Crafting a Seamless Ecommerce Order Experience

Do you ever feel like your ecommerce business is growing faster than you and your team can keep up with? You're not alone. The rise of online shopping has transformed the way we buy and sell, but it's also brought about a new challenge—managing orders efficiently. It's like trying to juggle a dozen balls at once, and without the right tools, it's a recipe for chaos.

This is where dedicated Order Management Systems (OMS) comes into play. These are specialised business tools that take the headache out of the entire buying and selling process—from transmitting customer orders to the warehouse, through picking, packing, shipping, and restocking.

However, not all OMS are created equal. If you run a sleek tech store dealing in high-end computers, you cannot structure your order processing the same way as a different store managing a chic fashion brand. 

It's clear that what works for one won't necessarily work for the other when it comes to order management. For example, consider the channels each of these businesses would prioritise. One would focus more on their online store, while another would get most of their business off social media platforms.

The bottom line is that your OMS needs to be able to manage customer orders no matter where they're shopping for your brand.

This is the topic of this article. We will look at the different factors you have to take into consideration when choosing an OMS for your online business. You need an OMS that's able to streamline the chaos of orders, from customer clicks to product delivery, while catering to the unique needs of your business. Read on to find out how to choose an OMS that would be a great fit for your online store. 

How an OMS Manages Online Orders

Ensuring that your goods reach the right destination at the right time, while also maintaining a well-stocked inventory, requires a considerable amount of effort. This is because the journey from a customer clicking the 'buy now' button to the safe arrival of their parcel involves an intricate web of processes.

Here are the different parts of the process that an OMS has to manage to make it all work seamlessly:

1. Customer Places an Order

The journey commences when your customers place an order on your website or other sales channels. The OMS swiftly receives this information, allowing for real-time adjustments to stock levels. This not only streamlines the process but also keeps your inventory accurate and up-to-date.

2. The Warehouse Receives the Order

The order is then seamlessly directed to your warehouse. An intelligent OMS provides flexibility, enabling you to use your physical stores as additional fulfilment centres if it proves to be a quicker or more cost-effective option. This strategic approach optimises your resources for efficient order processing.

3. Fulfilment - Pick, Pack, Ship

Upon reaching the warehouse, the order goes through the crucial stages of picking, packing, and shipping. Especially crucial for businesses dealing with vast inventories and high order volumes, a reliable OMS becomes indispensable. It aids in meticulous stock tracking, facilitates the printing of shipping labels, ensures correct label attachment, and tracks orders as they embark on their journey to customers.

4. Managing Returns

Building trust with online customers hinges on the hassle-free return of items. An ecommerce OMS tailored for retail must seamlessly manage returns, a process also known as reverse logistics. Providing a swift and cost-effective mechanism for returns is vital, contributing significantly to customers' confidence in making online purchases.

Why OMS is Crucial for Online Businesses

In the modern ecommerce environment, the complexities of managing customer orders, tracking inventory, and ensuring seamless operations have become monumental. 

The sheer volume of transactions makes manual oversight unfeasible, necessitating the integration of sophisticated software systems. Whether you're a purveyor of cutting-edge technology or a trendsetting fashion brand, the intricacies of order lifecycle management vary widely and require tailored solutions.

This is why you need OMS technology to manage the order management processes on your behalf. Here is why every ecommerce business needs an effective Order Management System:

1. Keep Track of Inventory

One of the fundamental challenges faced by ecommerce businesses is maintaining accurate inventory records. Customers demand reliability in product descriptions and stock availability, and nothing dampens satisfaction more than a completed transaction only to discover an item is on backorder.

 If your business grapples with frequent inventory discrepancies or struggles to forecast popular products and reorder timelines, it's a clear signal to embrace an OMS.

An OMS serves as a comprehensive solution for inventory tracking. By seamlessly managing orders across multiple platforms, it guides employees during processing, locates items efficiently, and prompts timely reordering of fast-moving products. 

Beyond mere logistics, an OMS generates crucial analytical insights, unveiling peak engagement times and revealing buying patterns of loyal customers. 

