E-Commerce IntegrationAdd Same-Day Local Delivery to Your E-Commerce Store
Local e-commerce stores lose sales when same-day delivery is not an option. UniHop connects to your e-commerce platform via API so local customers can get their order the same day — dispatched automatically, tracked in real time, confirmed on delivery.
Overview
Why Local E-Commerce Businesses Add UniHop
Large e-commerce platforms have trained customers to expect fast delivery. Local online stores that can only offer standard shipping — three to five days from a fulfillment center — lose local customers to retailers who can deliver the same day. UniHop gives local e-commerce stores a way to compete on delivery speed by dispatching from their own location to nearby customers the same day an order is placed. The integration connects your e-commerce platform to UniHop's API so delivery happens automatically without a separate manual dispatch step.
Setup
How the E-Commerce + UniHop Integration Works
Define Your Local Delivery Zone
Determine the geographic area you can serve with same-day delivery — typically a radius around your store or warehouse location. Configure your e-commerce platform to offer local delivery as a shipping option only when the customer's address falls within that zone.
Connect Your Platform to UniHop
When a local delivery order is placed, use a webhook or order event from your e-commerce platform to send the order details to the UniHop API. The request includes your store's address as the pickup, the customer's address as the drop-off, and any handling notes relevant to the order.
UniHop Dispatches and Monitors the Delivery
UniHop assigns a driver, monitors the delivery in real time, and handles any issues that come up along the way. The dispatch team is available during operating hours to intervene if needed. Proof of delivery is captured at drop-off.
Status Updates Come Back to Your Platform
UniHop sends delivery status events via webhook — dispatched, picked up, en route, delivered. Use these events to update your order management system, send tracking notifications to the customer, and mark the order as fulfilled automatically.
Use Cases
E-Commerce Use Cases
Local Retail Stores with Online Presence
Brick-and-mortar retailers with an online store can offer same-day local delivery for customers within their delivery zone — competing directly with large retailers on speed without managing a delivery fleet.
Specialty Food and Beverage
Local food brands, bakeries, and specialty beverage companies can offer same-day delivery for online orders placed before a daily cutoff time. Temperature-sensitive items can use Special Handling for a dedicated driver.
Health and Wellness Products
Local pharmacies, supplement stores, and wellness brands can route same-day delivery for online orders to nearby customers — including prescription-adjacent products that need careful handling.
Floral and Gift E-Commerce
Online florists and gift stores can offer same-day local delivery for orders placed before a cutoff, with Special Handling available for fragile or presentation-sensitive arrangements.
Requirements
What You Need
- An e-commerce platform with webhook or order event support (Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, or a custom platform)
- UniHop API credentials — contact the UniHop team to get your client ID and RSA key pair
- Server-side code to handle order events and call the UniHop API
- A defined local delivery zone (zip codes, radius, or geographic boundary)
- A publicly accessible endpoint for receiving UniHop delivery status webhooks
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
UniHop integrates with any e-commerce platform that can trigger a webhook or export order data when an order is placed. This includes Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Magento, and custom-built platforms. The integration is built at the API level, so the connection works wherever you can make an HTTPS request from your order processing logic.
Most e-commerce platforms support custom shipping rates based on customer location. You can configure a local delivery shipping option that is only shown to customers whose address falls within your delivery zone — typically using postal codes or a radius check. When the customer selects local delivery and checks out, your backend submits the order to UniHop automatically.
Yes. You can configure your checkout to show same-day delivery only when the order is placed before a specific cutoff time. Orders placed after the cutoff can be offered next-day delivery or standard shipping instead. The cutoff logic lives in your checkout configuration, not in UniHop.
Standard delivery works for most everyday e-commerce orders. Special Handling is available for fragile, temperature-sensitive, or presentation-critical items where a dedicated driver and careful handling are worth the additional cost. Oversize delivery handles large or heavy items that require a specific vehicle type.
Yes. UniHop captures delivery confirmation at the point of drop-off. Confirmation details are available through the API and can be included in the delivery status webhook payload so your order management system can mark the order as delivered automatically.
Ready to offer same-day local delivery on your e-commerce store?
Contact the UniHop developer team to get your API credentials and we will help you scope the integration for your platform.
Talk to Our Developer Team