--- title: "Outdoor Furniture Orders Written at Market, Delivered Right in Spring" url: https://www.uncap.com/industry/outdoor-patio-furniture author: "Denis Dyli" published: 2026-10-01 updated: 2026-10-01 summary: "Uncap builds wholesale outdoor furniture ecommerce on Shopify for patio furniture manufacturers and importers who sell through specialty patio retailers, pool and spa dealers and furniture stores. Dealers write the early-buy order at market, months before anyone sits outside. That order carries a frame finish, a cushion fabric and a configuration for every group. Uncap Quotes runs the configure, price, quote workflow inside the Shopify admin. In Uncap Portal, each buyer sees their assortment and pricing, so a stocking dealer, a specialty store and a pool and spa account each see their own program." --- # Outdoor Furniture Orders Written at Market, Delivered Right in Spring > Uncap builds wholesale outdoor furniture ecommerce on Shopify for patio furniture manufacturers and importers who sell through specialty patio retailers, pool and spa dealers and furniture stores. Dealers write the early-buy order at market, months before anyone sits outside. That order carries a frame finish, a cushion fabric and a configuration for every group. Uncap Quotes runs the configure, price, quote workflow inside the Shopify admin. In Uncap Portal, each buyer sees their assortment and pricing, so a stocking dealer, a specialty store and a pool and spa account each see their own program. ## The challenge **Where a generic storefront breaks for outdoor furniture** Five places where an order written at market, a season ahead of the sale, has to stay true until it lands on the dealer's floor. | | Factor | Generic storefront setup | What outdoor furniture needs | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Early-buy order | A standard dealer portal is built for in-season reorders, not for the order written at market. | The market order stays a quote until the program closes, with a validity window and a full revision history. | | Finish and fabric matrix | The dealer orders one group in one finish and fabric, while your ERP sees dozens of item numbers. | Pricing rules for frame finish by fabric grade by configuration, built during implementation, so the dealer sees one price. | | Preseason dating | Net terms counted in days, a different instrument from a program that sets the date the invoice falls due. | Program due dates defined once and applied to each early-buy order as it converts, built during implementation. | | LTL freight | A flat rate, when the same group can price differently depending on how you pack it. | Configured during implementation, so KD and assembled versions carry their own carton dimensions and weights. | | Warranty parts | Without a record of what that dealer bought, every warranty call starts from zero. | Replacement slings, straps, glides and cushions matched to what each dealer bought, set up during implementation. | **The order is written a season ahead of the sale.** Dealers commit at market for product that ships before the season and sells through spring and summer. The [International Casual Furnishings Association moved Casual Market Chicago earlier in 2022](https://www.icfanet.org/news/2022-trade-shows-combined-extended-july-19-22-event). Its reason: "the desire of both manufacturers and retailers to place orders early." Between that order and delivery sit months of production, container arrivals and dealer second thoughts. Whatever the order forgets, the spring floor set pays for. **Every group is a matrix, not a SKU.** A deep seating group in powder-coated aluminum comes in several frame finishes. Each cushion comes in fabric grades that step the price. The group itself sells as a sofa, a sectional run or a four-piece chat set. Teak, HDPE poly lumber, all-weather resin wicker and wrought iron each bring their own options. The dealer orders "the deep seating group in bronze, grade B navy acrylic." Your ERP sees dozens of item numbers. The order has to speak both languages. **Dating is the deal, and it has a calendar date on it.** A preseason program trades an early commitment for terms. The product ships early and the invoice falls due on a date the program sets, not after a count of days. That is a different instrument from net 30. Shopify B2B assigns company locations net terms from net 7 to net 90, and its [fixed-date payment term applies to individual draft orders](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/b2b/checkout-and-orders/payment-terms). A dating program that has to land on every early-buy order across a dealer base needs to be built on purpose. **Freight is priced by density, and your cartons change the class.** Outdoor furniture moves less-than-truckload (LTL), usually palletized. A dining set shipped knocked down (KD) in cartons packs nothing like an assembled sofa with its cushions on. The [National Motor Freight Classification changes](https://nmfta.org/a-guide-to-the-nmfc-changes-coming-in-2025-how-they-will-affect-you-and-how-to-prepare/) took effect on July 19, 2025. They give LTL carriers "one standard density scale when handling, stowability, and liability issues are not present." So the same group can price differently depending on how you pack it. Then comes the damage claim on a scratched finish. **Floor samples and showroom programs are their own price list.