtual stock pool cannot allow for local pick-up.

❌ Native Click & Collect

❌ Brauz

Keep your ERP Stock Formula up-to-date: It is the merchant’s responsibility to ensure that the “Online Store” ERP stock pool remains accurate. This includes coordinating with ERP support to add or remove retail locations as needed, ensuring the correct inventory levels sync through to the Shopify location for online fulfilment. Check out our canned templates.

Reference:

ESTHER CLOTHING

Summary: Each Shopify Location setup is 1:1, exclusively a store and warehouse.

Why? This brand fulfils online orders through both a store and a warehouse to ensure efficient order processing and delivery options.

DotApparel Setup:

• Shopify Location: Store A

  • ERP Store A

• Shopify Location: Store B

  • ERP Store B

• Shopify Location: Store C

  • ERP Store C

• Shopify Location: Warehouse

  • Warehouse

Compatible with:

✅ Native Click & Collect

✅ Brauz

This is possible as each Shopify Location is configured to each ERP location.

Reference:

Every Shopify Location is configured indovidually to the respective ERP Location

BASIC CLOTHING

Summary: One Shopify Location setup is 1:many relationship. The other Shopify Location setup is 1:1 exclusively warehouse

Why? This setup allows the brand to manage online orders through multiple stores while having a dedicated warehouse for fulfilment.

DotApparel Setup:

• Shopify Location: Store A, B, C

  • ERP Store A

  • ERP Store B

  • ERP Store C

• Shopify Location: Warehouse

  • Warehouse

Compatible with:

❌ Native Click & Collect

❌ Brauz

Not compatible as a Shopify Location with a combined virtual stock pool cannot allow for local pick-up. Warehouse pick-up is only possible if that Shopify Location is setup accordingly.

Reference:

JENNY CLOTHING

Summary: Shopify Location setup is 1:many relationshpi that includes each ERP store and warehouse

Why? This brand uses a consolidated approach to streamline order fulfillment across multiple stores and a warehouse, providing flexibility in shipping options.

• Shopify Location: Store A, B, C, Warehouse

  • ERP Store A

  • ERP Store B

  • ERP Store C

  • Warehouse

Compatible with:

❌ Native Click & Collect

❌ Brauz

Not compatible as a Shopify Location with a combined virtual stock pool cannot allow for local pick-up.

Reference:

SMITH CLOTHING

Summary: One Shopify Location setup is 1:many relationship containing an ERP location with a stock formula that combines multiple ERP stores. Within that same Shopify Location is the Warehouse.

Why? This configuration allows for centralised inventory management across multiple stores.

• Shopify Location: Online Store & Warehouse

  • ERP Virtual Stock Pool (Store A, B, C)

  • Warehouse

Compatible with:

❌ Native Click & Collect

❌ Brauz

Not compatible as a Shopify Location with a combined virtual stock pool cannot allow for local pick-up.

Reference:

UNIQUE CLOTHING

Summary: Uses a hybrid setup with an ERP Virtual Stock Pool that consolidates stock from various stores while also having a dedicated warehouse for online orders.

Why? This structure enables the brand to manage inventory across multiple stores and the warehouse, while providing a dedicated ERP location for a particular store.

• Shopify Location Online Store

  • ERP Virtual Stock Pool (Store A, B)

  • Warehouse

• Shopify Location Store C

  • ERP Store C

Compatible with:

❗️Native Click & Collect

❗️Brauz

Only possible if Store C allows for local pick-up.

Reference:

I use Brauz or Native Click & Collect but I also want a single Shopify Location for online. Can I combine this approach?

Yes. You can combine 2 approaches:

• Separate Shopify locations for Brauz or Native Click & Collect

• Another single Shopify location for online fulfilment

Summary: You can have a single Shopify location for online fulfilment and apply the same buffer stock for this group. This configuration allows for a unified online buffer management while still having individual Shopify Locations setup to power Brauz or Native Click & Collect.

Pre-requisite: Your ERP needs to have a "Virtual Stock Pool" to aggregate the stores so that DotApparel can apply a buffer for the stock pool (group of stores).

COLLECTIVE CLOTHING

DotApparel Setup:

• Shopify Location: Online Store

  • Warehouse

  • ERP Virtual Stock Pool (Store A, B, C)

• Shopify Location: Store A

  • ERP Store A

• Shopify Location: Store B

  • ERP Store B

• Shopify Location: Store C

  • ERP Store C

• Shopify Location: Warehouse

  • Warehouse

Compatible with:

Even though a virtual stock pool exists, the combines approach is still possible as each Shopify Location is configured to each ERP location.

✅ Native Click & Collect

✅ Brauz

Reference:

Keep the separate locations as is to continue powering Brauz Click & Collect but have another single Shopify location for online fulfilment

The single Shopify location "Online Store" is mapped to 2 ERP locations; Warehouse & Virtual Stock Pool

Key consideration

• There is usually a small % of online orders that are related to Brauz or Native Click & Collect which would mean that their Inventory Buffers (if any are setup) would apply instead of the "Online Store" Shopify Location. In most cases, it attributes to less than 1% of total online orders so this is not a major issue considering the small volume of orders related to Brauz/Native Click & Collect

• Total Available inventory in Shopify will be inflated as the Virtual Stock Pool "Online Store" already includes stock for Store A, B, C and Warehouse