Innovative software in today’s eCommerce-driven world have made leaps and bounds over the past few years in helping companies that sell their products online automate many of their daily processes. Whether you are selling on Shopify, Amazon, eBay or BigCommerce, each channel has their different nuances and requirements in how and when orders need to be shipped. If you are selling products multi-channel, this can be an arduous task to consolidate. Timely and efficient shipping can be the difference between a satisfied customer and a missed opportunity. For businesses, finding ways to optimize and automate their shipping processes can result in significant overhead savings. One platform that’s helping businesses achieve this is SKULabs. Among its plethora of features, SKULabs’ shipping rules stand out as a game changer for automating and enhancing the shipping process. Let’s delve into how these rules can reshape the shipping landscape for companies.
What are SKULabs’ Shipping Rules?
Shipping rules in SKULabs are customizable conditions and actions that automate how orders are handled and shipped. By setting up these rules, companies can dictate which shipping methods are used and automate tagging of orders on data such as sales channel, order weight, destination, warehouse location, included SKUs, days of the week, product type as well as countless other criteria.
Streamlining Shipping Choices
Selecting the appropriate shipping method for each order can be time-consuming. With SKULabs, businesses can automatically assign the optimal shipping method based on the order’s specifics. For instance, you might have rules like:
For orders over 5 lbs, use “Carrier X’s Ground Service.”
For international orders, use “Carrier Y’s International Service.”
For orders containing SKUs (xyz), “tag orders with (dry ice or fragile and use Carrier Z’s specific packaging and method)”
Zone-Based Shipping Decisions
Geographical locations play a crucial role in shipping. Using SKULabs’ Geo-Routing Rules, companies can define which carrier or service to use based on destination zones or warehouse locations. For example, orders heading to the West Coast might be best served by a different carrier or warehouse than those going to the East Coast. Automating these decisions ensure faster delivery times and lower landed costs.
Product-Specific Rules
Some products may have unique shipping requirements. Whether it’s perishable goods needing expedited shipping or fragile items requiring special packaging, SKULabs allows businesses to set rules that cater to these needs automatically. This ensures products arrive in optimal condition without manual intervention.
Automate Handling of High-Value Orders
High-value orders might require additional insurance, signature confirmations, or even a specific carrier known for secure deliveries. Instead of manually reviewing these orders, SKULabs’ rules can identify and process them appropriately and automatically, ensuring they’re handled with the necessary care and attention while you focus on the more vital matters of your business.
By setting rules for returns and exchanges, businesses can offer faster and more reliable customer service. For instance, certain items might have a “no return” policy, while others could be directed to a specific return center. Additionally you might have some products that will always require a return label for instance. Automating these processes minimizes errors and enhances the customer experience.
Integrations and Synchronization
One of SKULabs’ strengths is its ability to integrate with a host of carriers and sales channels. Once shipping rules are set up, they synchronize across all integrated platforms. This ensures a unified shipping approach irrespective of where the order originates.
Seasonal and Promotional Adjustments
During peak seasons or promotional periods, shipping dynamics can change. Maybe there’s a free shipping promotion, or perhaps there’s a temporary shift to a different carrier due to volume. SKULabs allows for temporary rule adjustments, ensuring businesses remain agile and responsive to changing market dynamics.
Analysis:
With automated shipping rules, businesses can easily analyze which rules are most effective and where adjustments are needed. This data-driven approach ensures continuous optimization of the shipping process and freeing up valuable time to focus on growing your operations.
Afterthought
In an era where shipping efficiency can make or break a business, SKULabs offers a powerful suite of tools to ensure companies remain at the forefront of eCommerce excellence. By harnessing the power of SKULabs’ shipping rules, businesses can save time, reduce errors, and most importantly, enhance the overall customer experience. Automation isn’t just the future; it’s the present, and with platforms like SKULabs, companies are well-equipped to navigate the evolving eCommerce landscape.
