GeoLocation, Google Maps API & Order Routing

@dayley great stuff. We’ll update the free plugin to allow for automatically choosing the closest warehouse. Shouldn’t be a problem.

Regarding inventories. We will add an integration with zapier that will allow for that as soon as possible. That way you could connect / add inventories accordingly.

@joeleem0n Thanks for the fast response.
Okay excellent. The Order Routing would be much better this way, and I think much more professional on the sellers side, automating things where possible.

ZapERP (Our inventory cloud software) states that the multi-integrator Zapier is Coming Soon. After enquiring an ETA, they have said:

don’t worry, we have already prioritised this. Not long now.

The free Zapier plan should definitely work for our store when it does. Users that have over 100 online sales a month may need to purchase the upgraded Zapier plan as the free plan only allows 100 tasks per zap, per month.

@joeleem0n I have just received another email from ZapERP regarding API’s:

Why not just pass the data in the product API itself, so make it available both in the product and in the order. There is a no need for Zapier if we follow this way.

Also, we studied various plugins that can support or provide us Warehouse / Location data. It seems at the moment ATUM Multi-inventory (www.stockmanagementlabs.com) is the only way to go. So if you are developing your own custom plugin, I would recommend you refer to it, and follow the same rules it has for API’s (not everything, but API, product and order data that gets added)

• This reply was modified 4 years, 11 months ago by dayley.

@dayley Thanks for the info. I’ll research it with my team and get back to you soon.

@dayley So for the Geolocation feature we forgot to mention that you need to adjust your server settings. We use something like this and the plugin the routes visitors accordingly.

https://www.ads-software.com/plugins/wpengine-geoip/

Ps. We’re in the process of getting zapier integrated for orders.

@joeleem0n What is the progress going like on the additional features we mentioned before? Has anything been implemented as of yet?

Our company is struggling without this, and I am sure we are not the only company in this same predicament. The only other plugin out there which does similar is MyWorks WooCommerce Multi Location Inventory + Order Routing. However they charge a ‘starting price‘ at an eye-watering $200 per location, per year!! Very steep!

@dayley we’ve actually been looking into this over the last week. Both with a zapier connection and just connecting quantity for each warehouse using a simple google sheet upload / template.

So, a zapier connection would take us a week worth of development work. I’m not entirely sure how many people would use it…but if it starts to pick up usage then I would immediately have my developer work on the zapier connection. Are you okay with a simple form to upload products using a template we provide in the interim?

As ZapERP previously mentioned, Zapier isn’t required if you pass the data in the product API itself for the product & the order. And you can look towards ATUM inventory for guidance on setting Shipping Locations (specifically API, product and order data that gets added).

A self upload would require us to upload the data quite frequently multiple times a day (and would be an annoying solution!). It would be far better updating on 10 minute intervals and/or updating on change of stock.

Our company is definitely not the only company in dire need of this, but as mentioned the only available solution starts at $200 per location with the MyWorks WooCommerce Multi Location Inventory + Order Routing alternative plugin. Our stores may sell a reasonable amount of items, but they are certainly not large profit items. $200 per location is extortionate! Especially for smaller businesses.

If you check websites such as PeoplePerHour.com & Freelancer.com you will see others are already trying to recruit developers to develop this. And if you check StackOverflow.com you will also find that developers are trying to build their own solutions (with help) to accomplish exactly what I have mentioned. So I genuinely believe this plugin would be the only plugin that meets the criteria that many are searching for.

@dayley I’m on it. Thank you for the clarification. I’ll go ahead and get started on this right away.

@dayley we’ll have all of this done next week. The Zapier inventory connection will be ready first.

I think we can build an automated GEO IP checkout which fetches the closest available warehouse WITH inventory based on the customer’s ship-to address. This would potentially alter the currency, gateway, inventory, all other products in the customer’s cart, etc so this could be trickier than we thought.

I’d steer away from using GEO IP for international sales as couriers/import handlers tend to charge a standard set rate when shipping abroad which is based on the items weight & dimensions, rather than distance.
So realistically you only need to accommodate for same country sales. Which wouldn’t effect the currency, the payment gateway, nor the other products in the cart. But inventory reduction for that particular warehouse would still be required. Same applies if the item was to be returned and the stock level then increases for that particular warehouse (unless the item was a defect of course).

@dayley Did you find any solution for ur requirement? if yes pls share and guide me pls

Hi @jyoti9487,
Nope. Right now I’m still waiting for @joeleem0n to create the solution.

I’ve searched high and low for alternatives, but it’s as though it is just not out there on the market yet! It’s very strange, plenty of businesses have multiple ship-out locations, and I have seen so many people mention it, but no solution has been developed.

Hopefully soon.

ok, tq for the response

@dayley

The latest version of the plugin allows for ship-to location routing via Google Maps API.

I have the devs working this week on the zapier connection. Hopefully they can push it live by end of the week. I’ll keep you posted.