5 Ways an Inventory Scanner System Improves Your Business
As an ecommerce business owner, you probably have a lot of inventory to manage (both incoming supplies and outgoing products). Of course, monitoring what’s coming in, what’s going out, and where it’s all stored can be a bit time-consuming, especially if you’re a small operation with a limited staff.
One way to make sense of it all is to use an inventory scanner system, otherwise known as a barcode inventory system. Not only will this help keep you organized, it’ll help you scale-up more efficiently and effectively when the time comes. Best of all, implementing an inventory scanner system is easy to do!
What Is an Inventory Scanner System and How Does It Work?
An inventory scanner system consists of a wireless barcode scanner that’s designed to automate and streamline your inventory management process. They work by scanning the barcode on a product (or one you place on a product). The barcode is read by inventory management software and tracked by a central computer system.
5 Benefits of an Inventory Scanner System
There are a number of benefits to using an inventory scanner system, and at an average of about $50, they’re well worth the investment! Here are five reasons ecommerce businesses should consider a barcode system for inventory management.
1. Improved Accuracy
They say “to err is human,” so why not reduce the human element? Inventory scanners eliminate the need to check inventory by hand, which can be a lifesaver if you’re stocking a lot of product. Plus, if you’re a small ecommerce business and can’t afford to hire someone to manage your inventory, your inventory scanner acts like your own personal assistant for a lot less money!
2. Improved Speed
As an ecommerce retailer, you’ve got a lot on your plate, and managing your inventory (rather than growing your business) may not be a priority because of the time it takes to do it properly. A barcode inventory system speeds up the whole process, eliminating manual data entry and the time spent counting products by hand.
3. Improved Visibility
Using barcodes does more than just keep track of inventory in stock. They can also be used to track when products are shipped and when they are dropped off at their destination.
This provides complete transparency, and even allows you to share information with customers. Studies show that 97% of customers want the ability to track orders and receive communication throughout the shipping process, and a barcode inventory system can make it possible.
4. Improved Inventory Control
Overages and shortages happen, especially when you are running a growing ecommerce business. Overages waste storage space, costing you money, while shortage can frustrate customers and cause you to lose money.
By leveraging inventory scanning technology, you can easily track inventory and view how much is in stock so you know whether to expedite a reorder or put the brakes on one.
5. Improved Decision-Making
An inventory scanner system provides fast and accurate data, allowing you to make more informed decisions. For example, if you sell multiple products, you can easily see which are selling and which are not. From there, you could decide to discontinue a line and cut your losses, or promote it more heavily to increase sales trajectory.
As you can see, an inventory scanner system can greatly improve your ecommerce business. Worried about the cost of barcodes? Don’t be. You can use sites like Avery to get a template, and then you can purchase labels from an office supply store or print them out on your own.
Choosing an Inventory Scanner Gun for Inventory Management
There are dozens of options when choosing an inventory barcode scanner. Ultimately, it will depend on your business' unique needs. Scanners vary in price, wireless signal range, and compatibility with inventory management systems. Whether you need a barcode inventory system for small business or your growing business, here are five you may want to check out!
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Tired of Inventory Management? Let Us Do It for You!
After you’ve installed inventory software, and purchased the inventory scanner gun, you might think, “why don’t I let someone else do this?” That’s where we come in!
The Fulfillment Lab is a third-party logistics (3PL) provider that takes care of all that inventory management busywork (along with the shipping, the marketing… pretty much everything you need but don’t want to do or don’t have time for!). We will manage your inventory while you maintain complete control and visibility (as much as you want) through your dedicated customer portal. We’re also known for helping small ecommerce businesses build their brand and boost their revenue through fulfillment marketing.
If you want to forgo the inventory management and hand it off to a 3PL that truly cares about small ecommerce businesses, reach out to our team today!
