Top ecommerce warehouse management system in 2024: A complete guide

Having an effectively ecommerce warehouse management system in place is crucial for success. That’s a cold, hard fact. 

Growth is awesome, so yay to you for being on an upward trajectory! But, as your business scales, so does the complexity of keeping all those plates spinning. And, let’s just be straight about it: juggling inventory across multiple sales channels and warehouses can feel like herding cats (more specifically, really distracted cats that are more interested in chasing laser dots than sticking to a schedule!). 

This is where ecommerce warehouse management systems come in. These smart solutions are your secret weapon for streamlining operations, optimizing stock levels, and keeping your customers purring away happily.

At Linnworks, we’re established leadersn in the inventory management arena. But did you know we also offer top-tier warehouse management services? With our innovative tools, you can supercharge your ecommerce operations by uniting inventory and warehouse management in one seamless platform.

In this handy guide, we’ll explore the benefits of integrated warehouse inventory management software and the key features to look for. We’ll also show you why Linnworks and SkuVault Core are the perfect partners for your growing ecommerce empire.

What is warehouse inventory management software?

A warehouse management system (WMS) is a specialized system designed to help you oversee and control your stock levels. Think of it as the backbone of your ecommerce operation, ensuring everything runs like a well-oiled machine. Core functionalities include:

• Inventory tracking: No more guessing games! Effective inventory tracking helps you keep tabs on your stock levels in real time across various locations. 
• Stock forecasting: Stay ahead of the curve! The ability to forecast demand accurately based on historical data and trends eliminates pesky stockout and overstocking dramas. 
• Order fulfillment: Did someone say express delivery? When you streamline picking, packing, and shipping processes, customers get their orders without delay.
• Reporting: Knowledge is power! Detailed, custom reports provide insights into inventory performance to help you make more informed decisions.

You might be thinking that sounds a bit like regular inventory management. But there’s a key difference. Warehouse management software comes with additional features specifically designed to address the challenges of managing physical inventory in a warehouse setting. 

Want to learn more? Here’s a quick warehouse management 101 explainer:

What are the features of warehouse inventory management software? 

Here’s a quick list of unique warehouse management features you can leverage to tackle complexities head-on and drive your ecommerce venture to new heights:

• RFID/barcode scanning: Quickly and accurately track inventory movement using RFID tags or barcode scanners. 
• Warehouse mapping: Visualize your warehouse layout with advanced mapping and zoning tools. 
• Task management: Assign tasks to team members, track progress, monitor performance, and improve accountability.
• Kits and bundling management: Easily allocate SKUs to create kits, multi-packs, and ready-assembled sets of products.
• Batch picking: Make picking and packing a breeze by grouping SKUs into convenient batches.
• Lots categorization: Ramp up FIFO and FEFO pick methods by prioritizing stock based on warehouse arrival or product expiry date.
• Serialization: Assign unique serial numbers to your products for warranties and guarantees.
• Multi-location management: Effectively manage inventory across multiple warehouse locations within a few clicks.

What are the benefits of using software for warehouse inventory management? 

The primary benefit is a newfound ability to turn chaos into calmness. In an environment where every second counts, embracing warehouse automation tools can completely transform your operations, propelling your business ahead of the competition in the process. Here’s how. 

Increased efficiency

Businesses that implement automation in routine processes can increase efficiency by up to 30%. That’s a whole heap of extra time your teams can spend fulfilling orders and improving customer service rather than racing around your warehouse like headless chickens. For example, automated warehouse management can help you:

• Slash the time spent on stock checks from hours to minutes.
• Shorten picking and packing times by providing clear paths and locations for items.
• Quickly process returns and reintegrate returned items back into inventory counts.

Exactly how much time could you potentially save? Lots! For example, Gamblers Warehouse saved hours every week by implementing SkuVault Core. 

Improved accuracy

Human error is a significant problem in warehousing. What’s more, it could be costing you big bucks—and losing you customer trust and loyalty. Take mispicks as an example. Did you know that 60% of workers admit they’ve made workplace mistakes due to tiredness? Automation reduces human error, ensuring the right products get to your customers in the shortest possible timeframe. Need proof? Check out another case study to learn how SkuVault Core helped Get Lowered Cycles reduce mis-picks from 3% to 0.5%. 

