“Disruption allows for innovation, and innovation allows for growth. Those who embrace modern technology for its potential, rather than fearing its challenges, will find themselves ahead of the competition.” – Canary7
The UK ecommerce industry has seen tremendous growth in recent years. Online retail sales have more than doubled in the last five years alone. This rapid growth has put immense pressure on retailers and third-party logistics (3PL) providers to efficiently manage inventory, fulfil orders, and deliver packages on time. Manual and error-prone paper-based processes are no longer viable in today’s digital era. That is where warehouse management software comes into play.
Optimizing supply chain operations is crucial to thriving in this evolving landscape. This blog discusses how implementing world-class warehouse management software like Canary7 can revolutionize your ecommerce operations. From inventory management and order processing to picking, packing, and shipping – I’ll explore the tangible benefits this solution delivers.
By the end, you’ll understand why leading UK retailers are choosing Canary7 to streamline their multi-channel fulfilment, improve customer experiences, and scale for continued success. Let’s begin!
The Growing Complexity of Ecommerce Fulfillment in the UK
Ecommerce has grown exponentially in recent years, bringing opportunities but also complex challenges related to omnichannel fulfillment. If we go with the recent reports, the UK generated over $200 billion in ecommerce sales in 2023 alone. Nevertheless, handling skyrocketing order volumes across websites, marketplaces, and stores introduces difficulties that legacy systems can’t address.
Businesses must juggle a mountain of moving parts, from marketing and sales to picking, packing, delivery, refunds, and much more. A study by Peerless Research Group found over 50% of managers struggle to gain control over their fulfilment operations due to loosely integrated, manual processes. Additionally, the rise of customers demanding quick and free shipping options places further strain on operational efficiencies.
The answer to these challenges lies in optimizing workflow automation, visibility, and process coordination across your enterprise. World-class warehouse management software provides a unified platform to streamline activities from stock management to order tracking. Let’s further explore these solutions and their impact on multi-channel fulfilment.
Need for Warehouse Management Software in UK Ecommerce
The UK ecommerce market has seen tremendous growth in recent years and is expected to continue on this positive growth trajectory. Here are a few key reasons why advanced warehouse management software has become imperative for ecommerce businesses in the UK:
- Rising Consumer Expectations
Today’s online shoppers expect fast shipping speeds, order tracking updates, flexible delivery options, etc. It is difficult for warehouses relying on manual paper-based processes to keep up with these rising expectations. - Inventory Challenges of Seasonal Demand
Ecommerce retailers in the UK face cyclical demand – be it for back to school, Black Friday, Christmas, etc. Manual spreadsheets cannot effectively manage inventory for this seasonal influx of orders. - Pressure of Multi-channel Retailing
Most retailers now operate across online and physical storefronts. Siloed inventory leads to stock-outs and lost sales. WMS brings all inventory on a single platform. - Labour Shortages
The UK is experiencing a shortage of skilled labour. WMS automates routine tasks so employees can focus on value-adding work like problem-solving. - Errors & Inefficiencies of Manual Processes
Relying on paper increases the occurrence of errors, which can lead to stock discrepancies, shipping delays and poor customer experience.
Boosting Inventory Accuracy with Retail Inventory Management
At the core of successful e-commerce operations is gaining complete visibility and control over inventory. Businesses can maintain digital records of all stock items across channels and locations with the help of advanced inventory management tools. Through user-friendly dashboard views, businesses using Canary7 and similar solutions receive real-time updates on stock levels, order statuses, reorder points, and more.
In addition to assisting in the discovery of disparities, automated inventory audits also lessen shrinkage caused by theft or damage and ensure regulatory compliance. Workflow rules that are configured make it easy to manage serial numbers lot tracking for recalls and expiry dates. Accuracy of inventories as a whole increases significantly giving companies more opportunities to close deals.
Streamlining Order Processing with Cloud-based Ecommerce Warehouse System Software
The need for expedited order monitoring and routing is heightened by the rapid expansion of sales channels. This once-complex process is transformed by advanced order management functionality. Real-time syncing of sales data and inventory availability is made possible by cloud-based warehouse management software.
Digital data flows into a central order buffer when new orders are placed via websites POS systems or online marketplaces like Amazon. All open orders, along with important details like the customer, items, shipping address, payment status, etc., are visible to warehouse staff on a single screen. Employees can find the correct records quickly thanks to intuitive filtering and search options.
Subsequently, orders are intelligently routed by advanced functionality using established rules. Prioritizing urgent requests and combining similar SKUs for batch picking or packing goods according to destination to optimize transportation fills are a few examples. This method of automating workflows reduces the amount of time needed for each task.
Companies can now see more clearly the fulfilment process from order receipt to the final delivery scan. Updates on estimated delivery times and timely order lifecycle communications are beneficial to customers. Complex omnichannel operations gain much-needed control and coordination thanks to cloud-based warehouse management.
Unlocking Value with Canary7’s Warehouse Management Software
As a leading WMS solution, Canary7 understands the challenges of the UK ecommerce industry and delivers a future-proofed platform to streamline operations. Pre-configured for fast setup, our centralized system supports retai–lers seeking to eliminate fulfilment bottlenecks through intelligent process orchestration across people, inventory and sales channels.
Key capabilities like advanced inventory management, order routing optimization, real-time dashboards, and multi-carrier/multi-site connectivity integrate supply chain ends into a synchronized whole. Advanced analytics deliver clear visibility into bottlenecks, while mobile-friendly design ensures off-site collaboration.
Overall operational efficiency increases by double-digit percentages according to customer benchmarks. Operators spend far less time firefighting and more empowering growth through continuous process refinement. Most importantly, reliability improves across all stages of the fulfillment lifecycle from inventory receipt to final buyer satisfaction.
In the massive market shifts already underway, businesses leveraging technology decisively gain scale opportunities through unmatched fulfilment performance. For UK companies investing in Canary7 as the control centre of coordinated operations, revolutionary results follow.
Final Thoughts
E-commerce disruption brings change but also an opportunity for those who are strategic and agile enough to shift fulfilment paradigms. Modern warehouse management software guides leading retailers in leveraging state-of-the-art tools to revolutionize fulfilment for competitive advantage nationally and beyond.
For businesses seeking to stay ahead of changing distribution landscapes, Canary7 provides a platform empowering ambitious multi-channel growth goals sustainably. Retailers acquire 360-degree fulfilment coordination once available solely to massive players. Technology decisions impacting the future receive powerful validation through a system optimized to flourish with your business at any scale.
In a wrap, a best warehouse management software elevates fulfilment execution from a weak point hampering growth into a competitive differentiator. Technologies revitalizing supply chain operations drive a true revolution, defining market leadership in the years ahead. For timely innovation positioning your company at the forefront, explore Canary7 to streamline multi-faceted fulfilment sustainably.
Namrata Chawla
Author
UPDATED ON: 5th June 2024
Namrata Chawla, a professional writer, crafts compelling weblog content on warehouse management, inventory control, logistics, and beyond. With a wealth of experience in this niche, she's dedicated to delivering unique, informative, and top-tier posts. Her commitment to exploration ensures fresh perspectives in each insightful blog post.
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