Category: Warehouse Management

Light Manufacturing Made Easy: Maximizing Efficiency with SKULabs

Posted on by Brad Baecker

In the world of eCommerce, flexibility and efficiency in managing inventory and production processes are crucial. For businesses engaged in light manufacturing, finding an efficient solution that integrates just-in-time kitting and phase based inventory manufacturing can be a game changer. SKULabs offers an innovative approach to light manufacturing through its robust kitting functionality and support for virtual/disconnected warehouses. This guide explores how you can leverage these features to optimize your manufacturing process.

Workers assembling products to be sold on eCommerce

The Power of Kitting in SKULabs

Kitting involves combining multiple items or components into a single product for sale. It’s a common practice in industries like electronics, auto parts, T-shirt manufacturing and appliances, where bundled products are not only popular, but necessary to represent a finished good. SKULabs’ kitting function allows you to create kits that represent all the individual component items that make up a single product, enabling you to manage inventory more efficiently while maintaining accurate stock counts both at the kit level as well as the component items.

Creating Kits in SKULabs

With SKULabs, you can easily create kits by defining a kit as a collection of specific inventory items. This approach allows you to:

  • Simplify Inventory Management: By creating kits, you can track bundled products as a single unit, reducing complexity in inventory tracking. Each kit will have its own SKU and barcode for representation. Inventory levels will be based on the amount of component items on hand that make up a single kit.
  • Ensure Accurate Stock Levels: SKULabs automatically adjusts stock levels for individual components when a kit is sold, ensuring accurate inventory counts and eliminating the logistics of keeping up with the component items. Kits are calculated automatically in the background and advertised as a whole on your sales channel.
  • Facilitate Order Fulfillment: Kits can be seamlessly integrated into your order processing workflow, streamlining fulfillment and reducing errors. This allows you to fulfill a group of items with a single scan of a barcode.

To create a kit, you simply name the Kit, assign a SKU and fill it with component items. SKULabs takes care of the rest, ensuring that each kit is accurately represented in your inventory system.

Virtual/Disconnected Warehouses: A New Approach to Manufacturing

One of the unique features of SKULabs is its support for virtual/disconnected warehouses. This feature allows you to represent different stages of the manufacturing process as separate warehouses, providing greater flexibility and control. Here’s how it works:

Virtual Warehouses?

A virtual warehouse can be used as a digital representation of the different stages of production in an inventory management system. These stages may include intake and housing of raw materials, assembly of products, items sent for quality control, and ultimately advertised inventory to your sales channels. The primary advantage of using virtual warehouses is the ability to track inventory levels and the flow of goods across different stages without the need for spreadsheets or other costly softwares. With the proper setup, virtual warehouses can streamline operations, improve visibility, and boost overall efficiency.

Virtual warehouses in stages 1-3 to represent manufacturing process

Setting Up Disconnected Warehouses

In SKULabs, disconnected warehouses are separate inventory locations not directly tied to a specific eCommerce sales channel. This feature is ideal for representing manufacturing stages, enabling you to track the progress of your products as they move through the production process and know what is on hand. By setting up disconnected warehouses, you can:

  • Define Manufacturing Stages: Create different warehouses to represent stages like “Intake”, “Assembly,” “Quality Control,” or “Packaging.”
  • Track Inventory Movement: Easily move inventory between warehouses to reflect the manufacturing process. This is a simple internal warehouse transfer which gives you granular control on how much stock is moved, and which phase of the process it should represent next.
  • Ensure Product Readiness: Once a product is complete, you can transfer it to your connected warehouse, making it available for sale on your e-commerce platforms.

Integrating Disconnected Warehouses with Kits

The combination of kitting and disconnected warehouses allows you to represent the entire manufacturing process within SKULabs. Here’s a simplified workflow:

  1. Define Kits: Create kits in SKULabs that represent the finished product, specifying all the components needed for assembly.
  2. Set Up Disconnected Warehouses: Create warehouses for each stage of the manufacturing process.
  3. Move Inventory Through Stages: As components are progressing into assembled kits, transfer them from one disconnected warehouse to the next to reflect the manufacturing progress or stages.
  4. Complete the Product: Once the kit is fully assembled and ready for sale, transfer the components to your connected warehouse, making it available for order fulfillment.
  5. Fulfill Orders: With the product in your connected warehouse, you can seamlessly fulfill customer orders and manage inventory levels across your eCommerce sales channels. This method also lets you sell and keep track of your component items individually!

