Vendor database (profiles, product catalogs, compliance documents, contacts)

Supplier integration (EDI, API, CSV, portals to sync product availability and pricing)

Performance tracking (on-time delivery rates, defect/return rates, cost competitiveness)

Tiering & prioritization (preferred vendors vs backup vendors)

Contract & compliance tracking (certifications, expiration reminders, legal docs)

Automated purchase orders (POs) triggered when stock runs low (by SKU, warehouse, or region)

Approval workflows (multi-level approvals for high-value or sensitive items)

Vendor selection logic (cheapest vendor, fastest delivery, region-specific vendor)

Order routing (decide which supplier fulfills a product automatically)

Dropship routing (if no stock, auto-send order to vendor that ships directly to customer)

Landed cost calculation (consider tariffs, duties, shipping when reordering)

Real-time procurement status tracking (PO issued → confirmed → shipped → received)

🔹 Example Scenario

Let’s say you sell electronics globally:

Vendor A: Manufacturer in China

Vendor B: Distributor in Germany

Vendor C: Dropshipper in the US

Without procurement workflows:

Stock runs out in EU warehouse, and someone manually emails Vendor A (China). Shipping takes 4 weeks → customers wait.

With vendor management & procurement workflows:

The platform detects low stock in EU warehouse.

It auto-generates a PO to Vendor B (Germany), who restocks in 3 days.

If Vendor B is out of stock, workflow routes order to Vendor A (China), with cost/delivery estimates shown.

👉 In short: Vendor management & procurement workflows in eCommerce ensure that your platform not only sells products but also keeps your supply chain humming globally — with the right products, from the right vendors, at the right time, without manual firefighting.