Fluent Connect uses AI to speed retail integrations

Fluent Commerce has launched Fluent Connect, an AI-based integration platform that it says reduces the time and cost of connecting its order management system with third-party retail and logistics software.

The company positions integration work as a major contributor to the duration and budget of order management system projects. Fluent Commerce said integrations can account for around half of a typical implementation effort.

Fluent Connect sits alongside Fluent Order Management. It targets connections with systems that retailers and brands often run alongside an OMS, including payment gateways, carriers and point-of-sale systems. The company also cited connections with marketplaces and advertising platforms as use cases.

Fluent Commerce said the platform can reduce delivery times for integrations from "months to days", and in some cases from "weeks-and-months to hours-and-days". It did not provide customer examples or figures for implementation costs.

Graham Jackson, Chief Executive Officer of Fluent Commerce, framed the product around speed of change in retail technology and the demands on internal teams managing deployments.

"Our customers want to innovate fast, but integrations have traditionally been a drag on speed and cost," said Graham Jackson, CEO, Fluent Commerce. "Fluent Connect changes that. We're giving our customers access to AI-powered integration capabilities that help them go live faster, scale faster, and keep up with innovation and growth."

Integration focus

Order management systems sit at the centre of a retail technology stack. They manage order routing, fulfilment decisions and inventory availability across stores, warehouses and other locations. For many retailers, OMS programmes involve connecting a wide range of existing systems, some of which may be bespoke or have limited modern interfaces.

Fluent Connect includes pre-built connectors and AI-assisted mapping, according to the company. It also includes what Fluent Commerce described as AI-built connectors. Fluent Commerce said it will support and maintain these connectors itself.

The company said maintenance and connector support has a direct impact on total cost of ownership. It argued that managing and updating connectors has historically added ongoing cost and complexity for retailers after initial implementation.

Deployment options

Fluent Commerce said Fluent Connect supports several integration styles. It cited flat file exchange for older systems, and data sharing with newer technologies, including large language models.

The company presented this range as a way to handle mixed technology environments. Many retailers still run older systems for store operations, merchandising or logistics. At the same time, they often add newer services in areas such as marketing technology and customer engagement.

Fluent Commerce did not specify which third-party platforms have connectors available at launch. It also did not detail how AI-assisted mapping operates, or how customers govern data flows and testing during an integration.

Product availability

Fluent Commerce said Fluent Connect is available immediately for new and existing customers of Fluent Order Management.

Fluent Commerce sells order management and distributed order management software. The company said it works with retailers and brands including JD Sports, L'Oréal, Prada Group, ALDO Group, LVMH, Dulux and Kingfisher.

Jackson said the platform reflects how the company sees integration work affecting project outcomes and timeframes for retailers.