If your retail tech stack feels more like a tangled mess of wires than a well-oiled machine, you’re not alone. Between ERP systems, e-commerce platforms, CRM tools, and logistics providers, managing a modern retail operation can feel like you’re duct-taping together a dozen puzzle pieces that don’t quite fit.

That’s where Celigo comes in.

Celigo is a cloud-based iPaaS (Integration Platform as a Service) that ensures all of a retailer’s systems communicate with each other, sync data automatically, and eliminate the need for manual input. It’s the quiet tool behind the scenes, helping retailers avoid chaos and keep operations running smoothly.

Take a typical setup: Microsoft Dynamics running as the ERP, Shopify powering the storefront, Salesforce managing CRM. Each of these apps holds key info – from inventory to customer data to order flow – but they don’t always connect seamlessly. Celigo bridges those gaps, making sure everything flows smoothly across platforms.

“All these systems have a different purpose,” says George Polyzos, Apac VP at Celigo. “But if they’re not connected, your team ends up doing a lot of manual work just to make them talk to each other.”

Historically, this has meant time-consuming back-end tasks – copying order information between systems, manually managing stock, or reconciling financial data by hand. But Celigo’s integration layer automates it all. And with fewer human touchpoints, there’s less chance for error – fewer late shipments, fewer accounting headaches, and happier customers.

In a perfect world, software platforms would be built with native integration in mind. But as Polyzos puts it, “We don’t live in a perfect world”.

“You might be using NetSuite, and next week a new Shopify connector rolls out – but it might only do 60 per cent of what you actually need,” he explains. “And that is just two systems. When you’ve got five or six systems running, building and maintaining those one-off integrations just doesn’t scale.”

Often, companies code their own software to connect systems, but it may not be scalable. “Then, when the person who built that integration leaves the company, no one else knows how it works.”

Celigo offers not only a centralised platform for managing integrations, but it also comes with over 400 pre-built connectors for systems like Dynamics, NetSuite, Shopify, Salesforce,3PLs, EDI, and more, so you’re not starting from scratch every time. That means faster onboarding, quicker return on investment, and less stress for an already overloaded IT team.

“A lot of retailers don’t have big tech teams,” Polyzos says. “The CFO or operations lead is often the one setting up the systems. Celigo’s platform doesn’t require you to be a hardcore developer – it’s intuitive and easy to use.”

That ease of use is a big reason companies are jumping on board. One Japanese customer reported paying off the entire cost of Celigo’s licensing within two months by simply ditching manual processes, reducing errors, and freeing up time to focus on innovation.

Autonomous error management is another significant advantage. When something goes wrong – an order gets stuck, inventory data doesn’t match up – Celigo’s AI quickly identifies the issue, pinpoints exactly where it happened, determines the resolution, and resolves it without human intervention over 95 per cent of the time.

That guesswork is gone, says Polyzos. You’re not wasting hours trying to figure out why the wrong item was shipped or why your numbers don’t match. You just fix it and move on.

And for fast-scaling businesses eyeing international markets, Celigo’s global capabilities are a huge asset. From Amazon and Ebay to Shopee and Lazada, the platform supports seamless cross-border transactions, taking into account tax compliance and regional logistics quirks along the way.

Polyzos says retailers who aren’t using platforms like Celigo are leaving money and efficiency on the table. “But also, think about the customer experience. Fewer errors, faster deliveries… your customers will thank you.”

Case in point: EHPlabs’ global growth

Brendan Ridge, head of innovation and technology at EHPlabs, has seen the power of Celigo in action. The Australian health supplement brand fuels fitness buffs from Down Under to the US, and was rapidly outgrowing its tech infrastructure.

With over 30 endpoints – Shopify storefronts, Amazon, Walmart, Klarna, PayPal, Xero for finance, multiple 3PL providers – the brand was juggling fragmented systems across the globe. Scaling further meant either hiring more people or finding a smarter solution.

“It was getting way too hard to scale,” Ridge says. “We hit a point where we either had to double our team or invest in technology to solve it.”

Enter Celigo. EHPlabs chose NetSuite as its ERP and brought in Celigo to integrate everything, including Shopify, Amazon, TikTok sales, logistics partners, and more. Despite launching with a whopping 42 different endpoints (far more than Celigo typically recommends at once), the platform held firm.

“Celigo essentially formed a layer around NetSuite that allowed everything to flow in and out cleanly,” Ridge says. “It’s user-friendly, too. We’ve got semi-technical people managing errors before they become major issues. It’s created real operational clarity.”

By centralising integration, simplifying error handling, and speeding up cross-platform connectivity, Celigo helps retailers get back to focusing on growth. In today’s market, where efficiency and customer satisfaction are critical, that’s a serious competitive edge.

• In a rapidly evolving retail landscape, having a robust integration platform like Celigo isn’t just a convenience – it’s a competitive necessity. Learn more at the company’s website here.