Product-page viewing requests connected to an in-store workflow

What was happening

The online catalog also supported physical-store visits. A generic contact form could collect an enquiry, but it would not reliably identify the product or restrict location choices to branches that handled its brand. The request needed to fit the team's existing follow-up workflow.

Why the obvious solution was not enough

Not every location carried every brand. The form needed a useful empty state when no location participated, consistent contact formatting, and clear submission feedback. Storefront presentation and workflow delivery also needed separate responsibilities so each could be maintained independently.

How the solution works

1. Place the viewing-request interface on the product page and carry the current product context into the request.
2. Filter branch choices by the product's brand, with a fallback for the available catalog data and a clear state when no participating location is found.
3. Collect the contact information and selected location needed for follow-up, keeping the request tied to the product the shopper was viewing.
4. Normalize phone formatting before handing the request to the downstream workflow.
5. Use a small Node.js serverless function on Vercel to relay the submission to Zapier, keeping storefront interaction separate from workflow delivery.
6. Handle loading, success, and failure in the form so the shopper knows whether the request was submitted.
7. Check the branch-filtering conditions against products with different brand data rather than relying on one working example.

What should be verified before shipping

• Test products carried by several branches, one branch, and no participating branch.
• Verify brand filtering and fallback behavior with incomplete catalog data.
• Confirm the product and selected location remain associated with the submitted request.
• Check required fields, phone normalization, loading feedback, and failed submission handling.
• Verify a successful request reaches the downstream workflow with the context needed for follow-up.

What changed

The product page became an entry point to the in-store enquiry process. Customers could request a relevant location, and the team's automation received the request with its product and branch context intact.

Reusable lesson

An integration is useful when it preserves the context people need to act. Carry the product and location through the workflow instead of asking staff to reconstruct them later.