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Order tracking software for small businesses is non-negotiable, especially if you want a multi-channel strategy.
In previous years, it was enough to have a single Shopify store and run ads to your site.
Now, consumers expect you to be on every online platform.
Be it your own website, social media platforms, or marketplaces like Amazon and eBay, sales opportunities are plentiful.
However, managing orders flowing in from multiple directions presents a unique challenge. The solution? Channeling these orders through a singular, efficient order management system.
In this post, we'll explore the top order management systems transforming the market.
To aid your decision-making process, we'll provide comprehensive overviews of each software and highlight their best use cases.
Additionally, we'll detail their key features, list their integration capabilities, and provide pricing information to help you find the best order management software for your business.
First, let's talk about why efficient order tracking is such an important business process.
It may seem self-explanatory, but it's important to understand the specific ways order tracking benefits your business.
There are obvious ones, like more efficient stock control and more efficient order organization, but there are some other key ones as well.
Efficient order tracking cultivates a sense of confidence and trust in customers by keeping them informed about their order's progress.
It eliminates ambiguity, reducing the volume of customer queries and complaints about order status. This transparency necessarily creates better customer service and satisfaction, fostering an environment conducive to repeat business.
Beyond customer experience, efficient order tracking provides valuable insights into the business's fulfillment process.
By monitoring the shipping and delivery procedures, businesses can identify bottlenecks or inefficiencies.
This process leads to optimization opportunities, from refining packaging materials to adjusting distribution centers, ultimately reducing costs and enhancing operational efficiency.
As small ecommerce businesses expand, so do order volumes.
An efficient, scalable order tracking system can accommodate this growth without compromising service quality.
Implementing such systems early paves the way for seamless transitions during growth phases and enables businesses to maintain their standards of customer satisfaction.
Live Order Tracking and Updates
Good order management software allows businesses to track orders live and in real time.
(We often call this a perpetual inventory system.)
This feature provides both the enterprise and its customers with current, accurate information on order status.
Integration with your accounting software, warehouse management systems and shipping document generation further streamlines inventory management, ultimately enhancing the overall customer experience.
Seamless Integration with Existing Ecommerce Platforms and Shipping Services
A critical characteristic of any order management software is its integration capability with existing ecommerce platforms and shipping services.
This ensures uninterrupted communication throughout the order process.
Linnworks, with its robust compatibility, allows companies to easily connect with a multitude of ecommerce platforms and shipping carriers. This facilitates streamlined business processes and mitigates the risk of delays and errors.
Data-Driven Decision Making through Reporting and Analytics
You can't improve what you don't measure.
By analyzing customer order patterns, sales data, and inventory management, businesses can identify trends, optimize product offerings, and develop targeted marketing strategies.
Adaptable and Scalable to Meet Specific Business Demands
While a core set of features is essential in order management software, we recognize the importance of customization and scalability, particularly for small businesses with unique needs.
This is why we design Linnworks as an adaptable system catering to both B2C and B2B sales, allowing businesses to customize their solutions as they expand and evolve.
This level of flexibility not only boosts efficiency but also ensures a robust order tracking platform capable of adapting to varying demands.
Linnworks is a robust, feature-rich order management solution designed to help ecommerce businesses scale and streamline their operations.
The software provides comprehensive integrations, allowing for seamless connections with various ecommerce platforms, marketplaces, shipping services, and more.
By centralizing inventory management, order tracking, and advanced reporting features, Linnworks delivers all the tools necessary to supercharge your ecommerce store.
Linnworks offers several pricing tiers based on the size and needs of your business, with each tier offering a different set of features.
For next steps, request a demo to learn more.
Oracle NetSuite is a cloud-based order management tool that helps to automate order-to-cash processes and streamline orders without any manual errors.
The system integrates sales, financial, and fulfillment teams to eliminate billing errors and increase fulfillment efficiency.
Pricing information is not available on the official NetSuite site. You'll need to get in touch with the vendor for a custom quote or to schedule a free consultation.
Orderhive is a multi-channel order, shipping, and inventory management software that helps to track, sell, ship, and analyze your business.
