Not every customer wants to drive to your shop to buy cigars. Some already know exactly what they want and just need a way to order it. Others might be traveling and want to ship something home. An online store doesn’t replace your physical location — it extends it, giving customers another way to buy from you on their terms.
How It Works #
TORO integrates with WooCommerce to power your online storefront. The idea is simple: your TORO inventory and your website share the same stock. When someone buys a box online, the quantity drops in-store. When you sell that last fiver off the shelf, it disappears from the website. No spreadsheets, no manual updates, no accidentally selling something you don’t have.
Products get published from TORO to your online store with images, descriptions, and pricing. Online orders flow back into TORO for fulfillment. Customer accounts link up so that someone who buys online and someone who walks in the door can be the same person in your system.
What You Get #
Product catalog sync — the items you publish appear on your website with all the details attached. Pricing, images, descriptions, stock levels.
Shared inventory — this is the big one. One pool of stock for both channels. Sell one online, it’s gone in-store. Receive a shipment in TORO, it shows up on the website. No double-selling.
Order management — online orders appear in TORO alongside your regular business. You can see what was ordered, who ordered it, and where it needs to go.
Linked customer accounts — if someone creates an account on your website and they already exist in TORO, those accounts connect. Their purchase history, loyalty points, and preferences stay unified.
Online-specific pricing — if you want to charge differently online (to cover shipping costs, or to offer web-only deals), you can set that up separately from your in-store pricing.
Fulfilling Orders #
When an order comes in from the website, here’s the flow:
- The order appears in TORO with all the details — items, quantities, customer info, shipping address
- Review it to make sure everything looks right and is in stock
- Pick and pack the order
- Ship it out and enter tracking information
- Mark it as fulfilled in TORO — this updates the website and triggers a notification to the customer
Most shops batch their online orders and fulfill them at a set time each day rather than reacting to each one individually. Find a rhythm that works for your volume.
Things to Think About #
Shipping logistics. You’ll need to configure shipping options and rates. Flat rate, weight-based, free shipping over a certain amount — whatever makes sense for your business. Factor in packaging costs too, especially for premium cigars that need humidity protection during transit.
Age verification. You’re selling tobacco products online. Depending on your state and local regulations, you may need additional age verification at checkout or delivery. Know your requirements.
Product photography. This matters more than you think. In-store, customers can pick up a box, read the band, feel the wrapper. Online, all they have is your photo. Good lighting, clean backgrounds, and multiple angles make a real difference in conversion rates.
Product descriptions. Be specific. Origin, wrapper type, strength, size, tasting notes — these are the details that help someone decide to buy when they can’t hold the cigar in their hand. Write descriptions the way you’d talk to a customer asking about it in the shop.
Inventory buffer. Consider whether you want to hold back some stock from the online store. If you’ve got five boxes of something popular, maybe only list three online so you don’t sell out for walk-in customers. This is a judgment call based on your traffic and sales mix.
Returns. Online return policies often need to be different from in-store. Shipping costs, condition of returned products, and timelines all come into play. Decide on a policy before you start selling online, not after the first return request.
Who This Is For #
Most TORO shops using the online store aren’t trying to become Amazon. They’re brick-and-mortar stores that want to give their existing customers a convenient way to reorder, reach customers outside their immediate area, or let people browse their selection before making the trip. It works best as a complement to what you’re already doing, not a replacement for it.
