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Ecommerce Fulfillment Software
Features, Integrations, Success Factors, Financial Outcomes
ScienceSoft applies 21-year experience in ecommerce and 12 years of expertise in building supply chain management software to help businesses design and develop effective ecommerce fulfillment solutions.
Ecommerce Fulfillment Software: The Essence
Ecommerce fulfillment software enables automated processing of customer orders, analytics-driven stock planning and optimization, real-time monitoring of ecommerce fulfillment operations and inventory levels across domestic and foreign fulfillment locations. Such solutions can provide AI-powered guidance on optimal order fulfillment locations and order picking, packing and shipping routes to ensure accurate and timely order delivery to customers.
- Necessary integrations: ecommerce platforms, procurement software, accounting software, shipping carriers’ systems, a BI solution, etc.
- Implementation time: 7–12 months for a custom ecommerce fulfillment system.
- Development costs: $100,000–$500,000+, depending on the solution complexity.
Ecommerce Fulfillment Software: Key Features
Based on ScienceSoft’s experience in ecommerce and supply chain management projects, we have summarized the features that form the core of an ecommerce fulfillment platform. However, each real-life use case is unique, and the functionality is tailored to business specifics accordingly.
Order fulfillment planning and optimization
- Rule-based customer order prioritization for fulfillment based on customer value, order date, item category, service level, and more.
- Setup of order execution rules (e.g., automated order approval for shipment if the required number of items is in stock and the order is fully paid).
- AI-based suggestions on the optimal order fulfillment location (for omnichannel selling), the type and amount of packing required for an order, the optimal order picking route in a fulfillment location, order consolidation for shipment, order shipment route.
- Template-based creation of order fulfillment schedules with critical milestones like order packing, pickup, arrival at particular points, etc.
- Support for different order fulfillment scenarios, such as next-day delivery, same-day delivery, dropshipping, etc.
- Support of partial order fulfillment.
Stock planning and optimization
- AI-supported calculation of optimal stock levels (by period, inventory item, fulfillment location) and reorder points for each stock item based on historical sales data, planned product promotions, demand seasonality, and other factors.
- Planning the expected stock supply dates based on the lead time specified by a vendor, inventory shipment status, working days calendar, etc.
- Multi-echelon inventory optimization based on the analysis of current demand, stock availability across fulfillment locations, inventory carrying costs, inventory lead time, customer commitments and service levels, and more.
- AI-driven recommendations on the optimal time for inventory reallocation between different warehouses and order fulfillment centers.
Inventory receiving and putaway
- Inventory item identification and verification against purchase/transfer orders based on barcode or RFID technology.
- Flagging inventory items that require quality inspection.
- Automated generation of identification labels for inventory items, pallets, stacks, packages, etc.
- AI-based inventory storage suggestions based on the item storage requirements, expiration dates, demand forecasts, etc.
- Alerts on inventory items that have to be taken from a receiving zone directly to a shipping zone (for cross-docking operations).
Stock control
- Real-time stock level monitoring across multiple domestic and foreign order fulfillment locations using barcode or RFID technology.
- Alerts on low-level inventory.
- Automated calculation of the required inventory replenishment amounts.
- Barcode or RFID-enabled batch control to track expiration dates (e.g., of perishable inventory items).
- Reminders on inventory expiration dates.
Order picking and packing
- Order routing to an optimal ecommerce fulfillment warehouse.
- Automated inventory reservation.
- User-defined picking and packing rules.
- Automated creation of picking and packing lists for warehouse workers.
- Rule-based inventory kitting.
- Template-based creation of shipping labels.
Order shipment
- Setting up preferred carriers for particular item categories, user locations, etc.
- Automated generation and approval of customer invoices and package slips.
- Real-time shipment tracking.
- Planning the expected delivery time based on the lead time specified by a carrier and current order shipment status.
- Notifications to order managers on goods dispatch, shipment milestones, delays, etc.
Return management
- User-defined return policies to authorize return, exchange, and warranty cases.
- AI-powered validation of return claims against the existing return policies.
- Rule-based order return routing to a fitting warehouse.
- Real-time tracking of return order processing status.
- Alerts to the warehouse team on the returned inventory delivery.
- Automated workflows for return-related inventory processing scenarios (e.g., inventory item routing for quality check or return to the initial supplier).
Order fulfillment spend management
- Automated calculation of order fulfillment cost based on the required delivery date, shipment distance, item weight and size, etc.
- Planning of order fulfillment spend by period, item category, location based on the analysis of historical spend data (e.g., inventory supply and carrying costs, order transportation costs, etc.) and forecasted customer demand.
- Real-time tracking of order fulfillment spend.