Running Low on component items?

Now that we have simplified the logistics for maintaining accurate inventory levels for your products that are made up of various component items, how do you keep an eye out for that one component item that will keep you from completing these assembled goods? Take advantage of SKULabs’ built in inventory alert system. Right on your SKULabs dashboard, you will maintain visibility of all of the items that have hit or fallen below your assigned threshold of on-hand counts. Not always in front of your app or device? No problem, we can automate these stock alerts to be sent to your desired email address to keep you in-the-know while on-the-go!

Keep it Simple

SKULabs offers a comprehensive solution for light manufacturing by combining kitting functionality with the flexibility of virtual/disconnected warehouses. By utilizing these features, you can efficiently manage the production process, track inventory accurately, and ensure a smooth transition from manufacturing to order fulfillment. Whether you’re a small business or a larger eCommerce operation, SKULabs provides the tools to streamline your light manufacturing process and keep your customers satisfied!

Connect with SKULabs Today

Now is the perfect time to discuss how we can help you get prepared for taking your business to the next level!

Chat with one of our experts today. Schedule a meeting or give us a call at 1800-243-2986 to learn more.

Posted in Ecommerce, Inventory Management, Small Business, Warehouse ManagementTagged

Beyond the Box: How SKULabs Enhances Shipping with Flexible Label Printing

Posted on by Brad Baecker

Shipping software that includes comprehensive label printing capabilities is an indispensable tool for eCommerce businesses struggling with the complexities of packaging logistics. One such software, SKULabs, stands out for its industry leading features that cater to a range of shipping needs.

Cost-Efficiency and Time Savings

The primary advantage of using shipping software that allows for comparing carrier rates is cost-efficiency. Businesses can quickly evaluate various shipping options and select the most economical one without sacrificing delivery speed. SKULabs’ integration with multiple carriers means you’re always getting the best rate possible for your shipping needs. With their robust shipping rules, the cheapest carrier can be chosen automatically while still accounting for the strict delivery deadlines of your various sales channels such as Amazon. SKULabs takes the stress out of this process for you and completely automates the correct selection, enabling you to focus on more important aspects of your daily operations.

Labeling Precision

Being able to print labels such as ‘Picked Up,’ ‘Ready for Pick Up,’ ‘Local Delivery,’ or ‘Manual Shipment‘ directly from the software streamlines the fulfillment process. Many eCommerce operations have their own couriers or a will call station for customers to come pick up their purchases. Having detailed instructions, right on the packages with the customer name and order number significantly improves the warehouse logistics and ensures the right package gets to the right customer. These labels can help coordinate between the warehouse staff and delivery personnel, reducing errors and improving operational efficiency. SKULabs offers customizable manual fulfillment label options that make it easy to implement a system that works for your business’s unique processes. Check out our video on how to set this up within the software.

Enhanced Tracking and Accountability

Local label options enhance the accountability of the shipping process. With labels indicating specific statuses like ‘Local Delivery,’ businesses can track packages more accurately within the local distribution network. This feature of SKULabs is particularly useful for businesses that handle a significant volume of local deliveries or in-house shipments.

Flexibility and Scalability

For businesses that are growing or have fluctuating shipping volumes, SKULabs’ scalable solution is ideal. It adapts to your business size and volume, ensuring that you can always print whatever labels you need, whether you’re shipping two packages a day or two thousand.

Customer Satisfaction

Improved labeling clarity leads to better customer service. With labels that clearly state the shipment status, customers and vendors can easily understand where their items are in the shipping process. SKULabs helps in creating a transparent and reassuring experience for the end-user.

Integration and Compatibility

SKULabs’ shipping software integrates with a variety of eCommerce platforms and marketplaces, making it a versatile choice for many businesses. Its compatibility with different printers and scanning devices ensures that you can print labels efficiently, regardless of your existing hardware.

Environmental Impact

The ability to print only the necessary labels reduces waste, making SKULabs an environmentally friendly choice. By optimizing label usage, businesses can minimize their carbon footprint, contributing to a more sustainable operation.

