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Inventory Management Software

11 Best eCommerce & Shopify Inventory Management Software for 2024

For any store, you need to establish a good operations system for managing your inventory. Years ago, software for inventory was terrible (clunky, etc.), but fortunately, new software solutions over the years have come out and are becoming much easier to use. I’m sharing some of the best I’ve used and have seen first-hand that you need to check out if you’re actively looking (or wanting to make a change).
June 4, 2023
Dan Siepen
min
20
Shopify
January 2, 2024
Updated on
Author: Dan Siepen (Founder & Editor)
I've been a Growth Marketer for 8+ years (eCommerce/DTC 6+ years), and love developing strategies and executing channels for eCommerce/Shopify brands. I've used hundreds (and hundreds) of software tools to help execute on key strategies for eCommerce growth, and I'm here to help highlight which tools, software and apps can help you scale your store.
Connect with Dan

When it comes to choosing inventory software, it’s one of the more important decisions you’re going to have to make when running an eCommerce brand. 

The main reason why is that it’s actually quite hard to switch over providers due to the likely build-up of existing data and insights/analytics over time. 

Plus, if you’ve set one up before, you know it’s quite a bit of work to set up a new system.

However, some of the inventory systems I talk about in this guide are really good options to consider and worth the time and investment for long-term growth. 

After all, you’ve most likely landed here because you’re actively researching which options are going to be best for you. 

So, I’m here to serve you key information on some of the top providers out there. 

What are the top attributes and key things to consider when choosing eCommerce inventory software?

Exploring this nature of software like this can be a little overwhelming if you’re fairly new to starting an ecomm brand, as there are quite a few things (which can sometimes be complex) to consider. 

So, to help you, here’s a little checklist of the key attributes and questions I’ve used over the years when deciding and evaluating ecomm inventory software. 

  • What are the integrations available? This is the most important item to know as it needs to connect with your eCommerce CMS (otherwise, it’s going to be too much work to set up another way). Make sure to check how the syncing of data works between both systems. 
  • Who’s going to be managing fulfilment as part of your team? Which platforms provide a better UX for key team members? This is where you’ll certainly have to go in and test out a few options (at least a couple). Most providers I’ve listed have some good customer service reps to ping for resources/videos or to set up a call.
  • When it comes to analytics, does it have real-time feeds that you can access anywhere? What’s the depth level of analysis you can do for your fulfilment operations?
  • Does the platform have a mobile app to check real-time data when you’re on the go?
  • Are there notifications available to track key fulfilment movements?
  • Who are some of the top customers using the software as part of their shipment and SKU operations? Any fast-growing brands that you know that are using a particular option?

Most likely, you’re going to have a few more items that you’ll be particularly looking for, but I’ve found these questions to be really helpful for me to go through and assess which platforms are stronger in certain areas over others. 

Okay all, enjoy my review of these top eCommerce inventory providers.

1. Fishbowl Inventory

Fishbowl Inventory is a flexible ERP software solution that allows you to understand your production workflows and warehouse thoroughly, streamline integrations, and even scale your business in a matter of weeks.  

Why I like it & Pros

  • Fishbowl Inventory provides accurate and up-to-date data on your SKUs in real-time, whether you have it in a single location or multiple locations, for smoother operations. 
  • No matter how you track your product lines, you can take advantage of the recommendations or customise them based on the options such as creation date, lot number, expiration date, revision number, tag number, and serial number. 
  • Fishbowl’s advanced software has not only great real-time tracking capabilities but also leverages robust order fulfilment, build flow and predictability for your complex manufacturing processes. 
  • It has even designed a fully cloud-based platform for efficient scanning and barcoding, workflow and process traceability, personalised part tracking, and reporting on metrics crucial to your business's success. 
  • You can manage your worker’s schedules on real-time availability based on your operational hours, allocate resources to your production schedule, and calculate labour costs for every task completed in a breeze.  