** Dealers buy floor sets at program pricing, rotate them by season and sell the samples off the floor when the season turns. A pool and spa dealer with a small patio corner buys differently from a specialty patio store with a full showroom. Account tier, minimums and program eligibility decide what each one should see. **The homeowner's warranty call comes back through the dealer.** A faded cushion or a broken sling starts at the store, and the store calls you. Replacement slings, straps and cushions have to match the collection and the season it shipped. Without a record of what that dealer bought, every warranty call starts from zero. ## The Uncap solution **From the booth to the Shopify order** Your rep writes the order at the booth, and it stays a quote until the program closes. ### 1. Market, The rep writes the order at the booth Uncap Quotes runs the configure, price, quote workflow inside the Shopify admin. - The dealer's negotiated prices, tiers and volume breaks apply automatically - Finish, fabric and configuration pricing rules built during implementation - A show special outside the program routes to the right approver ### 2. Revise, The order stays a quote until the program closes A November swap from navy to charcoal is on the record. - A validity window - A full revision history - Dealers swap a fabric, drop a group or add a chat set ### 3. Convert, The approved quote becomes a Shopify order When the program closes, the approved quote converts to a Shopify order in one click. - Program due dates applied as the order converts, built during implementation - Dating terms passed to the ERP as the terms of record - Uncap Connect keeps inventory, orders, customers and pricing in two-way sync Each step below maps to a shipped Uncap product or to work built during implementation, and says which. **The market order is a quote until the program closes.** [Uncap Quotes](https://www.uncap.com/products/quotes) runs the configure, price, quote workflow inside the Shopify admin. Your rep writes the order at the booth, and the dealer's negotiated prices, tiers and volume breaks apply automatically. The pricing rules for your line, frame finish by fabric grade by configuration, are built during implementation on top of that workflow. The dealer gets a branded quote document. A show special outside the program routes to the right approver. The order stays a quote until the program closes, with a validity window and a full revision history, so a November swap from navy to charcoal is on the record. When the program closes, the approved quote converts to a Shopify order in one click. **Dealer accounts see their own program.** In [Uncap Portal](https://www.uncap.com/products/portal), each buyer sees their assortment and pricing, so a stocking dealer, a specialty store and a pool and spa account each see their own program. Multi-user accounts with roles and permissions let the owner and the floor manager both order. In season, reorder lists and order history are a click away for fill-ins. Net terms, invoices and payments sit in the portal. Program minimums, floor sample eligibility, and the freight damage and warranty claim workflow are configured during implementation. **Dating programs are built during implementation.** The program's due dates are defined once, applied to each early-buy order as it converts, and passed to the ERP as the terms of record. Shopify's native net terms still cover in-season orders. **Freight logic is configured during implementation.** KD and assembled versions carry their own carton dimensions and weights, so the freight estimate uses the density the carrier will. Truckload and LTL thresholds, liftgate and residential delivery, and white glove service where you offer it are configured as delivery options, not buried in a flat rate. **The ERP stays the system of record.** [Uncap Connect](https://www.uncap.com/products/connect) runs real-time, two-way sync of inventory, orders, customers and pricing, and it syncs customer-specific pricing, credit terms and tax rules the way B2B operations work. Every record change lands in an audit trail. Integrations are delivered through an owned Uncap Connect app or a managed iPaaS integration, depending on your environment. If you run [Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central](https://www.uncap.com/integration/dynamics-365-business-central), Microsoft ships its own Shopify connector. The honest first step is to test it against one real early-buy order with dating before paying for more. **Whose pricing is it: the storefront's or the ERP's?** That is the fair question to ask of any dealer portal sitting in front of Business Central. In this build the answer is the ERP's. Pricing and terms pull from the ERP into Uncap Quotes, and Connect syncs customer-specific pricing, credit terms and tax rules both ways. Where portals fail is the integration layer. Shopify's own help center warns that [some integrations "aren't fully compatible with Shopify B2B, specifically companies and catalogs."](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/b2b/reports-and-automations/external-integrations) Connect is built for B2B pricing, credit terms and customer data, and it is embedded in Shopify, with no extra platform for your team to log into or babysit. **Warranty parts are built during implementation.