The right shipping software can transform your logistics operations, providing cost savings, improved efficiency, and enhanced customer satisfaction. SKULabs stands as a shining example of such software, offering flexibility, integration, and a suite of features that cater to the modern business’s shipping needs, including the valuable ability to print various local labels. Whether you’re a small startup or a large enterprise, SKULabs’ solution is designed to grow with your business, ensuring that your shipping operations are as streamlined and efficient as possible.

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.

Posted in Shipping, Warehouse Management

Automate and Elevate: The Power of SKULabs’ Innovative Shipping Rules

Posted on by Brad Baecker

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.

Posted in News & Announcements, Shipping, Warehouse Management

The Fine Line: Customer Service or Customer Support

Posted on by Brad Baecker

Finding the right software solution for your eCommerce business can be a daunting endeavor. Every business has its unique challenges and requirements, and finding a platform that meets expectations is challenging enough in itself. At the top of the list, and a common denominator for every search is always access to support. Its not only about the amount of support, but the quality of support from your software of choice that are key factors in making your decision and final commitment. When shopping for a new IMS / OMS software, don’t be afraid to ask questions. What can I expect for support on this quoted plan? Are there additional fee’s for support or onboarding? Is it same day support, or most importantly… Is it outsourced?

Recognizing this, SKULabs‘ in-house support has meticulously crafted its approach to prioritize customized customer service over traditional customer support. Rather than offering a generic solution, SKULabs delves deep into the intricacies of each account and it’s individual settings to not only get the right answer, but the right answer for you.

This granular attention ensures that users aren’t just given standard answers, but receive guidance tailored to their particular setup. The result? Solutions that truly resonate with the distinct needs of every client. By honing in on the specifics of each account, SKULabs guarantees more precise, efficient, and effective assistance, elevating your overall user experience. Dive into the SKULabs support module and witness a nuanced approach to customer interaction that truly understands your business. Along side of this unique approach, we have partnered with some of the best B2B support interfaces available today. Don’t just settle for email based support most platforms offer, when SKULabs offers some of the most advanced and highly rated support tools in the industry!

Unlike most of our competitors, we do not charge any extra fee’s for our support or onboarding, and all customers have access to live chat support, email support, phone support and emergency line support, no matter what plan you sign up for!

Top Rated Support Interface

Integrating powerful messaging and automation for self serve and live chat provides a SKULabs direct channel of engagement for customers across support, onboarding, and consultation. SKULabs works with great passion to provide knowledge, tools, experience, and a winning solution for warehouse management processes.

Intercom, an integral partner in our support services, recently announced their biggest ever launch with more than 20 new features built to ensure providing prompt & personal support. Ranging from artificial intelligence organizational tools, to new and robust ticketing systems to facilitate an efficient and easy to use support module. Partnering with solutions that are constantly implementing the latest technology and striving to stay ahead of the curve gives SKULabs the competitive advantage over the other contenders, and the reason why our support is highly praised on big platforms such as Shopify!

Improved Support Experience

When SKULabs clients engage with our support specialists via our messenger-based chat platform, they are privy to tailored responses that align with their company’s unique organizational and warehousing workflows, ensuring a response that is both relevant and in tune with the current operations. This method is a marked improvement over conventional email-based ticketing mechanisms. Rather than attempting to summarize an entire process challenge into a single email and await a response, customers find it much easier to express the issue and converse to bring out the true nature of the inquiry. Our platform allows the seamless exchange of data such as screenshots, technical documentation, imagery, videos, CSV data sets, and even direct access to synchronous screen-sharing sessions via Google Meets. This often results in a better experience, faster results, and a more on-point solution.

Improved Onboarding Process

At the heart of our live chat support is not just any ordinary chat function, but a robust framework manned by a dedicated team of warehouse management professionals and industry experts. Their primary role extends beyond merely resolving queries; they’re committed to ensuring a seamless onboarding experience for every client. We understand the stress and anxieties of small business start-ups, to top of the industry companies looking to change IMS platforms. There will always be a fear of a learning curve, and many times a hard deadline for implementation. No worries, we got your back! We are one of the few companies that do not charge any onboarding fee’s, yet are here to help you at every step of the way!