- AI-powered suggestions on order fulfillment spend optimization opportunities.
Order fulfillment tracking and analysis
- Real-time monitoring of order fulfillment status (picked, packed, dispatched, in transit, delivered, etc.).
- A full history of fulfilled orders by period, location, customer, inventory item, and more.
- Tracking essential ecommerce fulfillment KPIs, including the number of orders (by period, customer, ecommerce channel, etc.), percentage of on-time deliveries, the average cost per fulfillment order, the number of returns, and more.
- Scheduled and ad hoc order fulfillment reports.
- Forecasting of order fulfillment demand (by period, location, stock item, etc.).
Security and compliance
- Multi-factor user authentication.
- Permission-based access for various user groups, including order managers, warehouse managers, inventory managers, etc.
- Document e-signing.
- Intelligent order fulfillment fraud detection.
- Comprehensive audit trail for all ecommerce fulfillment activities.
- Customer data retention and deletion policies.
- Compliance with SOX, SOC 1 and SOC 2, WTO regulations, region- and industry-specific regulations.
The importance of lightning-fast shipping is often exaggerated — as a rule, customers are willing to pay extra for expedited delivery only in urgent situations. However, even the most patient buyers expect absolute transparency in order tracking and prefer having a predictable delivery date. I recommend adding a detailed order fulfillment view to customer profiles and making instant status updates when an order passes to the next step. This improves customer trust and reduces support requests as buyers feel in control of their order’s progress.
Essential Integrations for Ecommerce Fulfillment Software
ScienceSoft recommends integrating the ecommerce fulfillment solution with relevant business-critical systems to maximize the visibility of order fulfillment operations, streamline and speed up their planning and execution, and improve the productivity of involved employees. An integrated ecosystem will be unique for each company depending on its processes and IT systems. Here, we are talking about the most frequent and essential integrations.
- Online selling channels (e.g., a company’s ecommerce website, social networks, third-party marketplaces): for accurate order fulfillment planning and execution; to provide customers with up-to-date information on product availability, order status and location.
- Procurement software: to trigger purchasing of inventory items.
- Accounting software: to record customer invoice data in the general ledger and A/R ledger.
- Shipping carriers’ systems (for companies that rely on outsourced order shipping): for facilitated tracking of shipment progress.
- Promotion management software: for accurate stock planning, taking into account potential demand spikes.
- Financial planning and analysis software: for accurate financial planning.
- BI solution: for facilitated analytics and reporting of ecommerce fulfillment insights.
Success Factors for the Ecommerce Fulfillment Solution
Relying on 12-year expertise in designing and building supply chain management software and 21 years of expertise in the ecommerce industry, ScienceSoft’s consultants have defined important factors which can bring maximum value from ecommerce fulfillment software implementation.
AI-powered prescriptive analytics
To get intelligent recommendations, for example, on the optimal order fulfillment location, inventory reorder points, the type and amount of order packing, order picking and shipping routes.
Smooth integration with business-critical systems
For seamless data flow between ecommerce fulfillment software and a company’s ecommerce website, procurement software, accounting software, a BI solution, etc.
The use of barcode and RFID technology
To eliminate error-prone manual stock counting and enable precise automated tracking of inventory level and location.
Mobile access
To enable the employees involved in ecommerce fulfillment processes to manage the required tasks on the go.
Should You Opt for a Custom Order Fulfillment Solution?
We’ve prepared a set of questions to help you determine whether a platform-based or custom solution is more fitting for your case.
Do you need specialized functionality that OOTB platforms lack (e.g., custom order aggregation and processing rules or custom cost calculation formulas)?
Do you have other custom or legacy software that needs to be integrated with your order fulfillment solution?
Do you expect your order fulfillment workflows to change or evolve within the next 1–3 years, requiring new software features or business logic updates?
Do you have large teams involved in ecommerce order fulfillment processes and want to avoid costly subscriptions to market-available platforms?
Do you want a comprehensive system to manage the whole life cycle of goods, from manufacturing/procurement and warehousing to order fulfillment and logistics?
Tell us more about your needs
Please answer at least one question to help us better understand your business objectives.
Custom development is the winning option for you
As the next step, ScienceSoft can help you plan a custom solution and estimate its cost and development timeframe.
Either option is potentially viable
In your case, it’s important to do a thorough feasibility analysis to see if the benefits of custom software outweigh its development challenges. Perhaps customizing an OOTB tool will be easier. Our consultants are here to lend a helping hand!
Market-available software will work fine for you
ScienceSoft can help you select the most fitting platform and tune it to your requirements and processes.