** A record of which collections each dealer bought, by season and frame tag, is set up during implementation. Replacement slings, straps, glides and cushions are then matched to it, so a warranty call starts from the order history. **Proof, at its true distance.** Uncap migrated [Vermont Woods Studios](https://www.uncap.com/work/vermontwoods), which crafts handmade furniture from sustainably grown wood in North America, to Shopify Plus. It is indoor furniture and a migration rather than a dealer program, so treat it as adjacent proof. Peggy Farabaugh, Founder and CEO: "The migration was much more complex than most but the folks at Uncap led us step by step through the process." ## Key features **What Uncap builds for outdoor furniture manufacturers and importers** The quote workflow, dealer accounts and ERP sync are shipped products, while pricing rules, dating programs, freight logic and warranty workflow are built during implementation. ### 01 · Quotes, Market orders as quotes Written at the booth in the Shopify admin, with the finish, fabric and configuration pricing rules built during implementation. ### 02 · Revisions, Revisions that keep their history A December fabric swap stays on a full revision history, so the order that ships is the one the dealer approved. ### 03 · Dating, Preseason dating programs Program due dates applied to every early-buy order as it converts, built during implementation. ### 04 · Dealer programs, Each dealer's own program Each buyer sees their assortment and pricing. - Stocking dealer - Patio specialist - Pool and spa account ### 05 · Floor samples, Floor sample programs Program pricing, minimums and eligibility per account, configured during implementation. ### 06 · Fill-ins, In-season fill-ins Reorder lists and order history a click away when a group sells through in May. ### 07 · Freight, Freight by the carton Freight options configured during implementation around your actual cartons. - KD and assembled dimensions - LTL thresholds - Liftgate and white glove options ### 08 · Warranty, Damage and warranty workflow Freight damage, warranty claims and replacement parts tracked against the dealer's order history, built during implementation. ### 09 · ERP, ERP in real-time, two-way sync Pricing, credit terms and orders kept consistent with Business Central, Sage 100 and other published integrations. **Market orders as quotes.** Written at the booth in the Shopify admin, with the finish, fabric and configuration pricing rules built during implementation. **Revisions that keep their history.** A December fabric swap stays on a full revision history, so the order that ships is the one the dealer approved. **Preseason dating programs.** Program due dates applied to every early-buy order as it converts, built during implementation. **Each dealer's own program.** Each buyer sees their assortment and pricing, whether a stocking dealer, a patio specialist or a pool and spa account. **Floor sample programs.** Program pricing, minimums and eligibility per account, configured during implementation. **In-season fill-ins.** Reorder lists and order history a click away when a group sells through in May. **Freight by the carton.** KD and assembled dimensions, LTL thresholds, liftgate and white glove options, configured during implementation. **Damage and warranty workflow.** Freight damage, warranty claims and replacement parts tracked against the dealer's order history, built during implementation. **ERP in real-time, two-way sync.** Pricing, credit terms and orders kept consistent with Business Central, Sage 100 and other published integrations. ## Why Uncap **The calendar is the design brief.** A standard dealer portal is built for in-season reorders. A wholesale patio furniture build starts with the order written at market and follows it to the dealer's floor. **Honest about what ships and what gets built.** The quote workflow, dealer accounts and ERP sync are shipped products. Your pricing rules, dating programs, freight logic and warranty workflow are built during implementation, and you see them in the scope and the price. **On Shopify since 2013.** Uncap is a Shopify Platinum Partner, on Shopify since 2013, with 380+ unified storefronts launched on Shopify. **Scoped before it is built.