9 small business inventory management software
Managing inventory operations is the utmost responsibility of a small business. As a business owner, you look forward to advanced software handling your inventory. The right inventory software is pivotal for the success of your small business.
There are hundreds of options to track your inventory data. With so many options, how do you choose the right platform?
The best inventory management software features depend on your business size, model, and product. For instance, let us assume your company does not sell wholesale products. In this case, using wholesale order management software is useless.
The right platform will optimize your everyday operations and give you essential insights. The platform will ensure you do not pay extra charges if your business does not need them.
Keep reading to check what you should consider while choosing inventory software.
What to Consider Before Choosing Best Inventory Management Software?
Perplexed in choosing between different inventory management software? Here are some of the conditions that will filter out your selection process:
1. Your Business Requirements
Before buying an inventory management system, you need to comprehend your business requirements. Ask yourself questions such as “Do I want to be able to monitor the shipment status” or “Do I need to track the inventory levels.” Explaining your requirements to the vendor will help you to get fixed prices much faster.
2. Software Cost
The inventory software price depends on how complex your business requirements are. Before purchasing software, you should check whether your business supports the momentous plan.
The cloud-based inventory solutions offer you cheap plans. If you operate a startup or an SME, cloud-based solutions may be the best option for you.
3. Customizations
If your business has complex specifications, you may need to customize the inventory software. You can ask the vendor if the inventory software meets your business needs. You can further inquire how long the customizations will take.
4. Usability
Usability examines the effectiveness of the inventory software. If it takes hours for your staff to learn the software, then it's not worth it. You should remember to choose a solution that simplifies inventory management.
5. Flexibility
Flexibility is another crucial aspect to consider before buying inventory software. You should think if the software is suitable for:
- Mobile devices
- Web-based systems
- On-Site systems
Flexibility is essential, especially if you have multiple stores or warehouses.
The Best Inventory Management Software
Before buying an inventory management system, you must comprehend your business requirements. Ask yourself questions such as “Do I want to be able to monitor the shipment status” or “Do I need to track the inventory levels.” Explaining your requirements to the vendor will help you to get fixed prices much faster.
1. ZarMoney Inventory
ZarMoney is a cloud-based inventory solution providing the best management tools. The inventory helps you in the management of warehouses. Cloud technology allows for flexible monitoring of your operations.
The split-view feature allows you to view warehouses by location to analyze product status. ZarMoney gives access to all your data in one place, no matter where you are. You can view your inventory counts, individual items, and purchase histories. ZarMoney gives you a global view to manage your inventory in a cost-effective way.
The instantaneous availability of information gives real-time inventory control. You can use this information to make up-to-date decisions and make timely resolutions.
2. Zoho Inventory
For small business owners, Zoho has a lot to offer. Zoho offers a comprehensive free plan for your business. The plan includes accepting backorders on out-of-stock items and arranging drop shipping. This lets small businesses organize their inventory without worrying about budgets.
The inventory has advanced bundling features for combining many stock-keeping units (SKUs). It is customizable to different business types, offering an intuitive interface. Zoho also provides features for managing perishable items, like alerts and expiration monitoring.
If you choose to upgrade your plan, you will get advanced features. You can manage many warehouses and avail batch tracking and serial number tracking. Third-party integration will allow you to connect with Amazon and its Fulfilled By Amazon (FBA) service.
The Elite plan of Zoho offers unlimited orders, shipping labels, and tracking. The plan provides five Shopify stores and 15 warehouses. This proves helpful if your business involves shipping and eCommerce.
Zoho offers a free option if you are getting started. It provides a two-week free trial for its other plans, starting at $59/month when billed yearly.
3. inFlow Inventory
If you have a low budget for your business, inFlow inventory may be your best option. The inFlow On-Premise is one of the best free inventory management plans available in the market.
inFlow is incredibly easy to use, with many of its options fully automated. It even has a mobile app that provides barcode scanning and keeps your sales agent and inventory manager on the same page. The platform is flexible and works with Android, iOS, and Windows.
inFlow combines inventory and order management software to optimize inventory tracking software. It is made for retail businesses with multi-channel selling requirements. A distinct feature of inFlow inventory is the built-in B2B portal.
Sales, reorder management, and purchases are operated through B2B portals. It offers to bill invoices, materials, and other receipts. The process is carried out with punctual order procurement, delivery, and shipping.
The inventory control software can be integrated with Amazon, Shopify, Zapier, and Quickbooks. Window backups and 256-bit SSL security secure the software. inFlow supports personalized online onboarding demos and helps every step of the way.
inFlow inventory does not offer free plans but gives the option of a two-week free trial. Plans start at 71$/month.
4. Ordoro Inventory
It is challenging to practice good inventory controls when administering multiple sales channels. Ordo makes multichannel selling easier. You can produce master products within your inventory system. This allows you to update your channels' images, branding, and descriptions.