Connect with SKULabs Today:
Now is the perfect time to discuss how we can help you automate your day to day processes and let you focus on the more important aspects of your business!
Chat with one of our experts today.Schedule a meeting or give us a call at 1800-243-2986 to learn more.
Inventory management is a cornerstone of successful businesses, particularly those in eCommerce, retail, manufacturing, and logistics. While traditional full inventory counts (typically done annually) play their role, the growing trend and best practice in the industry today is cycle counting.
Physical inventory counting is more than often viewed with dread and anxiety by both warehouse employees and managers. Typically conducted once at the close of the fiscal year, this mammoth task often transforms into a daunting night or weekend project. Beyond its overwhelming nature, this comprehensive inventory count can be riddled with potential errors. Consequently, this is why cycle counting is quickly becoming the new standard in inventory management.
Problems With Traditional Counting Methods:
“Inventory Day” is a hated phrase in the warehouse management industry. The event is often forced by accounting departments and performed after closing time or on a Saturday. A handful of workers are tasked with pulling every piece of inventory off the shelf, counting the stock level per SKU, replacing them, and finally reporting the results to the warehouse manager.
Since it’s a rare occurrence, the team members involved are often uncomfortable and unsure of exactly what to do. They make mistakes and everyone involved gets frustrated. This issue is exacerbated by the likelihood of this chore being done on everyone’s day off.
The implications of this process extend beyond just the workforce. An inventory count that demands hours of arduous effort, often results in questionable accuracy. An annual count captures errors that have piled up over months. Even more troubling, the extensive duration of the count leaves little room to delve into any inconsistencies. As a result, inventory adjustments frequently occur without a thorough understanding of the root causes.
While single physical inventory counts are the most common way to account for shrinkage and other discrepancies, there are other avenues worth exploring. If the count is taking too much time or isn’t giving you the results you want, you may want to consider a leaner method of maintaining an accurate inventory count.
What is Cycle Counting?
Cycle counting involves auditing a small subset of inventory items in the warehouse at specific intervals, maintaining accurate inventory levels. Rather than halting operations to count all items, companies adopt regular cycle counts. This approach promotes consistent accuracy while allowing day-to-day operations to proceed unhindered.
Why is Cycle Counting Inventory a Good Practice?
There are a number of benefits to switching to a cycle counting workflow. Counting more often reduces the chance of discrepancies, and gives you more time to investigate the ones that do come up. Being able to diagnose why your stock counts were off is huge, as identifying the problems (shrinkage, inadequate training, warehouse placement, etc.) may help prevent them from reoccurring.
Not only is cycle counting better for your inventory and accounting records, but it can be better for your team. By making inventory counting part of your regular warehouse operations, your team will become more skilled and comfortable with the task. After cycle counting has been integrated into their workflow, team members will be able to get the chore done faster and with less headache. Not only that, a more accurate inventory count increases confidence when selling to customers, publishing new listings, and reordering from suppliers.
Key Benefits of using the Cycle Count Method:
Increased Inventory Accuracy: Regularly verifying stock levels increases the accuracy of inventory records. This reduces the chances of stock-outs or overstock situations.
Operational Continuity: Since only a portion of the inventory is counted at a time, business operations can continue uninterrupted.
Cost-Effective: Reduces the cost and time associated with complete stock counts. Businesses don’t have to halt their operations, and they can better allocate manpower.
Identifies Issues Promptly: Regular cycle counting can swiftly identify and rectify sources of discrepancy like theft, damage, or misplacement, helping businesses address problems before they escalate.
Enhances Customer Satisfaction: Accurate inventory ensures that businesses can meet customer demand efficiently, thereby improving service levels and trust.
How to implement effective cycle counting:
Cycle counting is an inherently simple process that’s easy to pick up and integrate into your workflow. However, it’s not without its potential kinks, and there are opportunities to optimize your picking:
Count early and often. A large benefit of cycle counting is that you are counting a small amount of inventory more frequently. Break up your inventory into groups by location, set a schedule to count one group per week (or every other week, or whatever suits your needs), and stick to that schedule.
