Once a company grows beyond a certain size, managing its warehouse ef­fect­ively requires a reliable system. To keep track of inventory at all times, busi­nesses turn to inventory man­age­ment software. These solutions help stream­line warehouse op­er­a­tions and, in some cases, support logistics co­ordin­a­tion. In this article, we explore the im­port­ance of this software, who can benefit from it, and the available solutions on the market.

Overview of inventory man­age­ment software

Cloud Solution On-Premises Suite Component
Cin7
Zoho Inventory
Seller­Cloud
Bright­pearl
Logiwa
SYSPRO
Ordoro
Fishbowl
Stitch Labs

What is inventory software?

Inventory man­age­ment software provides a com­pre­hens­ive overview of stock levels across a business. This means companies always have real-time vis­ib­il­ity into what items are in stock, where they are located, and whether they are in transit. Managing inventory manually can be complex, but a good inventory man­age­ment system stream­lines op­er­a­tions, reduces errors, and optimises supply chain ef­fi­ciency.

There are two primary types of inventory man­age­ment systems: perpetual and periodic inventory systems. Periodic systems determine stock levels through scheduled physical inventory counts, such as quarterly or annual audits, often following UK ac­count­ing standards (such as FRS 102) or In­ter­na­tion­al Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) where ap­plic­able. In contrast, a perpetual inventory system updates stock levels auto­mat­ic­ally with every trans­ac­tion, purchase, or sale, providing real-time tracking. To ensure accuracy, inventory man­age­ment software in­teg­rates with barcode scanners, RFID sensors, or IoT tracking devices, allowing for real-time updates. This helps busi­nesses in the UK maintain accurate stock records, comply with tax reg­u­la­tions, and improve op­er­a­tion­al ef­fi­ciency.

Note

Inventory man­age­ment software is often cat­egor­ised under different systems, including Inventory Man­age­ment Systems (IMS), Warehouse Man­age­ment Systems (WMS), and En­ter­prise Resource Planning (ERP) software. The dis­tinc­tion lies in the func­tion­al­ity and scale of each solution.

  • IMS (Inventory Man­age­ment System) focuses primarily on stock tracking, order pro­cessing, and inventory op­tim­isa­tion but may not include advanced warehouse logistics features.
  • WMS (Warehouse Man­age­ment System) is designed for warehouse op­er­a­tions, managing storage, order ful­fil­ment, and logistics.
  • ERP (En­ter­prise Resource Planning) in­teg­rates inventory man­age­ment with broader business functions, such as ac­count­ing, pro­cure­ment, and supply chain man­age­ment.

For in­dus­tries such as food dis­tri­bu­tion, phar­ma­ceut­ic­als, and hazardous materials, inventory man­age­ment software must comply with UK food safety reg­u­la­tions, Medicines and Health­care products Reg­u­lat­ory Agency (MHRA) standards, and Health and Safety Executive (HSE) reg­u­la­tions to ensure legal com­pli­ance and op­er­a­tion­al safety.

A com­par­is­on of the best inventory man­age­ment software

The market offers a wide range of inventory control systems. Here, we present the nine most promising options.

Cin7

Cin7 is par­tic­u­larly well-suited for e-commerce and retail busi­nesses. With in­teg­ra­tions for various online shop platforms and con­nec­tions to POS systems and in-store registers, the software ef­fect­ively supports day-to-day sales op­er­a­tions. For pro­cessing orders in the warehouse, employees can either use handheld scanners (based on Android smart­phones) or tra­di­tion­al printed picking lists generated by the software. Ad­di­tion­ally, Cin7 can be in­teg­rated with logistics solutions, making product shipping simple and efficient.

Image: Cin7 inventory management system
Cin7 is a great choice e-commerce and retail busi­nesses.
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Access to all areas of the software is managed through a dashboard, which also con­sol­id­ates reports and analytics. Since everything is cloud-based, the warehouse man­age­ment software is accessed via a web browser, while mobile apps are available for handheld devices. To ensure smooth im­ple­ment­a­tion, Cin7 provides on­board­ing and long-term customer support.

Pros Cons
Part of a larger software suite High starting price and scaling costs
Cloud-based solution Com­plex­ity due to extensive features
In­teg­ra­tions with online shop systems and mar­ket­places Limited cus­tom­isa­tion

Zoho Inventory

Zoho Inventory is a web-based inventory man­age­ment software designed for busi­nesses of all sizes. Favoured for its intuitive and easy-to-use features, it supports inventory tracking, warehouse man­age­ment, shipping in­teg­ra­tions, and seamless con­nec­tions with ac­count­ing and CRM tools. The software also includes barcode scanning cap­ab­il­it­ies and in­teg­rates smoothly with Zoho’s suite of pro­ductiv­ity tools.

