Merchant Onboarding Flow: Launching New Stores

NOTE: THIS IS A NEW ONBOARDING FLOW AND DETAILS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE

New Merchant onboarding is handled by the streamlined Self-Serve Integration Onboarding (SSIO) flow, designed to significantly reduce the time from sign-up to going live. This onboarding process automates manual steps and provides greater visibility for Merchants, Partners, and DoorDash operators.

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API List

API	Purpose	Direction
Logging API	Capture milestone completions for all pre-work for each Merchant	Partner → DoorDash
Onboarding Request	Initiate onboarding for each Merchant; retrieve unique sign-up/sign-in URL	Partner → DoorDash
Store Onboarding Status Webhook	Consume current integration onboarding status; surface to Merchant in Partner portal	DoorDash → Partner
Catalog Pull	Host an API that passes robust item details upon request from DoorDash to support new store onboarding	Request: DoorDash → Partner Response: Partner → DoorDash (verbose)
Inventory Pull	Host an API that passes item pricing/availability information upon request from DoorDash to support new store onboarding	Request: DoorDash → Partner Response: Partner → DoorDash (verbose)
Store Hours Pull	Host an API that passes store hours info upon request from DoorDash to support new store onboarding	Request: DoorDash → Partner Response: Partner → DoorDash (verbose)

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A. Merchant Eligibility Requirements

Partners must require Merchants to meet minimum Catalog data quality requirements to be eligible for a DoorDash integration. Merchants should not be allowed to begin the DoorDash onboarding flow without meeting the minimum eligibility requirements.

Minimum Requirement

At least 200 items must contain the following attributes:

1. Item name
2. Merchant-supplied item ID
3. UPC
4. Size
5. Extended size

Recommended Attributes

Including the following attributes will reduce the time it takes for new items to go live:

• Image
• Brand name
• Description

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B. Pre-work within Partner Portal

Merchants intending to integrate with DoorDash Marketplace through the Partner system must complete pre-work before initiating integration onboarding.

Typical pre-work steps include:

• Adding the DoorDash add-on from the Partner's app marketplace
• Paying any required integration service fees
• Preparing a specific DoorDash menu for use with the integration
• Completing any internal Partner configuration steps

The Partner is expected to inform DoorDash via API upon completion of each pre-work milestone for each Merchant, beginning from the expression of initial interest (e.g., clicking on the add-on in the Partner's app marketplace).

Required Milestone Information

Each Logging API call must include:

• Partner's ID for the store
• Partner's ID for the parent business
• Timestamp of milestone completion
• Description of the milestone

Milestone Field Notes

• The milestone field is free text / JSON and may accommodate any value.
• It does not need to conform to DoorDash-side standardization.
• It must be consistent across stores (the same milestone should use the same text value).

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Logging API

Endpoint

POST https://openapi.doordash.com/api/v2/stores/logging

Request Body

{
  "partner_store_id": "abc123_456def",
  "partner_business_id": "ghi789_101jkl",
  "milestone_datetime": "2022-07-22T10:35:17",
  "milestone": "add-on clicked for first time"
}

Required Fields

Field	Type	Required	Description
partner_store_id	string	Yes	Unique store identifier in Partner system
partner_business_id	string	Yes	Unique parent business identifier in Partner system
milestone_datetime	string (ISO-8601)	Yes	Timestamp of milestone completion
milestone	string	Yes	Description of milestone

---

Error Response (400)

Validation error or malformed request due to missing required information.

{
  "message": "INVALID_ARGUMENT: X is required"
}

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C. Onboarding Initiation

Once Partner pre-work is complete, the Merchant clicks the add-on within the Partner portal to initiate onboarding to the DoorDash integration.

The Partner must then send a store onboarding request to the DoorDash Onboarding API.

Important Notes

• Until the onboarding status BUSINESS_ID_MAPPED has been received, the Merchant should retain access to the button used to initiate onboarding.
• The Partner must retain internal ability (accessible to non-engineering operators) to reinitiate onboarding.
• Only one store is supported per request. If multiple stores are passed, validation will fail.

