Ecommerce Order Management Software

Ecommerce order management software enables businesses to manage online orders from initial acceptance all the way to final delivery of the product. The software category provides custom tools to help companies match their operations workflows, business rules, integration needs, data capture objectives, merchandising techniques, and multichannel sales strategies. Ecommerce order management software also tends to offer real-time inventory and order management, payment processing, marketing, and customer relationship management (CRM) tools to optimize cost and efficiency.

This guide suggests ways to help you choose the best software for your ecommerce business.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

• What is ecommerce order management software?
• Common features of ecommerce order management software
• What type of buyer are you?
• Benefits and potential issues
• Market trends to understand

What is ecommerce order management software?

Ecommerce order management software consolidates and automates business operations from the moment a product or service is listed in a catalog until the last order goes through and the product is delivered. When a customer places an online order, the software checks for errors in inventory, payment, and delivery instructions and then initiates fulfillment tasks and creates a record of the order transaction. Different departments can use this data for marketing intelligence, reporting requirements, etc.

Common features of ecommerce order management software

Ecommerce order management options vary in which features they offer. Here are some of the most essential tools to consider when choosing a solution:

What type of buyer are you?

Ecommerce order management software is similar to other software categories, such as ecommerce inventory management software. Understanding how an order-driven solution helps different kinds of companies can make it easier to choose the right solution.

Small and midsize ecommerce companies

Most small and midsize ecommerce companies that exclusively sell products online tend to have only one shipping channel. For instance, they likely deliver all their physical products by the same logistics carrier. Also, many small companies store all their inventory in a single warehouse. A simple order management solution is usually sufficient for basic fulfillment needs.

Hybrid retailers

Ecommerce companies that also sell products in physical stores have complex needs. Best-of-breed ecommerce order management software may accommodate inventory requirements better than basic order management solutions can. Order management solutions may also integrate with advanced inventory management options through custom development.

Service providers

Some ecommerce order management systems are capable of providing services as well as products. Look for solutions that specifically offer digital delivery options, account access expiration, and other features to suit your business.

Enterprises

Large ecommerce companies often have multiple warehouses and delivery channels and also use multiple languages and currencies. This complexity may justify considering an enterprise resource planning (ERP) software solution to cover all the company’s needs.

Benefits and potential issues

Ecommerce order management software offers online companies a number of benefits:

• Process orders faster: Automated order workflows initiate fulfillment immediately with less need for human input. This allows companies to deliver orders faster, which improves customer experience.
• Reduce back orders and delays: Up-to-date inventory data helps managers predict shortages and take steps to avoid them. Enterprise order management software simplifies reordering, so it's easier to maintain ideal inventory levels. This means customers spend less time waiting for warehouses to receive new stock from suppliers and manufacturing.
• Provide better customer service: Improving efficiency and avoiding order errors naturally leads to more satisfied customers. Customers are also able to determine the real-time availability of items in the online catalog. Fear of missing out can even encourage sales. Companies can also track orders and warn customers in advance if they predict a delay.

Market trends to understand

The demand for integrated solutions is increasing: Ecommerce companies are looking for software that manages many operations in one application. Some order processing software companies have struggled to provide the broader features found in more expensive ERP solutions. To counteract those issues, software developers have created integration tools and application programming interfaces (APIs). These tools allow niche ecommerce order management software to communicate with other business applications.

Advanced supply chain management tools are slowly coming to ecommerce order management software: Consumers increasingly look for products that are produced safely, sustainably, and ethically. Supply chain intelligence allows ecommerce companies to offer stronger product integrity assurances. For instance, companies can trace product origin to establish whether products were produced organically or produced using fair labor practices. In addition, innovative ecommerce order management software companies that already offer inventory features are beginning to offer supply chain features, too.