Best Order Management Software 2023 for Small Businesses: A Comprehensive Guide and Comparison

Order management software is an essential tool for small businesses in 2023. With the rise of ecommerce, more and more small businesses need a robust order management system to track inventory, fulfill orders efficiently, and deliver exceptional customer experiences. This comprehensive guide compares the 10 best order management software options for small businesses this year. Discover how to choose the right software to automate order processing, improve fulfillment, and manage multi-channel sales.

Why Small Businesses Need Order Management Software

• Automates order processing across sales channels

• Provides real-time inventory and order tracking

• Improves order accuracy and customer satisfaction

• Integrates with warehouses, shipping, accounting software

• Manages purchase orders and accounts receivable 

• Scales easily as sales volume grows

10 Best Order Management Systems for Small Businesses

1. Zoho Inventory

Zoho Inventory is a cloud-based order management software designed for small businesses. Key features include:

• Multi-channel order management with unified interface

• Real-time sync between online and physical stores

• Barcode scanning and inventory tracking

• Purchase order management and accounting integration

• Customizable workflows and order fulfillment

• Analytics and reporting 

Zoho Inventory makes it easy for small ecommerce businesses to manage omni-channel order fulfillment in one place. Robust functionality for only $39/month.

2. Brightpearl

Brightpearl offers an all-in-one order management solution for retailers and wholesalers. Features include:

• Automated workflow for processing orders

• Multi-channel inventory management

• Accounting, CRM, and POS integrations

• Real-time inventory visibility and reorder point alerts

• Custom reporting and analytics

• Supports high order volumes and transaction peaks

Great for rapidly growing brands managing both online and in-store sales. Pricing starts at $199/month.

3. TradeGecko

TradeGecko is a cloud-based order and inventory management platform designed for wholesalers, distributors, and ecommerce brands. Key features:

• Order processing automation and tracking

• Purchase order management

• Inventory and warehouse management

• B2B order fulfillment and shipping

• QuickBooks integration

• Mobile barcode scanning 

• Custom reporting

An affordable solution starting at $79/month, suited for B2B order processing and wholesale distribution.

4. Orderhive

Orderhive provides an order management system with robust multi-channel capabilities. Features include:

• Unified order management across all sales channels 

• Automated order processing workflows

• Integrated accounting and shipping software

• Inventory and warehouse management

• Custom branded online stores and POS

• Purchase order creation and tracking

• Analytics and business intelligence 

A great option for small retailers selling on multiple platforms. Pricing starts at $49/month.

5. Ecomdash

Ecomdash focuses on providing easy-to-use order management software for ecommerce brands. Features include:

• Simplified dashboard to manage orders

• Real-time inventory updates and tracking

• Print shipping labels and pick/pack slips

• Partial order fulfillment capabilities 

• Integrates with shipping carriers and sales channels 

• Supports high volume order processing 

Suited for fast-growing ecommerce brands. Starts at an affordable $49/month.

6. Browntape

Browntape offers lightweight order management optimized for small business. Features include:

• Multi-channel order centralization

• Barcode scanning and inventory tracking

• Simple order processing workflows

• Integrated shipping label printing

• Purchase order management

• Partial order fulfillment 

• Mobile inventory management

Easy-to-use solution designed for new ecommerce businesses. Starts at $29/month.

7. Shipment

Shipment provides a suite of cloud-based management software for product-based businesses. For order management, key features include:

• Multi-channel order intake and processing

• Real-time inventory visibility and updates

• Barcode scanning and picking/packing

• Partial order fulfillment

• Automated workflows for orders and returns

• Integrated shipping label printing

• Custom reports and analytics

Great for complex order workflows. Starting at $119/month.

8. SkuVault

SkuVault is an order management and inventory control system designed for scaling high-volume order processing. Key features:

• Automated workflows for order processing 

• Real-time inventory updates across channels

• Pick, pack, and ship management

• Scalable multi-warehouse support

• Enables dropshipping fulfillment

• Integrated analytics and business intelligence

• EDI integration for B2B orders

Advanced solution capable of handling over 500,000 orders/month. Pricing starts at $299/month.

