How can Warehouse Management Systems support ecommerce business?

Have you ever had an issue with your business’s ecommerce operations? Managing stock levels and fulfilling orders can be a tricky task, luckily you can support your processes by making the most of a warehouse management system (WMS).

What is a warehouse management system?

Put simply, a warehouse management system is like the brain behind a company’s inventory. It keeps track of everything from what’s in stock to getting products from the warehouse to customers smoothly. It helps you keep a complicated process simple and it is super important to get this process right to support your ecommerce business.

What are the benefits of a warehouse management system?

There are a number of advantages to making sure that you perfect your ecommerce business’ warehouse management system, these include but are not limited to:

Increased control over your stock

Having the right software in place allows you to keep track of your stock in real-time, ensuring that your customers aren’t ordering products that don’t exist, or that you aren’t missing out on sales by inaccurately displaying stock statuses.

Streamlined order fulfillment

Improve your order turnaround times with a WMS, as it allows you to automate or add structure to tasks such as order processing, picking, packing, and shipping.

Scalability

No matter the size of your business, having a WMS future proofs you for growth. Easily adapt to business growth and increased demand without sacrificing efficiency or customer service.

Customer Service

When your WMS gets things right and ships orders fast, customers are happy. With the WMS keeping tabs on what’s in stock and where orders are, it means less chance of mix-ups or delays. Customers get their products on time and know what’s happening every step of the way. That’s the kind of service that keeps them coming back for more!

How do I implement a Warehouse Management System?

Getting a WMS up and running takes some serious work. You need to carefully plan and execute each step to ensure smooth operation. Below are some of the steps you may need to consider.

Software Selection

There are multiple solutions out there and the software you choose entirely depends on your budget and the needs of your ecommerce business. It’s important to review the functionality of different vendors, to ensure that their WMS gives you all the features you need to fully streamline your processes. Linder Logistics’ WORCS is a system worth exploring further. It allows you to have complete control over your inventory by allowing you to access real-time data anywhere, at any time. WORCS offers a range of benefits to ecommerce businesses, including supply chain visibility and advanced routing/picking capabilities.

Data transfer

Once you’ve chosen your WMS software, you need to plan how you’re going to migrate your existing data to the new system. If your ecommerce business is small, this may be as simple as manually entering current stock data and customer orders. For larger businesses, you may have an existing system which requires more planning to move from. At Linder Logistics, we are here to help with any migration concerns you may have when improving your WMS.

Other areas you may need to consider when setting up your warehouse management system include; configuring the system to your needs, staff training, testing and how you plan to deploy the system.

To summarize, a warehouse management system should be at the heart of your ecommerce business, it’ll help you to make sure everything runs smoothly from inventory control to shipping orders fast. Although setting it up takes some work, it’s totally worth it. With a high-quality WMS like Linder Logistics’ WORCS, you’ll ace inventory management, speed up operations, and keep customers happy.