The post How to Pick the Best Order Management System (OMS) for Your E-commerce Business? appeared first on unicommerce.com.

An Order Management System (OMS) is a software solution that enables businesses to efficiently and effectively manage their order processing and fulfillment operations. It acts as a central hub for handling and organizing customer orders, inventory, and related information throughout the entire order lifecycle, from placement to delivery.

A client order is simply the entire process of receiving, processing and fulfilling a customer’s request. Many different departments are involved in managing an order, including the customer support team, warehouse workers, accounting department, and delivery partners. Maintaining client happiness and safeguarding a company’s reputation are two of the many benefits that one can gain from efficiently mastering order management.

Order Management System (OMS): A Multi-fold System

An e-commerce order management system consists of several interrelated touchpoints and stakeholders that work together to ensure clients get the right items at the right price at the right time. Businesses can use order fulfillment systems to construct customer data and keep track of stock levels and sales records, in addition to ensuring order-to-cash (O2C) operations function smoothly.

The Order Management System Challenges

It is impossible to successfully handle an order with as many touchpoints and parties involved as there are. A few of the problems organizations face are human flaws and system backlogs, stock awareness issues, transit mistakes, and lack of communication. They may all have a detrimental influence on customer happiness and loyalty. However, with the implementation of efficient order management software, these challenges can be effectively addressed and resolved, leading to improved customer satisfaction and loyalty.

An E-commerce Order Management System is the Key

Both B2C and B2B firms use an integrated and responsive order fulfillment system to create a quick-paced, economical, and accurate OMS. A company’s ERP system may be integrated directly with the OMS, allowing for the most efficient and lucrative order fulfillment cycle. 

Additionally, the OMS ensures smooth and timely shipment of orders, further enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty. The pricing of products and services is also managed effectively through the OMS, ensuring profitability and competitiveness in the market.

Many supply chain professionals have already embraced this technology. Also, big retail companies are investing in technology to automate tasks like order fulfillment, warehouse distribution, and delivery. This trend is likely to continue in 2024 to meet the growing demands of consumers.

Advantages of Using an E-commerce Order Management System  

An OMS provides numerous significant advantages for businesses: visibility at every stage of the selling process, time efficiency, lower risk for mistakes made by humans, as well as increased accuracy, and efficient order optimization. The following are the top advantages of e-commerce OMS:

1. Efficiency of Automation

By automating the order processing process, an e-commerce order management solution can save the firms’ money on labor, reduce human error, and devote more time to development and customer satisfaction by reducing the chance of human mistakes. Data security is improved since there is less manual involvement.

2. 24*7*365 Accessibility

Due to the e-commerce order management solution of 24/7 access, orders may be processed remotely and in real-time since businesses have internet access to their OMS. Because of this, one can better serve their customers and process their orders more quickly through sales channels.

3. Concentrate On Growth

Several benefits come from automating the ordering and receiving process, such as freeing up time to collect and analyze data for further growth and addressing any difficulties in the fulfillment process. Additionally, automation can greatly improve the customer experience by streamlining the ordering process, reducing errors, and providing real-time updates on order status.

4. Management of Inventories

Using an order management system to provide real-time data on customer orders, things sold, returned, or swapped aids in managing inventory. Once again, this protects client pleasure by preventing corporations from over-selling their products.

5. A Centralized Perspective

One unified system for managing orders offers organizations an overview of the complex fulfillment environment for online sales and guards against order mistakes, customer unhappiness, or lost income due to frequent malfunctions such as inadequate inventory, wrong invoicing, or unexpected shipping issues.

6. Constantly Updated Real-time Data

A real-time data presentation of an order management system makes it possible for businesses, rather than risking consumer discontent with errors or delays, to respond quickly to any challenges that may develop. By maintaining up-to-date product and payment data, businesses may better assess the current health of their cash flow and make informed decisions using business intelligence.

7. Capabilities For Multiple Channels

Expand your e-commerce business’s potential and increase sales volume by utilizing a multi-channel e-commerce management system in which items are offered for sale in many online locations, including an online store. All of the venues where your firm sells its products, including marketplaces, hosted web storefronts, and brick-and-mortar locations, are channels.

