Tag Archive for: Amazon

How to Sell with Amazon: Why an Integration with the ERP is a Best Practice

Are you ready to take your business to the next level and reach Amazon’s massive global market which accounted for 514 Bn US Dollars in sales revenue in 2022? The opportunity is massive, but what’s the most effective way to maximize your success on the platform?

Well, one tried-and-true best practice for selling with Amazon is: integrating it with your Accounting or Operations ERP system.

But, before we dive into that, let’s go over the basics of selling on Amazon.

To get started, you’ll need to choose between different plan options that Amazon provides based on your requirements.

What are the different options to sell on Amazon?

  1. Selling as an Individual: If you plan to sell fewer than 40 items per month, you can register for Amazon’s Individual Plan. With this plan, you can list your products on Amazon and pay a per-item fee when your item sells.
  1. Selling as a Professional: If you plan to sell more than 40 items per month, you can register for Amazon’s Professional Plan. This plan comes with a monthly subscription fee and provides access to more advanced selling features, such as bulk uploading of inventory and the ability to create promotions and advertising.
  1. Using Amazon Handmade: If you sell handmade products, you can register for Amazon Handmade. This platform allows artisans and craftsmen to sell their unique, handmade products on Amazon.
  1. Amazon Webstore: Businesses can also use Amazon Webstore to set up their own branded website using Amazon’s web-hosting service.
  2. Amazon Vendor Central: This option is available to businesses that are selected by Amazon to become vendors. With Amazon Vendor Central, businesses sell their products to Amazon wholesale, and Amazon becomes the seller of record. This can lead to higher volumes of sales, but with less control over pricing and branding.

This is not it!

After selecting your plan, you’ll need to register and provide some basic company information and banking details.

Next, you’ll add your products through the user-friendly Seller Central platform. This requires providing key product details such as SKU, product name, description, images, and keywords to create your product detail page.

Finally, you’ll need to determine your fulfillment strategy. This includes two options: merchant fulfillment or Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA). With merchant fulfillment, you’ll store and ship the products directly to your customers, while with FBA, you’ll send your inventory to one of Amazon’s fulfillment centers. Amazon handles the packaging, labeling, shipping, customer service, and returns with FBA.

No matter which method a business chooses, there are numerous benefits to selling on Amazon, including access to a massive global market, trust in the Amazon brand, and various fulfillment options.

But, you want to take your Amazon selling to the next level, right?

To truly thrive on Amazon, it’s crucial to seamlessly integrate your Amazon seller account with your Accounting or Operations ERP system through an iPaaS provider like Commercient SYNC. 

While this process may seem daunting, working with a reputable iPaaS provider like Commercient SYNC will ensure you unlock the full potential of Amazon and truly maximize your opportunities on the platform.

Integrating Amazon with your Accounting ERP system has many benefits and is a best practice

Here’s how…

  • Streamlined Inventory Management

One of the biggest advantages of integrating Amazon with an ERP system is that it can help sellers manage their inventory better. Inventory management can be a major challenge for Amazon sellers, particularly if they are selling across multiple channels. Integrating Amazon with an ERP system can ensure that inventory levels are updated in real-time across all channels, reducing the likelihood of stockouts or overselling.

  • Improved Order Fulfillment

ERP integration can also help Amazon sellers streamline their order fulfillment process. When an order is placed on Amazon, it is automatically routed to the ERP system, which can then initiate the fulfillment process. This can reduce the time and resources needed to process orders manually and can improve order accuracy.

  • Comprehensive Sales Insights

In addition, integrating Amazon with an ERP system can provide valuable insights into sales and performance data. By aggregating data from multiple sales channels, an ERP system can provide a comprehensive view of sales trends and help sellers make data-driven decisions about their business.

  • Increased Efficiency and Accuracy

ERP integration can also automate many back-office functions, such as accounting, invoicing, and payment processing. This can reduce the amount of time and resources needed to manage these tasks manually, allowing sellers to focus on other aspects of their business.

