Integrating Fulfilment and Your eCommerce Tech Stack: Tips for Success

In today’s fast-paced eCommerce world, an efficient fulfilment process can set your brand apart. But to achieve smooth and reliable order fulfilment, integration between your fulfilment operations and your eCommerce tech stack is essential.

When your fulfilment systems are seamlessly connected to your order management, inventory, and sales platforms, you can automate tasks, improve order accuracy, and enhance customer satisfaction.

This guide will walk you through why integrating fulfilment with your eCommerce tech stack is essential and provide tips to help you achieve a seamless integration for maximum operational efficiency and growth.

Why Integrate Fulfilment with Your eCommerce Tech Stack?

Integrating fulfilment with your tech stack offers numerous benefits that impact every level of your business. Here’s why it’s so crucial for eCommerce brands:

1. Real-Time Inventory Management: Connected systems provide up-to-the-minute stock levels, preventing overselling and stockouts.
2. Increased Efficiency: Automated processes reduce manual tasks, freeing up time and resources.
3. Enhanced Customer Experience: Real-time order tracking, accurate stock levels, and faster fulfilment times contribute to better customer satisfaction.
4. Scalability: Integrated systems make it easier to scale operations, allowing you to add new sales channels or manage higher order volumes without compromising accuracy.

1. Start with Inventory Management Integration

Inventory management is the backbone of your fulfilment operations. A connected inventory management system that syncs with your eCommerce platform allows you to track inventory levels across all sales channels and fulfilment centres in real-time.

Benefits of Integrated Inventory Management:

• Accurate Stock Counts: Prevents overselling by syncing stock levels as soon as sales are made or returns are processed.
• Improved Demand Forecasting: Analysing sales trends and stock levels helps optimise inventory levels, avoiding costly overstocking or stockouts.
• Streamlined Reordering: Automated alerts when inventory is low make reordering simpler and more efficient.

How to Integrate: Many 3PLs offer integrations with popular inventory management systems. If managing in-house, choose software that can connect with your eCommerce platform and fulfilment software.

2. Sync Your Order Management System (OMS) with Fulfilment

An Order Management System (OMS) centralises order processing and ensures that each order is fulfilled accurately and on time. By connecting your OMS with fulfilment, you can automate order routing, tracking, and status updates.

Benefits of OMS Integration:

• Efficient Order Processing: Orders are automatically routed to the fulfilment centre closest to the customer, reducing shipping times and costs.
• Real-Time Order Tracking: Automatically update customers on their order status, improving transparency and reducing support inquiries.
• Reduced Manual Entry: Automating order routing reduces errors and speeds up processing, essential during peak sales periods.

How to Integrate: Many eCommerce platforms, like Shopify and WooCommerce, offer direct integrations with OMS and fulfilment software. Alternatively, working with a 3PL that provides OMS integration can streamline order processing.

3. Implement Warehouse Management System (WMS) Integration

If you are expanding your own in-house fulfilment and warehouse, A Warehouse Management System (WMS) organises all warehouse activities, from stock receiving and storage to picking and packing. When integrated with your eCommerce platform, a WMS ensures that orders are picked, packed, and shipped accurately and efficiently.

Benefits of WMS Integration:

• Enhanced Picking and Packing Accuracy: Automated picking instructions and inventory location details improve order accuracy and reduce fulfilment errors.
• Optimised Space Utilisation: Advanced WMS capabilities allow for efficient organisation of warehouse space, accommodating inventory growth without requiring extra space.
• Improved Stock Visibility: Integrated WMS provides a complete view of stock levels across all storage locations, whether in one or multiple warehouses.

How to Integrate: Many 3PLs provide access to their WMS systems, which can be integrated with your eCommerce platform for seamless warehouse operations. In-house solutions may require investing in WMS software that syncs with your eCommerce systems.

4. Automate Shipping and Tracking Updates

Customers today expect transparency about their order status, and integrated shipping and tracking updates play a significant role in meeting these expectations. By connecting your shipping carriers with your eCommerce platform, you can automate shipping label generation, real-time tracking, and delivery notifications.

