Top 5 Warehouse Management Systems in 2021

Product and inventory management is critical for any business in the eCommerce domain. Warehouse management boils down to two elements — being able to manage orders efficiently — the procurement of raw materials/products, its storage, movement across the warehouse and store, shipping and finally delivery, and keeping warehouse costs as low as possible.

Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) are software that enables businesses to achieve these two goals by providing high-level visibility and control over the business’ inventory and supply chain fulfillment operations. A WMS integrates into the business and provides features that allow the business to track, monitor, and control all processes involved, right from procurement from vendors to delivery to the customer.

In our article , 5 Common Inventory Management Mistakes and How to Fix Them, we covered different ways to tackle mistakes in warehouses even today, which cost businesses heavily in time, effort, and money. All the solutions are in some way or another tied to using technology and automation over using manual procedures.

A WMS helps businesses streamline their warehouse activities and run them efficiently. It gives insights through data into ongoing processes and forecasts future trends that can be acted upon. All of this results in optimal usage of all resources — workers, materials, space, and technology.

There are many WMS solutions available in the market today, and to make this decision easier for you, we have curated a list of 5 WMS solutions that are currently the best in the market. We weighed them based on features, application based on business size, company reputation and support, customer feedback, and cost.

Top 5 Warehouse Management Systems

Anchanto WMS

Anchanto

Anchanto WMS (also known as Wareo) by Anchanto is a full-suite eWarehouse Management System designed for B2B and B2C commerce businesses. Anchanto WMS delivers 100+ features from their standalone platform and is currently used by 8000+ businesses globally.

Anchanto WMS enables businesses to maintain 100% error-free inventory levels and manage all order processing seamlessly through the system for highly efficient operations. The automation capabilities extend to resources, teams and assets, enabling you to automate processes within all departments of the business.

The solution is built to be interoperable across devices and operating systems allowing you to manage all connected warehouses on the go through any device.

Some Core Features

• B2B & B2C logistics management
• Multi-warehousing
• 150+ eCommerce sales channels & ERP integrations
• Applications integrations through open APIs
• Multi-seller onboarding
• Batch and expiry management
• Cross-dock
• Multi-marketplace shipping label interoperability
• Real-time performance tracker
• 100% Control & Visibility over end-to-end logistics operations
• 99.9% error-free operations with automation
• Manage processes like QC, Inbound, Picking, Packing, Dispatch, Stock Take on-the-go via mobile apps
• Actionable insights and Analytics
• Integration with 40+ last mile carriers
• Report generation tools with real-time information

Pros

• Feature-rich — Manage all warehouse operations from a single platform
• Customised onboarding process — implementation and staff training is seamlessly managed
• Dedicated account manager & product experts
• Robust platform that is easy to use.
• Serve cross domain brands like Beauty, Cosmetics, FMCG, Pharmaceuticals, Electronics, Food & Beverages, B2B, Home & more

You can get a customized proposal to Anchanto WMS here -> Book a Demo

Oracle NetSuite

According to their portfolio, NetSuite by Oracle is a popular WMS in the market, and they have over 27,000 customers. It was developed and built as a cloud-based platform from the ground up. NetSuite is more than a WMS. Oracle tags it as an ERP, Financials, CRM and e-commerce solution.

The WMS is built to allow integration with third-party plugins enabling you to build a robust solution that fits your needs even if NetSuite doesn’t directly deliver the feature you need.

Some key features like shelf-life and expiration tracking, and delivery tracking make it ideal for (but not limited to) businesses that deal with perishable goods, like the FnB industry. Other industries that are known to use NetSuite are advertising and digital marketing, apparel, footwear and accessories, consulting, education, energy, financial services, and healthcare and life sciences.

Some Core Features

• Report generation tools with real-time information
• Enhanced data & cloud security
• Order-to-cash — complete order processing chain management.
• Audit trail visibility
• Procure-to-pay management
• Tax management
• Workflow management
• Integrated financial reporting
• Order fulfilment
• Direct shipping-system integration

Pros

• Completely cloud-based
• Feature-rich soltuion
• Easy to integrate into the warehouse (integration is a part of the purchase)
• Easily scalable
• Acts as a centralized repository for all warehouse processes and data
• Customization and third-party integrations.

