POS ecommerce Integration Guide to Track Offline and Online Sales

Inventory errors and disconnected data can eat up to 30% of your profits. If you're running a store, you may already be considering a POS ecommerce integration tool that syncs inventory and sales data.

But before investing in one, you probably find yourself wondering: Will the tool justify the cost? Are there any hidden costs? How do you know if the ROI will be worthy for a business of your size?

In this guide, we’ll cover when a POS ecommerce integration makes sense, the best POS systems you can consider, and how a reliable POS ecommerce tool makes connecting POS systems with any ecommerce platform easy.

When do you need an ecommerce POS integration software

If you’re selling on a single channel or have a simple sales flow, an ecommerce POS integration might not be necessary. However, if you’re running a physical store alongside online channels, you need a cohesive tool that unifies all the fragmented systems.

It‘s high time you invest in a POS ecommerce integration if you’re facing the following:

• Frequent inventory discrepancies between your in-store and online sales channels.
• Losing several hours a week manually tracking and reporting orders, sales, and customer data across different platforms.
• Struggling with real-time reporting and don’t have a unified view of your sales performance, cashflow, profitability.
• Accounting is a nightmare; sales, taxes, and fees from different platforms are not reported correctly or on time, resulting in costly reconciliation errors.
• Inventory data is not in tune with the sales happening across ecommerce channels and physical stores.
• Unable to avoid out-of-stock and overstock situations

Key benefits of ecommerce POS integration

Ecommerce integration with POS systems unifies your inventory, sales, and customer data. To paint a better picture, in this section, you can learn how founders like you have reaped the benefits of ecommerce POS integration.

Achieve real-time synchronization of inventory across physical and online stores

Manual inventory syncing can lead to stockouts or overstocking. And this means you also risk losing your customers.

For example, a customer buys a product in-store, but another places an online order for the same item. By the time your team manually updates the stock, it’s too late. The customer has already placed an order for an out-of-stock item, resulting in a canceled order, a refund, and frustration. This erodes trust and damages your reputation.

A POS ecommerce integration tool can bridge the gap between your POS system and ecommerce platforms. 

Take the case of Rider Shack, for example. When you get featured on Fox 11 News as the "Best Surf Shop in Los Angeles” three times in a row, you become the surfboard king! However, this also means, you will witness demand-surge and ecommerce chaos. 

Rider Shack was suddenly staring at 13,000 orders to process every day! Before they could notice, most of their hours were spent on order management and fulfillment. Posting orders into QuickBooks Online and updating inventory levels between the online and retail stores were put on the back burner.

This was when Jeff Glass, the owner of Rider Shack found Webgility. He was able to set up the platform quickly. All systems began talking to each other, and in no time, the inventory between their online store, retail store, and QuickBooks POS was in sync. Jeff was able to eliminate inventory errors and save 15 hours per week spent on inventory management, and $1400 equivalent of manual work.

Accurate reconciliation of sales and financial reporting 

Epic Mens, an apparel business, struggled to sync its physical store and online sales. 

Bookkeeping errors piled up, and reconciling inventory stole hours from their lean team. 

Here’s a quick summary of the results: 

Detailed reporting that combines your POS and ecommerce sales

Your in-store POS shows one set of numbers, and your ecommerce platform shows another. How do you figure out the total revenue and your best-selling products across all channels?

A POS ecommerce integration tool like Webgility pulls all your online and offline sales data into one dashboard. 

You’ll have clear visibility into key business metrics such as:

• Cash flow
• Revenue by channel
• Profit and loss
• Expenses
• Orders posted 

From average order value to tracking expenses such as taxes, shipping costs, processing fees, and Costs of Goods Sold (COGS), you can gain insights into all important metrics over a defined period.  

You can instantly compare total revenue for the day, week, or month, see which products are performing best across channels, and even track if your loyal customers prefer shopping in-store, online, or both. You can also take it further and drill into order-level profitability information.  

You can use this data to identify trends, set realistic sales goals, monitor product performance, and optimize inventory and marketing. 

For instance, by automating QuickBooks entry with Webgility, The Nappy Shoppe, a diaper retailer, saves 17 hours and $140 weekly. 

"We are now up-to-date with our finances and have stayed that way," says Sharni Vaughan, its Founder, and CEO.

Multichannel promotions and discounts

Many ecommerce platforms offer in-built tools to create discount codes, set sales events, and run targeted campaigns. With an ecommerce POS integration tool, you can make sure your discount or promotional prices automatically sync across your physical store. Whether a customer shops online or in-store, they’ll receive the same promotional offer and loyalty points will be tracked in one unified system.

This ensures consistency, eliminates manual work, and offers customers a reliable cross-channel shopping experience.

To maximize the benefits of ecommerce POS integration, however, you need to choose the right ecommerce point-of-sale software. 

Top 4 ecommerce POS systems: A quick overview

We’ve outlined in the table below the top four POS systems to help you pick the one that best aligns with your business needs. Read on for an in-depth analysis covering their pricing, pros, cons, and user reviews of each.  