Implementation Costs and Financial Outcomes
The cost and duration of ecommerce fulfillment software implementation vary greatly depending on:
- The number and complexity of a solution’s functional modules, including the degree of automation.
- The volume of data that needs to be migrated from the spreadsheets and/or existing order fulfillment software.
- The number and complexity of integrations (with a company’s ecommerce website, procurement software, an accounting system, etc.).
- Data storage type (a centralized database or a private blockchain).
- Required application types – web, mobile, desktop – and a number of platforms supported (for mobile).
- Ecommerce software availability, performance, security, latent capacity and scalability requirements.
According to ScienceSoft’s experience, a full-fledged custom ecommerce fulfillment solution with comprehensive analytics capabilities may cost around $200,000–$500,000.
Want to know the cost of your ecommerce fulfillment solution?
Key benefits of ecommerce fulfillment software
Off-the-Shelf Ecommerce Fulfillment Solutions ScienceSoft Recommends
SAP Order Management Foundation
Best for
Large enterprises involved in international ecommerce.
DESCRIPTION
- Automated order capture from e-selling channels.
- Rule-based order routing to different domestic and foreign fulfillment locations.
- Real-time order fulfillment monitoring.
- Calculating and tracking essential order fulfillment KPIs, e.g., an order fulfillment rate.
- Trend-based forecasting of ecommerce fulfillment demand.
- Multi-echelon inventory optimization.
- Cloud-native integration points for sales channels.
- Native integration with SAP Commerce Cloud, SAP S/4HANA, SAP Subscription Billing, SAP Customer Order Sourcing, SAP Intelligent Returns Management.
Cautions: Order shipment management, return management, and ecommerce fulfillment spend management require add-on modules.
Pricing
Upon request to the vendor.
NetSuite Multichannel Order Management
Best for
Midsize and large omnichannel retailers.
DESCRIPTION
- Inventory planning based on historical sales data and current customer demand.
- Automated order capture from relevant e-selling channels and data validation.
- Analytics-based order routing for fulfillment to the most economically or geographically feasible location.
- Support for complex order fulfillment scenarios, such as dropshipping and split shipments.
- Configurable rules for order picking, packing, and shipping.
- Real-time monitoring of customer orders, warehouse operations, inventory availability across fulfillment locations, order shipment status, and more.
- Smooth integration with shipping providers’ systems.
Cautions: Substantial customization efforts to meet unique ecommerce fulfillment needs.
Pricing
Upon request to the vendor.
Brightpearl Multichannel Order Management
Best for
Fast-growing e-commerce businesses.
DESCRIPTION
- User-defined rules for automated order routing to a fulfillment location, order picking, packing and shipping.
- Support for multi-location order fulfillment, dropshipping, partial fulfillment, and more.
- Template-based creation of customer invoices.
- Real-time stock monitoring across order fulfillment locations.
- Configurable workflows for various inventory processing scenarios upon order return (e.g., putting the inventory item back in stock, writing it off, or routing for quality check).
- Ecommerce fulfillment analytics.
- Plug and play integrations with popular ecommerce marketplaces, such as Shopify, BigCommerce, Magento, Amazon, and eBay, and shipping providers’ systems.
Cautions: Complicated and costly customization to smoothly integrate with legacy corporate systems.
Pricing
Upon request to the vendor.
Implementation of Ecommerce Fulfillment Software with ScienceSoft
In ecommerce since 2003 and in supply chain management software development since 2012, ScienceSoft helps companies build reliable ecommerce fulfillment solutions.
Consulting
- Analysis of your ecommerce fulfillment needs.
- Suggesting optimal features, architecture, and tech stack for an ecommerce order fulfillment system.
- Preparing an integration plan with an ecommerce website, procurement software, accounting software, a BI solution, etc.
- Implementation cost & time estimates, expected ROI calculation.
Implementation
- Ecommerce fulfillment needs analysis.
- Conceptualization of ecommerce order fulfillment software tailored to a company's needs and processes.
- Architecture design.
- Development and testing.
- Integrating the solution with relevant corporate systems (an ecommerce website, procurement software, accounting software, a BI solution, etc.).
- User training.
- Continuous support and evolution (if required).
What makes ScienceSoft different
We achieve project success no matter what
ScienceSoft does not pass mere project administration off as project management, which, unfortunately, often happens on the market. We practice real project management, achieving project success for our clients no matter what.
About ScienceSoft
ScienceSoft is an international IT consulting and software development company headquartered in McKinney, Texas. We help organizations build reliable ecommerce fulfillment software to ensure timely, accurate, and cost-effective customer order fulfillment. Achieving project goals in spite of time and budget constraints, as well as changing requirements, is ScienceSoft's top priority. You set goals, we drive the project to fulfill them.