Thoughts on logistics, e-commerce, and building software that works.
Brightpearl is a retail ERP with accounting built in; Vectis is an order management system with public pricing and a free trial. Here's how they differ on price, setup, warehouse features, shipping, and hazmat, sourced from each company's own pages, including where Brightpearl is the better fit.
Body spray, perfume, nail polish, cleaners: most consumer hazmat ships as Limited Quantity. Here's what qualifies, what the mark means, what replaced ORM-D, and how USPS, UPS, and FedEx actually handle it, with the numbers and the sources.
Power banks, phones, speakers, e-bike packs: if it has a lithium battery, it's a hazardous material. Here's how the US rules and the USPS, UPS, and FedEx policies actually work for an online store, with the numbers and the sources.
Shopify's own multi-location tools go further than most merchants think: 10 locations on Basic, Grow, and Advanced, routing rules, split fulfillment, transfers, and purchase orders. Here's what they do, where they stop, and when an order management system earns its keep, with Shopify's own pages as sources.
StoaPack now builds pallets the way a warehouse team does: full flat layers, heavy layers at the bottom, and cases kept upright when you ask. What we changed and what it still doesn't do.
Orders shipped is a nice number. It is not the same as money kept. Here is why margin visibility matters, what we shipped in 1.5.0, and what we still cannot fix for you.
Bulk order import API, profitability analytics, warehouse WMS updates, and clearer API contracts. No fluff: what changed and where to read more.
New StoaPack accounts now get 50 free API calls immediately—no plan selection, no credit card. See what the responses look like before you decide.
The 67th Edition went into effect January 1, 2026, the same day lithium battery state of charge limits became mandatory. Here's what changed: new hybrid vehicle entries, standardized operator variation language, carrier-specific updates, and the SoC rules.
We had a perfectly good algorithm. Then we made an AI do its job instead. Here's how we cut AI-enabled packing requests from 10 seconds to 2 by rethinking what the LLM should actually do.
A few small earthquakes, a missing emergency kit, and a packing algorithm that was sitting right there. So we built a free go-bag planner.
Introducing the Vectis Founding Customer Program (February 2026). See the editor's note for current terms.
How a Friday afternoon feature request became a same-day ship - implementing nested container packing in StoaPack API.
Why 'it fits in the box' isn't the same as 'it's legal to ship.' Learn about hazmat quantity limits, the 30kg rule, Q-values, and how to avoid costly compliance violations.
Bin packing is NP-hard. Here's what that means and how StoaPack approaches the problem.
Most OMS systems get order status wrong. Here's why deriving status from packages produces more accurate fulfillment tracking.
What we learned designing the Vectis API. Idempotency, pagination, error handling, and more.
Row-level filtering vs. database isolation. The architectural decision behind Vectis's multi-tenant design.
Understanding the difference between order management systems, ERPs, WMS, and inventory management software.
Shopify is great until it isn't. Here are the signs you need a dedicated OMS.
Carriers charge by size, not just weight. Understanding dim weight can save you thousands.
Overselling happens when your inventory system can't keep up with your orders. Here's how to fix it.
Third-party logistics providers have unique requirements. Here's what to look for in an OMS.
Learn the essentials of hazmat segregation for e-commerce shipping with Stoa Logistics' handy guide. Discover what can share a box, what can share a truck or plane, and how StoaPack helps.