Overview
Some Lightspeed X-series plans include a basic, "native" Shopify integration. With this "native" integration to Shopify available, many retailers have questions about why they should use Mortar.
The short answer is that Mortar integrates Lightspeed X and Shopify in a much deeper way. But the details are important. Here are some of the features that are only available using Mortar:
Watch a quick Mortar demo
Watch a demo of Mortar with Lightspeed X-series
Switching to Mortar
Switching from the Lightspeed X "native" Shopify integration to Mortar is easy and can be done with no disruptions. Once you switch, your integration with Shopify gains flexibility and functionality.
How to switch to Mortar
You can install the Mortar app from the Shopify app store while using another integration. Just perform the Mortar setup steps, and before activating Mortar, uninstall the Lightspeed X "native" Shopify integration.
To uninstall the "native" Shopify integration for Lightspeed Retail (X-Series):
In Shopify, go to Settings > Apps and Sales Channels
Find the Lightspeed Retail (X-series) app in the list of apps
Click the More Actions menu to the right (...) and select Uninstall
Confirm uninstall
Seamless onboarding process
Mortar automatically links your existing products between Shopify and Lightspeed X by SKU, UPC, or EAN. Easily identify unlinked products and fix them so your inventory and order sync is perfect.
How Mortar helps
The Lightspeed X "native" integration requires that both the Lightspeed product SKU and product handle match Shopify for orders and products to sync successfully. In many cases, Lightspeed simply recommends deleting your existing products from Shopify and re-publishing them with the native integration, losing valuable product info and reporting.
Mortar matches existing products by SKU, UPC, or EAN, simplifying onboarding dramatically with no loss of descriptions, images, or weights.
Products
With Mortar, you can create complete products in Shopify, including all product details and images. In addition, Mortar gives you the power to manage products using tags. You can add, delete, archive, or update the active status in Shopify right from inside Lightspeed X-series.
How Mortar helps
The Lightspeed X "native" integration updates a handful of product attributes every time a product syncs, overwriting product info in Shopify.
Mortar supports sync for every product attribute, with control over which attributes update, so your team can maintain product data on the platform that works best for you.
Product Feature | Lightspeed X "native" | Mortar |
Add Lightspeed X Products to Shopify | Update the "Publish Online" setting on each product | Add the "add" tag to the grid or item |
Add all Lightspeed X Products to Shopify | Manually trigger publish from Settings (recommended only once) | Enable "Add all products with inventory from POS" setting, which works continuously |
Add Shopify Products to Lightspeed X | Manually trigger a download to Lightspeed X from Settings (recommended only once) |
|
Update product details to Shopify | Always overwrites limited product details | Automatic update of only specific configured product details |
Product Information
Mortar includes the complete product details when adding a new product to Shopify. Lightspeed X "native" only includes a few attributes.
Shopify Product Attribute | Lightspeed X "native" | Mortar |
Product Title | Name | Name |
Product Description | Description | Description |
Product Type | Product Category | Product Category |
Product Vendor | Brand | Brand or Vendor (Vendor Source) |
Product Tags | Tags | Tags |
Product Images | One per product | All Images |
Variant SKU | SKU | SKU, UPC, EAN (SKU Source) |
Variant Barcode |
| SKU, UPC, EAN (Barcode Source) |
Variant Option Names | Variant Option Names | Variant Option Names |
Variant Option Values | Variant Option Values | Variant Option Values |
Variant Compare at Price |
| Price (default) or any PriceBook |
Variant Price | Price | Price (default) or any PriceBook |
Variant: Continue selling when out of stock |
| Inventoried=False or "instock" tag |
Variant Charge tax on this variant | Taxable | All products are taxed by default when created. Update Taxable setting for updates. |
Variant Weight |
| Weight |
Variant Images |
| Any associated images |
Product updates by plan
Grow and Scale plans allow you to control which product details update so that you can tailor your workflow and manage certain product information on Shopify as desired.
