Physical fulfillment

Learn how to integrate the commerce platform with a new fulfillment source.

Physical fulfillment is critical to the eCommerce ecosystem, linking online stores with logistics partners to ensure efficient product delivery. By leveraging a network of pre-integrated distribution partners, merchants can globally fulfill orders based on customizable rules. This process streamlines order and return management and optimizes inventory handling, making it easier to meet customer demands and enhance satisfaction.

Physical fulfillment connects a commerce site to logistics partners who drop-ship products to the shopper. It also enables a commerce site to smart-source orders through one or more partners in the pre-integrated distribution partner network, who fulfill products globally based on configurable rules. Use this documentation to connect new fulfillment partners and their warehouses with the Digital River ecosystem for order and return management.

Event	Type
Sales Catalog	Inbound
Inventory Advice	Inbound
Fulfillment Order Request	Webhook
Fulfillment Order Response	Inbound
Cancel Fulfillment Order Request	Webhook
Cancel Fulfillment Order Response	Inbound
Ship Notification	Inbound
Return Notification	Webhook
Return Notification Acknowledgement	Inbound
Notification	Inbound

Physical fulfillment

Sales catalog

The Sales Catalog plays a crucial role in the integration process by loading the fulfillment partner’s product catalog into the Digital River Physical Fulfillment system. This catalog feed includes essential product information such as SKU, manufacturer’s part number, weight, dimensions, and unit cost. The unit cost represents the price at which the fulfiller sells the product to Digital River, not the retail price charged to the shopper. The catalog can be submitted in different formats, with XML being supported.

Note that the unit cost is the amount the fulfiller/distributor sells the product to Digital River (that is, not the amount they charge the shopper).

XML

<unitCost>
  <c:amount>5.00</c:amount>
  <c:currencyCode>USD</c:curencyCode>
</unitCost>

This feed is not a Site Catalog that provides content and assets to the commerce site hosted at Digital River Global Commerce.

Supported formats and data interchange modes

Format	AS2	FTP/SFTP	Web Service Post to Digital River
XML	Supported	Recommended (Best Practice)	Supported (Custom Implementation)
EDI X12 (832)	Supported (Best Practice)	Supported	Not Supported

Recommended frequency

• Full file (Weekly/On-demand)

• Delta daily

XML specification

• File name format: Catalog_YYYYMMDD_HHMISS.xml

• XML schema: https://fulfillment-api.digitalriver.com/v1/fulfiller-account/catalog/product.xsd
• XML sample: https://fulfillment-api.digitalriver.com/v1/fulfiller-account/catalog/product-import-request.xml

See the EDI X12 832 definition data elements for more information.

Inventory advice

The Inventory Advice integration imports inventory information from a fulfillment partner's warehouse into the Digital River Physical Fulfillment system.

Supported formats and data interchange modes

Format	AS2	FTP/SFTP	Web Service Post to Fulfiller
XML	Supported	Recommended (Best Practice)	Supported (Custom Implementation)
EDI X12 (846)	Supported (Best Practice)	Supported	Not Supported

Recommended frequency

• Full file or delta—hourly

XML specification

• Filename format: Inventory_YYYYMMDD_HHMISS.xml

• XML schema: https://fulfillment-api.digitalriver.com/v1/fulfiller-account/catalog/inventory.xsd
• XML sample: https://fulfillment-api.digitalriver.com/v1/fulfiller-account/catalog/inventory-import-request.xml

See the EDI X12 846 definition data elements for more information.

Fulfillment order request

Digital River sends the purchase order request to the fulfillment partner, who will ship the order directly to the customer. The purchase order contains information such as products, quantity, shipping, and shipping address. The following table displays the formats and data interchange modes supported by Digital River's fulfillment partner.

Format	AS2	FTP/SFTP	Web Service Post to Fulfiller
XML	Supported	Recommended (Best Practice)	Supported (Custom Implementation)
EDI X12 (850)	Supported (Best Practice)	Supported	Not Supported

Supported formats

The following table displays the formats and data interchange modes that Digital River's fulfillment partner supports.

Format	AS2	FTP/SFTP	Web Service Post to Fulfiller
XML	Supported	Recommended (Best Practice)	Supported (Custom Implementation)
EDI X12 (850)	Supported (Best Practice)	Supported	Not Supported

Recommended frequency

• Real-time or Batch at a scheduled interval

XML specification

• Filename format: ODD_HHMISS.xml

• XML schema: https://fulfillment-api.digitalriver.com/v1/fulfiller-account/order.xsd
• XML sample: https://fulfillment-api.digitalriver.com/v1/fulfiller-account/fulfillment-request.xml

EDI X12 850 specification

• Filename format: OrderRequest_YYYYMMDD_HHMISS.xml

• EDI X12 850 supported version: 00401

See the EDI X12 850 definition of data elements for more information.

