Order Management System Archives – unicommerce.com

Top Multichannel Order Management System Trends For E-commerce Businesses

Team Unicommerce — Sun, 26 Mar 2023 08:29:13 +0000

An Order Management System (OMS), also called Online Order Management System, allows online businesses to execute various operations including, creating invoices, and updating order details across multiple sales channels. While it allows online companies to accept and process received orders and decide the right kind of warehouses, its superior functionalities keep them informed throughout the journey so that they can offer real-time tracking updates to customers.

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.

Top 7 Challenges of Order Management Systems in E-commerce

Team Unicommerce — Tue, 21 Feb 2023 06:00:40 +0000

E-commerce was once the newest way of doing business, and for early adopter companies, bringing customers on board was their biggest challenge. But as it became more mainstream, companies quickly realized that the real challenge lies in managing order operations across multiple sales channels. With increasing competition, customer experience becomes a top priority and an excellent way to ensure it is to manage and fulfill orders efficiently. That is why an order management system becomes indispensable for service excellence in e-commerce and online shopping.

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.

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Unicommerce Recognized as Notable Vendor in the Forrester Order Management System Landscape, Q4 2022

Team Unicommerce — Fri, 30 Dec 2022 07:50:43 +0000

With the e-commerce landscape rapidly changing, more businesses are now adopting advanced technology to increase operational efficiency. Using an Order Management System (OMS) has now become a key part of e-commerce business, enabling them to focus on growth and increased profits.

To help digital businesses compare and choose OMS based on their functionality, Forrester released its Order Management System Landscape Report for Q4 2022. The report identified a set of 24 vendors providing innovative solutions across different stages of order management. And we’re honored to be listed as a notable vendor in this report.

Unicommerce believes in providing multichannel retail businesses with flexible, dynamic, and scaleable order management solutions that help them power their growth. Standing out in this landscape is no small feat, but we’re proud to have earned this distinction. We ensure that our order management solution offers unprecedented flexibility and scalability with a commitment to elevating the post-purchase experience.

OMS Features that Contributed to Our Success

Order management systems (OMS) can be an incredibly powerful tool for businesses in the e-commerce space. It helps decrease operational costs, increase productivity and streamline operations. Unicommerce’s OMS is no exception and offers customizable features that adapt to business e-commerce needs.

Forrester overview identifies Unicommerce OMS specialty use cases as pick and pack orders for fulfillment, support international selling, and manage store inventory, receiving, cycle counting.

Our centralized Order Management System manages orders in bulk over multiple channels, such as offline stores, online marketplaces, carts, and D2C websites.

We enable quick order fulfillment for businesses by facilitating the following:

Efficient order processing through hundreds of channels
Improved product visibility and performance
Reducing the risk of errors in order processing
Enhanced operational efficiency with plenty of seamless integrations

How Unicommerce Can OMS Help You Achieve Higher Operational Efficiency?

Unicommerce OMS is the right choice if you want to improve your business’s operational effectiveness. Here is why:

Your business will never run out of stock thanks to automated order placement for out-of-stock products.
Get a single scan to create an invoice that is tax-compliant.
Businesses can generate shipping and regulatory forms for all orders with our OMS in just one go.
Get access to simplified order manifest generation leading to convenient and faster order dispatches.
For precise order tracking, businesses can enable automatic emails to customers.
Integrate an ERP system to process orders effortlessly and manage them on a unified panel.
Manage order returns seamlessly with a comprehensive returns management system.

Unicommerce’s Vision for the Future

The market is changing rapidly as more people are turning to e-commerce for their everyday needs. Being the market leader, Unicommerce’s vision for the future is to simplify e-commerce selling for online sellers, retailers, and brands across the globe.

The mission of the Unicommerce team is to make e-commercing easy, efficient, and profitable. We are focused on providing large brands with a unified platform that enables them to seamlessly sell their products across multiple channels and boost business sales.

About Unicommerce

Unicommerce eSolutions is India‘s largest e-commerce focused supply chain SaaS technology platform. Founded in 2012, Unicommerce provides businesses with integrated software for multichannel selling, order management, inventory management, and warehouse management. The solution is designed to meet the business needs of e-commerce and e-tailers across sectors and has served over 20,000 satisfied customers globally.

We are currently present in ten countries across the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and African markets with 50+ international clients. Unicommerce currently manages over 3000+ stores and 8000+ warehouses and processes over 600 Mn+ transactions annually, amounting to USD 7Bn+ GMV.