Mortar Plan | Product Updates |
Connect | Inventory Only |
Grow | Configurable |
Scale | Configurable |
Powerful Shopify Extensions called Mortar actions
Mortar includes powerful Shopify extensions that allow you to view a corresponding product, customer, or order in Lightspeed X with one click or resync product details or inventory on demand.
Resync inventory or product info on demand
Mortar supports bulk resync of selected inventory, product, or variant information on demand right onscreen. Select any number of products or variants onscreen, then choose a bulk action to trigger a resync.
Locations and Fulfillment
The Lightspeed X "native" Shopify integration syncs inventory across multiple Shopify locations, but only downloads orders to a single Lightspeed X location.
Mortar provides full inventory and fulfillment support for Shopify locations so that you can take advantage of order routing and split fulfillments. A unique sale is created for each fulfillment, so your sales are recognized properly in each location and can be fulfilled properly with a clear transactional record for each inventory change.
Lightspeed X "native" | Mortar |
Creates a single Sale and adjusts inventory in each location | Creates a Sale for each fulfillment, impacting inventory in each location |
How Mortar helps
The Lightspeed X "native" Shopify integration creates a single sale for each Shopify order and adjusts inventory out of each location, as needed.
Mortar creates unique transactions for each order split, enabling clearer fulfillment and inventory workflows.
Orders & Refunds
The Lightspeed X "native" Shopify integration downloads orders to a single Lightspeed X location, then adjusts inventory in other locations based on how Shopify routed the order. This can result in inventory discrepancies that are difficult to troubleshoot or correct. Additionally, the "native" integration does not support Shopify refunds, leading to discrepancies each time a refund is issued.
By contrast, Mortar creates a unique sale for each fulfillment, so your sales are recognized properly in each location, and inventory is reliably updated. Invoices are integrated to Shipstation automatically, dramatically cutting fulfillment time and making it easier to ship orders to your customers.
Learn more: Shopify orders in Lightspeed Retail (X-series)
Order Feature | Lightspeed X "native" | Mortar |
Order distribution | Shopify Routing | Shopify Routing or complex order routing with quantity splitting |
Order creation | One sale per assigned/routed location | |
Integrated to Shipstation |
| Yes |
Fulfill in Shopify and Lightspeed X from Shipstation |
| Yes |
Refunds
Mortar supports both canceled Shopify orders and partial refunds for restocking or dollars. Restocked refunds return inventory; not-for-restock refunds will create tickets using the Shopify Refund product.
Learn more: Shopify refunds in Lightspeed Retail (X-series)
How Mortar helps
The Lightspeed X "native" Shopify integration does not support refunds. This causes inventory discrepancies whenever a Shopify refund is issued, requiring manual adjustments to correct your inventory.
Mortar supports over 100 refund, exchange, and order edit scenarios, including multi-currency.
Mortar also supports Shopify return and exchange apps like Loop, Return Magic, and Narvar.
Refund Feature | Lightspeed X "native" | Mortar |
Restocked Refunds |
| A return is created in the restocked location with the Shopify Order Number. |
Not-for-restock Refunds |
| A return is created using the Shopify Refund product in the original location. |
Order edits and exchanges
Mortar supports Shopify order edits and exchanges for complete flexibility between platforms. Edited orders create transactions in Lightspeed X for complete visibility and trackability.
Learn more: Shopify order edits
How Mortar helps
The Lightspeed X "native" Shopify integration does not support Shopify order edits or exchanges. This causes an inventory discrepancy each time an order edit is performed, requiring manual adjustments to fix.
Mortar supports over 100 refund, exchange, and order edit scenarios, including multi-currency.
Multiple Shopify sites or POS
Mortar supports integrating Lightspeed X-series with multiple Shopify sites. You can control which products are published to each site using site-specific tags.
Additionally, linking multiple POS accounts to a single Shopify site is supported.
Learn more: Syncing with multiple Shopify sites
How Mortar helps
The Lightspeed X "native" Shopify integration supports integrating a single Shopify site to Lightspeed X.
Mortar lets you sync multiple Shopify sites with Lightspeed X, so you can target and expand your digital presence with no growth limits.
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