How merchant onboarding works
After you submit an inquiry, we get you live in days — not weeks. Here’s what to expect: a clear review of your needs, service area fit, order intake setup, pricing, and a simple launch.
Review of your delivery needs
We start by reviewing what you shared in your inquiry: volume, service areas, vehicle fit, and how you run operations today. We’ll confirm capacity and any time windows or special requirements. No long forms — we align around your real workflow.
Service area fit
We confirm coverage in your zones and match you with the right local capacity. If you’re in a major Canadian metro or surrounding region, we’ll validate fit and set clear expectations for where and when we can deliver.
Order intake setup
We support the way you work today. Choose what fits — we don’t force a single integration path.
Porterchain is built to work with how you already operate. We support API-ready order ingestion, structured CSV upload, admin-assisted onboarding, and EDI-ready architecture. No one-size-fits-all; we confirm what's possible for your setup before you commit.
- Structured CSV upload — Agree columns once; we accept your file and schedule from it. No API build required.
- API-ready order ingestion — Submit orders programmatically; get status and ETA. Documentation and support for teams ready to integrate.
- EDI-ready architecture — We support EDI-based order and status flows. We align on transaction sets and connectivity with you.
- Admin-assisted onboarding — We can enter orders on your behalf and outline a path to CSV or API when you're ready.
We work with you to choose the right fit and get you live. We're clear about schema, capabilities, and timing so you can plan with confidence.
- Spreadsheets — Send a CSV or sheet link; we’ll set up a simple, repeatable flow so you can submit orders without changing how you work.
- Email workflows — Send orders or manifests by email; we’ll parse and schedule. Ideal for low-touch, recurring runs.
- Admin-assisted entry — Our ops team can enter orders on your behalf from a shared inbox, PDF, or call. Perfect when you’re not ready to automate.
- API-ready workflows — When you’re ready to connect systems, we support API-based order submission and status. We’ll guide integration and testing.
Pricing setup
We agree on clear, transparent pricing based on your volume, zones, and frequency. No hidden fees. You’ll know your cost per delivery and can plan with confidence. We’ll confirm everything before launch.
Launch process
Once intake and pricing are set, we schedule your first runs. You’ll get access to tracking and a single dashboard for all shipments. We’ll run a few deliveries, confirm everything works, and then you’re live. Ongoing support is included — we’re here if you need to adjust volume, zones, or workflow.
Low-friction by design
You don’t need to change your operations overnight. Start with spreadsheets or email; move to API when it makes sense. We meet you where you are and scale with you.
What merchants say about us
More stories from our merchants coming soon.
Ready to get started?
Submit an inquiry and we’ll walk you through the next steps. No commitment until we’ve confirmed fit and pricing.