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Running an eCommerce business means managing a lot at once—orders, vendors, customer support, inventory, returns, marketing, and more.
When these workflows rely on manual effort, they create bottlenecks. Small delays in order processing or missed inventory updates can result in lost sales and unhappy customers.
McKinsey reports that up to 30% of current hours worked could be automated, provided generative AI accelerates this process. Another study shows that some businesses lose up to $1.3 million a year due to inefficient tasks weighing down employees.
This is a big hit, especially for small and medium businesses (SMBs). That’s where low-code/no-code tools can flip the switch for the better.
Platforms like Zapier, n8n, and Make.com enable you to connect your existing eCommerce apps, such as Shopify and WooCommerce, CRM systems, warehouse software, and more, to build automated flows for syncing orders, sending abandoned cart emails, or keeping stock levels accurate without writing code.
In this blog, you’ll find the top seven eCommerce business processes you can automate, practical use cases, tools, and tips to help you get started.
7 Key eCommerce Processes to Automate
1. Automate vendor and supplier onboarding
When you’re in talks to onboard a new vendor, it’s obvious you’d be spending a lot of time exchanging documents, setting up financial accounts, and reviewing compliance requirements.
However, these steps are manual, which can delay product availability, restocking, and overall order fulfillment. With eCommerce workflow automation tools, you can eliminate labor-intensive tasks.
Start with a digital form built using Typeform, Jotform, or Google Forms. Use Zapier to collect vendor submissions and automatically validate required documents like certifications, tax IDs, or bank details.
If any documents are missing or incomplete, set up an automatic reminder to follow up with the vendor. Once that’s done, trigger eSignature workflows with platforms like HelloSign or DocuSign with a platform n8n so contracts can be signed digitally and stored automatically.
Next, update the vendor’s profile in your ERP or CRM, such as HubSpot, Odoo, or Zoho. Define alerts for license expiry, missing compliance documents, or contract renewal dates, all driven by automation flows. That way, you can always ensure the vendor data is accurate and up-to-date.
2. Streamline order processing and fulfillment
Order processing is one of the most critical parts of your eCommerce operation. If handled manually, errors can creep in: orders might be missed, inventory may not update in time, and customers could be left waiting.
With no code eCommerce workflow automation, you can integrate your storefront, inventory, and logistics tools into a single process.
When a new order is placed on Shopify, WooCommerce, or Magento, tools like Make.com can instantly pick up the order details. The automation flow can then:
- Create a purchase order or invoice in your accounting system (like QuickBooks or Zoho Books)
- Update your inventory in Google Sheets, Airtable, or your warehouse system
- Notify your logistics partner or fulfillment team via Slack or email
- Send a confirmation email or SMS to the customer with shipping details
With all the steps obvious in real-time, you’ll know where the gaps are and what steps you need to take to support queries and follow-ups.
3. Fast-track product listing approvals
Adding new products to your catalog can involve multiple steps—content collection, validation, approvals, and publishing. If handled manually, this can slow down your time to market.
Low-code/no-code automation tools help you get the job done without compromising quality. Create a system that lets internal teams and vendors submit product information through a structured form. Tools like Google Forms, Typeform, or a shared Notion page work well.
From there, use n8n or Zapier to automatically check for required elements—product images, descriptions, specs, and pricing. Once this submission type passes validation, an approval workflow will be triggered.
Product managers or category heads can receive a Slack or email notification to review and approve the listing. With Make.com, on the other hand, you can set conditions that route specific products to the right reviews based on category or vendor.
After approval, the product listing can be published automatically to your eCommerce platform, whether you’re using Shopify, Magento, or another CMS. You can also push the duplicate listing to marketplaces like Amazon or eBay using multi-channel sync—friction-free!
4. Simplify returns and refund requests
In 2024, the average return rate for eCommerce was 16.9%; for some retailers, this number can range up to 30%.
Returns are a part and parcel of running an eCommerce business. But if you handle this task manually, it’ll consume your time and make you more prone to mistakes. So you need a system that’s clear and efficient.
With eCommerce process automation, you can make the returns workflow smoother when a request is submitted.
For example, set up a return request form on your website using Typeform, Jotform, or a chatbot. Once submitted, tools like Make.com or Zapier can sort the requests based on return reason, such as damage, incorrect item, or sizing issue.