A Sound Order Management System is Critical for Several Reasons

The development of e-commerce and consumer expectations in today’s always-on culture has resulted in high volumes, high speed, and great hopes. Consumers have come to anticipate that they may order whatever they want, whenever they want, and from whichever platform suits them because of the widespread use of digital and electronic commerce. The growth of the e-commerce business has transformed the way people shop and interact with businesses online, including the order fulfillment process.

E-commerce fulfillment is in high demand, and to improve this process, businesses are willing to invest in technology solutions like E-commerce Order Management Systems (OMS) to improve their order processing, fulfillment, and overall customer experience.

Watch how Order Management System (OMS) helps in timely order fulfillment –

Conclusion

There’s little doubt that the order management system will impact customer satisfaction. Some firms consider the impact on backend logistics when purchasing an OMS, not the effect on front-end customer service. When a consumer uses Buy Online, Pickup In-store (BOPIS) or a curbside pickup for the first time, it’s critical to assess how they feel about the whole shopping experience.

Remember that a well-functioning OMS improves customer service and returns on investment.

Schedule a FREE demo with Unicommerce Order Management consultants.

Related Read:

• What is Warehouse Management System?
• What is E-commerce Inventory Management System?
• Key Benefits of an Order Management System
• FMCG Industry in India: Trends, Challenges, Solutions
• The Comprehensive Guide to E-commerce Integrations
• What is Inventory Cycle Counting & Why to Use it for Effective Warehouse Management?
• Warehouse Returns and Cancellations Management [Reasons, Problems, and Solutions]
• UniShip – Advanced Logistics Tracking Platform
• UniReco – Automated Reconciliation of Orders, Returns and Payments
• Key Challenges & Benefits of Marketplace Payment Reconciliation
• Benefits of Shipping Notifications
• What is the difference between Logistics and Supply Chain Management?

The post Why is Order Management System Important for E-commerce Business? appeared first on unicommerce.com.

The significance of effective e-commerce order management cannot be overstated. It directly impacts customer satisfaction, which in turn affects your business’s reputation and bottom line. One key aspect that plays a pivotal role in the efficiency of e-commerce order management is marketplace integration.

The Role of Marketplace Integration in Order Management

Marketplace integration refers to the process of connecting your single selling platform with various online marketplaces, creating a seamless flow of information between your store and external platforms such as Amazon, Flipkart, Myntra, and others. 

This integration enables a centralized management system, streamlining various aspects of e-commerce order management. It acts as a bridge that brings together your product listings, inventory management, order processing, and customer data, creating a unified and synchronized ecosystem.

Let’s take the case of a small business owner who sells handmade crafts on both their Shopify store and Flipkart. Before, they had to manually update product listings, inventory levels, and order statuses on each platform separately. 

However, after getting an Order Management System with integrated marketplaces, when a sale occurs on Flipkart, the inventory levels are automatically updated on both Flipkart and their Shopify store. Additionally, order details are seamlessly synchronized, eliminating the need for manual input and reducing the chances of errors.

Benefits of E-commerce Marketplace Integrations

Here are some advantages of integrating marketplaces with your single selling platform:

1. Streamlined Processes and Reduced Errors

Marketplace integration eliminates manual data entry of orders on multiple channels, reducing the chances of errors and ensuring that information is consistently updated across all platforms. This streamlining of processes leads to a more efficient and error-free order management system.

RSA Global, a Dubai-based digital supply chain and e-commerce logistics solutions provider, recognized the importance of modernizing its logistics operations. To gain access to widely-used e-commerce marketplaces, RSA Global opted for robust order management. 

The system seamlessly facilitated RSA’s integration with Amazon, Noon, and Custom Website (WooCommerce). These integrations allowed for real-time data synchronization, simplifying data exchange and reducing the risk of manual errors.

2. Real-Time Inventory Management on All Sales Channels

This integration extends beyond order management, enabling the synchronization of inventory levels across all connected marketplaces and the Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) store. By creating a unified inventory source for all platforms, this approach streamlines processes and enhances inventory forecasting capabilities, preventing challenges like overselling or stockouts.