1. Clover

Clover is a POS system for ecommerce combining payment processing, sales tracking, and inventory management. It’s ideal for small to medium-sized businesses to see an intuitive, scalable POS system. 

Features

• Offline payment mode: Allows businesses to process payments even when the internet is down, ensuring seamless operations during connectivity issues.
• Built-in loyalty and rewards programs: Includes customer loyalty tools, enabling businesses to set up and manage rewards programs directly within the system to boost customer retention.
• Real-time reporting and analytics: Provides detailed, real-time insights into sales, customer data, and inventory, enabling businesses to make data-driven decisions.

Pros 

• Versatile payment processing including Google Pay and Apple Pay 
• Some users appreciate its intuitive user interface

Cons 

• Poor customer support
• Some users have raised concerns about unclear billing practices

Pricing 

• Starter: $13/mo for 36 months or $279 + $89.95/mo (Accept payments and run your business with a compact countertop terminal)
  Payment processing rate (card tapped, swiped, or inserted): 2.6% + $0.10
• Standard: $170/mo for 36 months + $84.95/mo (Sell seamlessly on a 14" touchscreen terminal paired with an 8" customer‑facing display)
  Payment processing rate (card tapped, swiped, or inserted):  2.6% + $0.10
• Advanced: $230/mo for 36 months or $2,448+ $104.90/mo (Extend your reach with a handheld device on top of our 14" and 8" countertop displays)
  Payment processing rate (card tapped, swiped, or inserted):  2.6% + $0.10

Note: If you use Clover’s built-in system for physical store sales, inventory updates happen in real-time. However, it may require third-party integrations like Webgility for ecommerce platforms to sync inventory in real-time.

2. Lightspeed

Lightspeed offers two retail POS systems: the R-Series and the X-Series. While both streamline retail operations, they differ in features, pricing, and target audiences. The X-series is better suited for businesses seeking a user-friendly, cloud-based POS system with scalability and flexibility.

Features

• Cloud-based architecture (X-series): Ensure your data is accessible from anywhere with an internet connection. This feature is especially beneficial for multi-location businesses or those with an online presence.
• Intuitive interface (X-series): The X-series POS prides itself on its user-friendly interface, making it easy for staff to learn and use the system effectively. Minimal training is required, enabling a smooth onboarding process for new employees.
• Add-on integrations (X-series): Easily connect with third-party applications, such as accounting software, ecommerce platforms, and CRM systems. This ecosystem allows you to tailor the POS system to your specific business needs. 
• Inventory management (R-series): Monitor stock levels, set up alerts for low inventory, and even reorder products easily. The system’s intelligent analytics provide insights into sales trends, enabling you to make informed restocking decisions.
• Personalized interactions (R-series): Build robust customer profiles that include purchase history, preferences, and contact information for personalized interactions and targeted marketing campaigns.
• Versatile payment options (R-series): Supports multiple payment methods, including credit/debit cards, mobile wallets, and contactless payments, improving the shopping experience and catering to a wide range of customer preferences.

Pros

• Easy to use 
• Advanced inventory features, including real-time tracking, min/max levels
• Easily integrates with ecommerce platforms

Cons 

• Some users have reported that the initial setup can be challenging
• Users have experienced delays in support response times

Pricing

• Basic: $109/month (Covers day-to-day needs of independent retailers)
• Core: $179/month (Ideal for retailers seeking management tools to facilitate business growth)
• Plus: $339/month (Tailored for advanced customization and ease of scalability in established retail operations) 

Hardware costs: 

• $79 for Mobile Tap V2 card reader
• $199 for an iPad stand or swivel stand
• $329 for WisePOS E countertop reader
• $429 for Lightspeed Lite Server for data backup and offline mode functionality

3. Shopify POS

Shopify POS makes it easy for merchants to keep multichannel sales under control by syncing inventory across all your stores. It’s a good setup for small businesses to handle basic product listings and stay on top of inventory. 

Features 

• Real-time inventory management: Track and manage inventory in real-time, receiving low-stock alerts and handling stock across multiple locations, whether for online or offline stores.
• Omnichannel selling:  Sync inventory across online stores and physical locations for smooth multichannel selling. However, you’ll need to grab the compatible devices directly from Shopify for smooth operations.
• Reporting and analytics: Understand your business, from what items are bestsellers to when you’re busiest.

Pros 

• Easy to use, works great with accounting software and marketing automation 
• Easy setup for early-stage ecommerce stores 

Cons 

• Occasionally crashes and is hard to restart 
• Cannot integrate 3rd party merchant services, leading to additional costs
• Cannot build and track purchase orders
• Lacks customization 

Pricing

• Basic: $39/month
  Payment processing rates: 2.9% + $0.30
                                                  2.6% + $0.10 in person 

• Shopify: $105/ month
  Payment processing rates: 2.7% + $0.30
                                                  2.5% + $0.10 in person 

• Advanced: $399/month
  Payment processing rates: 2.5% + $0.30 
                                                  2.4% + $0.10 in person 

• POS hardware: $0–$500 one-off
  
  Charges for third-party integrations and add-ons vary. 