Here, each reason can trigger a different flow:
- Size-related returns can offer store credit options via email
- Damage-related requests can go straight to a quality control queue
- Refunds for unopened items can skip certain checks and proceed faster
Once a return is approved, the automation can update the order status in your CRM or order management system, notify your finance team, and trigger a refund through your payment gateway.
Throughout the process, a tool like n8n can send real-time updates to customers so they’re never left wondering where things stand.
5. Automate customer support responses
As your eCommerce store grows, answering the same questions repeatedly drains time and leads to delayed responses.
With no code eCommerce workflow automation, you can connect your ticketing system, such as Freshdesk or Help Scout, with your knowledge base and communication tools (chatbot and email).
Whenever a new ticket comes in, tools like Zapier can:
- Tag it based on the topic (e.g., shipping delay, return request, order status)
- Route it to the right team or individual based on the issue type
- Send an immediate response for common queries using pre-written templates
However, if the issue can’t be resolved automatically, it gets escalated to a support agent with all relevant context attached. There’s no need to ask the customer to repeat themselves. Plus, the first-time customer resolution rate improves by 37%.
6. Recover lost sales from abandoned carts
Like returns, cart abandonment is a constant challenge in eCommerce, with the online abandonment rate being 70.19%. Customers get distracted, second-guess their purchase, or bounce off the site without checking out.
However, with the right automation, many lost sales can be recovered.
Using eCommerce workflow automation tools like Make.com or Zapier, you can identify abandoned carts in real time by connecting your eCommerce platform (e.g., Shopify, WooCommerce, or BigCommerce) to your CRM or marketing tools.
Here’s how it can work:
- When a cart is abandoned, the automation tags the session and pulls customer details (email, phone, product info)
- A timed sequence is triggered, starting with a reminder email or SMS sent within the first hour
- If there’s no action, a second message can follow with a limited-time discount, restock alert, or social proof to nudge the purchase
If you want to take it a step further, you can also send personalized messages via email, WhatsApp, or Facebook Messenger to nudge customers to complete their purchases.
7. Keep your inventory in sync 24/7
Selling products out of stock or missing restocking deadlines frustrates customers and results in lost revenue, delayed orders, and support headaches. With eCommerce process automation, you can sync inventory across systems in real-time and always be well-stocked.
Using tools like Make.com or n8n, you can automatically update inventory counts across your sales channels (like Shopify, Amazon, or eBay) and your warehouse or back-office systems (like Google Sheets, Odoo, or Zoho Inventory).
Here’s what that might look like:
- When a product sells on your website, the quantity is adjusted everywhere: your marketplace listings, backend systems, and internal dashboards
- If the stock reaches a set threshold, an alert is triggered to the procurement team on Slack or via email
- In addition, sync with supplier databases to check availability and trigger restock orders based on lead times or forecasted demand
These flows run quietly in the background, ensuring every channel reflects accurate inventory levels. That means fewer stockouts, better customer experience, and no more manually updating platform counts.
When to Hire a Workflow Automation Partner Like Intuz
Sure, automation has the potential to simplify your operations. But getting it right takes time, planning, and technical clarity. If you’re unsure where to start or stuck trying to scale, it might be time to bring in a partner.
At Intuz, we work with eCommerce businesses to identify the right processes to automate, choose the best automation tools for small eCommerce businesses, and implement end-to-end workflows that scale as your operations grow.
Reap the benefits of working with us if:
- You’re worried about missed opportunities, like abandoned cart recovery or slow product listings, because your processes can’t keep up
- You’re spending too much time on manual tasks like updating orders, tracking inventory, or replying to repetitive support queries
- You need end-to-end implementation support, from planning workflows to integrating tools and maintaining performance over time
- You want to automate but don’t know which platform fits your business or how to set it up efficiently
- You’ve tried DIY automation but hit a wall when it comes to complex workflows or error handling
- You’re scaling quickly and need systems that grow with you, not break under pressure
- Your team is juggling too many disconnected tools, with data getting lost
Whatever your pain point, we have a solution for it.
Book a Free Consultation with Intuz's AI Experts to discuss this further. You will also receive a complimentary roadmap for eCommerce workflow automation.