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Endpoint

POST https://openapi.doordash.com/marketplace/api/v2/managed_merchant_connect_url
Content-Type: application/json

---

Request Body Example

{
  "location_id": "example_store_456",
  "location_group_id": "example_biz_123",
  "store_name": "Empanada Empire",
  "location_name": "Candler",
  "address": {
    "line_1": "101 DoorDash St.",
    "line_2": "Suite #5",
    "city": "Atlanta",
    "state": "GA",
    "zip": "30312"
  },
  "first_name": "James",
  "last_name": "Walnut",
  "email": "[email protected]",
  "business_phone": "+14124818894",
  "expected_go_live_date": "2026-01-15",
  "merchant_decision_maker_email": "[email protected]",
  "order_protocol": "POS",
  "fulfillment_protocol": "MERCHANT_PICK",
  "locale": "en-US"
}

---

Request Fields

Field	Type	Required	Description	Accepted Values
location_id	string	Yes	Unique identifier of the store in Partner system (becomes location_id in API calls)	-
location_group_id	string	Yes	Unique identifier of the parent business in Partner system	-
store_name	string	Yes	Customer-facing name of the store	-
location_name	string	No	Location-specific context	-
address.line_1	string	Yes	Street address	-
address.line_2	string	No	Apartment, suite, etc.	-
address.city	string	Yes	City	-
address.state	string	Yes	State (2-letter code)	e.g., GA
address.zip	string	Yes	ZIP/postal code	-
first_name	string	Yes	First name of user initiating request	-
last_name	string	Yes	Last name of user initiating request	-
email	string	Yes	Email for user initiating request (receives status updates)	-
business_phone	string	No	Phone number for requestor	-
expected_go_live_date	string (YYYY-MM-DD)	No	Expected activation date (best effort)	ISO date (YYYY-MM-DD)
merchant_decision_maker_email	string	Yes	Merchant email (must be Business Admin in DoorDash Merchant Portal)	-
order_protocol	enum	Yes	Order routing method	POS, TABLET
fulfillment_protocol	enum	Yes	Shopping/fulfillment protocol	MERCHANT_PICK, DASHER_PICK
locale	enum	Yes	Locale for onboarding flow	en-US

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Success Response (200)

{
  "managed_merchant_connect_url": "https://identity.doordash.com/auth/user/signup/?response_type=code&redirect_uri=..."
}

Success Response Fields

Field	Type	Description
managed_merchant_connect_url	string	Unique onboarding URL. By completion, Merchant will have a DoorDash account and linked store.

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Notes

• Only One Store is supported for now
  • The Partner must only pass one store in the payload. If multiple stores are passed, we will fail the validation.
• Redirect to DoorDash
  • The Partner must redirect the Merchant to the URL returned by this API.
  • DoorDash hosts and manages the full flow, including:
    • Merchant Authentication/Authorization
    • Store creation (if applicable)
    • Initiation of Provider linking
• DoorDash-hosted completion
  • After the Merchant completes the DoorDash-hosted steps:
    • DoorDash displays a confirmation page.
    • DoorDash continues the provider linking process asynchronously.
    • The confirmation page polls internally for the linking status.
• Terminal merchant experience
  • When the linking status reaches INTEGRATION_REQUESTED:
    • DoorDash informs the Merchant that the request has been received.
    • The Merchant is instructed to continue the remaining steps in the Provider’s portal.
    • The Merchant is prompted to close the tab.
• Redirect and status handling
  • DoorDash does not redirect the merchant back to the Provider’s portal.
  • DoorDash does not append any query parameters.
  • Providers must rely on backend status updates (e.g., webhooks or status APIs) to track progress after the Merchant closes the tab.

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Error Responses

400 --- Invalid Argument

{
  "error": "INVALID_ARGUMENT",
  "message": "merchant_decision_maker_email is required"
}

409 --- Store Already Exists

{
  "error": "STORE_ALREADY_EXISTS",
  "message": "Store with partner_store_id 'shopify_store_456' is already onboarded"
}

Error Status Codes

Status Code	Error	Description
400	Bad Request	Missing or invalid required field
401	Unauthorized	Invalid or expired API key
409	Conflict	Store already onboarded (duplicate partner_store_id)
429	Too Many Requests	Rate limit exceeded
500	Internal Server Error	DoorDash system error

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Relevant SOW Status

Status	Description	When Sent
INTEGRATION_REQUESTED	Merchant authenticated and store mapping created	Immediately after tab closes

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D. Merchant Onboards within DoorDash Environment

Following a successful onboarding request, the Partner will surface the unique URL provided in the response to the Merchant.