The result? Ecommerce businesses equipped with an OMS ensure their consumers always access real-time inventory information, fostering heightened satisfaction and loyalty.

2. Provide Superior Customer Service

For businesses committed to meeting and exceeding customer expectations, the implementation of an Order Management System (OMS) emerges as a strategic ally. Beyond the logistical orchestration of orders, an OMS becomes a gateway to innovative customer service options and a treasure trove of valuable customer data.

Implementing an OMS equips organisations with a suite of customer service tools, seamlessly integrating online chat, call recording, and Interactive Voice Response (IVR). 

The flexibility of a robust OMS extends beyond real-time communication, automating email responses and assimilating survey information. This holistic approach creates a 360-degree view of the customer, facilitating a seamless and personalised customer service experience.

3. Eliminate Late Deliveries

When it comes to providing a great online shopping experience, the timely delivery of orders is non-negotiable. Late or inaccurate deliveries not only tarnish a brand's reputation but also directly impact customer satisfaction. 

Recognising this critical concern, ecommerce businesses are turning to Order Management Systems (OMS) as a strategic solution to streamline their distribution and shipping processes.

Convenience is the cornerstone of online shopping, allowing customers to effortlessly place orders from the comfort of their homes. However, the Achilles' heel of ecommerce often lies in the complexities of distribution and shipping. 

A study by Software Advice reveals that 45 percent of online retailers acknowledge the pivotal role of partnering with a reliable shipping service in ensuring timely deliveries.

An OMS addresses this challenge comprehensively. Beyond the ability to generate shipping labels, it ensures seamless communication with the fulfilment centre, facilitating efficient order processing. The OMS takes charge, guaranteeing the accurate assembly of items in the package and expeditious shipment to the awaiting customer.

4. Streamline Payment Processing 

When you run an online store, you don't want customers to be nervous about providing their credit card details. 

Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for shoppers to reach the checkout page and question the efficacy of the ecommerce organisation's security measures. Such reservations can lead to a surge in shopping cart abandonment rates and a decline in overall customer satisfaction.

This is where online certification programs such as PCI Compliance come into play to assure both businesses and consumers that their online transactions are secure. 

The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS) presents ecommerce businesses with a 12-step plan, a roadmap to fortify customer safety during transactions. Embracing PCI compliance not only ensures smooth payment processing but also guarantees robust data protection.

As ecommerce businesses embark on this journey, it is equally vital to display their level of compliance prominently. This transparent approach communicates to customers that their sensitive information is safeguarded, fostering a sense of trust and confidence.

How OMS Empowers Small Businesses

OMS solutions are not only beneficial to large corporations. These days there are several cost effective OMS solutions that are specifically geared towards smaller companies and their goals.

In fact, switching to an Order Management System (OMS) is a pivotal decision that can significantly impact growth and customer satisfaction for any business. Navigating complex logistics chains is no simple task—especially for small businesses. That is why they need the right technology tools to manage the intricate processes involved in processing online orders.

Here are some of the key benefits small businesses can derive from OMS technology:

1. Scaling with Precision

An exemplary OMS should empower businesses to scale seamlessly by expanding sales and warehousing capacity. Simultaneously, it should facilitate accurate stock forecasting, preventing stockouts, and offering real-time tracking of inventory location and levels. Displaying product availability becomes a breeze, ensuring a smooth shopping experience for customers.

2. Streamline Order Fulfilment 

The ability to track orders throughout the fulfilment process is a cornerstone of customer satisfaction. A great OMS ensures transparency by providing customers with comprehensive information about the status of their orders. This proactive approach eliminates the feeling of being in the dark after the checkout, fostering trust and loyalty.

3. Boost Efficiency at Every Step

Time is of the essence in the world of ecommerce. A stellar OMS streamlines the picking, packing, and shipping process, aiming to dispatch orders swiftly from the moment they enter the warehouse. Leveraging technology such as barcode scanners and automated label printing accelerates these critical processes, contributing to a seamless and expedited fulfilment journey.

