E-Commerce Brand Saves 42 Hours Per Week with n8n Automation

We built 14 interconnected n8n workflows that replaced the manual data pipeline entirely. The core order processing workflow triggers on new Shopify orders: it validates the order, checks inventory in real-time, creates the ShipStation shipment with the correct carrier and service level, generates the QuickBooks invoice, and sends the customer a branded confirmation email—all within 90 seconds of order placement. Inventory sync runs bidirectionally between Shopify and the warehouse management system every 15 minutes, with conflict resolution logic that prioritizes warehouse counts (the physical source of truth) and flags discrepancies for review rather than silently overwriting. The return processing workflow handles the entire chain: customer submits a return request, the system categorizes the reason, generates a prepaid shipping label, tracks the inbound package, processes the refund on receipt confirmation, adjusts inventory, and creates the QuickBooks credit memo. We added a GPT-4o node that categorizes inbound customer service emails by intent and urgency—the model reads each email, tags it (order status, return request, product question, complaint, or other), and routes it to the appropriate workflow or team member. Low-stock alerts fire to Slack when any SKU drops below its reorder threshold, with a direct link to the supplier reorder form. Exception handling is built into every workflow: if any step fails, the workflow pauses, logs the error context, and sends a Slack notification with a one-click retry button.