• EITHER embedded in the Partner portal as an iframe
• OR by redirecting the Merchant to the URL in a new browser tab

From this point on, the Merchant will handle their onboarding within the DoorDash environment, including tracking their progress. DoorDash will send out store onboarding status webhooks to the Partner, with the expectation that the Partner will surface these in an independent onboarding tracker within the Partner portal.

There are 2 classes of Merchants, from an onboarding perspective:

1. Merchants that are new to DoorDash Marketplace (have never signed a contract)
2. Merchants that are already live on DoorDash Marketplace

The onboarding flow within the DoorDash environment will handle both cases, as shown below:

Merchant New to DoorDash	Merchant Live on DoorDash
Login All Merchants start at the login screen. DoorDash will identify whether Merchants have an existing account - New Merchants will sign up	Login All Merchants start at the login screen. DoorDash will identify whether Merchants have an existing account - Merchants with an existing account will continue to sign in
Sign up for DoorDash - Create account - Select category - Enter store hours - Select package - Enter banking information	Sign in to DoorDash
Automated Store Matching DoorDash will match the information provided by the Partner in the onboarding request to the store created by the Merchant during signup using the unique identifier in the login URL	Store Matching Confirmation DoorDash will prompt the Merchant to select which DoorDash store to match to the Partner store included in the onboarding request
Activation Tracker	Activation Tracker
Catalog pull DoorDash will pull catalog data from Partner-hosted API DoorDash will send status webhooks to the Partner - BUSINESS_ID_MAPPED	Catalog pull DoorDash will pull catalog data from Partner-hosted API DoorDash will send status webhooks to the Partner - BUSINESS_ID_MAPPED
Catalog build DoorDash will use automated and human-driven processes to take the raw catalog data and produce robust item listings ready to surface on Customer-facing store pages DoorDash will send status webhooks to the Partner - CATALOG_RECEIVED - CATALOG_BLOCK	Catalog build DoorDash will use automated and human-driven processes to take the raw catalog data and produce robust item listings ready to surface on Customer-facing store pages DoorDash will send status webhooks to the Partner - CATALOG_RECEIVED - CATALOG_BLOCK
Inventory pull DoorDash will pull inventory (pricing and availability) data from Partner-hosted API, and use that data to create a DoorDash Marketplace menu for the store. DoorDash will send status webhooks to the Partner - MENU_REQUESTED - MENU_BLOCK	Inventory pull DoorDash will pull inventory (pricing and availability) data from Partner-hosted API, and use that data to create a DoorDash Marketplace menu for the store. DoorDash will send status webhooks to the Partner - MENU_REQUESTED - MENU_BLOCK
Store hours pull DoorDash will pull store hours data from the Partner-hosted API, and apply those hours to the DoorDash Marketplace menu. DoorDash will send status webhooks to the Partner - MENU_BLOCK	Store hours pull DoorDash will pull store hours data from the Partner-hosted API, and apply those hours to the DoorDash Marketplace menu. DoorDash will send status webhooks to the Partner - MENU_BLOCK
Menu QA DoorDash will review the menu for quality DoorDash will send status webhooks to the Partner - MENU_QUALIFIED	Menu QA DoorDash will review the menu for quality DoorDash will send status webhooks to the Partner - MENU_QUALIFIED
Onboarding finalization DoorDash will complete the final configurations necessary DoorDash will send status webhooks to the Partner - INTEGRATION_ACTIVATED After this point, Partner should enroll the store in all regular integration updates	Onboarding finalization DoorDash will complete the final configurations necessary DoorDash will send status webhooks to the Partner - INTEGRATION_ACTIVATED After this point, Partner should enroll the store in all regular integration updates
Activation The Merchant will determine when to activate their DoorDash Marketplace store to start receiving orders	Re-Activation Existing Merchant stores will automatically be re-activated following integration onboarding, minimizing downtime.

