Logistics Platforms x Virto Commerce
B2B enterprises need shipping options presented accurately at checkout, labels generated when orders are confirmed, and tracking information surfaced to buyers as orders move through the carrier network. Logistics platforms handle that operational layer, and Virto Commerce connects to them through APIs, passing order and address data for shipping rate calculation, label generation, and tracking.
About Logistics Platforms
Logistics platforms connect ecommerce and fulfillment operations to carrier networks, handling shipping rate comparison, label generation, shipment tracking, and carrier management across multiple carriers and regions. They sit between the commerce or fulfillment system and the carriers themselves, translating order data into the carrier-specific formats each network requires.
For B2B enterprises shipping large or complex orders across multiple regions, logistics platforms reduce the operational overhead of managing carrier relationships and shipping workflows directly, providing a single integration point that covers multiple carriers and shipping methods.
How Virto Integrates with Logistics Platforms
Virto Commerce passes order data, line items, weights, dimensions, and shipping addresses, to the logistics platform to calculate rates, generate labels, and initiate shipments. Tracking information and delivery confirmations flow back from the logistics platform to Virto, where they can be surfaced to buyers through the storefront.
The integration approach generally covers:
- Real-time shipping rate calculation at checkout, with rates from the logistics platform displayed to buyers based on order contents and destination
- Label generation triggered by order confirmation in Virto, with labels passed to the fulfillment team or WMS for printing
- Tracking information and delivery status returned from the logistics platform to Virto for buyer-facing display
- Multi-carrier rate comparison at checkout or at label generation, depending on how the logistics platform is configured
- Returns label generation where the logistics platform supports it
Note: The right integration approach depends on which logistics platform is in use and what integration surface it exposes. Speak with a solution partner to scope the right approach for your implementation.
Implementation Approach
Virto Commerce integrates with enterprise systems through a combination of APIs, middleware, and integration accelerators — designed to reduce implementation effort while preserving the flexibility that enterprise-specific workflows require.
Key considerations: which carriers and shipping methods need to be supported, whether real-time rate calculation at checkout is required, how order data from Virto maps to the logistics platform’s shipment model, and whether the integration needs to coordinate with a WMS for label printing and fulfillment execution.
Use Cases
Presenting accurate shipping rates to B2B buyers at checkout
B2B buyers placing large or complex orders need accurate shipping costs before confirming a purchase. When Virto’s checkout calls the logistics platform’s rate API with order contents and destination, real carrier rates are returned and displayed at checkout rather than flat-rate estimates.
Buyers see accurate shipping costs at checkout based on real carrier rates, reducing surprises at invoicing and improving purchase confidence on large orders.
Automating label generation when orders are confirmed
Generating shipping labels manually for each confirmed order is a bottleneck that slows fulfillment initiation. When Virto passes confirmed order data to the logistics platform, labels can be generated automatically and routed to the fulfillment team or warehouse without manual intervention.
Labels are generated automatically when orders are confirmed in Virto, reducing the time between order confirmation and fulfillment initiation.
Giving buyers shipment tracking without a separate tracking portal
B2B buyers want to track orders after purchase without navigating to a separate carrier website or contacting support. When the logistics platform returns tracking information to Virto, buyers can access current shipment status through their account in the Virto storefront.
Buyers track shipments directly in the Virto storefront, reducing inbound tracking inquiries to the support team.