## Overview & Integration Best Practices

The Wineshipping API is available to clients and technology partners for creating orders, tracking shipments, creating products, managing inventory, and more using Wineshipping’s industry-leading logistics platform.

### Operations & Functions

#### Fulfillment

This is the first focal point for integration. We refer to customer orders as either sales or fulfillment orders. We refer to managing items and inventory as purchase orders or transfer orders.

##### Essential Integration

[Create a sales/fulfillment order](/api/v3.1/openapi/fulfillment/createsalesorder) - Submit customer sales or fulfillment orders with flexible order options to support your unique Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) or wholesale business model. This endpoint also supports carrier pick-up-at-location services.

Processing and publishing orders is a two-step process. Avoid immediately calling the [GetDetails](/api/v3.1/openapi/tracking/getdetails) endpoint, as it is rate-limited.

##### Additional Integrations

1. [Update an Order](/api/v3.1/openapi/fulfillment/updatesalesorder)
2. [Cancel an Order](/api/v3.1/openapi/fulfillment/cancelsalesorder)
3. Get [On-Hold orders](/api/v3.1/openapi/fulfillment/getordersonhold) to manage fulfillment
4. Get data on orders [returned](/api/v3.1/openapi/fulfillment/getreturns) to a Wineshipping warehouse


#### Tracking

For scalability and reliability, we recommend using event-driven tracking via webhooks.

Send an email to `api@wineshipping.com` to enable webhook-based tracking (see [Event Driven Tracking](/docs/eventdriventracking) for setup details).

##### Tracking Recommended Integration

Get tracking numbers and shipment status updates delivered to your systems and customers in real time with [event driven tracking](/docs/eventdriventracking) via webhooks. Alternatively, use the [Track Packages](/api/v3.1/openapi/tracking/getdetails) method for ad-hoc, individual order status lookups.

The webhooks and API responses include:

- Order processing status
- Package tracking, carrier status and messaging
- Inventory reservation
- Embedded carrier tracking page link(s)
- Delivery date estimation


#### Inventory

Inventory APIs provide access to real-time inventory and product information.

##### Inventory Recommended Integration

Execute a real-time inventory check or sync with your e-commerce platform, POS, or wine club using [Get Sellable Inventory](/api/v3.1/openapi/inventory/getsellable).

Optionally, retrieve detailed, real-time [physical inventory information](/api/v3.1/openapi/inventory/getinventorystatus) and [inventory transactions](/api/v3.1/openapi/inventory/getinventorytransactions) for reporting or integration with your ERP system.

- By item and item description
- By warehouse location
- By unit of measure
- Inventory status and quantities
- On-Hand, Reserved, Available, Backorder, On-Order
- Damages, Returns status


#### Products

[Create Items](/api/v3.1/openapi/product/createsku) - Define new SKUs for wine, merchandise, and marketing materials.

- Define detailed classification and metadata for wine SKUs.


#### Commerce / Address Services

[Validate an address](/api/v3.1/openapi/commerce/addressvalidation) - Validate U.S. addresses and classify them as business or residential using carrier data when available.

[Get carrier hold locations](/api/v3.1/openapi/commerce/getcarrierlocations) - Retrieve carrier pickup locations for a given address and carrier.

[Get delivery date estimates](/api/v3.1/openapi/commerce/getdeliveryestimates) - Retrieve estimated delivery date for a given address using FedEx and UPS carrier services within the USA.

Note: The information provided by the Wineshipping Delivery Date Estimate API service is for estimating approximate delivery dates based on the corresponding FedEx and/or UPS carrier service information available at the time of inquiry, and is subject to change without notice. Due to these factors, Wineshipping cannot guarantee the accuracy of current or future information generated by the Delivery Date Estimate API service.