Custom POS Integration

The Challenge

The client needed a POS and custom order system that kept one source of truth with Shopify while supporting alterations and customizations (with work orders and vendor tracking), flexible payments (full, 50% deposit by delivery type, gift card, store credit), and no double entry between POS and online. Orders, line items, and customizations had to live in Shopify; payment and fulfillment flows had to match their in-store and delivery mix.

The Solution

We built a Custom Order System (COS) fully integrated with Shopify:

• Single source of truth — COS creates and updates Shopify draft orders (one per order section). Line items include regular variants and customization line items (Alteration, Monogram, etc.) with attributes for personalization type, vendor, price, and item ID. After payment, drafts convert to Shopify orders in one go; walkout orders can be auto-fulfilled so the store stays in sync without manual reconciliation.

• Alterations and customizations — Multiple customization types live as “customization products” in Shopify (Product Type "Customization," category “Product Add-Ons”). Each type has configurable options (Vendor, Size, Color, Details/Text, Price, etc.). Staff add customizations via “Add Customization”; they appear as separate line items linked to the main product. A Print Work Order flow generates work-order labels (one per product, grouped by customizations) for vendors, with support for download or direct print (e.g. ZDesigner 4×6). Customization details and per-unit price are included in receipts and emails; refund logic treats customized items as final sale when applicable and includes customization price in refund calculations.

• Partial payments and deposits — “Record a payment” supports Full, Deposit (50% of remaining balance with walkout paid in full, then 50% of pickup/delivery), Other (custom amount with validation), Gift card, and Store credit (with “Check balance”). Payment methods include terminal, new or saved card, cash (with change-due and pay-later), ACH, gift card, and store credit. Draft orders convert to Shopify orders only when payment is collected (or when “convert without payment” is used with a reason), so the order stays editable until then.

• Unified experience — One order flow: customer, products, customizations, shipping, delivery method (walkout / pickup / delivery). Save as draft → collect payment → convert to Shopify orders and sync fulfillment. Integrations include Cardknox (card/ACH), Fidelity (store credit), Brightpearl (custom products/vendors), printer (work orders), and email (receipts, alerts). Admin UI is Polaris-based in Shopify admin, with extensions for shipping, POS refunds, and opening drafts in POS.

Results

• One source of truth — All orders and line items, including customizations, live in Shopify. No manual reconciliation; draft → order conversion and optional walkout auto-fulfillment keep POS and online aligned.

• Complex retail flows supported — Alterations, work orders, deposits, and multiple payment methods work within the same Shopify-centric model. Staff get a single order creation flow; customers get consistent receipts and fulfillment regardless of channel.

• Scalable and maintainable — COS is built for the client’s mix of walkout, pickup, and delivery, with clear rules for deposits and refunds so the business can grow without leaving the platform.