An Order Management System (OMS), also called Online Order Management System, allows online businesses to execute various operations including, creating invoices, and updating order details across multiple sales channels. While it allows online companies to accept and process received orders and decide the right kind of warehouses, its superior functionalities keep them informed throughout the journey so that they can offer real-time tracking updates to customers.
Overview: Global Multichannel Order Management Market
The estimated valuation of the global multichannel order management market in 2022 stood at around USD 2.95 billion, and it is poised for a substantial growth trajectory with a projected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.6% from 2023 through 2030.
The growing popularity of online shopping, coupled with the continuous expansion of the retail landscape, serves as the driving force behind this market’s upward trajectory. Notably, Forbes predicts that online transactions are on track to comprise approximately 20.8% of all retail transactions in 2023, marking a substantial surge in e-commerce revenues.
Furthermore, as an increasing number of businesses embrace multichannel selling strategies to engage customers across diverse platforms, the demand has surged for efficient order management solutions capable of handling orders from multiple channels.
Also Read: Importance of Multichannel Selling
In simpler words, online businesses like yours need to use the best Online Order Management System! However, it all depends on prevailing order management trends in 2023. Over the last two years, companies have been affected by COVID-19 imposed restrictions. This has also affected online businesses’ activities worldwide. These effects are expected to continue in 2023. Hence, it is crucial to know and understand Order Management System Trends that affect the Order Management System (OMS) market.
What Factors will Fuel the Growth of the Order Management System (OMS) Market?
- Order management plays a pivotal role in shaping the customer experience, despite its placement on the backend of the modern commerce ecosystem. Today’s consumers demand swift access to real-time data, such as inventory availability, as they navigate the path to purchase.
- Presently, the retail and wholesale sectors account for a significant 70% of total spending on OMS solutions. This can be attributed to the rapid expansion of e-commerce on a global scale, spanning regions like the United States, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Latin America. This expansive growth is fueling the demand for OMS solutions within the retail and wholesale industries.
- Furthermore, the manufacturing industry is witnessing a growing appetite for OMS solutions, as more brands delve into direct-to-consumer channels. This strategic shift aims to maximize the value derived from direct customer engagement through owned brand touchpoints.
- The adoption of Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) delivery models for OMS systems is democratizing their accessibility, affordability, and ease of implementation for digital businesses. This approach empowers digital enterprises to concentrate on their core competencies, alleviating the need for extensive customization and enabling them to keep pace with the ever-accelerating demands of the modern customer landscape.
Top E-commerce Order Management System (OMS) Trends for E-commerce Businesses
1. Speedy distribution and e-commerce order fulfillment
While keeping tabs on delivery costs is essential for e-commerce businesses, the speed by which a product goes from ordered to delivered is critical. E-commerce businesses can use multichannel order management software to expedite order fulfillment on orders received from any sales channel. In 2023 an increased number of consumers are expected to opt for next-day delivery while shopping online. The order management software needs to secure the opportunity to fix the chances of repeat business in the future. Besides this, e-commerce businesses need to ensure that customers are not waiting longer than expected after placing the order.
So online businesses need to ensure speedy order processing and distribution. The longer it takes to process and distribute an order, the longer it will take to reach its destination. This may result in a grievance by customers, resulting in potential loss of business. Accordingly, online companies need to streamline order management software’s order picking and packing process. It will both let them quickly check stocks across all warehouses and identify fulfillment centers closest to the customer. It all depends on how fast online order management software sends order information to a particular order fulfillment center to ensure the order is picked, packaged, and shipped to the buyer. Online businesses can hope this will satisfy a customer and give a repeat order.
2. Multichannel customer support
In the post-COVID-19 recovery scenario in 2023, online businesses will continue to increase their interaction with customers across multiple sales channels through forms on their website, live chat, social media, and more. It empowers the sales team to provide better customer support using multichannel e-commerce management systems for online businesses. Be it online or offline. The support will have a consistent and positive impact on customers. Increased customer engagement will enable businesses to create a situation where customers, through their positive feedback, will help in the growth of the e-commerce business, and this trend is expected to continue till 2025.
3. Real-time data collection
Through real-time order tracking, sales team strategists of companies can view and collect all the data related to sales. They can track sales figures generated from every retail channel and stay updated about the rise or slump in sales. The Order Management System of e-commerce businesses must have the robustness to handle slumps or spikes in demand. Businesses can figure out the progress throughout an order’s lifecycle by collecting real-time data. In 2023 it is critical for e-commerce businesses that should there be a delay, OMS must display where the problem lies in real-time, giving online businesses time to figure out how to remedy it.
4. Changes in post-purchase expectations
Since the pandemic started and new variants emerged, the latest being Omicron, many more digital tools have been added to online businesses’ systems. A multichannel e-commerce management system is the way forward for businesses, as customers are still scared to step into brick-and-mortar stores. This trend will continue in 2022, as shops use various channels to reach out to customers. Online order management software in 2023 will evolve to blend and manage in-store and online sales by prioritizing seamless shopping experiences to build brand loyalty.
Read How Businesses growing with Unicommerce – How a leading Consumer Electronics Brand Dispatched 170K+ orders per Month Seamlessly for its D2C Operations
5. Integrating with new marketplaces
Online brands/stores need to understand that online customers are mostly fickle-minded and rarely stick to one platform or marketplace. As online businesses transcend geographical boundaries, it is difficult to know and understand consumer behavior. In 2024, online stores are increasingly using e-commerce order management systems equipped with Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) to correctly predict customers’ shopping habits.
Based on knowledge gained, e-commerce businesses can venture into newer marketplaces and make them compatible with various platforms, offering products according to customers’ shopping habits. A robust order management system (OMS) can manage vast data generated from multiple platforms, enabling online businesses to do upselling and cross-selling across various online marketplaces.
6. Automating operational processes
Online businesses can better control their inventory flow across all sales channels by automating their order management and inventory data collection process. Automating the e-commerce order management system, online companies can better manage and track their orders when it first comes in, right through to picking, packing, and finally to shipment. It will allow them to manage orders in their warehouse locations and stores and across other third-party logistics (3PL) service providers. The use of online order management software in 2023 is set to increase manifold.
Watch how Order Management System (OMS) helps in timely order fulfillment –
Using automated order management software, online businesses can collect and send relevant information to concerned departments and partners to ensure the order is executed quickly and out-of-stock situations are prevented. Order management system trends indicate that automation will be increasingly used to handle order returns in 2023. As distributors are updated in real-time, automating will help them smoothly manage peak season order processing and avoid disruptions like product out-of-stock due to the sheer volume of orders. Automating processes will help them track orders being placed across various channels and platforms that draw the most sales and smoothly control order flow and its completion.
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Related Read:
- UniShip – Advanced Logistics Tracking Platform
- UniReco – Automated Reconciliation of Orders, Returns and Payments
- Key Challenges & Benefits of Marketplace Payment Reconciliation
- Benefits of Shipping Notifications
- Why is an Order Management System Important for Your E-commerce Business?
- Top Challenges of Order Management Systems in E-commerce
- Top Key Benefits of an E-commerce Order Management System
- 9 Best Inventory Management Techniques To Scale Your Business
- What is Inventory Management System?
- What is Warehouse Management System?
- Why Should You Deploy A Warehouse Management System
- The Challenges of Multichannel Inventory Management and How Can D2C Brands Overcome Them