E. Merchant Visibility and Control

This section documents the Store Onboarding Status Webhook, full onboarding status values, exclusion codes, and DoorDash remediation actions.

Tracking

Merchants will have access to an integration tracker within their DoorDash Merchant Portal, allowing them to monitor the progress of their integration, identify any blockers, and understand when their integration will be ready.

To give Merchants access to this onboarding tracker, the Partner should continue to surface the login URL within the Partner Portal. Merchants can log in to the DoorDash environment and view the onboarding tracker. Additionally, it is recommended that Partners consume the store onboarding status webhooks and surface the information contained therein to Merchants within the Partner portal, in a separate onboarding tracker.

Store Onboarding Status

After successfully submitting the store onboarding request, an onboarding entry will be persisted in the DoorDash store onboarding platform. Onboarding status should be shown to the Merchant in the partner environment as part of the onboarding experience. There are two ways to check the current progress of the onboarding status, but you are required to subscribe to the webhook events; using the GET endpoint is an optional enhancement:

• [REQUIRED] Subscribe to Webhook Events

Partners must have an endpoint configured to listen to DoorDash store onboarding status webhooks. To enable this, the partner will register a subscription endpoint for the Event Type "Onboarding status" for DoorDash to send webhooks to via DoorDash Developer Portal. Once a status changes on the onboarding store, a webhook event will be sent to the provided subscription endpoint. If a webhook fails, it will be retried 3 times. The payload format for this webhook will be the following:

Webhook Payload Example

{
  "onboarding_id": "9154103a-be82-48fc-978d-792171f7ee32",
  "location_id": "xdDJSnx",
  "doordash_store_uuid": "f1c7f43b-64ca-4586-b990-171aaafbca2d",
  "status": "ABANDONED",
  "exclusion_code": "DUPLICATE_LOCATION_ID",
  "details": "",
  "menus": [
    {
      "menu_uuid": "949e6d70-371a-4250-8fe7-2d13b141e07g",
      "menu_preview_link": "https://doordash.com/menu/1234",
      "menu_error": "reason why menu failed to be pulled"
    }
  ]
}

Webhook Fields

Field	Type	Description
onboarding_id	string (UUID)	Unique onboarding identifier
location_id	string	Unique store identifier from Partner system
doordash_store_uuid	string (UUID)	DoorDash store UUID
status	string	Current onboarding status
exclusion_code	string	Provided when onboarding is blocked or abandoned
details	string	Additional context
menus	array	Menu-level information (if applicable)

Possible Onboarding Status Values

Status	Description
⌛INTEGRATION_REQUESTED	Merchant authenticated; business/store configuration and catalog build in progress
✅STORE_CONNECTED	Store successfully matched to a DoorDash store
✅BUSINESS_ID_MAPPED	External business ID mapped to DoorDash business ID
⌛CATALOG_REQUESTED	Catalog data requested from Partner via Catalog Pull
✅CATALOG_DATA_RECEIVED	Catalog data receipt confirmed
🔴CATALOG_PULL_FAILED	Catalog pull failed or data not received
⌛MENU_REQUESTED	Menu creation initiated
⌛MENU_IMPORTED	Menu ingestion validated successfully
⌛HOURS_SET	Store hours validated and confirmed
⌛MENU_AUDIT	Auto QA in progress to verify menu quality
🔴MENU_BLOCK	Menu ingestion failed or validation unsuccessful
✅MENU_QUALIFIED	Menu passed auto QA and ready for activation
✅INTEGRATION_ACTIVATED	POS integration activated successfully
🔴ACTIVATION_BLOCK	POS activation attempt failed
🔴ABANDONED	Onboarding abandoned due to validation failure or internal error

Possible Exclusion Code Values

Note: The below exclusion code values may occur when activation is blocked due to store or menu validation.