Cons

• Cost — it is an expensive solution
• Extensions are paid tools
• Limited support.

Fishbowl

Fishbowl is a great solution for small and mid-sized businesses especially when implementation costs are compared with bigger brands like Oracle NetSuite. One of their key USPs is their seamless integration with Quickbooks. They are an inventory management system built for warehouse and manufacturing administration.

Fishbowl is a great solution for businesses already using Quickbooks. The two products sync together and provide an extended range of functions for inventory management, like product tracking, stock level monitoring, job order creation, etc.

Some Core Features

• Manage and track multiple warehouses
• Quickbooks integration
• Barcode scanning
• Order management
• Serial and lot tracking
• Ecommerce and CRM integrations (Salesforce, UPS Ready, etc.)
• True cost calculation
• Employee time tracking.

Pros

• Suited for small and medium-sized businesses
• Easy to implement and use
• Automation capabilities
• Enables management of multiple warehouses across multiple locations and currencies.

Cons

• Uses shared server space, and this may slow down the software
• Not as feature-rich as other brands
• As a growing brand, the software has bugs.

Unleashed

Unleashed is a cloud-based inventory management system ideal for manufacturers, wholesalers and distributors. The solution provides features that give you visibility into inventory management processes across multiple warehouses and locations.

The software provides tools that teams across different departments can leverage — purchases, inventory, production, sales, and reporting.

Some Core Features

• Real-time inventory control and reporting
• Integration with platform partners
• Business intelligence and insights
• Available as a mobile app
• Dedicated B2B e-commerce store
• Serial & batch tracking
• Accounting integration
• Cataloguing capabilities
• Billing & Invoicing.

Pros

• Analytics data in a central and connected repository
• Connect departments — production, purchasing, sales etc., via one tool
• Scalable
• Responsive support
• Affordable solution.

Cons

• Not compatible with all operating systems
• Reporting is not as robust as other systems.

Orderhive

Orderhive is an inventory management system primarily used by e-commerce businesses. It integrates all key e-commerce operations and teams — sales, suppliers, vendors, shipping etc. into one platform to act as an all-in-one inventory, order and fulfilment solution.

One of the key features of Orderhive is its ability to integrate with multiple external platforms. Through a combination of Orderhive’s features and integrations, businesses can create a one-stop solution for all their inventory management needs.

Some Core Features

• Add, update and delete products in bulk
• Automation capabilities
• Kitting, bundling and composite support
• Track and manage stock between multiple warehouses
• Barcode scanning capability
• Zero and partial inventory dropshipping
• Alerts for low stock and out-of-stock products
• Robust reporting options
• Order and shipping management.

Pros

• Free Shopify plugin (limited capabilities)
• Multiple pricing plans making it affordable for businesses of all sizes
• Setup support
• Multiple integrations (SurveyMonkey, Freshdesk, eBay, Shopify, QuickBooks, etc.).

Cons

• No SKU generator
• Setup fee
• Not compatible on all operating systems
• The standalone platform is not as feature-rich as other brands.

Conclusion

The best WMS for you integrates into the processes you follow for buying and selling products. Depending on your business domain, your needs will change, and so will the solution.

When selecting a WMS-

1. Calculate the ROI — Comb through your financials, see your current profits, and calculate potential earnings by projecting potential growth through the WMS. This will help you understand how much you are willing to spend on it.
2. Map all business processes — Most WMS solutions go beyond the warehouse; they integrate with other departments like sales, marketing, procurement, etc. You will need to outline all processes that occur within your business before selecting a WMS.
3. Analyze your internal IT systems and also those of your vendor’s — If you already have some IT system in place, chances are, the WMS will have to work in tandem with them, or you will need to migrate legacy systems to the new WMS. Additionally, the WMS will have to work with their existing IT solutions to create a technological bridge with external parties like vendors. Knowing these systems beforehand will be important when selecting a WMS.
4. Get as much information from each WMS — As you have seen in our article, all WMS providers today allow a free trial. Get as much information as you can from the sales team and then opt for a free trial to ensure the solution you pick is right for your business.

And with this information sorted, you can make the right decision on which is the best WMS solution for you.