Customers they work with 

  • Mercedes Benz
  • U.S. Army
  • Lowes
  • U.S. Airforce 

Integrations they offer

  • Amazon
  • Android
  • Apple
  • FedEx
  • HubSpot 

Pricing

Fishbowl hasn’t disclosed its pricing upfront. However, you will need to schedule a call with its sales team and get a quote based on your specific business needs. 

2. Cin7

Cin7 is an inventory management and growth software that allows businesses to handle all their sales channels, point of sale, SKUs, and supply chain through one central, cloud-based platform.   

Why I like it & Pros

  • Its comprehensive inventory management software lets you track and control products with barcode inventory, FIFO and serial tracking, and more, along with tax and landed cost reporting and single-click accounting synchronisation for hassle-free operations.
  • You can take advantage of the live insights tools and real-time integration dashboards with a customisable reports library to make reporting a breeze for effective decision-making. 
  • Cin7 allows you to prevent overstocking or having to deal with spoiled or outdated SKUs by always having live updates (yep, all in real-time) on product orders in all locations. 
  • Cin7 software helps you automate manual tasks to save time and refresh inventory numbers to ensure your stock is topped with every order placed. 
  • With this tool, you don’t need to maintain several different spreadsheets, which minimises data entry errors and ensures accuracy, so your customer receives the right product at the right time. 

Customers they work with 

  • Pine Apparel
  • Meghan Fabulous
  • Kyrgies
  • Kas Australia
  • Childsmart 
  • Black Seal

Integrations they offer

  • Xero 
  • eBay 
  • Magneto
  • Nordstorm
  • Amazon
  • Shopify

Pricing

Cin7 comes with three paid plans – standard is priced at $325 per month, retailing at $550 per month, and manufacturing at $650. 

It also offers a custom plan, namely enterprise, that’s customised for your fulfilment requirements. 

3. Linnworks 

Linnworks is a complete commerce solution for growing retailers that allows them to connect, manage, and automate commerce operations to ensure they sell wherever their customers are and never miss a revenue opportunity.  

Why I like it & Pros

  • This tool offers advanced reporting and insights to help you track performance across sales channels and get to the bottom of the metrics that matter the most to you. 
  • Automated inventory management prevents overstocking, overselling or underselling, and stock-outs while ensuring you are always updated with stock levels and know the exact reorder quantity.  
  • You can forecast demand accurately and know which products sell the best on each sales channel, and you can also keep an eye on the real-time consumption data throughout your sales channels. 
  • This platform offers a perfect post-purchase experience to your customers by gaining full visibility of order status across all shipping and fulfilment channels and keeping your customers posted too. 
  • The FIFO inventory management method automatically assigns the oldest stock to sell out first to make sure your existing stock doesn’t deteriorate and sells right on time.  

Customers they work with 

  • Rave Coffee
  • Buy Wholefoods Online
  • Graff City 
  • Tootonic
  • Goldstar Leisure 

Integrations they offer

  • Walmart
  • BigCommerce
  • Amazon 
  • Payoneer
  • Shopify
  • Etsy

Pricing

You’ll have to say g’day to the Linnworks team to get a custom price for your brand.

4. Sortly

Sortly is the simplest inventory management tool that facilitates small businesses in streamlining and innovating every aspect of managing SKUs, supplies, and everything else to save time, money, and stress. 

Why I like it & Pros

  • Sortly allows you to quickly upload your existing SKUs list, add details with custom fields, and arrange inventory/product line folders based on type, location, and more to stay organised at the touch of a button. 
  • This software comes with a mobile app, so you can get notified when you’re low on stock, upload photos to track each product, and track product volume counts with a QR code scanner and in-app barcode no matter where you are.
  • Its reporting feature lets you get deep insights into folders, items, and user histories and get real-time reporting insights, which makes it ideal for budgeting, forecasting, and audits. 
  • You can automatically sync your stock across all devices, such as tablet, mobile, and desktop, with the help of cloud-based syncing, so you can always keep your inventory updated no matter what. 