A well-known footwear brand, Neeman’s, required diverse marketplace integrations such as Amazon, Flex, Flipkart, and Shopify, Neeman’s implemented a solution to seamlessly integrate its inventory and manage orders across all required platforms. This has significantly contributed to Neeman’s ability to maintain a steady inventory flow, meeting the demands of its tech-savvy customer base with efficiency.

3. Automated Order Processing

As your business scales, manually processing orders becomes impractical. Marketplace integration establishes seamless connections between the business’s selling platform and various online marketplaces. This integration allows for the automatic transmission of order details, eliminating the need for manual data entry and reducing the risk of errors. 

The integrated system automatically updates order statuses, providing customers with timely information about their purchases from confirmation to delivery. Automated order processing expedites fulfillment tasks, ensuring products are picked, packed, and dispatched efficiently. The result is a smoother transaction process and reduced manpower costs. 

4. Seamless Returns Management

Efficient returns management in e-commerce is achieved through the seamless integration of marketplace platforms with a robust Order Management System (OMS). This integration centralizes returns processing, allowing businesses to handle both Customer-Initiated Returns (CIRs) and Returns to Origin (RTO) with ease. 

The streamlined communication between multiple sales channels ensures real-time data exchange, reducing manual intervention and enhancing visibility into return trends. The automated features of the OMS, such as generating return labels and updating inventory levels, contribute to cost reduction by minimizing manual efforts. 

5. Data-Driven Decision-Making

Marketplace integration serves as a powerful tool for businesses, consolidating data from diverse platforms to facilitate informed decision-making. By seamlessly connecting with various online marketplaces, businesses gain access to a wealth of information, including customer behavior, sales trends, and product performance. 

Analyzing trends becomes more nuanced as businesses can identify patterns in consumer preferences, popular products, and peak buying periods. The real-time synchronization of data ensures that businesses are working with the most current information, enhancing the accuracy of trend analysis.

Let’s Leverage the Power of Marketplace Integrations!

A well-functioning order management system is crucial for the success of any e-commerce business. Marketplace integration emerges as a key player, seamlessly connecting your single selling platform with external marketplaces for a smoother operation. Any business that is not capitalizing on the power of marketplace integrations may find itself navigating unnecessary challenges. 

In today’s competitive e-commerce landscape, where every click counts, the imperative is to leverage this integration as a strategic advantage. Therefore, the call to action is clear, let’s leverage the power of marketplace integrations to propel your e-commerce business forward.

Explore our platforms:

• UniShip – Integrated logistics management system
• UniReco – Automated payment reconciliation system

Related read –

• What is Warehouse Management System?
• Top Inventory Management Challenges
• Top Order management system challenges
• FMCG Industry challenges in India
• Apparel Industryin India: Trends, Challenges, Opportunities & Solutions
• Footwear Industry in India: Trends, Challenges & Solutions
• Logistics vs Supply Chain Management
• E-commerce Apparel Industry: Trends, Challenges, Opportunities & Solutions

The post How Robust Marketplace Integration Transforms E-commerce Order Management appeared first on unicommerce.com.

Overview: Global Multichannel Order Management Market

The estimated valuation of the global multichannel order management market in 2022 stood at around USD 2.95 billion, and it is poised for a substantial growth trajectory with a projected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.6% from 2023 through 2030. 

The growing popularity of online shopping, coupled with the continuous expansion of the retail landscape, serves as the driving force behind this market’s upward trajectory. Notably, Forbes predicts that online transactions are on track to comprise approximately 20.8% of all retail transactions in 2023, marking a substantial surge in e-commerce revenues. 

Furthermore, as an increasing number of businesses embrace multichannel selling strategies to engage customers across diverse platforms, the demand has surged for efficient order management solutions capable of handling orders from multiple channels.

In simpler words, online businesses like yours need to use the best Online Order Management System! However, it all depends on prevailing order management trends in 2023. Over the last two years, companies have been affected by COVID-19 imposed restrictions. This has also affected online businesses’ activities worldwide. These effects are expected to continue in 2023. Hence, it is crucial to know and understand Order Management System Trends that affect the Order Management System (OMS) market.

