The Rise of Online Shopping
With the rise of online shopping came the rise of Amazon, and the two together are changing the way consumers shop one day at a time. The days of going to the store to make a purchase are long gone. It is so much more convenient for people to simply tap into their desktop or mobile device, search for the product they are looking for, and have it delivered to their door with the click of a button. Amazon has made this process even easier by offering customers services such as same day delivery. Convenience is valued greatly by many people, and it is this which has created such success for platforms such as Amazon.
Convenience is Key
Amazon is not the only one to take advantage of the world’s need for quick convenient service, as Walmart has begun to offer services such as “Buy Online Pickup in Store.” What could be easier than to do your whole grocery shopping with the click of a few buttons, pay online, and then drive up to the store entrance and have it loaded into the back seat of your car? Features such as these are what sets certain companies apart from others. They bring in more consumers and more business. And with such success being seen from such platforms, it’s no surprise that vendors are becoming more and more eager to become a part of it.
Businesses who may have sold strictly from their own ecommerce site at one time are expanding their horizons and selling from platforms such as Amazon, Walmart.com, eBay, and much more. In addition, sometimes these vendors choose to sell from multiple channels instead of dedicating themselves to one. This seems like a good plan to reach as many consumers as possible, and many vendors see great success in doing so. However, like all things in life, there are certain things you need to be aware of in order to avoid failure.
Avoid Disorganization in Order to Thrive
Deciding to sell your products online is challenging enough without the added stresses of managing multiple channels at once. If you are a vendor who chooses to take this route, things can get messy quickly if you do not have things organized. Orders are going to be coming in from multiple places, and consumers are not going to want to hear that they will be receiving a product only to later find out that it is out of stock. Keeping track of what you do and do not have in your warehouse or housed in your 3PL is very important to keep shoppers happy.
Inconsistent data is a problem that is very easy to run into when you have orders coming in from multiple avenues. If someone places an order from your ecommerce site and is told the product will be shipped to them shortly, and then someone from Walmart.com places an order for the same product (assuming there is only one of the product available), your inventory management needs to be updated in real time or one of your customers is going to be very disappointed.
The Importance of Having an Automated System
There are so many different things to keep track of when managing multiple channels that it is near impossible to do manually, especially if you are selling a large number of products.
Problems that often arise often have to do with inventory:
With these types of problems, you risk losing your customers due to dissatisfaction. Out of stock messages and inconsistent data will not provide your consumers with a quality shopping experience. In addition, overstocking in order to avoid such issues will cost you money you didn’t need to spend.
How Do You Solve These Issues?
With so much risk involved when selling from multiple channels, you need to make sure everything is organized and integrated properly. You need a quality software system which automates your workflow processed in order to keep track of your inventory, orders, and shipments. Automated processes will allow your stock levels to be updated accurately and in real time, preventing any issues with customers receiving confirmed orders.
When choosing the right inventory management software for your business, an important factor to look at is whether or not the software has features to integrate and incorporate all aspects of your workflow processes. The bad news is that no out of the box software is going to have all of the features that you require already built in. The good news, however, is that there is a customizable solutions available which will tailor a software based on your exact requirements.
The software is called SkuNexus, and it’s the world’s most customizable order/inventory/warehouse management software. SkuNexus developers work closely with you to learn your business and workflow processes, and then implement all of the features that you need to succeed. Click HERE to get in touch today!