Multichannel for SMEs: Integration with SAP Business One in Chile

Chile is experiencing an accelerated transformation in the way companies market and distribute their products. Since the rise of e-commerce during the pandemic, Chilean SMEs are facing a new challenge.

They must now operate in an integrated and efficient manner across multiple sales channels. This includes both physical and digital stores. However, most of these companies lack systems that allow for centralized management and real-time visibility.

In this context, SAP Business One (SAP B1) emerges as a key solution for SMEs looking to compete in a highly connected, multichannel ecosystem. This article explores how SAP B1 enables full integration between in-person sales, digital platforms, and logistics operations in Chile.

The new Chilean client: omnichannel, demanding, and digital

New generations of consumers in Chile prioritize convenience, speed, and experience. They buy on Instagram, list items on marketplaces like Mercado Libre or Paris.cl, and require in-store pickup or delivery within 24 hours. This new reality forces companies to:

• Manage inventory in real time

• Synchronize prices and promotions across all channels

• Ensure complete traceability from sale to delivery

• Offer a unified shopping experience.

SAP Business One as a multi-channel integration platform

SAP B1 enables companies to unify their business operations on a single platform, integrating:

• In-store sales: through point-of-sale (POS) systems connected to the ERP.
• E-commerce: native integrations or APIs with Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento, among others.
• Marketplaces: integrations with Cornershop, Ripley, Falabella, Linio, etc.
• Social media: automation of orders received via WhatsApp, Instagram, or Facebook.
• Logistics: direct connection with logistics providers such as Chilexpress, Starken, and Bluxpress.

This allows you to consolidate orders, inventory, billing, shipping, and after-sales service into a single system.

Physical and digital sales: two worlds that must speak the same language

A common mistake many Chilean companies make is treating physical and digital sales as separate processes. This disconnect leads to duplication, errors, and delays. SAP B1 allows you to centralize information from both worlds and operate with a single "organizational brain."

By having a point of sale (POS) connected to the ERP, every transaction in a physical store impacts inventory, accounting, and reporting in real time. The same applies to every order received via e-commerce or marketplace.

This allows for:

• Automatic replenishment between warehouses or locations based on demand.

• Control of cross-channel promotions and discounts.

• Unification of sales statistics by product, customer, or region.

Concrete benefits for Chilean companies

1. Centralized stock management: real-time inventory visibility by channel, location, or warehouse.

2. Reduced human error: automated ordering, fulfillment, and invoicing.

3. Accelerated sales cycle: from order to delivery.

4. Multi-channel reporting: analysis by sales channel, margin, delivery times, average ticket count.

5. Better customer experience: fewer out-of-stocks, greater compliance.

6. Full traceability: from purchase to delivery and after-sales.

SAP use cases in Chile

1. Apparel retailers: Companies with stores in Santiago, the surrounding regions, and e-commerce. SAP B1 allows you to view sales, inventory, and replenishment in real time.
2. Food distributors: Integration with delivery platforms and expiration tracking.
3. Hardware stores with online catalogs: Use SAP B1 with WooCommerce integration to manage mobile orders.
4. Agricultural companies: Connect their direct sales, distributors, and exports in a single solution.
5. Consumer startups: Integration from Shopify to last-mile warehouses.

Integrated logistics: from sales to dispatch without losing control

Logistics is one of the main bottlenecks in multi-channel solutions. SAP B1 allows you to automate the entire cycle:

• Stock validation before confirming the order.

• Automatic dispatch of the dispatch order to logistics operators.

• Generation of guides and labels from the ERP.

• Integration with tracking and delivery confirmation apps.

This improves customer service and reduces costs due to errors or reprocessing.

Integration with key tools

SAP B1 is being enhanced in Chile with additional solutions:

• Boyum IT: for advanced POS management, picking, and packing.

• GSP POS is a powerful point-of-sale solution: it enables agile physical store operations. It integrates transactions directly with SAP B1. This helps maintain real-time inventory and accounting control.

• SkyOne: SAP-certified cloud infrastructure for 100% online operations.

• iPaaS connectors: for marketplaces and satellite ERPs (e.g., outsourced accounting).

• Logistics integrators: native connection with couriers and last-mile warehouses.

Chilean market data and trends

1. E-commerce sales in Chile for 2024 exceeded US$11 billion, with projected growth of nearly 8% compared to 2023 (bci.cl).

2. The percentage of online shoppers has stabilized at around 64% of the adult population (ccs.cl).

3. E-commerce represents approximately 6.1% of total consumer goods sales in Chile (ccs.cl).

4. In the first quarter of 2024, 65% of online shoppers were men, preferring electronics, and the apparel category led with 45% penetration in digital purchases (spring-gds.com).

5. Furthermore, Chile is the fourth-largest e-commerce market in Latin America, with nearly 11 million digital shoppers, growing 8.6% in 2024 compared to other regional markets (eMarketer.com).

These data reinforce the need for solutions that integrate operations across all fronts.

The cultural and technological challenge of integration

Adopting SAP B1 is not just a technological decision, but a strategic one. Often, the barrier lies in internal processes or resistance to change. Therefore, a successful implementation includes:

•  Key user training.
• Review and redesign of sales, shipping, and after-sales processes.
• Change management with a focus on real system adoption.

At H&CO, we support our clients in the technical implementation and also in accompanying the cultural change required by multi-channel operations.

Conclusions: ERP as a basis for multi-channel competition

In an increasingly challenging and digitalized environment, Chilean companies need to operate with real-time data, complete integration, and flexibility. SAP Business One is presented as a strategic platform to achieve this.

Multichannel is no longer a trend; it's a requirement. And those who don't integrate risk losing relevance to more agile competitors.

Ultimately, SAP B1 enables Chilean companies to stop operating in silos and begin acting as modern, connected, and customer-focused organizations.

How can we help

Is your company looking to grow efficiently and compete successfully in an increasingly connected environment? At H&CO, we transform technology into your best ally. Contact us and discover how, through integrated solutions and our experience, we can help you manage your sales channels efficiently and turn challenges into real growth opportunities.