An Introduction To ECommerce Order Management Software

There comes a time when a business owner reaches the point of having such an order volume it becomes difficult to manage on his/her own. Generally, this is the 50 orders/daily range and when seeking outside help to manage the influx may be necessary.

One of the best ways to go about this is to look into an order management software system, such as Stone Edge Order Manager or Dydacomp’s Mail Order Manager (M.O.M.). These solutions keep track of sales, customers and provide all-around peace of mind, especially in a high-volume time such as the holidays. There are a lot of great features in both systems that make things easier, so let’s go over a few…

Customer Management
You want to be able to organize your customer list and keep track of their purchases/needs but you want it to be easier now that you have a larger list to work with. A searchable database that is user friendly and lets you use a variety of search terms (i.e. name, zip code, item purchased, etc.) to find customers quickly is an invaluable resource. Also, keeping in touch with customers via email adds a personal touch to customer service that simply can’t be beat and the use of an integrated email/newsletter solution is a great tool for this.

Order/Payment Processing
Whether you sell physical merchandise, digital goods or a service, there is a benefit to having ready-made processing for your orders. Any good order processor will be equipped with subscription and payment plan options. Some even offer the assistance of sending orders to dropshippers on your behalf, leaving you the extra time to focus on other aspects of your business.

M.O.M. offers a merchant account and payment gateway for credit card processing, all together for ease of use. Stone Edge’s solution offers a virtual terminal for credit cards that goes with a variety of payment gateways, so you can be sure to match it with your own.

Inventory Management
Real-time inventory control plays an instrumental part in keeping track of your stock (and letting you know when to replenish). Therefore, having an intuitive system in place to manage your merch, hands-free, is a priceless commodity. Both solutions subtract the quantity to keep you on track, as well as support dropship products. Stone Edge also supports backorders for extra versatility, while M.O.M. can handle ‘fractional’ orders (such as fabric by the yard).

Shipping Features
A full solution wouldn’t be complete without help with shipping and labels. You want something that will let you print your labels and save time by only having to enter your data once. In addition, knowing the shipping rates for a variety of carriers can help your bottom line by letting you go with the lowest rate.

In addition to these features, there is also accounting assistance and stat reports that are available for the asking. Properly keeping the books is an important part of any business, especially one with a steady stream of orders (i.e. needing constant upkeep), so being able to stay on top of them is key. Also, you want to be able to draw up any report you need right on the spot, with all of your data intact and easily accessible.

Both of the solutions in this discussion are great for the streamlining of your business and ‘cutting the fat’ from your daily business to-do list. A leaner way of doing things can save you time and money down the road, making these solutions worth a look if you’re feeling overwhelmed by your order load.