If your eCommerce company has gotten so big that you can no longer operate out of your garage, you must engage in warehouse selection to choose a warehouse that stocks your items. You must also choose a warehouse management system (WMS) to keep track of stock levels and sales orders in the warehouses where you keep your merchandise. If you have been running your eCommerce business with Magento, it should be easy to find a WMS and inventory management software package that is compatible with it.
What is a Warehouse Management System for Magento?
Businesses of all sizes use the eCommerce software Magento. It is convenient for one-person operations as well as for big companies that must coordinate among vendors, retailers, warehouses, and customers. Magento is compatible with many warehouse management system (WMS) platforms. A Warehouse Management System (WMS) is an app that works with the devices of the warehouse employees and other parties in the supply chain to ensure accurate picking, packing, order processing, and shipment.
The Intersection of Magento and WMS: A Primer
Magento and WMS work together by integrating data. When you integrate Magento with WMS, your warehouse processes will be streamlined. Every time a customer orders a product from your Magento store, the automated WMS features will update the number of similar items left on the shelf in the warehouse. You can share this information with everyone who needs to know it, such as customers who are tracking their shipments and warehouse employees who are working on purchase orders.
Magento 2 and WMS: Bridging the Gap Between Stock and Sales
Stockouts, which are when stores run out of a popular item, are a nightmare for eCommerce sellers. By keeping track of sales channels in real-time, WMS can prevent stockouts. Warehouse pickers scan the item when they take it off the shelf, and the stock levels automatically update in the warehouse management system (WMS).
How Does Magento Inventory Management Work?
Magento inventory management is one of the most valuable services that Magento offers to eCommerce businesses. It is a set of tools that enable you to see in real-time where the goods are in the supply chain. It automatically updates when a new shipment comes from the supplier. It also shows you which of your warehouse locations is the most appropriate to fulfill each order. You can choose on-premise inventory management software if you want to customize it for the site of your organization. Some businesses also opt for a subscription to Magento’s inventory management content. This way, you do not have to install a lot of browser plugins and extensions or worry about the configuration of the software. Everything automatically stays up-to-date and compatible with JavaScript and Google Maps. This makes for a more streamlined online experience for your employees.
Benefits of Integrating Magento with a WMS
When you integrate Magento with a WMS, you are choosing to partner with experts in the field of stock management and POS installation. You don’t have to worry about buying the license or rights every time a new software solution is released that you want to use. Instead, you can use a powerful and reputable software platform that automatically complies with the rules of the eCommerce industry.
Flexibly Adapt Your Delivery Strategy with Magento WMS
The best thing about Magento-compatible WMS is that it is easy for your staff to use. You can simply change the interface so that employees can click on the name, images, or logo of a product instead of having to match alphanumeric codes or enter them manually. If you change your warehouse layout, the WMS will automatically adapt to it.
Specify Custom Shipping Methods and Rates for Each Warehouse
Effective ERP sometimes requires you to rent space in multiple warehouses, even if your eCommerce company is fairly small. A sufficiently powerful WMS can comply with the rules of multiple warehouses. You will need a versatile WMS that is user-friendly for employees of different warehouses with different types of workflow.
Minimize Delivery Cost by Calculating Shipping Costs Based on Warehouse Location
In order to minimize transport time and keep the price of your items low, you might need to store the same kind of item at more than one warehouse. Dividing your stock across multiple warehouses in different regions creates the best value for you and your customers. This way, there is a lower risk of delays when it comes to shipping merchandise to customers. A sufficiently sophisticated WMS can keep track of the order status at multiple warehouses.
Deliver Products from Multiple Sources Efficiently
If you have an account with a Magento-compatible WMS, you will be able to keep track in real-time of the warehouses receiving your inventory and of warehouse processes such as putaway and fulfillment. This way, there will not be any mixups when it comes to delivering merchandise to customers. You can see a demo of these during a consultation to buy the WMS software.
The Top 10 Best WMS for Magento
The 10 best WMS for Magento are ShipHero, Snap Fulfil WMS, Odoo, Fishbowl, ShipEdge, ShippingEasy, PowerHouse, Pulpo, Amasty, and Nexcess.
ShipHero
ShipHero is the best WMS for your Magento eCommerce business. Whether your merchandise is on individual shelves of warehouses in different states or whether your company owns entire warehouses, ShipHero can keep track of every part of the supply chain.
Customer Analysis and Sales Order Management
ShipHero notifies the relevant warehouse every time a customer places an order. It chooses which warehouse should process the order based on which warehouses have the requested items in stock and how far the merchandise will have to travel to get to the customer.
Order Management System for Magento
By analyzing large volumes of data, ShipHero WMS can ensure that your most popular items do not run out. It can suggest when to reorder, based on its projections. You can even automate the reordering process. It can also reduce the number of items that you must liquidate to make room for other items because they do not sell as anticipated.
Exact Order Fulfillment and Increased Customer Satisfaction
When you automate the warehouse picking and fulfillment processes, it is easier to ensure order accuracy. This way, you do not have to devote time and money to processing returns and this increases customer satisfaction which is good for business and for employee morale.
User Cases and Industries Benefiting from Magento WMS Integration
Small businesses that sell products using Magento benefit from WMS integration, especially when they work with warehouses that are in another state. Magento stores that sell clothing, food items, and consumer electronics benefit from Magento-compatible WMS software.
Magento Warehouse Management System Use Cases
Magento is a versatile eCommerce platform, and its WMS applications are versatile, too. It can automate warehouse processes such as receiving, putaway, fulfillment, and reordering. It can even help warehouse managers make decisions based on data and projections.
Industries Leveraging Magento WMS Integration
Many different industries have been leveraging Magento WMS integration and becoming more efficient while saving on costs. These include industries such as clothing, household goods, computer accessories, and non-perishable food items, among others.
Key Takeaways
Even if your Magento eCommerce business is successful, you could make your job and those of your employees much easier by using a WMS platform that integrates with Magento. You can choose the WMS features you need based on the size of your business and your company’s operations.
Frequently Asked Questions
These are some common questions Magento eCommerce store owners ask about using WMS for Magento.
What are the Four Types of Warehouse Management Systems?
The four types of warehouse management systems are standalone, WMS as a module in supply chain management, WMS as a module in enterprise resource management, and cloud-based. Which one you choose depends on which operations your company is responsible for.
How Many Orders Can Magento Handle?
So far, no number of orders has been too many for Magento to handle. It can manage orders for all kinds of businesses, from the smallest to the biggest.
Does Magento Have OMS and What is OMS in Magento?
OMS is order management software. Magento has OMS, but it is quite basic. If you need more advanced OMS, you should buy it as part of a WMS package that integrates with Magento.
Contact ShipHero today for a demo.