Count top-selling SKUs more often. The Pareto principle, more commonly known as the 80-20 rule, states that 80% of your sales usually come from 20% of your catalog. Use this to your advantage when cycle counting by grouping those 20% of your SKUs together and counting them more frequently. Your “money SKUs” are the ones whose inventory is changing the most often, and they’re the ones that need the most accurate stock counts.
Show counters the current stock level. Sending your team members in blind isn’t as helpful as it sounds. When they’re counting stock, having an indicator of what you believe to be the current stock level helps as a reference in case they overlook a large portion of that inventory.
Use barcode scanning to make counting easier. Visually counting and writing down inventory counts is slow and error-prone. A barcode scanner and an electronic counter is faster, more accurate, and easier for your team.
Investigate and address discrepancies. Now that you’re finishing your counting tasks faster than ever, you have sufficient time left over to diagnose why stock counts are differing from what was previously recorded. Look into sales records, receiving history, and reorder reports to see what caused the recorded stock level to become inaccurate.
How SKULabs Makes Cycle Counting Easier:
User-friendly Interface:
SKULabs offers an intuitive interface, making it simple for users to initiate, track, and complete cycle counts.
Inventory Segmentation:
With SKULabs, businesses can segment their inventory based on various criteria, such as sales volume, product type, or location. This makes it easy to prioritize which items to count and when.
Real-time Syncing:
Any changes made during the cycle count are instantly reflected in the system, ensuring that sales, purchase orders, and other operations align with the most recent stock levels.
Barcode Scanning:
SKULabs supports barcode scanning, which accelerates the counting process and significantly reduces human errors. Scan the product, enter the count, and you’re done!
Discrepancy Identification:
Once the cycle count is entered, SKULabs compares it to the expected count. If discrepancies are noted, they’re highlighted for investigation, ensuring that issues are addressed promptly.
Exportable Reporting:
After each cycle count, a report can be generated that businesses can use for analysis. This aids in understanding stock movements, identifying trends, and making informed inventory-related decisions.
Seamless Integration:
SKULabs seamlessly integrates with popular eCommerce platforms and marketplaces. This ensures that inventory levels are consistently accurate across all sales channels.
Role-based Permissions:
Businesses can assign specific roles to team members, ensuring that only authorized personnel can make changes to inventory levels, enhancing security and accountability.
Cycle counting is undeniably the most robust method to maintain inventory accuracy, and platforms like SKULabs further simplify the process. With an array of features tailored to optimize cycle counting, SKULabs is an invaluable tool for businesses seeking to uphold the highest standards in inventory management. By leveraging such platforms, companies not only ensure accurate stock levels but also facilitate smoother operations, improved customer satisfaction, and overall business growth.
Now is the perfect time to discuss how we can help take control of your inventory with SKULabs’ dedicated Cycle Count Interface!
Chat with one of our experts today.Schedule a meeting or give us a call at 1800-243-2986 to learn more.
In today’s competitive market for eCommerce software solutions, instability has been rocking the boat for thousands of online sellers. Recently there has been a huge wave of IMS/OMS apps either sunsetting or getting acquired then quickly abandoned. This has been forcing many eCommerce businesses to desperately search for a new software solution and quickly transition their operations without hitting the brakes. Managing your day to day operations while trying to lay the groundwork to find which software solution is right for you can be extremely stressful. Especially when you don’t even know where to start. Many businesses will opt into using a service such as Software Advice to help ease the research burden as their days are already occupied with the struggles of running their business. Others take the initiative into their own hands and try to personally research all options before making a decision. Going hybrid on this approach is probably going to be your best bet. Make use of any of the various services to refine your search parameters, and then focus on those narrowed-down options for your ongoing research. Knowing the key questions to ask each of your candidates is the most critical component in this process. Before committing to a sales call or a demo, use this blog as a guideline to help arm yourself with the right tools to be prepared for your initial meeting.