Fulfillment order response

The fulfillment partner responds to each request indicating whether the order was accepted or rejected/cancelled due to errors. If a product is unavailable, and if the order request allows the option to hold the backorder by the fulfillment partner, the fulfillment partner uses this feed to notify the backorder status. The system sends the purchase order request to the fulfillment partner, who will ship the order directly to the customer. The purchase order contains information such as products, quantity, shipping, and shipping address.

Supported formats

The following table displays the formats and data interchange modes that Digital River's fulfillment partner supports.

Recommended frequency

• Real-time or Batch at a scheduled interval

Format	AS2	FTP/SFTP	Web Service Post to Fulfiller
XML	Supported	Recommended (Best Practice)	Supported (Custom Implementation)
EDI X12 (855)	Supported (Best Practice)	Supported	Not Supported

XML specification

• Filename format: OrderResponse_YYYYMMDD_HHMISS.xml

• XML schema: https://fulfillment-api.digitalriver.com/v1/fulfiller-account/order.xsd
• XML sample: https://fulfillment-api.digitalriver.com/v1/fulfiller-account/fulfillment-status-notification.xml

EDI X12 855 specification

• Filename format: EDI855_YYYYMMDD_HHMISS.edi

• EDI X12 855 supported version: 00401

See the EDI X12 855 definition of data elements for more information.

Cancel fulfillment order request

Digital River sends the cancel order request to the fulfillment partner so the fulfillment partner can cancel the order at fulfillment. The cancel order contains information such as purchase order number, products cancelled, and quantity cancelled. The fulfillment partner sends a response for each cancel order request. The response indicates whether the system accepted or rejected the cancellation of the order.

Supported formats and data interchange modes (Digital River to fulfillment partner)

Format	AS2	FTP/SFTP	Web Service Post to Fulfiller
XML	Supported	Recommended (Best Practice)	Not Supported

Recommended frequency

• Batch at a scheduled interval

XML specification

• Filename format: CancelRequest_YYYYMMDD_HHMISS.xml

• XML schema: https://fulfillment-api.digitalriver.com/v1/fulfiller-account/fulfillment-cancel.xsd
• XML sample: https://fulfillment-api.digitalriver.com/v1/fulfiller-account/fulfillment-cancel-request.xml

Cancel fulfillment order response

The fulfillment partner sends a response for each cancel order request. The response indicates whether the system accepted or rejected the cancellation of the order.

Supported formats and data interchange modes (fulfillment partner to Digital River)

Format	AS2	FTP/SFTP	Web Service Post to Fulfiller
XML	Supported	Recommended (Best Practice)	Not Supported

Recommended frequency

• Batch at a scheduled interval

XML specification

• Filename format: CancelResponse_YYYYMMDD_HHMISS.xml

• XML schema: https://fulfillment-api.digitalriver.com/v1/fulfiller-account/fulfillment-cancel.xsd
• XML sample: https://fulfillment-api.digitalriver.com/v1/fulfiller-account/fulfillment-cancel-status-notification.xml

Ship notification

The fulfiller ships the product to the customer and sends a notification to Digital River Global Fulfillment with package details and tracking numbers. Global Fulfillment imports this information and notifies the customer. You can also use this feed to send backorder notifications.

If Digital River has a distribution relationship with the Fulfillment Partner, send the invoice amounts to this feed.

Note: This information applies only to distribution relationships.

In a distribution model where the fulfiller invoices Digital River for the shipping, unit cost (× quantity), and tax, you must call out the following:

EDI 856 / shipment notification

• You must include the shipping amount and the subtotal amount in the segment

• The fulfiller/distributor invoices Digital River for the shipping amount charged to the customer

• The subtotal amount is the unit cost (same unit cost as noted in the Sales Catalog) multiplied by the quantity
• The file must include the lineItem segment

XML

<lineItems>
  <lineItem>
  	<rowId>1</rowId>
		<sku>FULFILLE PART NUMBER</sku>
    <warehouseId>AB01</warehouseId>
    <orderQuantity>2</orderQuantity>
    <shippedQuantity>2</shippedQuantity>
    <invoicePricing>
      <c:shipping>
        <c:amount>5.00</c:amount>
        <c:currencyCode>USD</c:currencyCode>
      </c:shipping>
      <c:handling>
        <c:amount>0.00</c:amount>
        <c:curencyCode>USD</c:currencyCode>
      </c:handling>
      <c:tax>
        <c:amount>1.00<c:amount>
        <c:currencyCode>USD</c:currencyCode>
      </c:tax>
      <c:fee>
        <c:amount>0.00</c:amount>
        <c:currencyCode>USD</c:currencyCode>
      </c:fee>
      <c:discount>
        <c:amount>0.0</c:amount>
        <c:currencyCode>USD</c:currencyCode>
      <c:discount>
      <c:subTotal>
        <c:amount>5.00</c:amount>
        <c:currencyCode>USD</c:currencyCode>
      </c:subTotal>
      <c:total>
        <c:amount>11.00</c:amount>
        <c:currencyCode>USD</c:currencyCode>
      </c:total>
    </invoicePricing>
  </lineItem>
</lineItems>     

