E-Commerce Integration Guide: Adding Refrigerated Delivery to Your Online Store
Your online store can sell frozen food. The problem is getting it to your customers while it’s still frozen.
Standard courier integrations—the ones built into Shopify, WooCommerce, and Wix—connect you to ambient delivery networks. They’re designed for books, clothing, and electronics. Not for products that need to stay at -18°C.
This guide shows you how to connect your e-commerce platform to professional temperature-controlled delivery, regardless of which platform you’re using.
Why Standard Courier Integrations Won’t Work
When you enable “shipping” on most e-commerce platforms, you get access to services like:
- The Courier Guy
- Aramex
- DHL
- Fastway
These are excellent services—for ambient goods. For frozen food, they present three fundamental problems:
1. No Cold Chain Compliance
Standard couriers transport at ambient temperature. Your frozen products will thaw. There’s no temperature monitoring, no R638 compliance, and no cold chain documentation if something goes wrong.
2. Incompatible Delivery Windows
Frozen food requires attended delivery—someone must be present to receive and immediately store the product. Standard courier “leave at gate” or “try again tomorrow” approaches don’t work when product integrity degrades by the hour.
3. Wrong Vehicle Infrastructure
Even “refrigerated” options from general couriers often mean passive cooling (ice packs) rather than mechanical refrigeration. The difference matters when ambient temperature hits 35°C and your product needs 8 hours of protection.
The Solution: Connect directly to a cold chain logistics provider who handles frozen food as their core business, not as an afterthought.
How Integration Works: The Core Concept
E-commerce delivery integration follows a simple pattern regardless of platform:
Customer places order → Your store sends order data to us → We create delivery task → Customer gets notifications → Delivery completes → Your store updates
The mechanism for “sends order data to us” is called a webhook—an automated message your store sends when specific events happen (like “order paid” or “order fulfilled”).
Every major e-commerce platform supports webhooks. The differences are in configuration complexity and available automation tools.
What We Need From Your Webhook:
| Field | Purpose | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Customer name | Delivery identification | “Jane Smith” |
| Phone number | Driver contact & notifications | “+27821234567” |
| Delivery address | Routing & scheduling | “123 Main Rd, Sandton” |
| Order reference | Tracking & reconciliation | “ORD-12345” |
| Order contents | Load planning | “2x 1kg Beef Mince, 1x Ready Meal” |
| Special instructions | Delivery notes | “Security complex, call on arrival” |
Choose Your Integration Path
Quick Reference: Platform Comparison
| Platform | Integration Method | Technical Difficulty | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shopify | Native webhooks | Low | Most e-commerce businesses |
| WooCommerce | Webhooks + REST API | Medium | WordPress users, technical control |
| Wix | Wix Automations | Medium | Wix ecosystem users |
| Custom/Other | Direct webhook | Varies | Proprietary systems, POS integration |
Shopify Integration
Shopify’s native webhook system makes integration straightforward. No plugins required, no coding necessary for basic setup.
Why Shopify works well:
- Built-in webhook configuration (Settings → Notifications → Webhooks)
- Clean JSON data structure
- Automatic retry on failed deliveries
- Shopify Flow for advanced automation (Plus plans)
Setup time: 15-30 minutes for basic integration
→ Complete Shopify Integration Guide
WooCommerce Integration
WooCommerce offers both webhook (one-way) and REST API (two-way) integration, giving you flexibility based on your technical resources.
Why WooCommerce works well:
- Deep customisation possible
- Two-way sync available (we can update order status automatically)
- Large plugin ecosystem for extended functionality
- Self-hosted means full data control
Setup time: 30-60 minutes for webhook; 1-2 hours for full REST API integration
→ Complete WooCommerce Integration Guide
Wix Integration
Wix Automations provides webhook capability through their visual automation builder. More configuration steps than Shopify, but achievable without coding.
Why Wix works differently:
- Automation-based rather than direct webhook configuration
- Richer payload data (sometimes too much—filtering recommended)
- Partner assistance helpful for optimisation
- Velo code available for advanced customisation
Setup time: 45-90 minutes; consider Wix Partner assistance for complex setups
→ Complete Wix Integration Guide
Custom Systems & Direct Webhook Integration
Running a proprietary e-commerce system? Using a POS that’s not Shopify/WooCommerce/Wix? We can accept webhooks from any system that can make HTTP POST requests.
This applies to:
- Custom-built e-commerce platforms
- ERP systems with order management
- Point-of-sale systems
- Third-party order aggregators
- Any system with workflow automation (Zapier, Make, n8n)
What you need:
- Ability to send HTTP POST requests
- JSON formatting capability
- Trigger mechanism (order event, manual action, or scheduled batch)
→ Custom Webhook Integration Documentation (Contact us to discuss your specific requirements)
What Happens After Integration
Once connected, your delivery workflow becomes automated:
Order Lifecycle
- ACCEPTED — We receive and validate the order data
- SCHEDULED — Order assigned to delivery route and date
- DISPATCHED — Driver en route, customer notified
- DELIVERED — Proof of delivery captured, confirmation sent
- COMPLETED — Order closed, available for reporting
Customer Notifications
Your customers receive automated updates at key milestones:
- Order received confirmation
- Scheduled delivery date/window
- Driver dispatched notification
- Delivery completion with proof
→ Full Work Order Processing & Notifications Guide
Before You Integrate: Platform Setup
Integration connects your store to our delivery system. But your store also needs proper configuration for frozen food e-commerce:
- Shipping zones that match our delivery areas
- Shipping rates that reflect cold chain logistics costs
- Product configuration for weight-based calculations
- Checkout flow that captures delivery preferences
→ Complete E-Commerce Setup Guide for Frozen Food
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need technical skills to set up integration?
- For Shopify: No. Basic configuration is point-and-click.
- For WooCommerce: Helpful but not essential for webhook setup. REST API integration benefits from developer involvement.
- For Wix: Moderate comfort with Wix Automations needed. Consider Wix Partner assistance for complex requirements.
- For Custom: Yes—you’ll need someone who can configure HTTP requests and JSON payloads.
What if my platform isn't listed?
If your system can send HTTP POST requests with JSON data, we can likely accept it. Contact us to discuss your specific platform and requirements.
Can integration update my order status automatically?
Yes, with WooCommerce REST API integration. We can write back delivery status changes to your store automatically.
For Shopify and Wix, we send you email notifications at each status change. Manual order updates required unless you implement additional automation.
What about failed deliveries?
Failed deliveries trigger immediate notification to you. The order remains in our system for rescheduling. Your webhook integration means you know about issues in real-time rather than discovering them days later.
Is there a cost for integration?
No additional cost for webhook integration—it’s part of our service. You’re already paying for delivery; automation simply removes the manual steps.
What delivery areas do you cover?
Gauteng: Johannesburg, Pretoria, and surrounding areas Western Cape: Cape Town and surrounding areas
Ready to Integrate?
Step 1: Review the setup guide for your platform (links above)
Step 2: Contact us to receive your webhook endpoint URL and any platform-specific configuration details
Step 3: Configure your store following the platform guide
Step 4: Send a test order to verify the connection
Step 5: Go live with automated frozen food delivery
Questions about integration?
Contact us at info@thefrozenfoodcourier.co.za or call +27 82 575 0085.
We’ll walk you through the setup process and ensure your integration works correctly before you start processing real orders.