Mastermind Toys unifies inventory across 70+ locations to power seamless omnichannel fulfillment

Master mind Toys partners with Tidal Commerce to integrate Microsoft NAV and Shopify Plus, managing 45,000+ product variants and enabling accurate Buy Online, Pick-Up In-Store (BOPIS) at scale. 

Background 

Master mind Toys is a retail giant operating 70 live locations (69 retail stores and 1warehouse) with plans to scale to 85 locations. With a massive catalog of10,000 products and approximately 45,000 variants, the brand required a sophisticated architecture to manage inventory visibility and order routing across its expanding physical footprint. 

Challenge

The primary challenge was ensuring inventory accuracy across a complex network of retail outlets and a central warehouse. Implementing a reliable BOPIS solution required that the Online Store inventory be perfectly synchronized with physical locations to prevent overselling. 

As the number of locations increased, reconciling inventory frequently became a significant technical hurdle. The brand needed a solution that could handle high-volume data synchronization while integrating legacy systems with modern commerce tools. 

ERP System 

Microsoft NAV 

Industry 

Toys, Crafts & Gifts, Unified Retail  

Solution 

Tidal Commerce architected a solution that positioned Microsoft NAV as the central Source of Truth (SoT) for products, inventory, and orders. NAV acts as the hub, functioning not just as an ERP but as a centralized Inventory Management System (IMS) that connects all retail locations and Shopify. 

Key architectural components included:

• Shopify Locations Integration: The Shopify store utilizes "Locations" to manage online store inventory. Tidal implemented middleware that allows the system to indirectly query inventory levels via API calls during the customer's purchasing journey, verifying stock in real-time before an order is placed. 

• BOPIS Custom Application: A custom app was deployed within the Shopify Admin to handle BOPIS fulfillment alongside the existing First Data POS system used at retail locations. 

• Advanced Reconciliation: To ensure data integrity, the team engineered three specific inventory jobs—Full Item Availability, Delta Item Availability, and Store Item Availability—that run frequently to reconcile inventory between the ERP and the Online Store. 

• Seamless User Experience: The solution includes intuitive "Find a Store" functionality, real-time stock visibility on product pages (showing "Ship to Home" vs. "Free Pick Up In-Store"), and clear checkout options that allow customers to select their preferred pickup location with ease. 

Platform and technology 

The architecture relies on a seamless flow of data between the legacy ERP and the modern commerce front-end. 

Microsoft NAV: Centralized ERP and Inventory Management System (IMS). 

Custom Middleware: Facilitates real-time API calls for inventory verification. 

Shopify Plus: Scalable commerce platform enabling robust BOPIS functionality. 

Outcomes

The implementation established a unified commerce ecosystem where the Online Store accurately reflects the complex inventory reality of 70+ physical locations. By distinguishing between "ship-to-home" orders (routed to the warehouse) and BOPIS orders (fulfilled via the custom admin app), Master mind Toys achieved operational efficiency and improved customer trust. 

The robust reconciliation strategy supports the brand's aggressive scaling plans, ensuring that as they grow to 85 locations, their digital infrastructure remains stable and accurate. 

Key results:

45,000+Variants Managed 

Successful synchronization of a complex product catalog across digital and physical channels. 

70+Locations Unified 

Real-time inventory visibility across 69 retail stores and a central warehouse. 

3-TierReconciliation 

Implementation of Full, Delta, and Store Item availability jobs to guarantee data accuracy. 

Scalable Architecture 

A future-proof stack designed to support the brand's expansion to 85 locations and beyond.