What Factors will Fuel the Growth of the Order Management System (OMS) Market?

• Order management plays a pivotal role in shaping the customer experience, despite its placement on the backend of the modern commerce ecosystem. Today’s consumers demand swift access to real-time data, such as inventory availability, as they navigate the path to purchase.

• Presently, the retail and wholesale sectors account for a significant 70% of total spending on OMS solutions. This can be attributed to the rapid expansion of e-commerce on a global scale, spanning regions like the United States, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Latin America. This expansive growth is fueling the demand for OMS solutions within the retail and wholesale industries.

• Furthermore, the manufacturing industry is witnessing a growing appetite for OMS solutions, as more brands delve into direct-to-consumer channels. This strategic shift aims to maximize the value derived from direct customer engagement through owned brand touchpoints.

• The adoption of Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) delivery models for OMS systems is democratizing their accessibility, affordability, and ease of implementation for digital businesses. This approach empowers digital enterprises to concentrate on their core competencies, alleviating the need for extensive customization and enabling them to keep pace with the ever-accelerating demands of the modern customer landscape.

Top E-commerce Order Management System (OMS) Trends for E-commerce Businesses

1. Speedy distribution and e-commerce order fulfillment

While keeping tabs on delivery costs is essential for e-commerce businesses, the speed by which a product goes from ordered to delivered is critical. E-commerce businesses can use multichannel order management system to expedite order fulfillment on orders received from any sales channel. In 2023 an increased number of consumers are expected to opt for next-day delivery while shopping online. The order management software needs to secure the opportunity to fix the chances of repeat business in the future. Besides this, e-commerce businesses need to ensure that customers are not waiting longer than expected after placing the order. 

So online businesses need to ensure speedy order processing and distribution. The longer it takes to process and distribute an order, the longer it will take to reach its destination. This may result in a grievance by customers, resulting in potential loss of business. Accordingly, online companies need to streamline order management software’s order picking and packing process. It will both let them quickly check stocks across all warehouses and identify fulfillment centers closest to the customer. It all depends on how fast online order management software sends order information to a particular order fulfillment center to ensure the order is picked, packaged, and shipped to the buyer. Online businesses can hope this will satisfy a customer and give a repeat order. 

2. Multichannel customer support

In the post-COVID-19 recovery scenario in 2023, online businesses will continue to increase their interaction with customers across multiple sales channels through forms on their website, live chat, social media, and more. It empowers the sales team to provide better customer support using multichannel e-commerce management systems for online businesses. Be it online or offline. The support will have a consistent and positive impact on customers. Increased customer engagement will enable businesses to create a situation where customers, through their positive feedback, will help in the growth of the e-commerce business, and this trend is expected to continue till 2025.

3. Real-time data collection

Through real-time order tracking, sales team strategists of companies can view and collect all the data related to sales. They can track sales figures generated from every retail channel and stay updated about the rise or slump in sales. The Order Management System of e-commerce businesses must have the robustness to handle slumps or spikes in demand. Businesses can figure out the progress throughout an order’s lifecycle by collecting real-time data. In 2023 it is critical for e-commerce businesses that should there be a delay, OMS must display where the problem lies in real-time, giving online businesses time to figure out how to remedy it.

4. Changes in post-purchase expectations

Since the pandemic started and new variants emerged, the latest being Omicron, many more digital tools have been added to online businesses’ systems. A multichannel e-commerce management system is the way forward for businesses, as customers are still scared to step into brick-and-mortar stores. This trend will continue in 2022, as shops use various channels to reach out to customers. Online order management software in 2023 will evolve to blend and manage in-store and online sales by prioritizing seamless shopping experiences to build brand loyalty. 

Read How Businesses growing with Unicommerce – How a leading Consumer Electronics Brand Dispatched 170K+ orders per Month Seamlessly for its D2C Operations

5. Integrating with new marketplaces

Online brands/stores need to understand that online customers are mostly fickle-minded and rarely stick to one platform or marketplace. As online businesses transcend geographical boundaries, it is difficult to know and understand consumer behavior. In 2024, online stores are increasingly using e-commerce order management systems equipped with Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) to correctly predict customers’ shopping habits. 