Category	Exclusion Code	Description
ABANDONED	DUPLICATE_LOCATION_ID	Location ID/provider combination already used on another POS store
ABANDONED	VIRTUAL_BRAND_DETECTED	Store identified as virtual concept not supported by integration
ABANDONED	SELF_DELIVERY_DETECTED	Store has Self Delivery enabled but integration does not support it
ABANDONED	DOORDASH_DRIVE_STORE	DoorDash Drive stores cannot be onboarded to Marketplace
ABANDONED	STORE_LIVE_ON_REQUESTED_POS_PROVIDER	Store already live on requested POS integration
ABANDONED	SFDC_ACCOUNT_RECORD_NOT_FOUND	No internal DoorDash account found for store
MENU_BLOCK	MENU_PULLING_REQUEST_FAILURE	Internal menu job failure
MENU_BLOCK	STORE_HOURS_NOT_POPULATED_FAILURE	Missing or invalid store hours
MENU_BLOCK	MENU_BLANK_FAILURE	Menu contains no items
MENU_BLOCK	MENU_JOB_FAILURE	Menu ingestion failed due to structural issues

DoorDash Action on Exclusion Codes

DoorDash Integration Onboarding team monitors SSIO exclusion values on a daily basis in near-realtime to help merchants and partners alike get unblocked for an optimal merchant experience. The below table outlines the action that the Integration Onboarding team takes when certain exclusion codes are observed in SSIO production volume.

Status	Exclusion Code	DoorDash Action
ABANDONED	DUPLICATE_LOCATION_ID	Confirm correct location_id with Merchant and Partner; unblock if duplicate store decommissioned
ABANDONED	STORE_LIVE_ON_REQUESTED_POS_PROVIDER	Notify Merchant that store is already live on requested integration
MENU_BLOCK	STORE_HOURS_NOT_POPULATED_FAILURE	Confirm missing hours; notify Merchant to update hours with Partner
MENU_BLOCK	MENU_JOB_FAILURE	Confirm failure reason; notify Merchant with error details
MENU_BLOCK	MENU_BLANK_FAILURE	Notify Merchant of blank menu; instruct to republish via Partner

Activation

Activation is the operation by which a store’s Customer-facing menu is made publicly available for ordering. There are two classes of Merchants: (1) those net new to DoorDash and (2) those already live on DoorDash.

1. Net New Merchants: Merchants will be empowered to choose when to go live (see screenshot below). They will have a dedicated DoorDash onboarding staff member who will walk them through activation, following extensive training.
2. Existing Merchants: For those Merchants already live on DoorDash and transitioning onto an integration, the primary aim will be to reduce Customer-facing menu downtime: these Merchants will be reactivated as soon as an integrated menu is successfully created.

Testing the Onboarding Flow

Scenarios

Merchant Use Case	Path	Description	Special Integrator Actions	Special TAM Actions
Conversion	Happy	Existing business and store, new to integration provider. Smooth onboarding end-to-end with no blockers.	N/A	Prepare conversion test store
Conversion	Unhappy	Existing business and store, new to integration provider. Onboarding hits at least one blocker.	Ensure at least one of the following fails: catalog pull, inventory pull, store hours pull. Prepare conversion test store.	Prepare conversion test store
Net New	Happy	Net new business and store. Smooth onboarding end-to-end with no blockers.	Complete net new sign-up (see below).	N/A
Net New	Unhappy	Net new business and store. Onboarding hits at least one blocker.	Complete net new sign-up (see below). Ensure at least one of the following fails: catalog pull, inventory pull, store hours pull.	N/A

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Conversion Use Case: Existing Test Business + Existing Test Store

1. Wait for confirmation from Support / your Technical Account Manager that a merchant account and conversion store are ready.
   • You will be given login information for a dummy merchant account (email + password). Save this information.
   • You will be given a test store name. Save this information.
   • You will be given a test store address. Save this information.
2. Send store details to NV SSIO onboarding API.
   • You must send the exact test store name and address provided in Step 1. Otherwise, the onboarding will be abandoned immediately.
3. Surface onboarding URL.
4. Enter dummy merchant email in the initial login screen.
5. Enter dummy merchant password in the subsequent sign-in screen.
6. Select the appropriate test store.
   • If there is confusion about which store to choose, contact Support / your Technical Account Manager.
7. Confirm successful completion of onboarding.
   • Monitor the store onboarding status webhooks.
   • Monitor the merchant-facing DoorDash activation status page (this is shown after completing the net new merchant sign-up flow).

