The growth of your business comes with the necessity to manage your warehouse in the most efficient way possible. Without optimized processes, you expose yourself to serious issues such as stockouts, errors in order fulfillment, delivery delays, and consequently, unhappy customers.
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It’s impossible to master the complex operations of a warehouse with scattered spreadsheets or tedious manual processes, which is precisely why warehouse management software was invented.
This is where the Warehouse Management System (WMS) comes in, a powerful technological tool designed to optimize and enhance stock and order management in the warehouses of e-commerce businesses. In this article, we will explore in detail what a WMS is, its key features, its advantages for warehouse management, as well as practical advice for selecting and implementing the right system for your business.
The Warehouse Management System (WMS) is software designed to efficiently manage all activities related to warehouse management. From receiving goods to shipping orders, through storage and picking, the WMS automates and optimizes processes to ensure smooth and efficient stock management.
Over the years, WMSs have evolved to meet changing business needs in warehouse management. The latest trends include the integration of technologies such as IoT (Internet of Things), AI (Artificial Intelligence), and robotics to further improve operational efficiency and stock accuracy.
The features of a Warehouse Management System (WMS) form the backbone of any effective warehouse management. Every aspect, from stock management to order preparation, is carefully orchestrated by these features to ensure optimal performance. Here are the most sought-after features in a WMS by online sellers:
A Warehouse Management System provides full visibility on the location, quantity in stock, as well as that awaiting delivery and shipping for each product in your warehouse. This feature allows more efficient resource management. Moreover, the WMS identifies overloaded or empty locations in your warehouse, optimizing the allocation of goods upon receipt. Finally, stock movements made by your operators are automatically recorded in the database to ensure perfect traceability of your warehouse’s activity.
WMS software greatly simplifies goods reception by allowing the registration of supplier orders in your stock using a simple barcode reader. Additionally, it automatically identifies items shipped by suppliers that were not included in your orders, thus significantly reducing time spent on reception. Once all products are registered, the WMS generates a summary list of locations in the warehouse, thereby speeding up the storage process. Additionally, it flags any missing products in shipped orders.
Equipped with a WMS, order packing becomes simple and efficient. The system optimizes the picking path of order pickers by sorting products by location to reduce time spent in the picking zone. Moreover, when packing an order, the WMS automatically considers it processed once all products have been scanned, minimizing errors. In case of incorrect scanning, the software alerts the picker to avoid sending unwanted items to customers.
A WMS allows the development of alternative stock management methods such as dropshipping (direct shipping by suppliers) or cross-docking (direct shipping after receipt by the supplier). These methods offer increased flexibility in order and stock management.
Thanks to the recording of all actions in the warehouse database, professionals equipped with a WMS can closely monitor warehouse activity. They can obtain detailed information such as received orders, the number of units shipped, or the number of orders processed by each picker, providing complete visibility on warehouse operations.
After validation of the customer order, some WMSs, like myFulfillment, automatically assign a carrier according to predefined rules. For example, priority orders can be sent with Colissimo or international orders with Fedex. Once the carrier is assigned, the WMS automatically prints the shipping label and retrieves the tracking number, which it then transmits to your ERP or CMS system for communication to the customer.
Adopting a WMS has numerous benefits for warehouse management. Here are some of the key advantages:
Selecting and implementing a WMS require a careful evaluation of the specific warehouse management needs of the company. It is essential to choose a system that meets the needs and size of the company while considering factors such as compatibility with existing systems and customization capabilities. Once selected, the process of implementing a WMS requires careful planning, adequate staff training, and regular monitoring to ensure long-term success.
Here are some questions to ask before choosing your warehouse management system:
To illustrate the advantages of a WMS, discover an example of an e-commerce merchant who successfully adopted our warehouse management system: Boostmyshop myFulfillment. This example highlights a concrete overview of tangible results obtained through the adoption of a WMS, including increased productivity, reduced errors, and improved customer satisfaction. Discover the testimony of Victoria Highfield, Fonder of Online for Equine:
In conclusion, the Warehouse Management System (WMS) is an essential tool for online sellers looking to optimize warehouse management. By automating processes, improving stock accuracy, and reducing operational costs, WMSs enable businesses to remain competitive in an ever-changing market. If you want to discover how a WMS can benefit your business, feel free to request a demonstration of our Boostmyshop myFulfillment WMS solution.
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