During these unprecedented times, it is more important than ever to monitor your small business’ health, progress, and adapt accordingly. In fact, many businesses are making the switch from retailer to warehouse or even retailer to eCommerce, saving money, labor, and space. This could bring your business to the next level and drastically improve economic efficiency in so many ways - here’s how.
Retail to Warehouse
With the overload of retail stores and malls, there is one everywhere you look. In fact, the retail industry amounts to over $5 trillion. Unfortunately, there is not nearly enough foot traffic in these stores to survive, causing thousands to close. However, many are choosing to convert into warehouses and distributions centers for optimal production and structure.
When considering a retail-to-warehouse conversion, it is key to note the demand in the area for warehouses, fulfillment centers, and optimal location near highways. Large ‘big-box’ stores are the simplest to convert, all that is needed is additional shelving, racks, pallets, and technology. Converting a shopping mall calls for much more reconstruction and developments.
Hybrid malls are beginning to circle in the development sphere - a fusion of a retail facility and eCommerce warehouse into one. It is set to help eliminate the biggest cost of physical space as well as the many returns eCommerce stores are subject to. This hybrid model would allow customers to see what they buy before purchasing while still providing speedy delivery and services.
How does a hybrid mall operate? Showrooms would be located near the front, while the integration and fulfillment aspect is in the back. Customers can then download an app for easy shopping synced with inventory in either location, for seamless selection, delivery, or pick up. The goal is key: provide customers with flexibility and large selection by fusing eCommerce with brick and mortar, a new partnership, not competition.
Convert to eCommerce
Brick and mortar stores have slaved away trying to compete with the fast growing eCommerce industry. While in person shops allow customers to try and feel what they are buying, eCommerce offers unlimited selection, details, and comparable products all with the click of a button. More and more businesses are converting their sales platforms online, growing their audience and profits simultaneously.
Converting a store into an eCommerce fulfillment center makes for easier picking, packing, and shipping of online orders to please customers seamlessly. Especially now when online shopping is the new norm for safety precautions, it is easier and smarter to change your business for the better.
The faster consumers demand products be delivered, the closer the fulfillment centers need to be located across the country. Shipping goods from these centers paves the way for efficiently expedited services and happy customers!
Order Time Makes it Easy
eCommerce requires speed, organization, and utility like no other - just three of the many benefits of Order Time inventory management. By implementing an automated inventory manager, you can track inventory levels, manage customers and orders, add multiple eCommerce platforms, and more all in one place.
Order Time will give you one of a kind visibility into your sales, production, purchasing, and warehousing from your computer. By integrating with tons of accounting, eCommerce, shipping, and EDI systems, your business will instantly see the benefits of efficiency and productivity.
Whether your business is fully online or not, Order Time allows you to monitor sales from all channels. In fact, the automated system gives sight into all sales orders, work orders, purchase orders, stock levels, and reorder analysis to track high selling products for your customers.
Managing a warehouse requires tedious tracking, which can become a nuisance and erroneous if done by hand. Order Time allows you to track unlimited bins, locations, and products with the click of a button. You can even transfer inventory easily between different locations while tracking lot numbers and serial numbers.
To learn more about Order Time and how it can help you make the switch to eCommerce, click here.
We're always adding new Features, so if you have one you can't live without, let us know using the Contact Us Form.For more information check out our Order Time Cheat Sheet.
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