As a growing business owner, managing all your orders and stocks across all channels can be a handful. There are at least a thousand different things that can go wrong, and which is why you need to give serious thought about it. It's a fact that Shopify is one of the most popular online business vendors out there, which obviously makes it one of the most preferred digital store builders. However, there's more to Shopify than just being a store builder. Its powerful back-end support features, solid hosting options, and even storefront designs are just to name among the many features Shopify offers to its customers.
With the increased usage of smartphones and mobile shopping, brand owners are now gravitating towards apps for better customer engagement and Shopify's app store looks after that as well. But isn't it a handful to keep up with all your stocks and inventories across multiple channels? It may not be tedious at first, but you know it's coming especially when the demand for your products increases over time. It's better to be prepared beforehand than caught off guard, isn't it? Therefore, before actually setting up multiple digital stores across numerous channels, here's what you should sort out first.
Understanding
Inventory Management and its Relevance
An eCommerce business can't function without business owners keeping up with
each and every detail about their stocks, sales, and more. We know right, it
may all sound really hectic, but actually, it isn't - only if you automate it
via a digital system. That way you can track things all in one place, from
distinct channels anytime you want.
- Apart from just saving you money, it may also save you from losing time on overstocking products in your warehouse, and then ending up with unsold items later. For business owners that sell perishable items it could be a gamechanger, in terms of their brand reputation and annual turnover.
- It can even elevate your customer support and experience, with detailed product descriptions, live updates on product stocks, and finding accurate delivery charges to customers' location. It can also help you figure out the best affordable way to get your products to the customer based on the effectiveness of various delivery chains in the area.
- Effective inventory management can get you deeper insights into the focus areas which need more investment, overall budget, restocking - in short, smarter money management.
- It can also be handy if you have numerous stores selling on different channels, and go as far as tracking every order and ensuring on-time delivery. It's also perfect for businesses having sales or any seasonal surges in demand during specific times of the year. Inventory management tools would predict the best time to get stocks, plan sales, based on recorded data.
So now that you know what it means to get a solid Shopify inventory management app, here are some of the features you'd need to look out for while selecting an app as such:
- It has comprehensive inventory tracking, and auto-generates data-backed reports for staying notified about every order-related information and finding where you're getting to with the help of live, actionable data.
- It offers easy app integrations for the ability to work in complete synchronization with other apps.
- It comes with a POS system for keeping all the data synced to your app in realtime and makes sales forecasts based on the current market trends and timings.
Here are some of the top Shopify dropshipping apps you can get your hands on:
1. TradeGecko
Again a crowd favorite, this Shopify inventory management app helps in handling inventory management, seamless and transparent. The best part of it is the easy integration of the app into other third-party logistic providers easily, and providing Amazon fulfillment at the same time.
Advantages include:
- Easy access and tracking of inventory.
- Linking up of your eCommerce stores and tools
- Advanced control over inventory and tracking live shopping statistics
- Easy-to-use backend
Disadvantages include:
- Not much personalization options
- Needs better invoice management functionalities
Pricing starts at $49 per month.
2. ZapERP
Another inventory management app that can be a life-saver for any business owner, and is known for its clean, simplistic interface. It also has an advanced inventory management system for better optimization and offers multiple invoice templates, etc.
Advantages include:
- One place to manage all your products, across multiple channels for better clarity
- Easy configuration of reordering, restock levels in purchase automation.
- Advanced management of shipping, invoices, and payment collections with fast and secured features
- Easy integration with accounting tools like QuickBooks
Disadvantages include:
Report generation abilities could be improved
3. Skubana
Known for its rich analytics and easy inventory management features, Skubana is designed by sellers and brings convenience into everything. Be it the simple dashboard, the insightful metrics, or the low-stack monitors - it gives you all the vital information you'd require at a glance.
Advantages include:
- Perfect for beginners
- Effective customer support
- Rich, detailed analytics, with forecasting abilities
- Discover product insights
- Warehouse updates in a single click
Disadvantages include:
- Less integration options
- A tad pricey compared to others.
Conclusion
Having a sleek Shopify inventory management lineup can make or break your business, especially when you've reached a position where there's an increasing demand for your products. Then again, shortlisting inventory management apps can depend entirely on your preferences like choosing one that has a POS integration to that which comes more affordable. Therefore, it’s always good to have experts’ advice regarding your business’ needs. In case you’re looking for industry professionals who can provide you with value-based solutions, here are some of our recommendations:
Their team of
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sought-after.
Having worked with businesses big and small
across different domains for several years, folks here provide clients with effective
Shopify solutions. They also equip
business owners with optimizing their digital marketing solutions, especially
for their eCommerce business.