4. Informed Decision-Making

Selling a diverse range of goods requires insightful analytics. An OMS equipped with robust inventory reporting and analytics capabilities empowers small businesses to stay ahead of the curve. From identifying top-selling items to evaluating channel performance and understanding the impact of seasonality on sales, these analytics provide a comprehensive view of sales patterns, strengths, and weaknesses.

5. 3PL Logistics Integration

Many OMS systems offer a lifeline for small businesses through 3PL logistics services. By partnering with third-party providers for warehousing and shipping, businesses can store inventory and fulfil orders without the immediate need for large-scale investments in infrastructure. This flexibility is particularly beneficial for brands scaling their operations.

What to Look for in an Online Order Management System

It's no exaggeration to say that the success of an online brand hinges on the efficiency and capabilities of its Order Management System (OMS). Let's unravel the essential features that every robust ecommerce OMS should seamlessly handle.

1. Streamlined Reverse Logistics

When it comes to running a winning online store, you must have a customer-friendly return policy. A stellar OMS recognises the significance of hassle-free returns, viewing it as a gateway to increased sales and fortified customer relationships. However, the key lies not just in offering returns but in orchestrating them with efficiency to protect profit margins.

The right OMS solution will excel in reverse logistics, determining the most efficient location for orders to be returned based on the customer's geographical proximity. This geographical intelligence not only minimises costs but also expedites the return process. 

Additionally, the OMS goes a step further by generating return shipping labels for automated printing on the customer's side. This seamless approach not only enhances the overall customer experience but also ensures that the returns process is a well-organised, cost-effective aspect of the ecommerce journey.

2. Seamless Integration with Your Current Technology

For an OMS to work in your business, it must be bale to seamlessly integrate with various facets of your current business ecosystem.

For example, integration with Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems, backend commerce platforms, and other core business systems ensures a unified, streamlined operation. This cohesion not only enhances operational efficiency but also provides a holistic view of customer interactions and business performance.

Shipping is a pivotal element of ecommerce, and an OMS with robust integration capabilities extends its reach to shipping providers. The ability to access real-time information on carrier costs, shipping timetables, charges, and taxes is instrumental in making informed decisions about shipping options. This not only optimises costs but also accelerates delivery times, contributing to a competitive edge in the market.

Finally, an OMS should be able to integrate with your current online marketplace out of the box. This seamless synchronisation accelerates the integration process, reducing the time to value and enabling businesses to tap into new markets swiftly and efficiently.

omnichannel-capabilities">3. Omnichannel Capabilities

For ecommerce brands, the ability to track orders and manage inventory seamlessly across multiple channels is a game-changer. 

Whether customers order on their phones and opt for in-store pickup (BOPIS) or choose delivery to a nearby locker, an OMS with omnichannel capability will ensure a cohesive and satisfying customer experience.

The right OMS solution will even give you the option to convert your physical stores into fulfilment centres. This transformation allows for the automatic identification and shipment of orders from the nearest location to the customer, reducing delivery times and enhancing overall customer satisfaction.

You will also be able to provide customers the opportunity to virtually shop even while physically present in a store. This innovative approach facilitates quick fulfilment of unavailable items, providing a unique and seamless shopping experience.

Conclusion

As anyone running an online store can tell you, ensuring timely and accurate deliveries can be a challenge, with various hitches like inventory mismanagement or processing glitches causing disruptions. 

This is why Order Management Systems (OMS) has become such an integral part of the modern ecommerce operation, seamlessly tackling issues of inventory woes, order tracking, and even offering advanced fulfilment choices for customers. 

An efficient OMS allows you to smoothly process orders from diverse channels, ensuring that, regardless of the source, customers enjoy a consistently excellent experience. 

When customers shop online, they expect to be able to interact with retailers through websites, apps, marketplaces, and more. An OMS gives a business to integrate and streamline all of these channels, serving as the unified hub for all things sales, orders, inventory, and fulfilment across the entire business operations. 

No more juggling separate programs for each way of ordering – the right OMS simplifies it all. It's the key to staying competitive and elevating your business game.