Customers they work with 

  • HP
  • Sanford Health 
  • Sephora
  • Chewy
  • Schneider Electric

Pricing

Sortly offers a 100% free plan and two paid plans – advanced and ultra, which are priced at $29 and $59 per month, respectively. For larger orgs, there's an enterprise option for those selling lots of SKUs.

5. InFlow 

InFlow lets you manage orders and inventory without any hassle with a variety of features ranging from barcoding, reordering, paying vendors, creating B2B portals, and detailed reporting to pricing and costing.   

Why I like it & Pros

  • InFlow keeps updating the system in real-time as soon as you receive or fulfil an order with calculated costs and profits to help you better understand how much profit is being generated by each item. 
  • This software lets you set different reorder points and methods, track inventory across one or multiple locations, and limit user access to certain locations for added security. 
  • You can create personalised barcodes and design labels that support a plethora of printers and scanners and can be scanned for receiving items, transferring stock, looking up products, adjusting stock, and more. 
  • InFlow has slick reporting features, which provide valuable reports for each category, such as sales, purchasing, SKUs, and admin. 
  • To make sure you deliver orders faster to your customers, its sales orders dashboard lets you know which orders can be fulfilled and which ones need to be reordered, and you can prioritise orders by dragging and dropping.  

Integrations they offer

  • Etsy
  • Amazon
  • DHL
  • FedEx
  • UPS
  • WooCommerce

Pricing

This software has four paid plans. Entrepreneur costs $89/month, small business costs $219/month, mid-size $439/month, and enterprise $1055/month. 

You can try out the small business plan for free for 14 days!

6. Trunk 

Trunk is a multi-channel inventory syncing and management software that facilitates you in focusing better on your business operations instead of inventory while you sell on multiple channels stress-free. 

Why I like it & Pros

  • Trunk prevents you from getting embarrassed in front of your customers by overselling a product as it keeps syncing stock in real-time and provides accurate data across your sales channels. 
  • You simply need to connect all sales channels with this platform, and it will quickly create its own centralised inventory that will consistently track your sales channels for any updates to always keep you in the loop. 
  • You can connect any number of sales channels to this software, and it will automatically link matching SKUs to each other to take business of any size to the next level. 
  • Whether you have kits or need to track items, this tool makes it a breeze for you to build robust configurations that rely on each other to make changes in quantity based on how others are configured. 
  • Takes a couple of mins to connect your sales channels with this platform to get started, and it also works internationally with all currencies for higher profits. 

Customers they work with 

  • Stack Life
  • TinyHomeGoods
  • Woof Craft
  • The Wellness Refinery
  • The Letterman Co
  • Botana

Integrations they offer

  • QuickBooks
  • Squarespace 
  • Faire
  • Amazon
  • Shopify
  • Etsy

Pricing

Trunk features two paid plans – essential and pro and they both come with a free trial for 14 days. The more order volumes you do, the price does rise - scalable plans like this are good things to look out for, as FYI.

For 10k+ orders p/m, you will need to contact the Trunk sales team. 

7. Zoho Inventory

Zoho Inventory lets you focus better on your business while its smart inventory management software does all the work for you, from efficient stock management and order fulfilment to stock control.

Why I like it & Pros

  • Zoho Inventory provides an efficient order management system to help you create backorders, drop shipments, and purchase orders, and manage both offline and online orders in a breeze.
  • This software allows you to keep better control over your inventory and even track the movement of each item or batch with the help of serial number and batch tracking features. 
  • Zoho facilitates you in getting shipping rates in real-time and in-transit details of shipping carriers. You can also pick the right shipping partner for your business needs. 
  • You can check SKU levels, manage the inter-warehouse transfer, and create reports for your warehouses at your fingertips to keep your inventory management robust. 