Based on knowledge gained, e-commerce businesses can venture into newer marketplaces and make them compatible with various platforms, offering products according to customers’ shopping habits. A robust order management system (OMS) can manage vast data generated from multiple platforms, enabling online businesses to do upselling and cross-selling across various online marketplaces.

6. Automating operational processes

Online businesses can better control their inventory flow across all sales channels by automating their order management and inventory data collection process. Automating the e-commerce order management system, online companies can better manage and track their orders when it first comes in, right through to picking, packing, and finally to shipment. It will allow them to manage orders in their warehouse locations and stores and across other third-party logistics (3PL) service providers. The use of online order management software in 2023 is set to increase manifold. 

Watch how Order Management System (OMS) helps in timely order fulfillment –

Using automated order management software, online businesses can collect and send relevant information to concerned departments and partners to ensure the order is executed quickly and out-of-stock situations are prevented. Order management system trends indicate that automation will be increasingly used to handle order returns in 2023. As distributors are updated in real-time, automating will help them smoothly manage peak season order processing and avoid disruptions like product out-of-stock due to the sheer volume of orders. Automating processes will help them track orders being placed across various channels and platforms that draw the most sales and smoothly control order flow and its completion.

Schedule a FREE demo with Unicommerce’s Order Management consultants.

Related Read:

• UniShip – Advanced Logistics Tracking Platform
• UniReco – Automated Reconciliation of Orders, Returns and Payments
• Key Challenges & Benefits of Marketplace Payment Reconciliation
• Benefits of Shipping Notifications
• Why is an Order Management System Important for Your E-commerce Business?
• Top Challenges of Order Management Systems in E-commerce
• Top Key Benefits of an E-commerce Order Management System
• 9 Best Inventory Management Techniques To Scale Your Business
• What is Inventory Management System?
• What is Warehouse Management System?
• Why Should You Deploy A Warehouse Management System
• The Challenges of Multichannel Inventory Management and How Can D2C Brands Overcome Them

The post Top Multichannel Order Management System Trends For E-commerce Businesses appeared first on unicommerce.com.

What is a Good E-commerce Order Management System?

A good e-commerce order management solution enables effective inventory management and indirectly reduces the liability of cancellation and returns for online shoppers. Millions can be saved in operational costs; billions can be added to the brand equity if the company has a compatible e-commerce order management platform.

However, there are some inherent challenges of real-time order management systems that every e-commerce company has to face. Overcome these challenges and build a sustainable e-commerce model by identifying and resolving these challenges.

Top Common Challenges of Order Management System

1. Data Gaps and Inconsistencies: As an e-commerce business scales and services multiple markets through multiple channels, millions of touchpoints become susceptible to data gaps and inconsistencies. Due to human errors and inconsistent logic, even a great e-commerce order management software may perform at a less-than-optimal level. Data gaps can lead to order cancellations, deficient order fulfillment, and diminished customer experience. Utilizing analytics can help identify and address these gaps, leading to improved performance and customer satisfaction.

2. Syncing Inefficiencies: If bi-directional syncing of data is not done properly, users accessing the order management system from multiple locations can struggle with communication gaps. Information related to product inventory, pricing, discounting, etc., may not be recorded accurately. Slow or erroneous syncing of data can also cause shipping and ordering mistakes, harming operational costs. Having a good technology foundation for bi-directional syncing is crucial to avoid these inefficiencies.

3. Insufficient or Redundant Features: Every order management system comes with a set of best practices to handle the entire order generation and fulfillment process. If all the required features are not part of a single platform, the best way is to integrate external tools or software plugins from online retailers. At the same time, redundant features may cost the company and complicate the order management process unnecessarily without adding any value.

4. Difficulties with Bulk and Multi-Package Orders: Whether the e-commerce business model is B2B or B2C, bulk ordering and multi-package ordering are essential to business growth. However, bulk or multi-package orders are often complex and take special care to fulfill. When order management systems don’t factor this into their features, the company is forced to handle the process manually, which can lead to challenges with refund policies.