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Net New Use Case: Net New Test Business + Test Store

1. Send store details to NV SSIO onboarding API.

2. Surface onboarding URL.

3. Fill out initial login with an unrecognized email (not attached to an existing DoorDash account).

4. Select one of the supported verticals:

   • Alcohol
   • Retail
     • Apparel & Accessories
     • Beauty
     • Home Goods & Decor
     • Office / Crafts
     • Sports / Outdoors
     • Pets
     • Baby Products
     • Books
     • Auto / Auto Parts

5. Fill out dummy information in the details screen.

   • The store name MUST start with the word TEST.

6. Enter dummy banking information (see sandbox values below).

7. Confirm successful completion of onboarding.

   • Monitor the store onboarding status webhooks.
   • Monitor the merchant-facing DoorDash activation status page.

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Sandbox Banking Information

United States

Field	Value
EIN	112332322
Account	000123456789
Routing	110000000

Canada

Field	Value
GST	123456789 (or 000000000 for Stripe verification)
Financial Institution	000
Transit	11000
Account	000123456789

Australia

Field	Value
ABN	00000123456
Address	222 Exhibition Street, Melbourne, VIC, 3000 Australia (any value OK)
BSB	193879 (or 110000 if noted in your flow)
Account	000123456

New Zealand

Field	Value
Account	1100000000000010
Legal Address	36 Brandon Street, Wellington Central, Wellington 6011, New Zealand
NZBN	9429050041435

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Updates for Existing Integration Providers

For integration providers who have already built to the existing onboarding flow, the following changes are required to align with the Self-Serve Integration Onboarding (SSIO) flow.

NOTE: THIS IS A NEW ONBOARDING FLOW AND DETAILS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE

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Key Differences

• Pre-work Logging API: This newly introduced API serves as a critical component for tracking the completion of prerequisite tasks. It records essential actions such as the successful processing of payments for add-on services, the confirmation of button clicks within the partner interface, and the verification that all necessary data is prepared and ready for DoorDash's systems. This ensures that all foundational steps are securely logged and verified before proceeding to subsequent stages of the onboarding process.

• New Store Onboarding Request API: This API represents a significant evolution in how new stores are initiated into the DoorDash ecosystem, directly replacing the previous Store Onboarding Webhook (SOW) process. The SOW process, often characterized by its manual and time-consuming nature, is now fully automated. In response to a successful API request, Partners will promptly receive a unique login URL. This URL is fundamental to the subsequent steps of merchant engagement, offering a more agile and standardized approach to initiating store onboarding.

• Partner Surfaces Login URL: A key innovation is the mechanism by which partners present the login URL to the merchant. This eliminates the traditional requirement for partners to develop and host their own question-and-answer interfaces for merchant information gathering. Partners now have the flexibility to integrate this login URL seamlessly into their existing platforms. This can be achieved either by embedding the URL within an iframe directly in the Partner Portal, allowing merchants to interact with the DoorDash login within the partner's environment, or by linking to a new tab, directing merchants to a secure DoorDash-hosted page. This approach simplifies the Merchant's initial interaction and reduces the development burden on partners.

• Merchant Enablement Material: Despite the technological advancements, the provision of comprehensive merchant enablement material remains absolutely crucial for the successful integration and adoption of the DoorDash platform. As such, it is imperative that partners update their existing help center content, documentation, and training materials. These updates must clearly and accurately reflect the new workflow, ensuring that merchants have access to the most current and relevant information to navigate the updated onboarding process effectively.

• Possible Changes Required: The transition to the new system may necessitate specific refinements, particularly concerning the behavior of the Catalog API. To ensure full advantage is taken of new DoorDash functionalities, field-level adjustments may be required. This is especially pertinent for the extensible "product attributes" object, which may need careful scrutiny and modification to guarantee seamless data exchange and accurate product representation across all platforms.

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Unchanged Elements

While several aspects of the onboarding process are undergoing transformation, certain core elements of the integration and onboarding experience will remain unchanged.

