With Marketplacer & BigCommerce connected, imagine your online ecommerce brand with a real-time marketplace customer experience. Near real-time means customers understand the seller’s products, images, shipping & return policies. 100% order accuracy regarding seller pricing, promotions & shipping drives higher conversion rates. That’s the power of near real-time calls growing revenue.
The BigCommerce Marketplacer Connector developed by Web Force 5 for Marketplacer, is proving how easy it is for smaller retailers to launch a marketplace, and how critical, near real-time data syncing is for sellers, shoppers and marketplace operators (more on that shortly).
The BigCommerce Connector turns any BigCommerce store into a powerful marketplace. There is no need to re-platform, and retailers keep their BigCommerce environment intact. Their BigCommerce interface, backend management tools, and established workflows remain. Meanwhile, a new layer of marketplace functionality is added.
- A seller is created in Marketplacer
- The seller’s information is automatically shared with BigCommerce – this includes:
- The logo, brand description & imagery, shipping rules and return policies
- Products, variants, images and categories
- Pricing, promotions and inventory
- A seller listing page is automatically created, and all seller products are listed on the BigCommerce storefront
- When orders are placed in BigCommerce, the order and shipping costs are synced back to Marketplacer.
- Shipment and tracking data are shared from Marketplacer back into BigCommerce
So, marketplace sellers manage their own unique product catalog, pricing strategies, and shipping policies via Marketplacer while the connector ensures that these individualized details are accurately reflected across both platforms. For the marketplace operator, having fast and reliable data syncing introduces the ideal balance between platform consistency and vendor autonomy.
Comparing near real- time to batch processing
But the power of the connector really comes into play when we look at how the data actually syncs. Because when connecting an eCommerce store to a marketplace platform, the speed at which the data is shared can make or break the success of the entire operation.
If the data is updated in near real-time, product availability and inventory levels will be accurate across both platforms. But if there is a large lag, you could find yourself in situations where customers place orders for products that are no longer available or are actually out of stock. This can lead to customer frustration, poor brand perception, operational inefficiencies and potentially lost sales. In short, real-time product data translates to smoother sales transactions and happier shoppers.
But here’s the catch, many marketplace connectors do not offer near real-time syncing. Instead, they rely on batch processing, the grouping of data updates and processing at scheduled intervals. While many connectors use batch processing, it does not always meet the demands of customer-centric eCommerce models, particularly when selling at scale.
This is where the BigCommerce Marketplacer Connector really shines. Rather than rely on batch processing, the connector leverages webhooks to automate triggers that initiate data exchange between applications in response to specific events. This allows data updates to be sent when events such as alterations, updates and additions are made by sellers in the Marketplacer platform. So, if a seller updates their product catalog, adjusts pricing, or modifies shipping policies, the webhooks spring into action to make sure the information displayed to customers on the BigCommerce storefront accurately reflects the seller’s information. Now customers can trust the information they see, leading to positive brand associations and repeat business. Plus, the operator and sellers won’t have to manually intervene to rectify data inconsistencies.
The advantage of Webhooks
| Near Real-Time Data with Webhooks | Traditional Batch Processing | |
| Data Synchronization | Data is synchronized almost instantly as changes occur in real time. | Data is synchronized periodically, usually in scheduled intervals (e.g., hourly or daily). |
| Speed & Latency | Offers minimal latency, ensuring quick updates for users. | May introduce some delay in data updates due to processing intervals. |
| Order Fulfillment | Orders and updates are processed immediately, enabling prompt order fulfillment. | Order processing may lag behind real-world events, potentially impacting customer experience. |
| Inventory Management | Inventory levels are accurately reflected at all times, reducing the risk of overselling. | Non-instantaneous Inventory updates may contribute to stock inconsistencies. |
| Customer Experience | Up-to-the-moment information and rapid order processing enhances customer satisfaction. | Delayed order processing and outdated information may impact customer experience. |
Customer success story: The DOM
Explore how The DOM harnessed the Marketplacer BigCommerce Connector to introduce seamless data synchronization, up-to-date product information, real-time shipment updates and a greatly enhanced customer experience.
More than ever, shoppers are turning to online marketplaces for the greater choice, convenience and value they offer. The BigCommerce Marketplacer Connector provides BigCommerce retailers with the opportunity to transform their single-store operation into a vibrant multi-vendor marketplace without the traditional roadblocks of batch processing. Because real-time data syncing doesn’t just drive accuracy – it drives customer happiness, loyalty and marketplace success.
