50+
Integrations built
Building software systems that operate in the real world
Nathan Oertel has spent over two decades designing and building software platforms that integrate complex systems and real-world operations.
His work has included ecommerce infrastructure, marketplace platforms, logistics and fulfillment systems, fintech data processing, and AI-driven applications. These systems often connect dozens of external services while supporting real operational workloads.
One of the largest platforms Nathan built supports hundreds of merchants, has processed more than a million orders, and integrates with dozens of external systems.
250+
Merchants supported
$90M+
Commerce processed
20+
Years building software
Background
Over two decades of building software platforms
Nathan began his career in 2005 after graduating with a degree in Computer Engineering. Early in his career he worked on client software projects before launching several independent platforms.
These early projects included tools for creative professionals, real estate marketing platforms, and video hosting infrastructure.
Over time his work increasingly focused on complex operational systems — platforms that integrate ecommerce channels, logistics providers, financial systems, and internal business workflows.
This focus eventually led to the development of a large commerce and operations platform that would evolve for more than a decade.
Platform experience
Building a commerce infrastructure platform
The challenge
Many ecommerce companies operate across multiple marketplaces, fulfillment systems, payment providers, and internal tools.
Managing catalog data, inventory, orders, and fulfillment across these systems quickly becomes complex and error-prone.
Nathan designed and built a platform to unify these operational workflows into a single system.
The platform
Over more than a decade, this system evolved into a multi-tenant commerce infrastructure platform supporting:
- 250+ merchants
- 1.3M+ orders processed
- $90M+ in transactions
- 50+ integrations with external systems
Core platform capabilities
The platform includes several operational systems working together:
Multi-channel commerce integrations
Products, inventory, and orders synchronize across marketplaces and ecommerce platforms including Amazon, eBay, Walmart, Shopify, CommerceHub, and others.
Warehouse and fulfillment systems
A built-in warehouse management system tracks inventory locations, generates optimized pick lists, and integrates with shipping carriers and third-party logistics providers.
Catalog ingestion pipelines
Product catalogs can be imported and continuously synchronized from external systems such as Shopify, NetSuite, CSV feeds, and SFTP sources.
Dropshipping partner network
Retailers can share catalog data and inventory with partners, automatically routing orders to dropshippers and handling partner billing.
Circular marketplace infrastructure
A resale marketplace allows customers to send in used products and receive credit toward future purchases, enabling a circular retail model.
Order and inventory orchestration
Orders and inventory are coordinated across all connected sales channels, automatically routing fulfillment, synchronizing stock levels, and transmitting updates back to external platforms.
Platform evolution
Over more than a decade, the platform evolved as the needs of merchants and integrations grew.
The system initially began as a monolithic PHP application responsible for both backend logic and the user interface. As the multi-tenant platform expanded and interface requirements became more complex, the architecture was gradually modernized.
A Node.js API layer was introduced to support new services, while a NextJS frontend provided a more responsive and flexible user interface.
Rather than rewriting the system all at once, the migration was performed incrementally. Unhandled routes from the new frontend were passed back to the legacy PHP application, allowing the platform to transition gradually without downtime.
This approach allowed the system to evolve while continuing to support active merchants and operational workflows.
Where Nathan helps
Types of problems Nathan is best suited to help with
Nathan's work has consistently focused on systems that integrate multiple platforms and operational workflows. Today he typically helps companies in situations like these:
Complex integrations and operational systems
Growing companies often rely on many connected services — ecommerce platforms, marketplaces, fulfillment providers, financial systems, and internal tools.
Nathan helps design systems that keep these integrations reliable as complexity increases.
Launching new platforms
Founders and product teams building new platforms need to move quickly while establishing strong technical foundations.
Nathan helps design and build systems that solve real problems early and evolve as products gain traction.
Technical leadership for growing systems
Sometimes a team needs experienced guidance to move a complex system forward confidently.
Nathan helps clarify architecture decisions, reduce delivery risk, and support teams building integration-heavy platforms.
Approach
A practical approach to building software
After years of working on production systems, Nathan has found that many software projects fail for the same reason: they wait too long to get real software into the hands of real users.
Instead of attempting to design a fully featured system before launch, successful teams identify the smallest system that solves a meaningful problem and deliver it quickly.
Once the system is in use, real-world feedback guides the next stage of development.
This approach reduces risk and allows platforms to evolve based on real needs rather than speculation.
Outside of software
Persistence and problem solving
Nathan has always enjoyed solving complex problems and understanding how systems work.
Outside of software he is deeply involved in endurance sports, having completed multiple marathons, Ironmans, ultramarathons including a 100-mile run, and is currently training to swim the English Channel.
The persistence, discipline, and resilience required for endurance sports strongly influence his approach to building software systems.