The rise of multi-channel shopping has created new logistical problems for ecommerce retailers, not least the management and fulfilment of orders placed across several platforms.
Whereas once you might have only had an eBay order management system to contend with, chances are most emerging businesses today are juggling the demands of several ecommerce solutions – none of which are integrated.
If this sounds familiar, it could be the case that you’ve outgrown your order management platform. This isn’t the only sign that tools maybe constricting business development – here are some other tell tale signs that technology maybe be holding back your business growth:
You’re struggling to manage inventory
One of the biggest challenges with siloed order management software is the lack of inventory overview. Being unable to assess demand and forecast sales across all channels can lead to stock outs, or the need to prioritize one channel over another in order to meet customer requirements.
You’re spending lots…but not getting return on investment
Increased business is a good thing – so long as you’re able to keep up with the logistical demands. Due to the gradual nature of ecommerce growth, often online retailers can ‘make do and mend’ with their order management systems, not realizing the additional costs associated with running siloed solutions.
You can’t go in every direction the consumer is heading
Consumers today are incredibly demanding; they don’t care about the impact of how and when they shop on your back-end systems, they simply want a product in the most convenient manner that fits within their budget. Having to plough additional resources into the separate control of your web, Amazon and eBay order management systems limits the time and money your business has to invest in rapidly expanding areas of consumer activity, such as mobile commerce.
Your workforce is struggling run efficiently
Inherent problems with order management solutions impact the entire infrastructure of your company. From picking, packing and shipping to marketing and merchandising, efficiency and growth will be restricted if you don’t have a 360 degree overview of customer activity. It’s not just teams that need to work together – it’s technology, too.
Upgrades aren’t making a difference
As we mentioned earlier, there is a tendency among ecommerce retailers to patch up systems rather than invest in a new approach. In the short term, this is understandable – it’s a quick and relatively low cost fix, that doesn’t interfere with day-to-day trading. However, there will come a point when these upgrades still don’t make your siloed order management platforms work together efficiently. This is the time when investing in a new solution becomes critical.
Your rivals are starting to edge ahead
There’s a common saying that a bad workman blames his tools, but the truth is that back-end technology can be the differentiator between market leaders and ecommerce laggards.
While you might be able to see the immediate challenges of dealing with direct website, online marketplace and eBay order management separately, what might not be obvious to you is the huge potential being lost through inefficient operational processes. The ability to understand and control your retail business holistically, across multiple channels, could be the accelerating factor that powers you closer to – or even ahead of – market competition.