Interestingly, the concept of “onboarding” as we define it, is not a one-time process. As most of our esteemed customers would attest, the dynamics of warehouse management and fulfillment are constantly evolving. New challenges emerge, fresh solutions are designed, and innovative capabilities are rolled out with the overarching objective of streamlining and enhancing operations. In such a fast-paced environment, the need for ongoing adaptation and learning is paramount. And that’s where our live chat support truly shines.

Whether it’s guiding clients through basic initialization procedures or assisting them in implementing intricate multi-warehouse systems using our advanced shipping rules, our support platform is engineered for clarity, precision, and efficiency. Our team is trained to not just provide answers, but to engage in meaningful dialogues that encourages clients to ask questions, read articles, and equip themselves with the knowledge and tools needed for the long haul. It is not only about offering solutions, but in empowering our customers to harness the full potential of the software, while ensuring they are always at the forefront of industry best practices.

From Repetition to Relevance

One of the paramount aspects of effective customer support is recognizing and mitigating redundancies. This is especially the case with repetitive questions and common topics. At SKULabs, we’ve not only acknowledged this issue but have instituted measures to address it proactively. With Intercoms smart features, we can generate support articles on our FAQ’s, or utilize their built in A.I. features to corroborate and itemize long and drawn out tickets to get a timeline of included important events.

Another unique selling point of our support system is its collaborative nature. Rather than operating in silos, our SKULabs support team adopts a unified approach when addressing customer challenges. This collective approach ensures that when a query or issue is presented, it isn’t isolated; instead, it’s meticulously investigated and addressed by a cohesive unit and in some cases, reviewed by a specialist on the team so that we can ensure you the best possible answers and solutions for your inquiries.

As our esteemed customer, this translates to a significant saving in time and effort for you. No longer do you need to reiterate and explain your issue every time you communicate with a different team member. The essence of your conversation, the challenges highlighted, and the solutions discussed are meticulously documented. This evolving record then serves as a vital tool in ensuring continuity in the support provided.

Every interaction you have through chat becomes part of a growing narrative about your specific needs and the challenges you’re encountering. When any SKULabs support member engages with you, they do so with a holistic understanding of your previous interactions, ensuring that the support provided is not only timely but also contextually relevant. This system optimizes the support experience, ensuring that solutions are not just accurate, but also personalized and on-point. Often you might be asked by our team to start a new ticket when an unrelated inquiry comes up on your original one to ensure each topic is treated with equal relevance.

Organization is Key!

Rapid Assistance through Our Extensive Support Library

Upon entering a query into our live chat, the system immediately suggests curated help articles for prompt resolution to numerous queries. Our sophisticated messaging algorithm scans our extensive library of support articles to offer relevant information, potentially addressing your concerns even before connecting with our live support team. For frequently posed questions, our support documentation often delivers answers in mere seconds.

Simple & Effective Support Management

No more long typed explanations trying to get every word into an email support ticket. By conversing with our support team we can ask the right questions to get to the heart of the issue, and come to a relevant solution.

We feel support services provided to our customers are crucial to their business successes, and that communication is what elevates us beyond our competitors. Careful attention into the details, feedback, and solutions provided, come from our expert product team who specialize in warehouse management, order fulfillment, and inventory management challenges.

Connect with SKULabs Today

Now is the perfect time to discuss how we can help you migrate from your outdated inventory management platform with lackluster customer support!

Chat with one of our experts today.Schedule a meeting or give us a call at 1800-243-2986 to learn more.

Posted in Ecommerce, Inventory Management, Small Business, Warehouse Management

SKULab’s Barcodes and Scanners: 101

Posted on by Brad Baecker

Using barcode scanners in SKULabs can significantly enhance the efficiency, accuracy, and reliability of your inventory management and order fulfillment processes. Barcode scanners streamline product identification and tracking, enabling quick and error-free data entry. This reduces the likelihood of manual errors in inventory counts, which can help avoid overstocks or stock-outs and ensure that the right product is always picked and placed into the correct bin. Also, by automating tasks, barcode scanners can improve operational speed and productivity, saving the staff valuable time that can be devoted to more strategic activities. Additionally, they enable real-time inventory updates, providing accurate visibility into stock levels and helping businesses make more informed decisions. All these benefits ultimately contribute to improved customer satisfaction, as order accuracy and timely deliveries are key to eCommerce. Check out our previous blog to see why barcode scanning is a great option in SKULabs!