Benefits of Automated Shipping Integration:

• Faster Shipping: Automatically generating labels and tracking details accelerates order fulfilment, reducing the time from order to dispatch.
• Enhanced Customer Communication: Real-time tracking and automatic updates keep customers informed at every stage, improving their overall experience.
• Reduced Human Error: Automation minimises the risk of data entry errors in tracking numbers and shipping addresses.

How to Integrate: Most 3PL providers have established relationships with carriers and offer automated tracking as part of their services. For in-house fulfilment, choose a shipping software that integrates with your carriers and syncs with your eCommerce platform.

5. Centralise Your Returns Management Process

Returns are a normal part of eCommerce, but if managed poorly, they can disrupt fulfilment operations and hurt your brand’s reputation. An integrated returns management system simplifies the process, making it easier for customers to initiate returns and track their progress.

Benefits of Integrated Returns Management:

• Streamlined Process: Returns are processed automatically, with inventory updated as soon as items are returned to stock.
• Improved Customer Experience: A hassle-free returns process enhances customer satisfaction and can improve repeat purchase rates.
• Accurate Inventory: Automated updates ensure returned items are added back into inventory, reducing the risk of stockouts for high-demand items.

How to Integrate: Many 3PL providers include returns management within their fulfilment services. If managing returns in-house, consider software that syncs returns with your inventory management system and sales channels.

6. Utilise Data and Analytics for Fulfilment Optimisation

Data is invaluable for optimising fulfilment operations. Integrated systems provide analytics on key metrics like order accuracy, shipping times, inventory turnover, and return rates, allowing you to make data-driven improvements.

Key Metrics to Monitor:

• Order Accuracy Rate: Measures the percentage of orders fulfilled correctly without errors.
• On-Time Delivery Rate: Tracks how often orders are shipped within the promised timeframe.
• Inventory Turnover: Indicates how quickly your inventory sells, helping with forecasting and reordering.

How to Integrate: Most advanced eCommerce platforms and 3PL providers offer built-in analytics, but for in-depth analysis, consider using additional tools like Google Analytics or business intelligence (BI) software that can sync with your fulfilment data.

7. Enhance Customer Communication Through CRM Integration

Integrating fulfilment with your customer relationship management (CRM) system can improve customer communication and support. When fulfilment data is accessible within your CRM, your support team can easily track orders, manage returns, and provide updates, improving the customer experience.

Benefits of CRM Integration:

• Centralised Order History: View customer orders, fulfilment details, and return information in one place for faster support.
• Enhanced Customer Support: Respond to customer inquiries quickly, reducing response times and boosting satisfaction.
• Targeted Communication: Send automated emails about order status, delivery updates, or special offers based on customer purchase history.

How to Integrate: Many CRMs, like Salesforce or HubSpot, offer integration capabilities with eCommerce and fulfilment systems, making it easy to centralise customer and fulfilment data.

8. Choose a 3PL with Integration Capabilities

If you’re considering outsourcing fulfilment, selecting a 3PL provider with robust integration capabilities is essential. A tech-savvy 3PL provider can integrate seamlessly with your eCommerce platform, inventory management, OMS, and WMS, providing end-to-end visibility and control.

Benefits of Working with an Integrative 3PL:

• Seamless Data Flow: Orders, inventory levels, and fulfilment data are automatically updated in real time.
• Scalability: Integrated 3PLs can quickly adapt to higher order volumes, helping you scale without interruption.
• Simplified Setup: Many 3PLs offer pre-built integrations with popular eCommerce platforms, reducing setup time and effort.

What to Look For: Ensure that the 3PL’s technology integrates with your existing systems, or choose one that offers flexibility for future software changes.

Conclusion

Integrating your fulfilment with your eCommerce tech stack is essential for optimising operations, enhancing customer experience, and preparing your business for growth.

From real-time inventory tracking and automated order processing to seamless customer communication, integrated systems offer efficiencies that can significantly impact your brand’s performance.

Whether you’re handling fulfilment in-house or working with a 3PL provider, these tips will help you build a streamlined, connected fulfilment process that sets you up for long-term success.

Interested in seamless fulfilment integration? Contact E-PickPack today to learn more about our integrated fulfilment solutions and how we can support your brand’s growth.