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Webhooks

Process managementIntermediate Level

A webhook is an automatic HTTP message one app sends to a URL you choose when an event happens, such as a new order or a stock change.

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What is Webhooks?

A webhook is an automatic HTTP message that one application sends to a URL you choose as soon as a specific event happens, such as a new order, a stock change or a product update. Instead of your system asking for changes, the other system pushes them to you. The message usually carries a JSON payload with the event type and the changed data, plus a signature so the receiver can check it is genuine. The difference with an API call is direction: with an API you poll for data on your schedule, with a webhook the sender notifies you when something changes. Webhooks are common in online stores to trigger fulfillment, update a feed or refresh a cache. For product data that moves on a schedule rather than per event, see automations.

Why Webhooks matters for e-commerce

An online store depends on many systems that need to know about the same events: the shop, the warehouse, accounting, email and marketplaces. Webhooks let each system react to an order, a refund or a stock change without polling every few minutes. That reduces load and delays, as long as the receiving side handles retries, duplicates and failed deliveries well.

Examples of Webhooks

  • 1Event: orders/create, Sender: Shopify, Receiver: Warehouse system starts picking
  • 2Event: Stock reaches zero, Sender: ERP, Receiver: Webshop hides the add-to-cart button
  • 3Event: Payment refunded, Sender: Payment provider, Receiver: Accounting tool books a credit
  • 4Event: Product updated, Sender: Webshop, Receiver: Search index refreshes the product
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How WISEPIM Helps

  • Opt-in auto-sync pushes a saved product to connected platforms about 30 seconds later.
  • Auto-sync covers Magento 2, Shopify, WooCommerce, Lightspeed eCom, Ecwid, CCV Shop, Kaufland, PrestaShop, ShopWired and Google Merchant Center.
  • Scheduled imports and exports run through automations with hourly, daily, weekly or monthly triggers.
  • The public API (Pro plan) lets your own systems read and update product data.

Common mistakes with Webhooks

  • Skipping signature checks, so anyone can post fake events to your endpoint.
  • Doing slow work before responding, which makes the sender time out and retry.
  • Not handling duplicate deliveries of the same event.
  • Having no fallback sync when webhooks fail for a while.

Tips for Webhooks

  • Respond with a 200 status first and process the event in a background job.
  • Store the event ID and skip events you have already handled.
  • Verify the signature with the secret the sender gives you.
  • Monitor failed deliveries and run a scheduled sync as a safety net.

Trends around Webhooks

  • Platforms add event filters so you only receive the fields you care about.
  • Event buses and queues sit between the webhook and the app for reliability.
  • Standard signing schemes make verification easier across providers.
  • Teams combine webhooks with a periodic full sync to catch missed events.

Tools for Webhooks

  • Webhook.site or RequestBin for inspecting test payloads
  • ngrok for exposing a local endpoint during development
  • Zapier or Make for no-code webhook flows
  • Queue services such as AWS SQS for reliable processing

Related Terms

CPQ (Configure, Price, Quote) IntegrationLow-Code IntegrationProduct Content Supply ChainRPA for Data EntryZero-Touch Product Onboarding

Also Known As

HTTP callbackReverse APIEvent notificationWeb callback

Frequently Asked Questions

Common examples are sending new orders to a warehouse system, hiding products when stock hits zero, booking refunds in accounting and refreshing a search index when a product changes. Each one starts from an event in the shop or another system.

With an API your system asks for data when it wants it. With a webhook the other system sends data to your URL when an event happens, so you do not need to poll.

Wise, the payment company, offers webhooks that notify your system about events such as transfer status changes or balance updates. They work like any webhook: you register a URL and verify each signed message.

Use HTTPS, verify the signature on every message with the shared secret, and reject requests that fail the check. Also limit what the endpoint can do and log every event you receive.

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