How Multi-channel E-commerce Order Management Software Can Help Grow Your Business
E-commerce is increasingly becoming popular. With more and more businesses entering this crowded market, the fight for customer’s attention is more intense than ever. You have to target people on different platforms and different sales channels.
But this is easier said than done. It is a challenge to manage multiple sales channels and their associated data while ensuring timely and accurate order fulfilment.
Thankfully, you don’t have to do it on your own. Multi-channel e-commerce order management software, also known as a multi-channel order management system, can help with this gigantic task.
In this blog post, we will explore five ways that multi-channel e-commerce order management software can help grow your business.
Benefits of multi-channel e-commerce order management software
- Centralised order management
One of the primary benefits of multi-channel e-commerce order management software is that it provides a centralised platform for managing orders from multiple sales channels. You won’t have to go into different dashboards and undertake the order fulfilment process manually.
If you opt for a multi-channel order management system, you can view and manage all your orders in one place, regardless of which channel they came from. This centralised system can reduce errors and improve efficiency.
For example, imagine your products are listed on your own website and on Amazon and a few other marketplaces. Now, there is a separate seller dashboard for every website, of course. But if you’re dealing with a high volume of orders, it’s challenging to keep track of all of them.
Whenever any order comes in, you’ll have to update the inventory across every platform. Apart from that, notify the warehouse and get that product ready for dispatch. Then, schedule the dispatch and notify the customer about every update along the way. Oh, and to top it off, be in charge of troubleshooting.
With a centralised order management system, you can do all this and more from one universal dashboard. You can view and manage all the orders in one place, reducing the likelihood of errors and improving efficiency. - Real-time inventory updates
Another significant benefit of multi-channel e-commerce order management software is that it provides real-time inventory updates across sales channels. This means you can view your current inventory levels and adjust your stock levels accordingly.
Real-time inventory updates can help businesses avoid stock outs and reduce overstocking, especially for businesses with high inventory turnover and frequent order volume fluctuations.
For instance, if you sell a popular product that experiences a surge in demand, real-time inventory updates can ensure that you don’t run out of stock. Conversely, if a product is not selling as anticipated, real-time inventory updates can help you avoid overstocking.
If your e-commerce store sells hand-knit woollen beanies, for instance, chances are that demand will increase during the winter months. If you’re aware of this beforehand, you can stock up in anticipation. - Faster order fulfilment
Multi-channel e-commerce order management software can also help to fulfil orders faster by automating and optimising your order processing workflows.
The order fulfilment process typically involves numerous steps that have to be completed. For starters, update the inventory. Then, schedule the delivery. Thereafter, get the product ready for dispatch. Miss even one of these tasks, and the entire chain falls through. The trick is to automate the entire process so that you don’t have to deal with manual tasks like order routing and shipping label printing anymore.
For example, if you receive an order through your website, the order management software can automatically route the order to the appropriate warehouse or fulfilment centre for processing. This automation can save time and reduce errors, allowing you to fulfil orders faster and meet customer demand. - Improved customer experience
You can improve the customer experience by providing accurate order tracking information and flexible delivery options. Features like same-day or next-day delivery options and easy returns can help build customer loyalty and increase repeat business.
For example, if a customer orders a product through your website, they can track the status of their order through the order management software. They can track when the product is dispatched and they can provide their reviews. If they need to return the product, the software can automatically generate a return label and initiate the return process, making the entire process easy. - Increased sales and revenue
Multi-channel e-commerce order management software can help expand your reach and improve your performance on multiple sales channels. You can launch new sales channels, optimise your pricing strategies, and improve their conversion rates.
For example, if you want to expand to a new sales channel like Facebook Marketplace, all you need to do is add it to your order management software. Just a onetime addition, and all orders will be automatically routed through the platform. It can also help to optimise your pricing strategy by providing insights into which products are selling well and at what price point.
Conclusion
Multi-channel e-commerce order management software can help you overcome the challenges of managing multiple sales channels. You can stay ahead of the competition by ensuring customer satisfaction. By providing a centralised platform for managing orders, facilitating real-time inventory updates, speeding up order fulfilment, improving customer experience, and increasing sales and revenue, it can help you grow and succeed in a crowded e-commerce marketplace.
You can check out the order management software from Ordazzle to get started. It comes with features, like smart order routing and seamless order processing, to help you provide better service to your customers.