What are Barcodes?

In simple terms, a barcode is an image form of numbers and text that represent product data. That image can be scanned with a handheld mobile scanner device and accessed into an inventory management system in real-time. In warehouse management, barcodes represent unique items in inventory and are created for identification.

Why use Barcodes?

As inventory levels and sales grow the ability to manage items by hand or spreadsheet can become cumbersome and prone to human error. Full inventories or cycle counting can become painfully inaccurate and take an unnecessary amount of time that could be utilized on more productive fulfillment tasks. In the time it would take to manually type a few characters, dozens of items could be barcode scanned with a higher accuracy level.

Many businesses utilize barcoding to not only efficiently automate inventory counting, but to also optimize their fulfillment processes while picking, packing and shipping orders.

Types of Barcodes

Barcodes can come in many different types of formats, referred to as symbologies. The symbology will determine the number of characters it can include, and what specific set of characters it can display. Codes like UPC-A (12 digits) or EAN-13 (13 digits) are widely used in retail, and you’ll often see Code 128 (which can display all 128 ASCII characters) represent the tracking codes on packages.

How to Create Barcodes

In SKULabs every item requires an assigned SKU and barcode. Very often customers have their own SKU created in a format that provides necessary details about an item for a basic identification. A barcode could be a duplicate of the SKU or it could be a completely separate product code such as a UPC, GTIN, or other internal identification code.

What if I don’t have any barcodes on my items? An excellent tool for getting started creating barcodes is with a barcode generator. SKULabs is able to convert your SKU into a barcode or we can automatically generate them when importing from your sales channel.

Additionally, many websites provide automated barcode generators (both paid and free). Some have more product identification type features than others so take a look around and find the one that fits your inventory needs.

SKULabs utilizes Code-128, which can represent all 128 ASCII code characters (numbers, upper case/lower case letters, symbols and control codes). This allows SKULabs to read most barcode types.

  • Here is an example of a free barcode generator website tool. This tool enables you to select a linear code such as Code-128. It has some basic configurable sequence tools for prefix, suffix, start value, etc. There is no right and wrong with these settings, they need to be set for what works in helping to identify items.

How to print Barcodes

A standard laser printer or a dedicated label printer can do the job. SKULabs provides a label printing utility to print on most standard size labels that can be purchased Online or at your local office supply store.

Printing Barcodes

Label Printers

Barcode Scanners

Depending on the needs/goals of your warehouse fulfillment process there are different types of barcode scanners to choose from. USB and bluetooth wireless scanners each have unique advantages that benefit specific warehouse processes. Have a look here at our recommended hardware page.

  • Wireless Scanner
    Wireless barcode scanning can be beneficial to larger warehouses in enabling untethered traveling while picking items. A bluetooth barcode scanner enables the operator to do business as far as 10 meters away form the device. If using a connection to a smartphone or tablet, they can go anywhere in the warehouse. Wireless scanners depend on batteries which creates a small amount of regular maintenance needed. Bluetooth scanners generally are more expensive than USB scanners.
  • USB Scanner
    A USB scanner may be an optimal solution if items in a warehouse are brought to a central location for scan verification and packing. USB scanners often are less expensive than bluetooth, and offer convenient, fast, & secure connections. Since USB connections require a plug and cord, they are limited to wherever they can be plugged in, however battery life is not a factor.

Over 99% of barcode scanners support an “HID” compatibility, “Basic”, or “HID Mode”, which simply uses the scanner as a keyboard, so most USB or bluetooth barcode scanners work just fine with SKULabs–regardless of whether you’re on a desktop or mobile device.

Is SKULabs the right software for your business needs?

  • Accurate inventory tracking and synchronizing across channels
  • Efficient order picking and faster shipping
  • Eliminate fulfillment errors using barcode scanning or manual verification

Connect with SKULabs Today

Now is the perfect time to discuss how we can help you set up your barcode scanners to increase accuracy and significantly speed up your picking and packing process.

Chat with one of our experts today.Schedule a meeting or give us a call at 1800-243-2986 to learn more.

Posted in Warehouse Management