In a previous blog we covered what we feel a solid IMS/OMS should include in their functionality. Here we will expand on how you can prepare, and know the right questions to ask upon that first call. This will help ensure you acquire applicable and relevant data when exploring new solutions and finally making your transition.
Set Realistic Expectations:
Unless you are a simple pick-pack-ship operation, you may find that unicorns do not exist. Trying to find a software that does exactly everything you need, in the same fashion as the previous software you were using, will only lead to your frustration. Realize that many softwares might accomplish the same goal, yet do it in a slightly different manner or may have a different visual layout. Adaptability and flexibility need to be in your toolbox when moving from one software to another.
Generally what we recommend is to find a solution that hits about 85% of your needs, and evaluate what you can do operationally to make the latter 15% work. A good software solution will already have plans and recommendations in place for this, so make sure this is a key part of your discussion when interviewing potential candidates.
Be Transparent,Mention Everything, Assume Nothing:
Upon your first meeting make sure to be transparent about everything in your operations, especially if you have some major changes coming in the future such as acting as a 3PL for other companies, or needing visibility on your stock in a 3PL warehouse. You want to make sure the software will handle not only your current goals but what you might have in store further down the road.
Most softwares charge by plans based on various benchmarks such as # of orders, users, connected stores etc. Misrepresenting this by connecting one store and onboarding just to test it out may save you a few dollars up front on a lower plan, but could cause you to lose your allocated onboarding slots when wanting to get the rest of your accounts set up, or even a misconfigured account based off of the limited information provided. Be transparent, as most companies will accommodate your requests if a conversation is had in the beginning. Lastly, trust your gut, if a sales member alludes to being able to handle a certain feature, especially if it is a critical part of your operation, make sure to get full clarification on how it works to ensure it aligns with what you were expecting.
Gather Feedback from Your Whole Team:
See what pain points your operational team has been facing on a daily basis. Survey on what functionalities are missing currently, and determine bottlenecks in your pick, pack, and shipping flows. Make notes and present this to your candidates during your interview process to see what they can offer to help normalize these setbacks.
What Questions Should You Ask Your Potential Candidates?
1. Have You Recently Been Acquired?
From 2022 until today, there has been a huge wave of IMS companies either sunsetting or in the process of being acquired, leaving long term customers in limbo as to what will happen next. Most of the time these acquisitions are made to monopolize and dissolve the competition. In this short period, we have seen the sunsetting of Stitchlabs, Trade-Gecko, Quickbooks Commerce and most recently the acquisition of Skuvault by Linnworks. While usually pitched as a great thing for current customers, this is not always the case. Do your research on each of your candidates, check the reviews, compare reviews, and ALWAYS make sure to sort them by the most recent to see what current customers are saying about the new changes.
2. Is Your Software App Based or Cloud Based?
In today’s market, you will want to choose a cloud based solution for several reasons. Cloud based software offers a range of advantages over the traditional apps which will be fading over a period of time. With a cloud based solution, you get accessibility. You have the ability to pick up any device handy, log into your account and check stats or fully manage your operation. Cloud based solutions also offer real time updates for everyone in the company without the need to upload or transfer any changes made in one app to have it consistent with another. Last but definitely not least, cloud based software will protect you from data loss if your device fails you. No need to rely on your personal hardware to store your information. Other noteworthy mentions are better encryption, security, and increased performance and stability.
3. Are There Any Additional Costs Involved in Onboarding?
Onboarding from one platform to another can definitely be a stressful time. But it doesn’t have to be. Make sure to always ask for the type of support you will get when making the transition, and if there are any additional costs associated with it. These costs are often hidden and sometimes implemented weeks down the road after you have put your hard work and valuable time into getting initial things set up.
4.Is There Continued Support After Onboarding?