Enhanced customer satisfaction

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: Happy customers are repeat customers. Especially in tight markets and during times of economic unpredictability, customer retention becomes paramount. After all, it costs 6 to 7 times more to acquire a new customer than to retain an existing one. Here’s how automated real-time inventory syncing can help you boost customer satisfaction, increase loyalty, and keep those 5-star reviews rolling in:

• Streamlined workflows cut down on order fulfillment times.
• Optimized shipping label generation ensures accurate delivery details.
• Notifications about order status, shipping updates, and expected delivery times keep customers informed and engaged.

Want to delve into the customer experience and really nail those rave reviews and referral stats? Check out our tips and examples for improving customer satisfaction via inventory management automation.

Better forecasting

Predicting trends and adjusting inventory levels proactively is crucial in avoiding the perils of stockouts and excess inventory. So, a significant part of effective warehouse management is about optimizing workflows to ensure you always have the right products on hand at the right time. By leveraging data analytics, warehouse managers can adjust inventory orders based on seasonal trends, ensuring stock levels are maintained without overselling or running into shortages—and that popular items are always in stock when demand peaks.

Overselling is one of the six deadly sins of warehouse inventory management. Here’s a quick tutorial on how to eliminate it once and for all. 

What are the most essential features of warehouse inventory management software? 

When selecting a WMS, it’s essential to know which features to prioritize to elevate your operations. Here’s our selection of essential must-haves. 

Real-time inventory sync

Picture a shopper ready to check out, only to find their desired item is out of stock. Or, they manage to check out, but their delivery is delayed because your stats for what items are in which warehouses are off base, and you have to hastily route items from another location to fulfill the order. 

Both of these situations suck, but they are all too familiar scenarios for ecommerce aficionados selling across multiple channels like Amazon, eBay, etc., as well as their own website and social channels. Real-time inventory visibility drives retail efficiency by letting you know exactly what’s available where, helping you avoid the pitfalls of overselling and disgruntled customers. 

Product kitting and bundling

Let’s talk about the power of product bundling and kitting. Grouping SKUs into bundled packages not only enhances the shopping experience for customers. It also boosts your average sale value and overall revenue. And it increases warehouse efficiency. So it’s a win-win-win. 

The best warehouse management software makes it a piece of cake to create kits, multi-packs, and ready-assembled products so your pickers can grab orders in one smooth swoop rather than having to run around your warehouse looking for individual components. And the best bit? 

You can do this for virtually any product line. Here are a few examples:

• Electronics sellers could offer a “camera starter pack” with a camera, case, tripod, and memory card.
• Cosmetics retailers could sell a skincare set that includes a cleanser, moisturizer, serum, and face mask.
• Home workout specialists could offer a bundle comprising a set of resistance bands, a yoga mat, and a workout guidebook. 
• Craft suppliers could put together a “beginner’s craft kit” containing a variety of paintbrushes, paints, canvases, etc.  

The list is virtually endless, but you get the idea! 

Advanced reporting and analytics

Ready to unleash the power of data? Advanced reporting tools allow you to make data-driven decisions that keep your stock moving with pinpoint precision. And yes, we know data and analytics may not be your jam (ugh, spreadsheets, we feel you). But with an advanced WMS as your trusty sidekick, they don’t need to be! Intuitive dashboards and customizable reporting interfaces make light work of analyzing sales patterns. So, you can make informed decisions about what products to stock up on and when to offer promotions without having to excel at, well, Excel. 

Automated reordering and stock alerts

No more dusty dead stock wallowing on the shelves at the back of your storerooms, and no more scrambling for last-minute reorders. That’s the dream, right? Well, with automated reordering and stock alerts, that dream can become a reality. Here’s how it works:

1. You set reorder points at a predetermined threshold based on historical sales data.
2. You get notifications when stock levels are running low, allowing you to make seasonal tweaks to ensure a steady supply. 

And that’s it. It’s that simple. The most efficient systems even generate purchase orders for you, helping you wave goodbye to even more of those time-sucking (and, let’s face it, pretty dull) admin tasks for good!  

Quality control

Imagine ordering a ribeye steak in your favorite restaurant but being served an overdone burger instead. That’s how your customers feel when they don’t receive exactly what they ordered. 

Fulfillment mistakes lead to a cascade of customer dissatisfaction, returns, and damaged trust. Fortunately, warehouse management systems with inbuilt quality control mechanisms have your back to prevent unnecessary fallout. For example, you can:

• Use barcode scanners to verify SKU details before packaging, ensuring that the right items are selected for each order.
• Effortlessly double-check order specifications such as size, color, and model.
• Implement a quality control checklist to inspect items for condition and completeness, guaranteeing that every product is in mint condition before it leaves the warehouse.