5. Limited Customizability: An e-commerce order management solution is typically selected for the standardization and consistency it brings to operations, supply chain, and logistics in the retail business. That is what builds the foundation of quality service. However, companies may often wish to customize their order management system based on the business model and customer expectations, posing a big challenge as most e-commerce order management platforms offer no-to-low customizability.

6. Incomplete Integration with External Tools: The omnichannel approach is no longer a prerogative for e-commerce online stores. Instead, it has become inevitable, meaning that as the business expands its presence across different channels and platforms, the existing order management system may have to integrate with external tools. Incomplete integration or incompatibility at this stage can negatively impact the omnichannel experience for customers and the company.

7. Poor Service and Support: In addition to software or platform-specific challenges, an order management system can also pose trouble when the backend service and support are not up to the mark. While some e-commerce order management software solutions are user-friendly, others may need assistance from the team of that particular service provider, especially when deployed at the enterprise level and integrated with other existing CRM and ERP modules. If the team behind the software is not prepared to provide the needed tech support, the solution can soon become the problem, affecting the profitability of the business.

Read how Businesses are growing with Unicommerce – How Urban Company Achieved 8X Growth in 27 Months with Unicommerce’s Warehouse Management Solution!

Finding the Right E-commerce Order Management Software

These challenges come with high expectations and at a great business cost, and it is necessary to strategize against them while selecting an e-commerce order management system that can help you maintain a strong online presence for your e-commerce business.

To find a robust e-commerce order management solution that best suits your business needs, look for the following features:

• Customized Reports and Dashboards: All inventory-related information should be accurately captured, cataloged, synced, and shared. The OMS should generate comprehensive reports with deep insights into your order operations.
• Partner Integrations: The OMS should facilitate seamless integration across global marketplaces, cards, shipping providers, POS, and ERP. There should be minimal delays and zero information loss.
• Centralized View of Order Operations: The OMS should allow increased visibility for the entire supply chain and make information view possible from a centralized point.
• Customer Centricity and Service Excellence: The OMS must provide extensive customer service and support to facilitate enterprise-wide adoption, usage, maintenance, and regular upgrades.

Read how online businesses are growing with Unicommerce – How Unicommerce’s Order and Warehouse Management System Enabled MPL Sports to Attain 90%+ Fulfillment Rate?

Watch how Order Management System (OMS) helps in timely order fulfillment –

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, if these challenges of order management systems are prevalent in the existing platform, strategic measures must be taken to overcome them. While smart integration and process automation should be explored for existing order management systems, a new platform must be considered if the challenges persist. The end goal should be finding the right technology solution that ensures seamless order fulfillment, cost optimization, and zero process failures.

Schedule a FREE demo with Unicommerce’s Order Management consultants.

Explore our platforms:

• Advanced Logistics Tracking and Returns Management Platform
• Automate Reconciliation of Orders, Returns and Payments

Related read:

• How does order management work: Order Management Process
• Process, Features, Benefits for Warehouse Management System (WMS)
• Omnichannel Retail Challenges & Solutions in India
• FMCG Industry Challenges & Solutions in India
• Healthcare Industry Challenges & Solutions in India
• Multichannel Order Management System Trends
• Why is an Order Management System Important for Your E-commerce Business?
• Best Inventory Management Techniques To Scale Your Business
• Why Should You Deploy A Warehouse Management System?

The post Top 7 Challenges of Order Management Systems in E-commerce appeared first on unicommerce.com.

From establishing multiple touchpoints across channels to retaining loyal customers to evolving marketing strategies, you have a lot of opportunities lying at your fingertips.

Are you a budding entrepreneur thinking about starting an e-commerce business in the UAE? Or maybe you have an established brick and mortar, but you are finding issues synchronizing your orders and inventory. Or maybe you do have a great online presence, but your operational costs are hampering your ability to grow your bottom line. Well, the answer is to integrate your order, inventory, and logistics in such a way that you not only speed up the inventory turnaround but also synchronize your efforts.

But before that let’s first focus on the current market opportunities and understand the untapped potential for e-commerce businesses in the market!