When contemplating a switch between software companies, it is crucial to ensure not only a smooth transition but also sustained support post onboarding phase. That is why it is always essential to inquire about their continued support policies once the initial setup is complete. Establish whether there will be adequate assistance available for troubleshooting, updates, understanding new features, and if this support incurs any additional costs. Reliable and ongoing support can significantly enhance your user experience, ensuring that the software continues to meet your needs and remains a valuable asset to your operations. Moreover, understanding any associated fees upfront will help avoid unexpected costs, allowing for a more informed decision when choosing your next software provider.
5. How Do I Navigate the Pricing Structure?
Your best solutions will give you plans that are customizable to fit any stage of your company’s volume and growth. Verify with them if adding an additional sales channel, or user will force you to take the next tiered package costing hundreds of dollars just to add a few simple things. Additionally, opt for companies that charge month to month rather than locking you into long term contracts.
6. What Do You Have Planned for the Future?
Inquiring about the future plans of your potential inventory management / order fulfillment solution is a wise step in ensuring a long-term, beneficial relationship. The eCommerce driven tech landscape is rapidly evolving. Aligning with a forward-thinking software provider can help keep your operations at the forefront of industry advancements. Understanding a candidate’s roadmap for future developments, updates, and expansions, you can better gauge if their vision aligns with your own growth and evolving needs. Additionally, a provider with a well-thought-out future strategy is likely to be more stable, innovative, and better prepared to adapt to emerging challenges and opportunities. This transparency will not only help in anticipating the trajectory and potential longevity of your collaboration, but will also provide insights into the provider’s ability to sustain and enhance your operational efficacy in the long run.
7. How Do You Secure My Data and Privacy?
Check to make sure your potential solution follows the best practices and is up to date on privacy and security standards. Ask if they support 2FA, and see if they can provide any documents up front.
Here are the various ways in which SKULabs makes transitioning from another inventory management software to its platform a breeze for new customers:
No Onboarding Fees:
Transitioning to a new software often comes with hefty onboarding fees. However, SKULabs will waive this for new customers by not charging anything for onboarding, making the switch cost-effective for businesses of all sizes. This commitment to affordability ensures that the transition doesn’t weigh heavy on your pockets.
Dedicated Support:
One of the main challenges when switching IMS platforms is the lack of technical support during and after the transition. SKULabs provides full support from a dedicated team of experts during the entire transition process. Their hands-on approach ensures that all your data is accurately migrated, and the system is up and running smoothly. This personalized support continues post-transition to ensure your operations continue to run seamlessly.
Easy Data Migration:
Data migration is often the most nerve-wracking part of transitioning to a new IMS. SKULabs has streamlined this process to ensure a smooth migration of all your critical data. The App is simple to use and setup is a breeze. Once your store is connected, and with a few simple clicks, your catalog is built, connected to the sales channel for order import, and even populated with your initial stock from your sales channel if desired.
Seamless Integrations:
A modern IMS should easily integrate with other critical systems like eCommerce platforms, shipping, and accounting software. SKULabs supports integrations with a wide array of platforms ensuring that your business operations continue without a hitch. This seamless integration capability minimizes downtime, keeping your business operational during the transition.
SKULabs helps to make this migration simple by operating in basically a read only mode when you are going through your initial set-up. This enables you to continue your day to day operations as usual until you are ready to go live and make the full transition with the click of a button.
Training and Resources:
Adopting a new software comes with a learning curve. SKULabs provides extensive training and resources to get you and your team up to speed with their platform. Their library of tutorials, webinars, and a knowledge base is a great resource to help you maximize the use of your new IMS.
User-Friendly Interface:
SKULabs boasts a user-friendly interface that is intuitive and easy to navigate. This drastically reduces the time it takes for you and your team to get accustomed to the new system, making the transition smoother leading to a more productive and happier team!
Switching to a new inventory management system need not be a stressful endeavor. With SKULabs, the transition is straightforward, supported, and cost-effective. The absence of onboarding fees, coupled with dedicated support and a plethora of resources, makes SKULabs a choice worth considering for any merchant seeking to elevate their inventory management processes.