Supported formats

Format	AS2	FTP/SFTP	Web Service Post to Fulfiller
XML	Supported	Recommended (Best Practice)	Supported (Custom Implementation)
EDI X12 (856)	Supported (Best Practice)	Supported	Not Supported

Recommended frequency

• Batch—Daily at scheduled one or more times planned

XML specification

• Filename format: Shipment_YYYYMMDD_HHMISS.xml

• XML schema: https://fulfillment-api.digitalriver.com/v1/fulfiller-account/shipment.xsd
• XML sample: https://fulfillment-api.digitalriver.com/v1/fulfiller-account/shipment-import-request.xml

EDI X12 856 specification

• Filename format: EDI856_YYYYMMDD_HHMISS.edi

• EDI X12 856 supported version: 00401

See the EDI X12 856 definition of data elements for more information.

Return notification

If a customer initiates the return of products in an order, Digital River sends the return pre-advice to the fulfillment partner.

Supported formats

The following table displays the formats and data interchange modes supported by the fulfillment partner for Digital River.

Format	AS2	FTP/SFTP	Web Service Post to Fulfiller
XML	Supported	Recommended (Best Practice)	Supported (Custom Implementation)
EDI X12 (180-1)	Supported (Best Practice)	Supported	Not Supported

Recommended frequency

• Batch at scheduled intervals

XML specification

• Filename format: returnNotification_YYYYMMDD_HHMISS.xml

• XML schema: https://fulfillment-api.digitalriver.com/v1/fulfiller-account/return.xsd
• XML sample: https://fulfillment-api.digitalriver.com/v1/fulfiller-account/return-fulfillment-request.xml

EDI X12 180-1 specification

• Filename format: EDI180-1_YYYYMMDD_HHMISS.edi

• EDI X12 832 supported version: 00401

See EDI X12 180-1 definition of data elements for more information.

Return notification acknowledgment

The fulfillment partner sends Digital River a response with a warehouse RMA ID and a return warehouse address optionally. The response is based on the return notification pre-advice sent to the fulfillment partner.

Supported formats

The following table displays the supported formats and data interchange modes from the fulfillment partner to Digital River.

Format	AS2	FTP/SFTP	Web Service Post to Fulfiller
XML	Supported	Recommended (Best Practice)	Supported (Custom Implementation)
EDI X12 (180-2)	Supported (Best Practice)	Supported	Not Supported

Recommended frequency

• Batch at scheduled intervals

XML specification

• Filename format: returnResponse_YYYYMMDD_HHMISS.xml

• XML schema: https://fulfillment-api.digitalriver.com/v1/fulfiller-account/return.xsd
• XML sample: https://fulfillment-api.digitalriver.com/v1/fulfiller-account/return-fulfillment-status-notification.xml

EDI X12 180-2 specification

• Filename format: EDI180-2_YYYYMMDD_HHMISS.edi

• EDI X12 180-2 supported version: 00401

See EDI X12 180-2 definition of data elements for more information.

Return receipt notification

When returned packages arrive at the warehouse, the Fulfillment partner notifies Digital River Physical Fulfillment to complete the return with a credit payment. This integration notifies Digital River of any returns without a valid return pre-advice from Digital River. This includes shipments the customer refuses or shipments that the fulfillment partner could not deliver to the customer.

Supported formats

Format	AS2	FTP/SFTP	Web Service Post to Fulfiller
XML	Supported	Recommended (Best Practice)	Supported (Custom Implementation)
EDI X12 (180-3)	Supported (Best Practice)	Supported	Not Supported

Recommended frequency

• Batch at scheduled intervals

XML specification

• Filename format: returnReceipt_YYYYMMDD_HHMISS.xml

• XML schema: https://fulfillment-api.digitalriver.com/v1/fulfiller-account/return.xsd
• XML sample: https://fulfillment-api.digitalriver.com/v1/fulfiller-account/return-fulfillment-received.xml

EDI X12 180-3 specification

• Filename format: EDI180-3_YYYYMMDD_HHMISS.edi

• EDI X12 180-3 supported version: 00401

See EDI X12 180-3 definition of data elements for more information.