Customers they work with 

  • Doability
  • B&B Organics 
  • OYO Homes
  • Rapido Bike
  • Miller Industrial 

Integrations they offer

  • USPS
  • Aftership
  • Amazon Services
  • DHL
  • Klaviyo
  • PayPal 

Pricing

In addition to a free plan, Zoho offers five paid plans. The standard plan is priced at AUS $97.9, professional at $152.9, premium at $240.9, elite at $361.9, and ultimate at $459 per month. 

8. Vend 

Vend is a cloud-based point-of-sale software built for inventory-oriented retailers to better sell, track, manage, and grow their business through several features like digital receipts, world-class ecommerce partners, real-time reports, and more.  

Why I like it & Pros

  • Vend lets you set reorder points to automatically replenish your stock as soon as it drops to a certain level to ensure your store isn’t too low/runs out of key SKUs, and is always ready to serve customers. 
  • This software allows you to add and manage your products directly with its interface and edit and view all products at once to create bundles and sell more to your customers. 
  • Its comprehensive reporting feature helps you keep an eye on what’s selling and what’s not, so you can offer more products that sell, monitor and forecast trends, and make informed decisions. 
  • With the help of the scanner app, you can count stock and search for stock availability, descriptions, and even pricing right from your phone, so you can quickly answer your customers’ queries and keep better track of your inventory.
  • This platform makes it super convenient for you to sell and ship your products through multiple channels and fulfil orders faster without switching between apps and keeping everything in sync.

Integrations they offer

  • Shopify
  • WooCommerce
  • BigCommerce
  • Ecwid

Pricing

Vend features three paid plans – lean at $119 per month, standard at $169 per month, and advanced at $249 per month. There’s also an enterprise option available - just say g’day to the Vend team to learn more.

9. Unleashed

Unleashed is a robust inventory management tool that provides your business with real-time visibility into your stock levels at all times and gives you control over every aspect, from purchasing, production, and warehousing to sales activity. 

Pros

  • Unleashed provides a costing analysis report with perpetual inventory control to reflect the true inventory costs and make sure you have an accurate view of product margins and profits. 
  • The stock enquiry feature gives you real-time access to stock levels, cost, status, warehouse, and value for a better understanding of your inventory. 
  • You have full control over your product catalogue and can manage various product attributes like product code, barcode, product group, and more while setting minimum and maximum stock levels. 
  • Its comprehensive sales order management feature lets you review, process orders, and even invoice your customers for undisrupted accounts receivable management. 
  • To make your pick-and-pack warehouse process hassle-free and efficient, you can print off any documentation you need, including shop notes and picklists. 
  • Its detailed supply management overview gives you the ability to keep an eye on your suppliers’ contact details, like delivery history, addresses, and phone numbers. 
  • This software provides you with a centralised location to manage your orders and bills of materials while monitoring your assembly products and the quantity of raw materials required for production.

Customers they work with 

  • Brew Tea Company
  • Crystal Spring
  • Saison
  • Ikon Commercial
  • Blokarts

Integrations they offer

  • Magneto
  • Vend
  • Shopify 
  • Amazon
  • Xero

Pricing

Has a trial period for 14 days, so you can test Unleashed out before committing long-term. Mid-sized businesses, scaling businesses, and emerging enterprises plans cost $349, $649, and $999 per month, respectively 

10. SimpleConsign

SimpleConsign is a user-friendly web-based POS and management consignment software that makes running your shop easier. It also makes sure you manage your consignment more effectively from anywhere and anytime. 