Now is the perfect time to discuss how we can help you migrate from your abandoned inventory management platform to a company dedicated to your success and focused on your future!
Chat with one of our experts today.Schedule a meeting or give us a call at 1800-243-2986 to learn more.
Now days, more than ever its Prime time to go digital. We have learned over the last few years one thing about retail that has become abundantly clear: selling your products online is not just a trend; it’s a necessity. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the shift toward eCommerce, and the latest news and statistics only reinforce the idea that now is an excellent time to dive into the world of online selling. In this blog post, we’ll explore why this is the case, and how SKULabs can be your trusted partner in this eCommerce journey.
Explosive Growth
According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, eCommerce sales in the United States grew by a staggering 44% in 2020 alone.
The global eCommerce market is projected to reach a whopping $6.4 trillion by 2024, demonstrating its resilience and long-term potential.
Additionally, on 9/13/23 it was reported that online prices have plunged more than 3.2% in August 2024, marking the largest annual drop in 40 months. This is proving that inflation is cooling across the US economy, and moving back towards normal levels following the aggressive interest rate hikes from the central bank, and supply chains being bottlenecked from lack of import/export availability. Product is now more available and affordable to wholesalers.
Broadening Consumer Demographics
Over 2.71 billion people worldwide are expected to buy goods and services online in 2024 and rising to 2.77 billion in 2025, showcasing the widespread adoption of online shopping.
Millennials and Gen Z, the largest consumer demographics, increasingly prefer online shopping, with 67% of millennials and 74% of Gen Z consumers choosing to shop online for most products vs department stores.
With that in mind, it’s not just the millennials and Gen Z who are shopping online; older generations are also adopting digital buying habits, greatly spawned out of necessity during the pandemic and now becoming the marketplace of choice. The inclusivity of the digital age means that everyone, regardless of age, gender, or location, has access to online shopping. With this widened audience base, businesses have the potential to tap into a more diverse clientele and a global customer base.
Dialing in to the Mobile Market: The Surge of mCommerce
Mobile commerce, often abbreviated as mCommerce, has witnessed a significant surge in recent years, becoming an integral part of the modern shopping experience, with mobile sales accounting for more than 60% of total eCommerce sales in 2023. The proliferation of smartphones, coupled with advancements in mobile internet technologies, has provided consumers with the convenience of shopping anytime, anywhere. According to various market studies, an increasing number of consumers now prefer to shop through mobile apps or mobile-optimized websites, driven by factors such as easy to navigate user interfaces, personalized recommendations, secure payment gateways, and instant notifications on deals and discounts. Furthermore, the integration of augmented reality, voice search, and one-click payment systems in mobile commerce platforms has not only enriched the user experience but has also played a pivotal role in its accelerated growth. This trend suggests that businesses must prioritize mobile strategies to capture and engage this growing audience effectively.
An easy-to-navigate, mobile-optimized online store is essential to capitalize on this trend.
Why Now is the Best Time to Sell Online
Reduced Operational Costs
Physical stores come with overhead costs – rent, utilities, and in-person staff, to name a few. Operating online significantly reduces these expenditures, allowing businesses to invest more in product development, marketing, and customer service.
Increased Demand
The pandemic not only forced consumers to shop online for safety reasons but also habituated them to the convenience and flexibility of eCommerce. There is a sustained demand for online shopping that is unlikely to wane any time soon.
Lower Barriers to Entry
Building an online store is now more accessible and cost-effective than ever before. Platforms like Shopify, Amazon, WooCommerce, and BigCommerce have simplified the process making it easy for companies of all sizes to broaden their clientele.
Dropshipping and print-on-demand services make it possible to sell products without holding inventory. While the revenue margin is not as high, it is an easy way to break into the market, establish a brand, and ultimately escalate to an in-house operation.
