Isourse
eCommerce or electronic commerce refers to the buying & selling of services or goods through the internet, and the transaction is done online. In simple terms, the sale of physical products done over the internet is known as eCommerce. For an eCommerce merchant, warehousing is a critical part of the supply chain for storage and fulfillment purposes.
ECommerce warehouse management system is termed as the storage of physical goods before sold online which includes storing the products safely with correct tracking, as when the goods arrived, how long they have been in the stock and the quantity on hand at any time. A good warehouse management system can help your e-commerce avoid many problems by automating the process and creating documents that are easy to audit.
When it comes to choosing the right eCommerce warehouse management system for your business one needs to understand the warehouse needs and the benefits of having an integrated WMS before starting the selection process. The essential features to look for in a WMS are listed below:
- Integration with advanced barcoding technologies
- Complete back-office integration with order entry, stock control, and purchase orders
- Accommodating future business growth
- Real-time inventory updates
- Capable for e-commerce, which includes web store integration and B2B EDI Support
- Compliance labeling
- Reporting capability with advanced features
- Automated inventory receipt and put-away
eCommerce Warehouse management system has to be implemented at all levels as below :
Small Scale ECommerce:
A Small scale enterprise includes a limited number of employees and a
limited flow of finances and materials. One of the ways a small scale eCommerce
can increase the profit margin is by integrating a warehouse management system
that improves the overall warehouse performance. Efficient warehouses cost less
to run which gives you more time to spend on growing your e-commerce business.
Small scale enterprise can use some of the below-listed eCommerce warehouse management systems:
(1) Fishbowl
Inventory Software: It is a hybrid manufacturing and warehouse management
tool with key features having inventory control, material requirements,
planning, work order management, orders and bills. The software features
automated batch and repair work based on lot and serial tracking. Fishbowl
supports integration with e-commerce, shipping, merchant services and CRM
systems such as QuickBooks, Shopify, etc.
(2) Odoo: Odoo is a fully integrated and
customizable WMS including sales, CRM, project management, manufacturing,
inventory, accounting, and other business needs. Odoo helps its users to reduce
manual processes keeping all business functions in one place which allows the
teams to collaborate with other departments from a single platform. Odoo offers
a variety of modules and apps suitable for a variety of business needs.
(3) SkuVault: A cloud-based warehouse management
software. SkuVault features warehouse management applications which include
multi-warehouse inventory visibility, pick, pack, shipping process, product
kitting. SkuVault integrates with other eCommerce software solutions such as
Amazon, eBay, Walmart, Magento, QuickBooks. SkuVault is known for its quality
feature that helps users to ensure that the orders are fulfilled correctly and
also able to identify where an error has occurred during the order fulfillment
process.
(4) Geneva Business Management
Systems: Geneva Business management system is a cloud-based
ERP application with the aspects of a desktop application giving the tools
required by small-sized businesses to manage the business environment. Offers
both an on-premise installation and hosted installation for full access via the
internet. Modules offered by GBMS are distribution and warehouse management
including 3PL, manufacturing and shop floor control, accounting, CRM,
attendance, labor, e-commerce, reporting services, and QuickBooks.
(5) Chondrion Warehouse
management: Designed with a focus on automation instead of manual
intervention. Modules integrated are inventory management, supply-chain
optimization, customer service, Point of Sale, Order management, multi-channel
commerce, label printing and more. An all-in-one solution integrated with
popular online marketplaces, advertising venues, shopping carts, carriers etc.
Maintains distinct messaging for an unlimited number of brands.
Medium
Scale ECommerce:
A business set up with 250 employees. A good eCommerce warehouse
management system is comprised of tools needed to automate manual processes and
save time, providing centralized control and visibility of all warehousing
operations and inventory movement.
Some of the best e-commerce Warehouse
management systems used by a medium scale eCommerce enterprise are listed
below:
(1) LA
WMS: LA WMS is a cloud WMS that focuses mainly on the
small and mid-sized eCommerce, retail and 3PLs companies selling products
through multiple channels. A strong WMS for multi-warehouse applications and
even multi-client setup. Integrated with Walmart and Sears, joining many common
ones like Amazon, Jet, Shopify. Support on the client portal which shares all
the shipping details, order status, and even inventory will be useful for
e-commerce and retail brands who are into expanding their businesses.
(2) 3DCART: 3dCart includes everything that is
required to sell products online. Helps in creating, designing, marketing and
managing your store with its in-built features. Allows to control offline and
online payments, deal with inventories, set real-time, delivery options etc. A
variety of check-out options are available. It offers unlimited storage to its
users. Consist of good SEO features, which continuously updates its platform to
offer the best services to its users.