Image: Zoho inventory management system
Zoho works well for any size of business.

Zoho Inventory is one of the best value options on the market. It offers Basic, Standard, and Pro­fes­sion­al packages, with pricing based on the number of users, orders, and ware­houses needed.

Pros Cons
User-friendly interface Limited third-party in­teg­ra­tions compared to com­pet­it­ors
Extensive in­teg­ra­tion with Zoho’s pro­ductiv­ity suite Some users find it difficult to tailor features to specific re­quire­ments.
Extensive in­teg­ra­tion with Zoho’s pro­ductiv­ity suite Many features can be over­whelm­ing for new users

Seller­Cloud

The Seller­Cloud is a powerful mul­tichan­nel e-commerce solution that offers inventory man­age­ment, order auto­ma­tion, and mul­tichan­nel selling tools. It is par­tic­u­larly be­ne­fi­cial for online retailers managing multiple sales channels. Key features include mul­tichan­nel com­pat­ib­il­ity, listing auto­ma­tion, order and shipping auto­ma­tion, and advanced reporting tools.

Image: SellerCloud inventory management system
Seller­Cloud supports multi-warehouse man­age­ment.

One of Seller­Cloud’s standout features is its seamless in­teg­ra­tion with major sales channels like Amazon, eBay, and Walmart, as well as shopping cart platforms (Shopify, Magento), shipping carriers (FedEx, DHL), and third-party logistics providers (e.g., Amazon Ful­fill­ment).

Pros Cons
Extensive mul­tichan­nel con­nectiv­ity options User interface can be difficult to navigate at first
Com­pre­hens­ive feature set Higher starting price point (over $1000 (around £800) per month), which may not be ideal for small busi­nesses
Includes HTTPS en­cryp­tion and multi-factor au­then­tic­a­tion for secure trans­ac­tions Cus­tom­isa­tion can be complex and requires technical knowledge

Bright­pearl

Another prominent inventory control software, Bright­pearl, assists retailers with real-time inventory man­age­ment, customer data, orders, reporting, and ac­count­ing. Compared to its com­pet­it­ors, this web-based solution offers a wide range of in­teg­ra­tions with popular mar­ket­places, sales channels, and services, enabling seamless op­er­a­tions across multiple platforms. Its built-in financial man­age­ment and ac­count­ing features are spe­cific­ally designed for larger retail busi­nesses, providing real-time insights for an instant overview of company finances.

Image: BrightPearl inventory management system
Bright­pearl is built spe­cific­ally for om­ni­chan­nel retail.

Unlike many of its com­pet­it­ors, Bright­pearl is built spe­cific­ally for om­ni­chan­nel retail, meaning it seam­lessly in­teg­rates with various mar­ket­places, e-commerce platforms, and ac­count­ing systems. Its auto­ma­tion cap­ab­il­it­ies help busi­nesses reduce manual processes, improve ef­fi­ciency, and focus on growth.

Pros Cons
Wide range of mul­tichan­nel con­nectiv­ity options Frequent reports of bugs
User-friendly interface Com­plaints about poor customer service
In­teg­rated financial man­age­ment and ac­count­ing Com­plic­ated reporting feature

Logiwa

Logiwa is a cloud-based warehouse and inventory man­age­ment software designed for small to medium-sized retail, third-party logistics (3PL), and e-commerce busi­nesses. It provides essential tools for inventory and warehouse man­age­ment, mul­tichan­nel in­teg­ra­tions, order ful­fil­ment, and real-time data analytics, allowing busi­nesses to stream­line their logistics and ful­fil­ment op­er­a­tions.

Image: Logiwa inventory management system
Logiwa offers a highly cus­tom­is­able and scalable system.

Logiwa offers a highly cus­tom­is­able and scalable system, enabling users to automate workflows, integrate with multiple sales channels, and access real-time inventory updates and per­form­ance reports. Its cloud-based in­fra­struc­ture ensures ac­cess­ib­il­ity from anywhere, making it a flexible solution for growing busi­nesses.

Pros Cons
Ac­cess­ible from anywhere, ensuring scalab­il­ity and flex­ib­il­ity Complex user interface
Con­fig­ur­able to meet specific business needs Limited advanced features
Highly-rated customer support and on­board­ing ex­per­i­ence Fewer in­teg­ra­tions than some com­pet­it­ors

SYSPRO

SYSPRO is an En­ter­prise Resource Planning (ERP) software suite designed to help busi­nesses stream­line and automate key processes, par­tic­u­larly targeting small to medium-sized man­u­fac­tur­ing and dis­tri­bu­tion companies. The software offers essential features such as automated schedul­ing, ERP in­teg­ra­tion, multi-currency support, and order man­age­ment.