Inventory management and order fulfillment softwares are readily available and more competitive than ever to help automate most of the legwork to help keep you focused on growing your investment. Whether you are starting up your online auto parts store, vape store, t-shirt sales, electronics, or anywhere in between, solutions like SKULabs can help take the burden off of the day to day operations by keeping your inventory and order management under control as you focus on growing your business.
Going Global:Diversify your revenue Streams
Selling online offers a ton of benefits, chief among them being the ability to tap into a significantly larger customer database. Unlike brick-and-mortar stores constrained by geographic location, the digital realm knows no boundaries. By establishing an online presence, businesses can instantly reach a global audience, unlocking the potential to connect with customers from diverse regions and backgrounds. This expanded reach not only increases sales opportunities but also fosters brand recognition and loyalty on a broader scale. Moreover, the online environment allows for precise targeting and personalized marketing strategies, enabling businesses to tailor their offerings to the unique preferences and needs of individual customers.
Beyond broadening customer reach, selling online offers the advantages of cost efficiency, 24/7 accessibility, and the flexibility to adapt quickly to market trends – making it a pivotal tool for modern businesses aiming to thrive in an increasingly digital world.
SKULabs is your ultimate ally in streamlining and optimizing your eCommerce operation. They were born out of necessity from a top 5 Amazon Seller. They have a well rounded team of eCommerce industry experts, warehouse consultants, programmers and an award winning support staff. With its robust inventory management, order fulfillment, and multi-channel integration capabilities, SKULabs simplifies the complex tasks that come with running an eCommerce business. It ensures real-time inventory accuracy, efficient order processing, and centralized control over multiple sales channels, saving you time and reducing errors. SKULabs also empowers data-driven decision making through insightful analytics and reporting tools, allowing you to fine-tune your strategies tailored for your company’s needs. Whether you’re a small business or a large enterprise, SKULabs scales with you, making it an invaluable asset for anyone seeking to navigate the eCommerce landscape with ease and efficiency.
Connect with SKULabs Today
Now is the perfect time to discuss how we can help you automate your day to day processes and let you focus on the more important aspects of your business!
Chat with one of our experts today.Schedule a meeting or give us a call at 1800-243-2986 to learn more.
For numerous businesses, managing inventory and orders has traditionally been a complicated and time-consuming endeavor. But as technology advances, so too does the potential for streamlining and enhancing these processes. EnterSKULabs. With a slew of new AI-powered features, SKULabs is on the forefront of ushering inventory and order management into a new era. Here’s a detailed look at how they are utilizing AI to offer an enhanced user experience and stay ahead of the curve.
SKULabs, already well known as one of the highest rated inventory management / order fulfillment softwares on the market today, realizes the old adage “Time = Money” is more relevant today than it has ever been. Through analyzing user feedback and listening to their customer’s operational pain points, SKULabs has been able to narrow in on the industry’s day to day tasks and implement various automations which has drastically improved their customers accuracy and efficiency. Current customers highly praise their configurable shipping rules to help automate many processes in their workflows. This can include simple tasks such as automatically choosing a carrier and method based on a given criteria, keeping up with Amazon’s FBA guidelines by tagging relevant orders that need to go out the door same day, to much more complex rules designed for intricate operations who need to geo-route order and fulfillment in the most efficient manner to their various warehouses across the globe.
Taking a pioneering leap into the future of technology and embracing the transformative power of technological breakthroughs, SKULabs is actively integrating AI into their software suite. This strategic move isn’t just about staying current; it’s about revolutionizing the way businesses handle inventory and perform their day to day operations. By harnessing AI’s capabilities, SKULabs aims to automate intricate processes, reduce manual interventions, and cut out time consuming operational tasks such as reformatting various CSV files, translating coded error messaging to functionally understandable instructions, trimming lengthy marketing driven item titles for ease of warehouse operations, intelligently generate SKU’s for variants, all the way to automating purchase orders and custom reports and insights. For the user, this translates to faster operations, fewer errors, and an enhanced customer experience that meets the demands of modern eCommerce companies looking for the right solution to run their enterprise. It’s an all-in-one software with a new pricing structure to meet the demands of any operation, no matter how big or how small.