Why are integrations with ecommerce platforms important? 

The more channels you sell on, the more money you can make. That bit’s a no-brainer. But, consumer research also indicates that shoppers exposed to multi-channel marketing campaigns spend about 10% more and have lifetime customer value 30% higher than average. 

However, managing sales across individual platforms manually brings us back to that herding cats analogy we discussed earlier. By the time you’ve updated sales on one platform, you could have oversold on another. So, if you want to spend more time growing your brand and less time chasing your tail, centralized management with real-time updates is non-negotiable. 

Why is SkuVault Core the ideal warehouse inventory management software? 

OK, it’s time for a bit of shameless self-promotion! Sorry, not sorry, but we promise to keep it quick! We can also promise you some pretty epic results, so stick with us. 

What is SkuVault Core? 

Let’s start with the basics before we get into the nuts, bolts, and glowing reviews. 

SkuVault Core is a cloud-based inventory and warehouse management software designed to 

reduce out-of-stocks and increase operational efficiency. With full ecommerce integration capabilities, it’s perfect for retailers looking to bring inventory and warehouse management into one place. Best suited to growing operators in search of a robust inventory management system coupled with multi-warehouse support, the list of primary benefits includes:

• Significantly simplified operations.
• Reduced order errors.
• Enhanced inventory visibility.
• Streamlined multi-channel operations.

What are SkuVault Core’s most-loved features? 

Of course, SkuVault Core has a bunch of standard features for picking, receiving, and counting that you’d expect any WMS worth its salt to provide (think cycle counting, inventory audits, and order tracking, for example). But it’s the individualized features built into our systems that make SkuVault Core unique. Here’s a quick list of customer favorites:

• Unified data management for real-time quantity syncs with effortless integration across hundreds of platforms. 
• Options to add Enhanced Warehouse to access additional integrations like Channeladvisor, Lightspeed, Quickbooks Desktop, Shopify POS, and more.
• Intuitive solutions for product kitting and assembled products. 
• Advanced reporting for stock forecasting, revenue forecasting, and performance analytics. 
• Strict quality control protocols that ensure order accuracy.

What SkuVault Core users have to say

OK, that’s it from us on the salesy stuff. Let’s wrap with a big old mic drop by letting some of our happy clients do the talking. 

“Easiest solution in the market. We went from knowing where something may have been to knowing exactly where it was. It has streamlined our processes 100%.” — Paul Saunders, Founder, Eluxury

“SkuVault Core has been instrumental in our growth—600% in year one, 450% in year two. Our purchasing decisions have improved and we’ve managed to slash our costly mis-shipments.” — Darin Bushman, Ecommerce Director, Jorgensen Powersport

“SkuVault Core has managed to save us between $30,000 and $45,000 a year between our efficiency upgrades and our ability to push off hiring until we actually need somebody.” — Dewain Zeglin, General Manager, RD Reamer Rentals

Ready for a more in-depth look into how SkuVault Core works? Learn how we can help you transform and grow your online business by taking a quick 5-minute interactive tour. 

FAQs

As usual, we’ll summarize and wrap up with a few of our most frequently asked questions. However, if you don’t see the answers you’re looking for, just drop us a line, and one of our expert team will get back to you ASAP!  

What is a warehouse management system?

A WMS is a specialized system that combines essential warehouse management processes with general inventory management best practices to help you oversee and control stock levels and overall operations more effectively. 

What are the key features of effective warehouse inventory management software?

Essential features for streamlining operations and enhancing efficiency include real-time inventory sync, automated reordering and stock alerts, product kitting and bundling, advanced reporting and analytics, mobile accessibility, and seamless integration with other systems. 

What industries can benefit from warehouse inventory management software?

Warehouse inventory management software is beneficial across various industries, including retail, ecommerce, manufacturing, and wholesale distribution.

How can automated reordering help my business?

Automated reordering helps maintain optimal stock levels by sending notifications when inventory drops below a predetermined threshold. This prevents stockouts and overstocking, ensuring you can fulfill customer orders without delay while also reducing the time spent on manual inventory management tasks.

Why is quality control important in warehouse management?

Quality control is crucial for ensuring customers receive the correct products in the expected condition. Adopting better quality control mechanisms can significantly reduce fulfillment mistakes that lead to customer dissatisfaction and returns.