** An Uncap [Blueprint](https://www.uncap.com/blueprint) maps the solution architecture, audits the ERP integration and prototypes the dealer flows at a flat fee before any build begins. You walk away with everything you need to brief any agency or your own team. ## Related pages This page sits under [Home Goods](https://www.uncap.com/industry/home-goods), which covers finished goods sold in case packs to retail, EDI and drop ship. This page covers what the hub does not: the configured, preseason order cycle for residential outdoor furniture. Contract outdoor furniture for hotels, resorts and restaurants belongs on [Furniture and Contract Furnishing](https://www.uncap.com/industry/furniture-contract-furnishing), where project quoting, COM and specification drive the sale. For payment terms in more depth, see the guide to [Shopify net terms for wholesale buyers](https://www.uncap.com/post/shopify-net-terms). Brands on Sage should read the [Sage 100 integration page](https://www.uncap.com/integration/sage-100). ## Ready to talk Bring last season's market order form and your dating program sheet. Between them they hold the matrix, the pricing and the terms your dealers signed. Book a strategy session with Uncap, or start with a Blueprint if what you need first is the preseason order cycle and ERP integration written down and costed. ## Frequently asked questions ### Should our dealer portal be ERP-first, with Business Central as the system of record? Yes, Business Central should stay the system of record, and a Shopify build can run that way. In Uncap Quotes, pricing and terms pull from the ERP. Uncap Connect runs real-time, two-way sync of inventory, orders, customers and pricing, including customer-specific pricing, credit terms and tax rules. The real risk sits in the integration layer: Shopify's own documentation warns that integrations not built for B2B can map company and pricing data incorrectly. Test any option against one real early-buy order with dating before you sign. ### Can Shopify carry preseason dating terms on early-buy orders? Yes, but a dating program is built during implementation rather than switched on. Shopify B2B assigns company locations net terms from net 7 to net 90, and a fixed-date term is available on individual draft orders. A program that puts the same due dates on hundreds of early-buy orders needs those dates defined once and applied as each order converts. The ERP remains the record of the terms, and Uncap Connect keeps credit terms in sync between the two systems. ### Can dealers configure frame finish, fabric grade and seating configuration? Yes, with the pricing rules for your line built during implementation. Uncap Quotes runs the configure, price, quote workflow inside the Shopify admin and applies each dealer's negotiated prices, tiers and volume breaks automatically. The rules that price a group by finish, fabric and configuration sit on top, so the dealer sees one price. Customer's own material (COM) on cushions is handled the same way. ### Can an early-buy order change after market? Yes, and every change keeps its history. Dealers routinely swap a fabric, drop a group or add a chat set between market and shipment. In Uncap Quotes the order stays a quote until the program closes, with a validity window and a full revision history. When it closes, the approved quote converts to a Shopify order in one click. ### How is LTL freight handled for KD and assembled furniture? Freight logic is configured during implementation around your actual cartons. KD and assembled versions of a group carry their own dimensions and weights. That matters because the NMFC changes of July 19, 2025 gave LTL carriers a standard density scale. Truckload thresholds, liftgate, residential delivery and white glove service are set up as delivery options. The damage claim workflow, from delivery receipt to credit, is built during implementation and tied to the order. ### How are floor sample and showroom programs priced? Through account-level pricing in Uncap Portal, with program rules configured during implementation. Each buyer sees their assortment and pricing, so a showroom dealer can see floor-set program pricing that a small pool and spa account does not. Minimums and eligibility for the program are set up during implementation. Rotations and end-of-season sample orders stay on the account's order history instead of a side spreadsheet. ### Which ERPs does this work with? Uncap publishes integration pages for twelve ERP families, including Microsoft Dynamics and Sage, with product pages for Business Central and Sage 100. For Business Central, Microsoft ships its own Shopify connector, and it is worth testing first against a real dating program. Where you need more, Uncap delivers integrations through an owned Uncap Connect app or a managed iPaaS integration. The Uncap team confirms fit for your specific ERP. ### What is the difference between this page and the home goods page? The order cycle. The home goods page covers finished goods sold in case packs to retail accounts, where the hard parts are EDI, retail compliance and drop ship. This page covers configured outdoor furniture ordered a season ahead, where the hard parts are the finish and fabric matrix, preseason dating, LTL freight and warranty parts. Brands selling both share the account and ERP layers. ### Does this page cover commercial outdoor furniture for hotels and restaurants? No. Contract outdoor furniture for hotels, resorts and restaurants belongs on the Furniture and Contract Furnishing page, where project quoting, COM and specification drive the sale. This page covers residential outdoor furniture sold through specialty patio retailers, pool and spa dealers and furniture stores. Brands selling into both share the configuration and ERP layers across the two builds.