Running an ecommerce business yourself is obviously very labour-intensive. The amount of time eaten by order processing, shipping and stock control is often the sole reason your business can’t grow. Growth takes time and effort. If all your time and effort is spent maintaining the current state of your business – there’s none left for going forward. Undoubtedly, changes are due. You have to make time. Hiring a helping hand is an option, but it’s not very cost-effective when you compare it to the alternative of managing your inventory online.

Going from offline to online inventory management basically means using software to automate many of the processes that fill up your day. To understand software’s triumph over traditional means, we must understand how it works. Let’s go into detail on this.

Two big steps is all it takes to start running

First step to managing inventory online: Software

There’s no way around it – any growing ecommerce business manages their inventory online. And for a good reason – it’s very cost and labour-effective, scales incredibly well and leaves little space for human error. Mainly, because it uses a centralized system.

Centralized system

Inventory file, order list, purchase list and many other data sheets all connect very closely. If done manually, even the smallest changes cause a “ripple” through all the other sheets. So, changing it all manually is tedious and extremely prone to human error.

On the other hand, if you’re managing your inventory online – the “ripple” is done for you. All thanks to the data feed file. The single resource that gets updates and adjusts everything connected to it.

Data feed

The data feed file – the heart of managing inventory online. You just received goods from your supplier? Let your software know with a single click. Suddenly, your stock numbers in all your shops went up for all involved products.

Want to take a look how your business is doing? Reports and other analytical tools already have those products accounted for. There’s a long list of other features that software like Multiorders provides.

Second step to managing inventory online: Multiple platforms

So, you’ve started using software. That’s good. The new-found free time allows you to focus on growing your business.

You’re coming up with marketing strategies, researching new products and interpreting data you’ve accrued to improve future decisions. Also, those product description texts got their long overdue touch up. That’s good, but not great. Yet.

The following step to take is to enter multiple marketplaces. Thanks to the data feed file, it won’t take up any additional time to upkeep multiple stores.

But why?

Working to improve your main store is good and will increase conversions. However, when your products appear in more places, it multiplies the chance to be seen. This is obviously an extra step, but it’s definitely worth it.

We recommend using Multiorders to manage your inventory online. Gain access to every tool you wish you had from the start. Find out how it compares to the popular choice of Linnworks.

The Multiorders 14-day trial following your sign up (no credit card information required) will be more than enough time to fully appreciate it and diminish it’s price.