1. Growing Opportunities for E-commerce Players in the UAE

In the current scenario, the GCC region includes the largest e-commerce penetration rates globally. Not only consumers highly dependent on the upcoming technology systems, but businesses are also leveraging them to build their retail capabilities. 

Coming over to the marketplace platforms in the region. Now, that’s something you, as a seller, can’t afford to miss. Amazon.ae has become the biggest player in the UAE market, followed by Namshi.com and Noon.com. While Amazon has been the greatest e-commerce platform in the area, there are still others that you can definitely leverage, especially if you are a startup and are looking for niche consumers.

As we talk about e-commerce, it would be wrong to leave the logistics as achieving operational excellence is the goal of each e-commerce business. While enhancing the logistics and supply chain management capabilities could be the main focus of the businesses in the region, the new and improved technological methods, such as GPS-driven solutions, RFID tracking, and 3D printing, could be leveraged to support growth and scale business. Moreover, the emergence of shipping providers has empowered SMEs.

Now, the question is how can you actually make the most of these lying opportunities?

Well, it’s understandable that working in sync and optimizing operations has to be the top priority, but what are the actual challenges that work as a roadblock in your e-commerce journey, especially when you are operating in the UAE? Have you ever thought about that? Let’s understand!

2. Challenges associated with Order, Inventory and Logistics in the UAE –

We have seen that e-commerce is growing at an explosive pace in the United Arab Emirates, and people are shifting to online channels, but there are still some challenges that e-commerce businesses face even today. But, first of all, you need to understand that inventory, order, and logistics are correlated to each other. Even if you have mastered any one of these, you won’t be able to amplify business profits because the process will remain incomplete.

Imagine that you have adopted an automated e-commerce inventory management system to get more control & visibility over your inventory. But you are still not able to fulfill orders on time. What could be the reasons?

Maybe your outbound workflow is not strong enough. Or maybe you are not able to assign your orders to shipping providers efficiently. Manual errors could be one of the common problems that companies witness without proper implementation of inventory, order, and logistics systems.

Some of the challenges that you are bound to encounter without a proper inventory, order, and logistics system are:

1. Inventory Management Challenges in the UAE

Businesses in the UAE are experiencing e-commerce inventory management challenges such as keeping the real-time inventory count and maintaining fast stock replenishment. One of the main reasons for the inventory challenges is the obsolete and poor infrastructure of warehouses that are not competent to house the inventory in a systematic way. Moreover, the value chains are complicated in nature and also hinder the growth of e-commerce businesses. Some of the main inventory management problems that people in the UAE face are:

• Unable to keep up with the real-time inventory count
• Hard to maintain the fast stock replenishment
• Difficulty in locating the inventory in the warehouse due to limited visibility
• Problems in consolidation & sorting of inventory due to obsolete warehouse infrastructure
• Witnessing the situations of stockouts amid peak season
• Difficulty in managing the marketplace orders due to poor sync between inventory and online orders

2. Multichannel Order Management Challenges in the UAE

One of the biggest problems in the UAE region is that bulk orders are difficult to route and fulfill. For example; you deal in the online business of fragrances and home aromas. Amid Eid al-Fitr, you come across bulk orders of Oudh. But due to the poor logistics capabilities, you are not able to fulfill them. In the order management process, this kind of problem is generally faced by businesses.  Moreover, handling order returns is yet another issue that e-commerce brands face. Right from assigning the delivery partner for the returns, to hastening the overall process, there are a lot of aspects in reverse logistics that businesses need to gain control of. Some of the main order management challenges that people in the UAE face are:

• Hard to pick & pack optimization of SKUs at the order level
• Difficulty in fulfilling orders faster amid the seasonal demands
• Controlling the quality of the products to avoid delivery of damaged products
• Challenges in aligning the returns management process