The inventory offers vendor management features that make dropshipping easier. You can assign vendors to particular products in your catalog. Ordoro sends the order to the relevant vendor when a customer orders these items. This cuts out the middleman, ensuring customers get their items quickly.
Ordoro makes non-conventional inventory management strategies possible. You can choose to oversell your goods or limit in-stock items visible to customers. Buyers will complete their purchase. This helps you turn a better profit.
Ordoro includes a free trial, and the plan starts at 499/month.
5. Cin7 Inventory
In most cases, ERP platforms feature modules for all your business aspects. Usually, you are charged for each module you add to your plan. These costs make ERP systems quite expensive.
Cin7 breaks this cycle by offering built-in modules that come standard with your plan. Along with the POS system, Cin7 has all the options of B2B eCommerce features, manufacturing features, and a payment portal.
Cin7 is an inventory management software and a point-of-sale system. This allows you to optimize stock management across sales channels to avoid any stock-out.
The advanced reporting of Cin7 allows you to access over a hundred customizable reports. It includes forecasting features and demand planning. This provides you with actionable data to make better decisions around inventory.
Cin7 has many integrations across accounting, eCommerce, and more. The point-of-sale module can run on mobile devices and take offline orders. It makes it easy to take your business to the next level.
The inventory’s small business plan starts at $299/month, making it one of the highest-priced software. When we talk about ERP software, this is a budget-friendly price.
6. Upserve
Upserve provides an effective inventory solution for the needs of small-scale restaurants. The platform focuses on expiration date tracking and supply chain needs.
You can run your POS services, online ordering, and workforce management across multiple locations. The platform provides tools that make it easier to run your restaurant.
You can use upserve software to create recipes for the dishes you sell, customizing the recipe with precise ingredients. When you sell a dish, upserve automatically deducts those quantities from your inventory levels. You can also use this feature to evaluate pricing for your menu items.
You can start a business using Upserve at $59/month. The enterprise plan goes to 359$/month.
7. BrightPearl
Brightpearl is an inventory system and retail management system built for retail businesses. It is created particularly for higher transaction volumes. You can optimize inventory management, order management, fulfillment, warehousing, purchasing, accounting, and more. It is the only inventory you need to automate and streamline your business simply.
The automation engine automates laborious tasks across your sales channels. From order fulfillment to inventory management, the software increases your business productivity. You can process more orders without extra staff. Automation removes human errors, and the work is completed in less time.
Brightpearl automates post-purchase operations, giving accurate customer demand for informed purchasing decisions. This results in no missed sales or too much cash tied up in the unsold inventory.
The advanced reporting of Brightpearl helps you dive deeper into data crucial to your brand. You can get information about profitable sales channels and target market campaigns.
BrightPearl's retail operating system presents a suite of Plug & Play integrations. It also has a deep API and certified partner network.
The retail-back office experts are at your side every step. From implementation to onboarding training, you can enjoy 24/7 support.
Brightpearl does not offer a free plan or a trial. It is not a good option for retail businesses that are just starting. You need to contact them to get a pricing quote.
8. Netsuite
Owned by Oracle, Netsuite is one of the best inventory management systems for manufacturing companies. The platform provides a complete set of basic inventory management features. It also includes purchasing capabilities to optimize the supply chain and manufacturing processes.
As a small business, you need a cost-effective, agile, easy-to-use solution that leads to long-term innovation. The inventory software is very customizable and gives advanced features. The advanced features include cycle counts, demand planning, and detailed product catalogs.
The platform offers no free trial or free accounts. You have to ask Netsuite for a custom quote. The pricing of the software starts at $999/month.
9. Agiliron
A multichannel management system, Agiliron has eCommerce, retail, social commerce, and retail functions. The software ensures information is not isolated, so you can find out what you need. The channel inventory system offers comprehensive B2C and B2B inventory features. You can create custom orders, assemblies, product substitution, and matrixed products.
The inventory software includes unlimited orders in all plans. It integrates with Amazon and eBay. Centralized inventory tracking with online learning centers with videos makes it easy to use. You can create purchase orders and assign them to salespeople.
All of the plans include unlimited orders and around-the-clock email support. A premier plan is available for a single user and two sales channels. The enterprise plan is $199/month and includes one user, two sales channels, and multi-location tracking. The global enterprise plan comes with $299/month. The global enterprise plan comes with $299/month. The enterprise plan features multiple currencies and international stores.
The Takeaway
Inventory is the bedrock of your business. The best inventory management software depends on your business model, size, and product type. The software listed in the article offers exemplary inventory tracking and management solutions.
We evaluated that ZarMoney inventory is the most appropriate for small businesses because of its ease to use and price point. It offers the essential features needed to optimize a small business.
