Parsimony - Using ERP to Manage Inventory in Your Ecommerce Store

If you're running an ecommerce store, it's essential to have a reliable way to manage your inventory.

March 15, 2023 · 6 min read

Fortunately, an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system can help you easily keep track of your stock levels.

Also, it ensures that your customers always have access to the products they need. We'll share tips for using ERP to manage inventory in your ecommerce store.

With these tips, you'll be able to streamline your inventory management process and make your business run more smoothly.

10 Tips for Using ERP to Manage Inventory in Your Ecommerce Store

When it comes to managing inventory in your ecommerce store, there are many options available. ERP software can be a great way to streamline your inventory management process and make life easier for you and your team.

1) Know What You Have in Stock at All Times

One of the most critical aspects of managing your inventory with an ERP system is knowing what you have in stock. It helps ensure that you stay within the budget, which can lead to wasted resources and unnecessary expenses.

Using an ERP system, you can monitor your stock levels in real-time and be alerted whenever they reach a certain threshold. You can also use the system to generate reports providing detailed inventory information. It includes the number of items in stock, the number of items sold, and the total inventory value on hand.

With this information, you can make better inventory levels and restocking decisions.

2) Automate Inventory Management With an ERP System

ERP systems are a great way to automate inventory management for ecommerce stores. ERP solutions provide an organized and efficient way to track inventory levels, keep track of customer orders, and quickly process purchase orders.

With an ERP system, you can easily monitor and control your inventory, identify gaps in supply, plan inventory replenishment cycles, manage the logistics of product distribution, and generate reports for analyzing data. Automating the inventory management process can save you time and money and improve customer satisfaction.

With an ERP system, you can have confidence in knowing what you have in stock at all times and that your customer’s orders will be fulfilled accurately and on time.

3) Streamline your inventory management process

ERP can be used to automate and streamline your inventory management process. By tracking inventory levels, you can better understand customer demand, reorder stock at the right time and ensure that your stockroom is well-stocked.

Automated data entry and reports will save you time and money managing your inventory. Additionally, using barcodes or RFID tags can help you quickly identify products, making it easier to access the data you need to make decisions quickly.

Streamlining your inventory management process with an ERP system can help you stay organized, efficient, and profitable.

4) Use barcodes and RFID tags

Barcodes and RFID tags are a great way to improve the accuracy and efficiency of your ecommerce store’s inventory management process.

Barcodes allow you to quickly scan items as they enter and exit your warehouse, giving you up-to-date records of stock levels in real-time. RFID tags have the same benefit. They can be used to track individual items as they travel through your supply chain, giving you better visibility into the lifecycle of each product.

By utilizing the ERP system to manage barcodes and RFID tags in your inventory management system, you can get an accurate picture of your stock levels at any moment. It ensures that you always have the right amount of inventory, making it easier to meet customer demands.

5) Keep track of your inventory levels

If you’re managing an ecommerce store, you must know how much inventory you have. This information can help you make better decisions about when to restock and how to plan for unexpected spikes in demand.

With the right ERP system, you can track your inventory levels in real time, allowing you to make informed decisions and stay on top of any sudden changes in stock. This data can also forecast future inventory needs, ensuring you always have the products customers seek.

Additionally, using ERP to track your inventory levels lets you keep a better eye on what’s selling and not, so you can adjust your stock accordingly.

6) Know when to reorder inventory

Reordering inventory can be tricky, as it is essential to ensure that you have enough stock to meet demand but not so much that you're overstocking.

To avoid this problem, knowing when to reorder inventory is essential. A good rule of thumb is to reorder inventory when your stock level drops below a certain point. It can be done manually, or you can use an ERP system to automate the process and track when to restock.

Additionally, you can look at past sales data and trends to predict how much inventory you'll need in the future and plan accordingly. Reordering inventory at the right time ensures that your business always has the necessary stock.

7) Have a plan for managing returns

Returns are a part of any ecommerce business, so it’s essential to have a plan in place for managing them. With an ERP system, you can easily keep track of returns and refunds, ensuring that you can provide customers with timely and accurate responses.

You should create a system for tracking returned products and any warranties or guarantees associated with them. Additionally, consider setting up a process for inspecting returned products and determining their condition before you accept them back into your inventory.

Having a plan for managing returns will help your business run more efficiently and improve customer satisfaction.

8) Use data to your advantage

Using data to your advantage is an essential part of successful inventory management. An ERP system can help you generate and analyze reports that track key metrics, such as stock levels, trends in sales, customer demand, and delivery times.

Access to these insights will help you make more informed decisions about when and how to manage your inventory. It’s also essential to monitor supplier performance and production timelines to understand what’s happening in your business accurately.

With an ERP system, you’ll be able to identify patterns in the data to determine what’s working and what’s not. This way, you can make timely adjustments to keep your inventory levels in check.

9) Keep your employees in the loop

If you want your inventory management system to be successful, you must ensure everyone in your organization is on the same page. It means regularly informing and involving your employees in the process.

Ensure they know how to use the new ERP system and understand what is expected of them. Training your staff on the new system is key to making it run smoothly. Additionally, it’s a good idea to have a central place for everyone to go for any questions about inventory levels or the ERP system. This way, everyone will stay updated and informed about what’s happening.

You’ll have a more efficient and successful inventory management system by keeping your employees in the loop.

10) Review your inventory management process regularly

Inventory management is a critical part of running an ecommerce store. Therefore, it’s essential to review your inventory management process regularly to ensure that it’s running smoothly.

It can involve assessing whether or not you are using the right ERP system for managing your inventory, ensuring that your processes are up-to-date, and evaluating your stock levels. If you find that any of these areas need improvement, you should make the necessary changes to ensure your inventory is managed efficiently.

Regularly reviewing your inventory management process using ERP will help you keep track of your stock levels and avoid any potential issues with supply and demand.

Conclusion

ERP systems are designed to help businesses manage their inventory more effectively. Integrating with your ecommerce store, an ERP system can allow you to keep track of your inventory levels, stock movements, and sales data. It can give you a clear picture of your business performance and help you make informed stock levels and pricing decisions.

ERP systems can also help you manage your warehouse and fulfillment operations more effectively. By tracking stock levels and orders, an ERP system can help ensure that products are available when customers need them. It can help you improve your customer service levels and reduce your costs.

An ERP system can be a valuable tool for managing your ecommerce store. With the right plan, you’ll be well on your way to an efficient and cost-effective inventory management system.