3. Logistics Management Challenges in the UAE

The countries in the UAE have the biggest disadvantage of postal codes over any other country. Many countries in the region don’t have postal codes or mail courier systems, which in turn creates a cluster in the minds of the businesses as to what orders need to be delivered in which region. For example, in Dubai, there are no street addresses for retailers to deliver the products, which makes it difficult for them to fulfill the demands of their customers on time. Moreover, e-tailers face difficulties in picking up products from SMEs as they are not much aware of e-commerce and are aligned to rather sell products to physical retail stores.  Some of the main logistics management challenges that people in the UAE face are:

• Difficulty in tracking the order from the fulfillment center to the final destination
• Delay in delivering products due to the lack of postal codes
• Hard to assign deliveries to various shipping providers on the basis of the nature of the order
• Inability to integrate various fulfillment centers & warehouses due to lack of full-stack supply chain solution

3. How Can You Overcome the Challenges in the UAE? Curated E-commerce Management Solutions to Overcome These Problems

In the digital age of technology, it has become increasingly important for you to opt for a technology that can manage and handle your operations with utmost ease. Right from maintaining the track of the inventory to automating the order updates to integrating with the leading logistics players, you can perform an array of tasks.

Let’s hop on and understand the processes and steps to solve the operational challenges in order, inventory and logistics management.

1. Inventory Management Solutions in the UAE

Be it centralizing inventory to analyze the inventory levels and stockouts, or updating the inventory from offline, online, and warehouse in real-time, a centralized Inventory Management System – like Unicommerce – will empower you to understand the depth of multichannel and omnichannel retail. Moreover, with inventory management software you will be able to:

• Assess and update on virtual, and actual stock across multiple sales channels in real-time
• Integrate offline and online inventory seamlessly that eventually gives omnichannel experience to customers
• Monitor stock movements in order to build a steady stock pipeline and disbursement across all the sales platforms
• Synchronize stock automatically in order to ensure accurate stock visibility that eventually improves sales and controls order cancellations
• Rotate stock to address multichannel challenges, such as loss of freshness in the stock, old stock, damage, holding the cost of dead or unmoving stock

2. Order Management Solutions in the UAE

An intelligently deployed multichannel sales tactic doubles up the sales volume with the addition of an order management system. The order fulfillment software enables quick order processing even during the situations – products of mixed prices, and varied nature of orders (fragile/inflammable/expensive).

If you are planning to employ a multichannel order management system, you should opt for a solution like Unicommerce, which ensures a 100% fulfillment rate!

The following are the features that a scalable order management system enables:

• Handle bulk orders; right from the order creation in various internal systems and marketplaces to invoice and label printing and shipping arrangement
• Handle unified orders across all the sales channels to process orders faster while saving your time and resources so that you can focus on your business expansion
• Ensure brand loyalty and grow repeat customers base across multiple touchpoints
• Reduce time in the processing of orders, thereby hastening the reverse logistics process

Apart from that, you should also utilize services such as multi-fulfillment centers (MFC) that are designed and curated to cater to the needs of your customers!

3. Logistics Management Solutions in the UAE

Being one of the crucial tasks in the process of operations management, logistics not only helps you fulfill orders faster, but you can also enhance the customers’ experience with improved delivery services. To manage logistics in the UAE, you need the following listed logistics management solutions:

• Outsource experienced logistics professionals to ensure fast and efficient delivery of orders

  Employ local delivery agents who are familiar with the city’s nooks & crannies so that they can deliver seamlessly in the absence of postal codes

  Leverage marketplace platforms such as noon.com, which has invented a geotagging system that captures the location of the customer automatically

  Join hands with full-stack eCommerce enablement platforms like Unicommerce as they provide logistics integrations with world-class last-mile delivery platforms in the UAE.

  While the e-commerce industry in the UAE is on the brink of a massive shift due to changing consumer preferences, it’s imperative for you as a seller to understand the upcoming challenges & their solutions. Why? Because your operations are the fundamental of your business, and if you brace yourself against all the challenges then you will surely be able to accelerate your business growth, and who ain’t looking for that?

Related read –

• Different Selling Models of Amazon & Noon: How to Handle Selling?
• What are Biggest Business Challenges Faced by UAE’s Fashion and Retail Brands?
• How to Sell on Noon?
• How to Sell on Amazon in the Middle East (The UAE and Saudi Arabia)?

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