This SaaS-based platform maintains a cloud business and allows you to manage all business processes, both on and off-premises.
Orderhive offers five pricing plans (including one freemium and four paid plans):
All of the plans include all orders, shipping and inventory management features, Shopify integration, onboarding support, and more.
QuickBooks Commerce is an automated cloud accounting system that helps regulate, fulfill, and monitor your business orders.
It syncs and integrates all your orders, inventory data, supplier, and customer data on one system.
QuickBooks Commerce starts at $20 per month for the first 12 months. This plan allows you to track and fulfill orders, control inventory, sync QuickBooks to control accounting, and more.
When selecting the right order tracking software for your small ecommerce business, consider the following factors:
The software should be able to seamlessly integrate with your existing ecommerce platforms, marketplaces, and shipping services. This will allow for efficient management of orders across various channels.
As your business grows, your order management needs will evolve. Choose a software that can scale to meet these changing needs, whether it's handling an increase in order volume, expanding to new marketplaces, or managing multiple warehouses.
The software should have a comprehensive set of features that align with your specific business needs. This might include inventory management, real-time order tracking, returns management, and advanced reporting capabilities.
The platform should be user-friendly and easy to navigate. A steep learning curve can lead to mistakes and inefficiencies. Consider software that offers a clean, intuitive interface and reliable customer support.
Consider your budget and how the software's pricing structure fits into it. Some software providers may charge based on the number of orders processed, while others might offer a flat monthly rate. Be sure to understand all costs upfront to avoid any surprises.
Good customer support can make a significant difference in your experience with an order management software. Look for providers that offer timely and helpful support, whether it's through email, phone, or live chat.
The software should adhere to industry security standards to ensure your business and customer data is protected. If you're operating in multiple regions, it should also be able to handle different compliance requirements.
Identify challenges in your current system and develop a strategy to transition to the new software. Set clear goals like improved inventory control and faster order placement. Choose a solution compatible with your general ledger accounting and with features that aid return and purchase management.
Before implementation, ensure your team is trained to utilize the software's features. Involve them in the transition process and schedule regular training sessions during the initial phase.
Implementing order tracking software involves regular monitoring and analysis of data generated by the system. Review key metrics regularly and establish a routine for this analysis to stay on top of trends and proactively address inefficiencies.
Enhance customer communication and streamline order fulfillment by utilizing the software's features like automated notifications and self-service portals.
No, inventory management software and order tracking software are not the same, although they can be closely related and sometimes integrated into the same system.
Inventory management software focuses on managing stock levels, product information, and supply chain processes.
It helps businesses monitor what they have in stock and when to reorder items. On the other hand, order tracking software focuses on the process of tracking and managing customer orders from the point of sale to delivery.
It helps businesses and customers monitor the status of orders and provides updates on the progress of delivery.
While Orderhive does offer a free plan for Shopify users, there aren't many free tracking apps suitable to track inventory levels for multiple sales channels.
Ecommerce businesses often need real-time access to a high volume of sales across multiple platforms. We recommend such businesses invest in an order management platform, as it will undoubtedly reap significant dividends in terms of ROI.
Using Excel to track orders is possible for small businesses with less complex order management processes.
Create a dedicated Excel spreadsheet to log incoming orders, details about each shipment, shipping method, and status. Assign unique order IDs and use functions like VLOOKUP or pivot tables to track and analyze your data.
Though Excel might be helpful for startups with limited orders, switching to software specifically designed for order tracking is recommended as your business expands.
Investing in order management software isn't just a decision; it's a strategic move towards operational efficiency, business growth, and superior customer experience.
As we've explored in this guide, the right system can simplify your order processes, enhance your inventory management, facilitate effective communication, and provide valuable business insights.
Whether you're looking to streamline order processing, seamlessly integrate with your inventory management, or leverage powerful analytics, Linnworks has the solutions to supercharge your ecommerce business.
Discover more about Linnworks today and see how our software can drive your business towards new heights of success.
Speak to us to find out how Linnworks can connect and automate your commerce operations so you can capture every revenue opportunity.
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