Why I like it & Pros

  • SimpleConsign’s Consignor Central gives you the freedom to contact your consignors by creating personalised messages, creating customisable contracts and sending them to your consignor, and even viewing any changes made to a consignor’s inventory. 
  • Its easy-to-use photo app lets you upload photos from your mobile phone on this platform and save photos into your account. You can also access stock info via different tabs for added convenience. 
  • The dealer remote item entry feature gives your vendors the freedom to streamline your sales process while ensuring you manage your discounts, rentals, and payouts without losing control. 
  • You can conduct inventory audits, view sales statistics and trends, and access automatically generated or personalised reports to facilitate you in making the right decisions for your business. 
  • No matter the number of your differently-located warehouses, you can track/manage all of them through one dashboard and even view and search for stock available in each product line. 

Customers they work with 

  • Gigi’s Boutique
  • DĂŠjĂ  Vu Consignments
  • Wren
  • Livi & Company
  • Living Vintage 

Integrations they offer

  • Entrupy
  • uShip
  • Shopify
  • Fortis
  • CardConnect 

Pricing

SimpleConsign has three different paid plans – basic at $159, standard at $209, and professional at $309 per month per location. 

11. Netstock

Netstock is a supply chain planning software that gives you recommendations based on real-time data along with other powerful features, so you can make the right decisions for your business and maximise your investment in inventory in the best way possible. 

Why I like it & Pros

  • Netstock saves you from the hassle of manual data collection and spreadsheet management by automatically gathering data from your system, telling how you’re losing revenue from stockouts, and where you’re overstocking, all in one view.
  • Netstock automatically classifies your stock/product lines in your warehouse based on the sales value and velocity, so you can view which items generate the most profit and are in high demand. 
  • Its personalised and pre-configured dashboards display KPIs and metrics crucial for your business's success. Each KPI shows the top 5 SKUs in different categories to know which items are significantly impacting your business. 
  • This software features multi-tiered distribution channels, allowing you to restock efficiently while keeping operating costs minimum and viewing material requirements with ordering constraints like lot expiration dates and MOQs. 
  • This platform allows you to set safety stock levels to ensure your stock is automatically replenished as soon as it reaches the minimum level to meet the forecasted demand at the right time. 

Integrations they offer

  • NetSuite
  • SAP Business One
  • Sage
  • Fishbowl 
  • Microsoft Dynamics 365

Pricing

Check out the Netstock pricing page and enter your email address to receive details on pricing.

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⚡ Frequently Asked Questions ⚡

Which are your top 3 (three) recommended inventory software for Shopify store owners that has great UX?

From my personal experience working with a few brands, the top inventory solutions I’ve seen for Shopify stores (with good integration options) are Inflow, Fishbowl, and Vend. All have really great features and beautiful UX. You actually feel like you enjoy using each of them, which certainly stands out for an industry with software solutions like this.

What are the minimum factors you need to look out for in eCommerce inventory software for ensuring a good fit for your brand?

I talked about this a bit further at the start of this guide, but three key things to look out for, which I personally say to other store owners I know, are - integrations (and checking reviews of how reliable it is, especially when it comes to syncing), the reporting/statistics and analytics functions, and contact management.

Out of the stock management solutions provided in this guide, which ones you do believe provide the best bang for buck?

I think it also comes down to how you define what ‘best value for money’ is in this case, but for me, it would be looking for the more ‘feature-rich’ inventory tool without compromising a bad user experience (and there are many that are very clunky to use). For me, the two top options have to be Fishbowl and Vend. You will see why not only in this guide but also if you head to their site and test it out - both have done an awesome job and are affordable for their capabilities.

What’s the cheapest/lowest-cost inventory management software for DTC/eCommerce in this guide?

The reality is most inventory/stock management software is on the more expensive side, and costs rise depending on the number of products/SKUs you have and how often you sell products (quantity). Within this guide alone, the cheaper/affordable options are Sortly and InFlow. Both have great intro plans and are also pretty good with the number of features they offer, given their lowest plans.

Which solution for inventory management is best for hyper-scale Shopify brands?

For fast-growing brands that are really scaling, my recommendation would be to look into Trunk, Cin7, or Unleashed. All of them are certainly built for scale and brands that have hundreds/thousands of SKUs.

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