Retailers are hitting limits as ecommerce platforms struggle to connect smoothly with back-office systems. 

Mark Presnell, managing director of Convergence Ltd, says too many New Zealand retailers rely on surface-level integrations that collapse under operational pressure. His firm designs and delivers integrated systems that link finance, inventory, CRM and ecommerce platforms. 

“The early benefits of ecommerce platforms like Shopify or WooCommerce are real,” says Presnell. “You can get to market quickly. But as soon as transactions scale, the cracks show.” 

Retailers often assume integration is built in. Most platforms advertise plug-and-play functionality, but the reality is often far more manual. Presnell says stock updates may be delayed, online sales may not appear promptly in accounting systems, and staff are left double-handling data. 

“Systems call the same thing by different names. One says SKU, another says item code, another says variant. If these don’t match, the systems don’t speak,” he says. 

Even where apps and plug-ins offer short-term fixes, each layer adds maintenance complexity. “It becomes a spaghetti mess. When one connector fails, you get a cascade of errors.” 

Centralise before you connect 

Rather than trying to make every system talk to every other system, Presnell recommends a central integration hub or middleware layer. This sits between all the core platforms, translating and routing data so it lands where it should in real time. 

A single update  (like a product selling in-store) immediately reflects across inventory, accounting and online listings. Pricing, orders and customer records stay in sync. 

Match your tools to your stage 

Retailers often reach a tipping point where entry-level ecommerce setups no longer match business needs. Presnell says growing firms may want to retain tools like Infusion, MYOB or Xero, but need better coordination across them. 

“CODI is our answer to that,” he says. CODI (Convergence Optimised Data Integration) is Convergence’s middleware platform, developed in New Zealand. It allows existing systems to connect once to a single platform that manages the data flow securely and in real time. 

“Instead of a dozen plug-ins, you make one connection. CODI takes care of the rest.” 

Focus on fundamentals before scaling 

Presnell says retailers planning upgrades should start by mapping how their data moves now, and where it stalls. Three key actions can help: 

  • Audit the data paths. Know where stock, order and customer records originate and where they fail to flow. 
  • Check the API strength. Evaluate whether prospective software options offer robust, well-documented APIs. 
  • Plan for iteration. Integration takes refinement. Build time for testing, review and adjustment. 

When retail systems align, teams waste less time reconciling records and more time serving customers. Integration becomes less about tech and more about delivering on promises. 

“The real value of integration is not convenience,” says Presnell. “It’s accuracy, reliability, and keeping operations moving without disruption.” 

 

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