Smart Import: Import any CSV intelligently
Manually importing data, especially in large volumes, can be a pain point for many. SKULabs has a wide range of partners enabling you to manage orders from your various channels all in one spot. However, managing various marketplaces and shopping carts can at times make you feel like a juggler on a unicycle. Policies can vary, shipping times are different, and as we all know CSV imports and exports vary in layout from channel to channel. Recognizing this challenge, SKULabs introduced Smart Import. With its advanced AI capabilities, Smart Import can detect different types of imports and automatically suggest relevant columns. This not only saves time but also reduces the potential for human error. It means that businesses can now focus on more strategic tasks rather than getting bogged down with import nuances. Feature to be released soon!
Setting the Stage: The Next Chapter of Our AI Integration Journey
Intelligent Error Communication: Clarity Over Confusion
Errors are inevitable, but deciphering them shouldn’t be as complex as solving a 1,000 piece puzzle. SKULabs’ AI-driven approach translates complex system errors into clear, user-friendly messages. More than just understanding the error, users receive proactive solutions, vastly aiding in troubleshooting and minimizing downtime. This approach ensures users aren’t left in the dark and are always in control by giving them the tools to understand exactly what went wrong, and get intelligent recommendations on how to fix it. All thanks to the analytical prowess of AI.
Efficient Title Trimmer: Cutting Through the Clutter
E-commerce platforms are often swamped with lengthy product titles, packed with keywords aimed at attracting online traffic. While these may serve SEO purposes, they can be a hindrance for businesses trying to manage inventory in the warehouse. SKULabs addresses this with their Efficient Title Trimmer. By analyzing product titles, and eliminating superfluous marketing and SEO terms, users are presented with simplified, concise titles that are relevant and actionable on the inventory management side of the process.This streamlining aids businesses in focusing on the core product details, enhancing catalog management and ultimately speeding up the fulfillment process.
Intelligent SKU Generator: Crafting the Perfect SKU
Creating Stock Keeping Units (SKUs) can be a time-consuming task. The Intelligent SKU Generator by SKULabs makes this process a breeze. Leveraging AI, it can extract relevant information from product titles and other related data to automatically craft intuitive SKUs. This ensures easy product identification, and a great way to create stock keeping units for variants that do not have SKU’s already assigned to them, simplifying an arduous task that could take weeks to accomplish manually.
Easy Purchase Order Imports: Bidding Farewell to Manual Data Entry
Manually converting vendor communications into purchase orders is a cumbersome process, often resulting in data discrepancies. SKULabs plans to use AI to interpret documents, from emails, CSV’s to PDFs, directly translating them into structured purchase orders. This automation not only speeds up procurement but ensures every order is accurate and aligned with vendor communications.
Insights+: Taking Data Analysis to New Heights
The raw data itself doesn’t offer much until analyzed and transformed into actionable insights. SKULabs’ Insights+ plans to do precisely that; with flair. AI algorithms sift through data, pinpointing trends, on-hand and free counts, incoming stock, seasonality and popularity. The result? Comprehensive reports presented in layman’s terms on insights that could have been overlooked. This new feature can ensure businesses grasp their operations’ full picture and empower them to make informed, strategic decisions.
With its impressive range of AI-powered features, SKULabs is clearly demonstrating its commitment to innovation. By addressing pain points head-on and enhancing user experience, they’re not just keeping pace with technology trends; they’re setting the standard for the future of inventory and order management. As AI’s potential continues to unfold, it’s companies like SKULabs, with their forward-thinking approach, that are sculpting the future of industry standards.
Connect with SKULabs Today
Now is the perfect time to discuss how we can help you automate your day to day processes and let you focus on the more important aspects of your business!
Chat with one of our experts today.Schedule a meeting or give us a call at 1800-243-2986 to learn more.