• Store Onboarding Status Webhooks: These essential webhooks will continue to operate as a reliable mechanism for partners to track the progress of store onboarding in real-time. To provide enhanced visibility and granular updates, new statuses will be introduced:
  • ⌛BUSINESS_ID_MAPPED: This status indicates that the merchant's business ID has been successfully mapped within the DoorDash system, a foundational step in the onboarding journey.
  • ⌛CATALOG_REQUESTED: This signifies that a request for the merchant's catalog data has been initiated, signaling the system's readiness to receive product information.
  • ✅CATALOG_RECEIVED: This status confirms the successful reception of the merchant's catalog data, indicating a critical milestone in the integration process.
  • 🔴CATALOG_BLOCK: This alert indicates an issue or block in processing the catalog, prompting partners to investigate and resolve any discrepancies.
• Core Integration Build: The foundational integrations, which are central to the DoorDash ecosystem, will maintain their established structure and high standards. This includes the seamless integration of catalog data (detailing product offerings), inventory management (ensuring accurate stock levels), store hours (reflecting operational times), and orders integrations (facilitating the flow of customer orders). The existing pull patterns for data synchronization will also remain consistent. Critically, orders integrations will continue to uphold the same rigorous standards of reliability and performance that partners and merchants have come to expect.
• Post-Launch Expectations: Following the successful implementation of these changes, DoorDash is committed to ensuring robust and responsive data synchronization. Both real-time and scheduled refresh patterns are required across all core integrations. This dual approach guarantees that critical data, from catalog updates to inventory changes and order flows, is consistently accurate and up-to-date, supporting optimal operational efficiency for both partners and merchants.

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Adoption

DoorDash is introducing a streamlined and enhanced onboarding process for its third-party retail partners. This new flow is designed to improve efficiency, reduce friction, and provide a more robust integration experience for all stakeholders.

Dedicated Support for Existing Partners: To ensure a smooth transition, DoorDash's dedicated team of technical account managers (TAMs) will actively support all existing partners in adopting this new onboarding process. These TAMs possess in-depth knowledge of both DoorDash's platform and various partner systems, enabling them to provide tailored guidance and troubleshooting throughout the adoption phase. Partners are encouraged to leverage this expertise to address any questions or challenges that may arise.

Phased Implementation and Rigorous Testing: The development and implementation of the new onboarding flow will follow a meticulous, multi-stage approach to guarantee stability and success:

1. Sandbox Environment Development: The new onboarding flow will be initially developed and configured within isolated sandbox environments. This includes both DoorDash's internal systems and, crucially, within the Partner's own systems. This parallel development in controlled environments allows for iterative design, configuration, and early identification of potential integration points.

2. Thorough Testing: Once the initial development is complete, the new flow will undergo end-to-end testing. This comprehensive testing phase will involve a variety of scenarios, edge cases, and performance evaluations to ensure that the system functions as expected, is scalable, and is free of critical bugs or vulnerabilities. This includes functional testing, integration testing, and user acceptance testing (UAT).

3. Selective Piloting: Following successful internal testing, the new onboarding flow will be selectively piloted with a small group of volunteer Merchants. This pilot program is crucial for gathering real-world feedback, identifying any unforeseen challenges, and making necessary adjustments before a wider rollout.

4. Comprehensive Rollout: Upon successful completion of the pilot phase and incorporation of all necessary improvements, the new onboarding flow will be rolled out comprehensively to all new Merchant onboardings.

   Expected Adoption Timeline: The estimated timeline for the comprehensive adoption of the new onboarding flow is approximately 4-6 weeks. This duration is subject to a few key factors:

• Store Onboarding Volume: Partners with a smaller volume of stores onboarding may experience a slightly longer adoption period, since it will take longer to get enough pilot Merchants through the process to review it thoroughly.

• Pilot Success and Feedback Integration: The speed at which feedback from the pilot programs is integrated and any necessary adjustments are made will also influence the overall timeline. Efficient feedback loops will help expedite the process.

• Partner Readiness and Engagement: The readiness and proactive engagement of individual partners in the adoption process will significantly impact their specific timeline. Partners who are prepared with necessary technical resources and dedicated personnel will likely integrate more quickly.

  Scheduling Your Adoption: To initiate the adoption process for your organization, please reach out to your assigned DoorDash partner manager or technical account manager. They will be able to provide detailed information, answer specific questions related to your integration, and schedule a tailored adoption plan that aligns with your operational needs. Early engagement is encouraged to ensure a smooth and timely transition to the new onboarding flow.