(3) Lightspeed: World’s most dominant eCommerce software.
One can create their omnichannel shopping experience for your customers through
its Point of Sale feature. LightSpeed gives all the retailers to have the
complete command over their physical as well as on their online store. Easily
manageable functions, multi-linguistic options, handles sales and customers
from the system directly. The initial editing level is very easy, giving you
unlimited bandwidth usage. Features include great SEO and social media marketing.
(4) Wix: Has gained its popularity because of its
simple interface and an affordable price. One does not need to know any coding
language while using Wix. Just drag and drop components and create beautiful
online stores. Wix has more than 510 templates available for electronics, food
and drinks, fashion, sports etc. Owing to these sort of features, Wix has
gained more popularity among individuals as well as firms. Wix help center has
a lot of articles and tutorials that guide you to create an online store. A
FREE plan that never expires.
(5) Squarespace: Squarespace is a widely accepted SaaS
eCommerce platform which has beautiful templates and designs, offers a great
collection of themes. Templates are rich in their features covering a wide
range of industries. The online store will look pretty good on mobile devices.
The style editor in Squarespace gives various options that edit fonts, colors,
images, sidebars, background images without any coding knowledge.
Enterprise Scale ECommerce:
Called as an Enterprise has very little to do with the no. of
employees, no. of customers served or even the net revenue. An Enterprise Scale
business has to do a lot more with the structure of your business.
Some WMS used by Enterprise-scale eCommerce
is here as follows:
(1) BigCommerce: One cannot miss BigCommerce as it is among
those sharks that rule the eCommerce today. SaaS-based software provides an
easy interface to its users. The online stores built on BigCommerce have a
great user experience. BigCommerce has a developed community of designers,
developers, marketers, consultants and much more. The one thing BigCommerce is
popular for is Themes which are advanced and have every feature a buyer needs.
PSDCenter is a partner of BigCommerce.
(2) Shopify: Shopify allows you to set up an online
store with complete ease. It comes with an entire eCommerce solution. The
administrative interface of the store is English. There is something new about
Shopify is Shopify Plus with advanced functionality which helps to grow your
business by providing a large space of 2 terabytes of storage. As your team
grows, you can create unlimited staff accounts.
(3) Magento: 2nd ranked eCommerce warehouse
management system. It’s an open-source eCommerce platform with many existing
features with great exciting themes stored in it. Coding is an integral part of
Magento. When it comes to customization there are endless possibilities. That’s
why Magento is mostly selected by big brands. One can even hire a good Magento
Development Company and create a store with endless features. Many endless
things you may do with the help of the Magento platform.
(4) WooCommerce: WooCommerce holds 11% of the eCommerce
market, the biggest share in the world. It is a WordPress plugin that can turn
any website into a fully functional online store. Features include inventory
management, coupons, product pages, etc. WooCommerce offers customization,
i.e., one can design the store of your dream and may create customize pages.
Developers are always helpful to guide due to its open-source platform. These
stores are compelling in terms of SEO performance.
(5) PrestaShop: Is a very popular WMS because of its
customization features. Has an open-source shopping cart. One only has to pay
for web hosting and other modules to complete the online store. Prestashop also
has a hosted version called Prestashop Ready. PrestaShop is a hassle-free
software, easy to install. Very friend interface. Its open-source platform
means that anybody can start with it.
(6) iSourse Isopronto: This software is a pioneer in complete warehouse
management system provided by in – house developed eWMS, with JIT Technology
driven process & HHT based operations. Isourse’s WMS software has advanced
functionalities to manage & gain better optimization of resources &
assets, plans operations & can manage the workforce which results in
increase of output and productivity. Quality checks at Inbound and Outbound,
efficient tracking, timely report and AI based functionality make it one of the
most sought after WMS software that’s currently powering E-Com giants like
Grofers, Nykaa and Flipkart.
A Good eCommerce warehouse management system can save money, time and
also keep the customers happy. In addition to mobile and online commerce, many
suppliers and coming up through new channels like web storefronts and drop-ship
programs, which brings in new challenges like returns, warranty programs and to
provide value-added services such as discounted or even free shipping.
Conclusion
After an overall excitement and
stress to run an online store, one cannot forget the eCommerce warehouse
management system which makes a big difference to the bottom line of the
business. A good inventory and warehouse management for an online store can help
save money and time while one can look into customer expectations and expand the
business.
