Virtual Stock integration allows you to connect with dropshipping suppliers including Argos, John Lewis, Dixons, and other Virtual Stock partners. Once connected, orders import automatically, stock levels sync to keep suppliers updated, and despatch information sends back when orders ship. You'll need an existing agreement with your Virtual Stock dropshipping supplier and credentials from your Virtual Stock account manager to set this up.
Important: Virtual Stock is a Premium integration with an associated cost. Contact your Account Manager to discuss enabling this feature.
Integration features
Virtual Stock integration provides:
Order sync
Stock sync
Product sync (API integration only)
Despatch updates (status and tracking information)
Supported dropshipping suppliers
You can connect to dropshipping suppliers including Argos, John Lewis, Dixons, Wilko, and Robert Dyas through Virtual Stock. You must have an existing agreement with the Virtual Stock dropshipping supplier to use this integration.
Note: When creating a connection, select Other as the Account Type if your dropshipping supplier isn't listed in the Account Type options.
Before you start
Before adding the Virtual Stock connection, obtain your credentials from your Virtual Stock account manager. You'll need:
Username (required for all integration types).
Password (required for all integration types).
FTP Server hostname (required only for FTP integration type, for example ftp.virtualstock.com).
Add a Virtual Stock connection
To add a Virtual Stock connection, follow these steps:
Click Connect, then click Order Integrations.
Click the Premium tab.
Click Virtual Stock, then click Add Account.
(3PL only) Select the Client.
Select the Warehouse and Channel.
Choose your integration type
Integration Type - Select your integration method:
API (recommended) - Uses Virtual Stock REST API for real-time integration.
Supports product sync.
FTP (legacy) - Uses SFTP file exchange. Only use if required by your Virtual Stock setup.
Product sync is not available with FTP.
If using API integration
Enter your Username and Password provided by Virtual Stock.
Set the Account Type:
Argos.
Dixons.
John Lewis.
Other (use for dropshipping suppliers not listed above, such as Wilko, Robert Dyas, etc).
Set Field to Map to External Order Reference:
CustomerReference - Maps to end_user_purchase_order_reference from Virtual Stock.
RetailerReference - Maps to additional_order_reference from Virtual Stock.
SupplierReference - Maps to purchase_order_reference from Virtual Stock.
Set Field to Map to Order Number:
OrderNumber - Uses Virtual Stock order_reference (default, recommended).
CustomerReference - Uses end_user_purchase_order_reference.
RetailerReference - Uses additional_order_reference.
SupplierReference - Uses purchase_order_reference.
Tip: Choose the mapping that matches your Virtual Stock supplier's order numbering convention. OrderNumber (order_reference) is recommended for most suppliers.
If using FTP integration
Enter the FTP Server hostname provided by your Virtual Stock account manager (for example ftp.virtualstock.com).
Enter your Username and Password for SFTP access.
Set the Account Type:
Argos.
Dixons.
John Lewis.
Other (use for dropshipping suppliers not listed above, such as Wilko or Robert Dyas).
Common settings for all integration types
Frequency - Set how often to import orders in minutes.
Default is 15 minutes. Range is 15 to 1440 minutes.
(Optional) Turn on IgnoreLinesWithoutPromisedDates:
API integration: Order lines without a promised_date value will be skipped and logged as VS_IGNORED_LINE in order notes.
FTP integration: Lines without promised dates are always ignored regardless of this setting • This is useful for filtering out return lines or items not ready for fulfilment.
Turn on Sync Stock Levels and set the Stock Sync Frequency in minutes.
Range is 15 to 1440 minutes.
When enabled, Mintsoft sends stock level updates to Virtual Stock.
Only stock from the selected Warehouse is synced.
Stock updates include both primary SKU and any Alternative Codes mapped to Virtual Stock.
Updates are sent for products that have changed since the last sync.
For Argos or John Lewis: Updates the free_stock field.
For other suppliers: Updates the supplier_free_stock field
(API only) Turn on Sync New Products and set the Product Sync Frequency in hours.