9. Cin7

Cin7 provides robust order management and inventory control for scaling product-based businesses. Key features: 

• Automated workflows for order processing

• Real-time inventory synchronization -barcode scanning and warehouse management

• B2B and B2C order management

• Accounting, POS, and ecommerce integrations

• Multi-location inventory with near real-time updates

• Dashboards and reporting for analytics

Great high-volume order management for mid-sized product businesses. Starts at $149/month.

10. NetSuite Order Management

NetSuite offers full-featured order management software integrated with its cloud ERP. Key capabilities:

• Unified B2B and B2C order management

• Real-time inventory visibility across all channels 

• Automated order processing and fulfillment 

• Sophisticated warehouse management integrations

• Financials, CRM, POS, and ecommerce integrations

• Advanced reporting and analytics

Robust solution made for manufacturers, distributors, and wholesalers. Pricing scales based on business needs.

Key Features to Look for in Order Management Software

When researching order management systems, keep an eye out for these key features:

• Unified interface - Centralized dashboard to manage orders from all channels and locations.

• Automated workflows - Rules-based workflows to automate order processing, picking, packing, shipping, and more.

• Real-time sync - Inventory and order data that syncs in real-time across all connected sales channels and apps.

• Barcode scanning - Ability to scan barcodes for streamlined picking, packing, and inventory management.

• Inventory management - Tools to track and update stock levels across multiple locations. Reorder point notifications.

• Order tracking - Provide customers with real-time order status and delivery tracking.

• Payment processing - Collect payments, manage accounts receivable, integrate with accounting software.

• Custom reporting - Insights and analytics on sales, customers, inventory, and more.

• Partial order fulfillment - Split and ship portions of orders from different warehouses or as items become available.

• EDI integration - Automated electronic order processing for B2B orders.

• API and integrations - Connect to sales channels, payment gateways, shipping carriers, POS system, and more.

• Omnichannel sales - Unified interface for in-store, online, mobile, and other sales channels.

• Purchase order management - Create, track, and manage orders to suppliers and vendors.

• Scalability - System can efficiently manage growth in SKUs, transactions, and sales across multiple locations.

Steps to Choosing the Right Software

Follow these steps when researching and selecting an order management system:

Step 1: Define Business Requirements

• What sales channels do you sell on? In-store, online, wholesale, marketplaces, etc.

• How many SKUs and orders do you currently process? How quickly is this growing?

• What does your order workflow look like? How can it be improved?

• What systems need integrated? Accounting, ecommerce, shipping, etc.

• Will you sell and ship from multiple warehouse locations?

Step 2: Make a Shortlist of Vendors

• Look for vendors that integrate with your sales channels and have experience in your industry.

• Check out software review sites to see real user ratings. Prioritize highly-rated systems.

• Make a list of 4-5 shortlisted options that fit your must-have requirements.

Step 3: See Demos and Compare Options

• Schedule demos with your shortlisted vendors. Come prepared with specific questions.

• Pay attention to ease of use, flexibility, and capabilities of each system.

• Take advantage of free trials to test systems using your actual orders.

• Compare pricing models - monthly fees, transaction fees, discounts for annual contracts.

Step 4: Choose the Best Software for Your Business

• Pick the option that best aligns with your current and future needs.

• Ensure the software has capabilities to support your growth.

• Implementation support and customer service responsiveness should also factor into your decision.

Key Takeaways and Recommendations

• Order management software centralizes omnichannel order processing in a single dashboard. This eliminates silos between online, in-store, mobile and other sales channels.

• Automated order workflows improve efficiency, accuracy and speed. This leads to better customer experiences.

• Look for order management systems with robust inventory management, barcode scanning, and warehouse integration features. This streamlines fulfillment operations.

• Purchase order management and accounting integrations reduce double data entry and manual errors.

• Choose software that can handle your current and future sales volumes. Scalability is key as order volumes grow. 

• Implementation support, training resources, and customer service responsiveness should inform your buying decision.

Order management software is essential for small ecommerce businesses selling on multiple channels. Comparing options by build capabilities, ease of use, and fit with your business needs is important. The systems covered provide feature-rich solutions to manage orders and scale operations for high growth. Leverage this guide to choose the right software and transform your order fulfillment.