When to invest in an inventory management system for your e-commerce business

2021-01-01

See how Starshipit can simplify shipping for your team.

Summary: Better fulfilment performance starts when teams can trust the same order and delivery data. The priority is to connect order and stock data, then automate repeated checks, helping teams save time, reduce errors and keep orders moving with fewer manual checks each day.

Key points:

Invest when spreadsheets or manual updates can no longer keep stock accurate.
Connect sales channels, warehouse processes and courier workflows before volume grows further.
Use inventory data to reduce overselling, missed orders and fulfilment delays.

Do you find yourself spending valuable time tracking inventory? Looking through multiple spreadsheets? Or going into the warehouse to count boxes of products?

Accurately tracking inventory is essential to saving money, time, and meeting customer demand - having too much inventory is a waste of money and too little is a missed opportunity.

So when you’re running an eCommerce business, having a WMS or an inventory management system is a necessity.

As your business grows, a warehouse management system (WMS) or inventory management system to manage your inventory and meet demand becomes a necessity. Inventory Management can be a tedious process that slows down your business. Accurately tracking inventory is essential to saving money, time and meeting customer demand.

What is an inventory management system?

An inventory management system is a tool that allows you to track inventory levels, orders, sales and deliveries across your business’s supply chain. Inventory management software gives you insights into every aspect of your products, helping you better understand customer needs. With the primary purpose to save you time, inventory management software provides you with transparency, minimises business waste and helps you make better investment decisions. Choose the right system for your business and you can decrease the time taken to pick, pack and ship products to customers.

Why do I need an inventory management system?

✔ I run my own warehouse and I’m having issues with inventory which are impacting my business growth.

✔ I’m looking for a solid foundation to scale my business.

✔ I’m planning to hire more people in my warehouse to meet demand.

✔ I sell finished products that are ready to ship.

✔ If my product isn’t on the shelves, I have no idea if I have stock.

✔ I’ve reached the initial scale with my business and outgrown spreadsheets.

✔ I’m having trouble prioritising orders and making sure I have the most profitable items in stock.

✔ I’m manually counting stock and I’m getting errors that are having a far-reaching negative impact.

✔ I need to digitise my files so I can have back orders and awaiting stock.

Check out our article that breaks down the value of using online, real-time inventory management software.

How can Starshipit work with an inventory system?

Starshipit can work with your existing warehouse management system (WMS) or inventory platform, helping you optimise the entire process from order placement with your vendor through to delivery to your customers. Alternatively, you can use Starshipit's own warehouse and inventory management solution to manage stock, fulfilment, and shipping from a single platform.

Typically, Starshipit integrates directly with your WMS, inventory management system, or eCommerce platform. You'll have a main Starshipit account connected to your warehouse operations, couriers, and sales channels. The main account can also be connected to separate child accounts with different settings, allowing you to ship from multiple locations, warehouses, or businesses while maintaining centralised control.

Whether you're using Starshipit's warehouse management solution or a third-party system, you can easily process customer orders through Starshipit using your own freight accounts and automate your fulfilment workflow from end to end.

Our integrated solutions

If you’re looking for an inventory or warehouse management software for your business, Starshipit seamlessly integrates with the following tools:

Warehouse Management (WMS)

Inventory Management

For more information check out:

Support article: Warehouse or Inventory Management System workflow
Case study: Oz Hair & Beauty: Teaming up with Starshipit to style a flawless fulfilment process

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