Default is 1 hour.
When enabled, Mintsoft automatically creates new products when they appear in your Virtual Stock catalogue.
Product SKU and Name are set to the Virtual Stock part_number.
Product image is imported if available.
Products are created with BackOrder enabled.
Product names longer than 99 characters will be truncated, with overflow moved to Description
(Optional) Turn on Test Mode if you're testing with Virtual Stock:
API integration: Uses Virtual Stock sandbox API endpoints (api.sandbox.virtualstock.com) instead of production.
FTP integration: Uses the uat folder instead of live folder on the SFTP server.
Enable this during initial testing. Disable for live order processing.
Set Active to Yes when ready to start processing.
Click Add.
FTP integration file exchange
If you're using FTP integration type, the file exchange process works as follows.
Incoming orders
Mintsoft reads order files from the /incoming/ folder (or /uat/incoming/ in Test Mode).
Order files are named order-*.csv.
After processing, files are moved to the /logs/ folder.
Outgoing files
Acknowledgements: Written to /outgoing/ as order-{OrderNumber}-{timestamp}.ack with a .DONE marker file.
Despatch updates: Written to /outgoing/ as dispatch-{OrderNumber}-{timestamp}.txt with a .DONE marker file.
Stock feed: Written to /outgoing/ as {ClientName}-STOCK-FEED.csv.
File formats
All files use CSV format with quoted fields.
Stock feed contains argos_sku and inventory columns.
Despatch files include carrier, tracking number, tracking URL per line.
Each file includes a checksum row count at the end.
Limitations
Product sync is not available with FTP integration.
Stock sync sends full catalogue, not incremental updates.
Stock sync field mapping
When integrating with Argos or John Lewis, the free_stock field syncs to Virtual Stock. For all other account types (Dixons, Other), the supplier_free_stock field syncs to Virtual Stock.
Trigger a full stock sync
If stock levels become out of sync between Mintsoft and Virtual Stock, you can trigger a full stock sync. To trigger a full stock sync, follow these steps:
Click Connect, then click Order Integrations.
Click the Premium tab.
Click Virtual Stock.
Click Trigger Full Stock Sync next to your connection.
The next stock sync will send all product stock levels instead of only changed products.
Order import status
Mintsoft only imports orders with status order from the Virtual Stock API (displayed as New Order in the Virtual Stock portal). Orders in other statuses are not imported.
How Virtual Stock integration works
Understanding how the integration processes orders, stock, and despatch updates helps you troubleshoot issues and optimise your setup.
Order import and deduplication
Mintsoft checks both order_reference and order_number from Virtual Stock to prevent duplicate imports.
Only orders with status order (displayed as New Order in Virtual Stock) are imported.
Orders are automatically acknowledged to Virtual Stock after successful import.
Automatic order acknowledgement
After importing an order, Mintsoft sends an acknowledgement back to Virtual Stock.
For John Lewis orders, additional fields are included:
supplier_delivery_date - Calculated delivery date.
fulfillment_route - Set to Direct to Customer.
sub_status - Set to Pending.
Bundle products: Quantities are adjusted to original bundle quantity in acknowledgements.
Despatch updates
When you despatch an order in Mintsoft, tracking information automatically sends to Virtual Stock.
Includes carrier name, tracking number, tracking URL, despatch date, and per-line quantities.
For bundle products, quantities are converted back to original bundle quantity.
Stock sync behaviour
Stock sync sends available stock from the selected Warehouse only (not global stock).
If you use Alternative Codes mapped to Virtual Stock, updates send for both primary SKU and alternative codes.
Stock sync is incremental (only changed products) unless you trigger a full stock sync.
Product sync (API only)
New products from Virtual Stock are automatically created in Mintsoft.
Product SKU and Name are set to Virtual Stock part_number.
Products are created with BackOrder enabled.
Product images are imported if available in Virtual Stock.
Dropship support
If a product in the order is configured for dropshipping in Mintsoft, a separate dropship order is created automatically.
The original order comment will note the dropship order creation.