Image: SYSPRO inventory management system
SYSPRO is an En­ter­prise Resource Planning (ERP) software suite.

While SYSPRO offers in­teg­ra­tion cap­ab­il­it­ies, it is not limited to Microsoft products. The SYSPRO In­teg­ra­tion Framework allows for in­teg­ra­tion with various third-party ap­plic­a­tions, enabling busi­nesses to extend SYSPRO’s func­tion­al­ity beyond Microsoft-centric en­vir­on­ments. SYSPRO’s pricing is based on customer re­quire­ments, the number of users, and the chosen de­ploy­ment method. The price increases the more users there are.

Pros Cons
User-friendly interface Complex compared to com­pet­it­ors
Com­pre­hens­ive ERP suite Not all processes are fully automated
Flexible de­ploy­ment

Ordoro

Ordoro is a com­pre­hens­ive e-commerce logistics platform that provides shipping man­age­ment, inventory control, third-party ful­fil­ment, financial reporting, and barcode scanning, making it an ideal solution for small to medium-sized busi­nesses trans­ition­ing from manual inventory man­age­ment to auto­ma­tion.

Image: Ordoro inventory management system
Ordoro is designed with small to medium-sized busi­nesses in mind.

It offers three pricing packages: the Express Plan at $59 (around £45) per month, which focuses primarily on shipping man­age­ment without inventory features; the Pro Plan at $499 (around £385) per month, which includes inventory man­age­ment, drop­ship­ping, and kitting; and the En­ter­prise Plan, which has cus­tom­ised pricing and provides advanced features like custom workflows and supplier man­age­ment. Ordoro in­teg­rates with major e-commerce platforms and mar­ket­places, including Shopify, Amazon, eBay, Walmart, and Woo­Com­merce, covering essential in­teg­ra­tions, though it may not offer the extensive range found in some com­pet­it­ors.

Pros Cons
User-friendly interface Offers fewer in­teg­ra­tions compared to com­pet­it­ors
Cost-effective Express package lacks inventory man­age­ment features
Excellent customer support Not ideal for large en­ter­prises

Fishbowl

Fishbowl is renowned as a leading inventory man­age­ment solution, par­tic­u­larly for busi­nesses using Quick­Books. It offers features such as shipping in­teg­ra­tion, merchant services, asset tracking, and wireless barcoding, making it a popular choice among small to medium-sized busi­nesses looking to stream­line their op­er­a­tions. One of its key features is the Wizard function, which helps guide users through various processes, ensuring ef­fi­ciency and ease of use.

Image: Fishbowl inventory management system
Fishbowl has a feature to help guide users through the processes.

Ad­di­tion­ally, Fishbowl provides com­pre­hens­ive training resources, including videos and tutorials, supported by a dedicated customer support team, which is be­ne­fi­cial for first-time users. Fishbowl offers tailored pricing based on in­di­vidu­al business needs and re­com­mends schedul­ing a demo to receive a custom quote. A 14-day free trial is available for busi­nesses to assess the software’s cap­ab­il­it­ies.

Pros Cons
Ef­fort­lessly in­teg­rates with Quick­Books High starting price
Easy-to-use interface Limited third-party in­teg­ra­tions
Offers plenty of tutorials and a dedicated support team Support dependent on time zone

Stitch Labs

Stitch Labs is a cloud-based inventory man­age­ment solution designed for growing busi­nesses and small to medium-sized en­ter­prises. It offers robust mul­tichan­nel in­teg­ra­tions, including POS systems, ware­houses, third-party logistics, shipping ful­fil­ment, EDI, and various mar­ket­places. Key features encompass order logistics, ful­fil­ment cap­ab­il­it­ies, and detailed reporting. The Basic Plan starts at $799 (around £615) per month, including unlimited sales channels, users, and partner in­teg­ra­tions., and the High Growth Plan is priced at $999 (around £770) per month, offering ad­di­tion­al advanced features.

Image: Stitch Labs inventory management system on Square
Stitch Labs was acquired by Square in 2020.

In July 2020, Square acquired Stitch Labs to enhance its seller services. As part of this in­teg­ra­tion, Stitch Labs’ products were scheduled to continue operating for existing customers until Spring 2021, after which they were planned to be phased out to focus on in­teg­rat­ing features into Square’s offerings. Therefore, Stitch Labs is no longer available for new customers, and current users should trans­ition to al­tern­at­ive solutions.

Pros Cons
Offers extensive tutorials and a dedicated support team High starting price
Easy-to-use interface Limited in­teg­ra­tions post-ac­quis­i­tion
Easily connects with various platforms Existing users may face chal­lenges as Stitch Labs phases out in favour of Square’s in­teg­rated solutions

Please note the legal dis­claim­er for this article.

Reviewer

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