4. Square 

Square is a user-friendly cloud-based POS system that offers a suite of tools to manage sales, inventory, payments, and customer data. It works well for small to medium-sized businesses seeking a system with online store integration, employee management, and detailed reporting. 

Features 

• Built-in payment processing: No matter which Square POS solution you use, you can accept card payments right away. 
• Free POS software: Offers a free software plan with essential features, making it accessible for small businesses to start without upfront costs.
• Omnichannel integration: Connects in-store, online, and mobile sales, unifying inventory, and customer data across all channels effortlessly.

Pros

• User-friendly and easy to set up
• Provides free plan for small retail stores
• Provides integrated tools, including payment processing, invoicing, and online store capabilities, providing a cohesive solution for business operations

Cons 

• Some users find the processing fees a little steep 
• Bigger operations with multiple channels and cash centers will suffer a bit

Pricing 

• Free: $0 (for businesses just getting started)
• Plus: $89 per month, per location (for expanding businesses) 
• Premium: Custom pricing (for established businesses) 

• Rate for in-person processing: 2.6% + $0.10 
• Online processing rate from: 2.9% + $0.10
• Invoice processing rate: 3.3% + $0.30
• Rate for manual entry: 3.5% + $0.15 

Webgility: Omnichannel ecommerce POS integration software

POS systems are great for tracking in-store sales, but when you start selling across multiple ecommerce platforms, they often fall short. 

Syncing sales, inventory, and accounting data in real-time across multiple sales channels can quickly get chaotic.

This is where Webgility steps in. It easily integrates with ecommerce platforms and POS systems—like Shopify POS, Clover, Lightspeed, and Square—so that all your sales and inventory data are in a single system.

When Bases Loaded, a sport and apparel retailer, decided to grow its online channels while managing an already thriving brick-and-mortar store, its existing tools fell short.

They needed a solution to bridge their QuickBooks POS with ecommerce platforms. After integrating Webgility, they could easily track all sales and returns, whether made in-store or online. 

Webgility is perfect for businesses seeking a tool that automates the flow of data between POS systems and accounting tools like Quickbooks. It saves you time and reduces errors. 

Features

• Multi-channel ecommerce management: While POS systems connect your in-store operations with some ecommerce platforms, Webgility expands this capability by integrating your other sales channels (e.g., Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce Amazon, eBay, Walmart) simultaneously. 

• Unified data across channels: Webgility ensures your sales, inventory, and customer data are automatically synced across all channels. Whether an order comes from your online store or a physical location, inventory levels and sales reports are updated in real-time, preventing overselling or stock discrepancies.

• Inventory sync across all channels: You can enhance inventory management across multiple online marketplaces including Shopify, and eBay. Plus, Webgility integrates with offline POS systems, including Clover, Shopify POS, Lightspeed, and Square, and syncs accounting in real-time by integrating with Quickbooks Online, and Netsuite. 

• Advanced analytics with AI agents: Webgility helps you analyze trends across channels and suggest actionable strategies with AI agents. Whether it’s optimizing inventory replenishment or identifying underperforming/best-selling products, the unified data helps you extract sales and customer insights to make informed decisions.
  
  

Here is a demo of how to use Webgility’s AI agent for your business. 

Pricing 

Annual pricing

• Basic: $49 
• Online: $99 
• Desktop: $109 
• Advanced (Desktop): $199
• Premium (Desktop): $399

Additional charges apply for orders over 250/month or 3,000/year

Reviews 

G2: 4.6 stars (336 reviews) 

Conclusion: Simplify omnichannel selling with Webgility 

Whether you’re managing multiple online stores or scaling across offline and online channels, Webgility can keep your inventory and accounting data in check. Plus, it will take your business beyond managing data and help you extract sales and customer insights with AI agents.  

Moreover, getting started is simple. All Webgility plans include free one-on-one onboarding with an expert to ensure you hit the ground running. 

Get started for free and know why over 20,000 customers have trusted Webgility to help them manage their ecommerce business!  

FAQs

What is POS–ecommerce integration?

POS–ecommerce integration connects your point-of-sale system with your ecommerce platform, ensuring seamless data synchronization between in-store and online operations.

How to integrate POS with the website?

Choose a POS system that supports ecommerce integration to integrate your POS with your website. Then, connect it to your ecommerce platform (e.g., Shopify, WooCommerce) using built-in features, apps, or APIs: sync inventory, sales, and customer data for seamless operations.

How does integration improve inventory management?

POS–ecommerce integration provides real-time inventory updates, reducing stock discrepancies and letting you track accurate records across sales channels.

What’s the usual pricing model for ecommerce–POS integrations?

Pricing for POS-ecommerce integration typically involves monthly or annual subscriptions, ranging from $30 to $200+, depending on features and business size.