Maybe you’ve just started selling your handmade creations online, or maybe you’ve been doing this sort of thing on the side for years and you’re now looking to go full time.
In any case, if you’re just starting out in the world of online selling, it will only be a matter of time before you learn that multi-channel selling is hard.
It’s hard because it’s time consuming. There’s a thousand menial tasks to worry about, and every single one of them is vital.
What’s an ERP System?
ERP stands for enterprise resource planning. An ERP system is a piece of software that will take the strain off some of your most critical yet time-consuming tasks. At the same time, it will display all of your most crucial information on a single uncluttered dashboard.
As we’ll discuss in more detail below, there are many benefits to using such a system.
But up until very recently, ERP systems were only really available to established online businesses and large multinationals.
For far too long, the upfront costs were astronomical. If you wanted an ERP system, you also needed to get your own server system to host it, and a dedicated team of technical experts to keep up with maintenance and updates.
But now that ERP systems are cloud-based, anyone who sells anything online can enjoy the many, many benefits they offer.
Rather than paying the astronomical upfront costs, these days you can simply pay a monthly subscription to access all the systems you need on the cloud.
As a result, for the first time ever, creatives, crafters, budding entrepreneurs and multichannel sellers can easily access all the software they need to fast-track their online success!
So let’s explore what a cloud-based ERP system can bring to your budding online retail business:
- You’ll Become More Productive Overnight
With a cloud-based ERP system, you can instantly access all the information you need to keep on top of your stock and orders, and you can do so on any device and from anywhere that has a secure internet connection.
This will make it much easier for you to complete those menial-yet-crucial tasks that are critical to your success. You can streamline your online sales game and become more productive overnight.
- You’ll Improve Your Online Security
Thanks to the wonder of cloud-based computing, all of your sensitive data – such as your accounts and your customer details – will be stored on secure servers situated miles away from your home.
These servers will be consistently monitored, and all the data will be encrypted and routinely backed up. In the extremely unlikely event of a data breach, a team of specialists will have a set response plan in place for minimizing damage.
- You’ll Be Able to Spot and React to Trends
When all of your most vital information is clearly visible in a single intuitive interface, you’ll find it much easier to uncover the sort of insights that make the difference between “just getting by” and “winning at life”.
For example, you’ll be able to monitor your top selling products. This will give you a better idea of what stock to order, and the sort of things your customers are looking for.
So if, for example, you’re selling handmade t-shirts, a cloud-based ERP system will provide key insights into the sort of patterns, designs, and materials your customers are looking for.
- You’ll Be Able to offer a Better Standard of Customer Service
A cloud-based ERP system can automate the way you process your orders.
This will enable you to offer more accurate delivery estimations, and you’ll find yourself able to process more orders in a single day than ever before.
All of your customers will receive the same high standards of service, and they’ll all receive their orders precisely when they expect to receive them.
The end result is more happy customers, which means better feedback, better reviews, and a better reputation. Just what you need for long term success!