  • Overall Cost Reduction and Business Growth

In totality, integrating Amazon with an ERP system can help Amazon sellers perform better by improving inventory management, streamlining order fulfillment, providing valuable sales insights, and automating back-office functions. By implementing ERP integration, Amazon sellers can increase their efficiency and accuracy, reduce costs, and ultimately grow their business.

You might still feel it’s too complex. So, let’s make it simpler by understanding the steps involved in integrating Amazon Seller and your ERP.

Step-by-step instructions on how to integrate Amazon seller with your Accounting or Operations ERP using iPaaS like Commercient SYNC:

Step 1: Choose an iPaaS Provider

The first step is to choose an iPaaS provider that can facilitate the integration between Amazon and your ERP system. Some popular iPaaS providers include Dell Boomi, MuleSoft, Commercient SYNC, Jitterbit, and Scribe.

Step 2: Connect Amazon and ERP System

Once you have selected an iPaaS provider, the next step is to connect your Amazon seller account with your ERP system. The iPaaS provider should provide you with a connector or pre-built integration app that you can use to connect the two systems.

Step 3: Map Data Fields

After connecting Amazon and your ERP system, you’ll need to map the data fields between the two systems. This includes mapping fields such as product information, orders, shipments, and inventory levels.

Step 4: Configure Workflows

Once the data fields are mapped, you’ll need to configure workflows to ensure that data is transferred between Amazon and your ERP system in the correct format and at the right time. For example, you may want to set up a workflow to automatically update inventory levels in your ERP system when an order is placed on Amazon.

Step 5: Test and Refine

After configuring the workflows, it’s important to test the integration and refine as needed. This can involve running test transactions to ensure that data is flowing correctly between the two systems, and making adjustments to the integration as needed.

Step 6: Monitor and Maintain

Once the integration is up and running, it’s important to monitor it regularly to ensure that it is working correctly and to make any necessary updates. This can include monitoring data flows, error logs, and system performance.

By following these steps and working with a reputable iPaaS provider like Commercient SYNC, you can unlock the full potential of Amazon and take your business to the next level. Reap the benefits of improved inventory management, streamlined order processing, and greater efficiency.

So, what are you waiting for? It’s time to integrate and start selling like a pro on Amazon! You can talk to one of our representatives and book a demo. 

Back-to-School Tech 2017: Best Technology for College Students

Fall is approaching rapidly, and besides the wonderful weather, falling leaves, and shorter days, it also means that students are returning to school.  In that spirit, we have compiled some of the best tech for college students.  We are not going to talk about dorms or apartments–these items are a matter of personal tastes and so many articles have covered them it is unlikely we could break new ground.  Instead, we have spoken with college students and ascertained what tech they cannot live without.  In other words, if you only buy a few things for your student this fall, these are the things to purchase.

Backpacks. No matter where you send your child to college, whether it be an urban campus like NYU or Georgia State, or a more traditional, insular college like Carleton College or Cornell, they are going to need a way to tote their books, notebooks, laptop, and tech to and from classes. Today’s backpacks aren’t like the old-school rucksack made of canvas and straps.  The best backpacks need to have compartments for cords and tech, need to be water-resistant, and need to be sturdy enough to protect the contents should the bag fall or drop.  Some of the higher end versions can even charge devices and include a hard drive. Here are the picks from the students we surveyed.  Co-alition and AMPL are both gadget-oriented picks if a bit on the pricey side.  Herschel backpacks are the college-student gold standard, and at a price of less than $100, can be replaced easily should they tear.  The North Face also has a wide variety of sturdy backpacks at all price ranges.

Laptop. Forget the tablets. They are hard to type on and remember that this list is about absolute necessity.  A well-made laptop with plenty of memory, options for gaming, and high functionality is a must.  Students will be doing everything from taking notes in class to researching term papers and coordinating their social lives on this machine. Even if money is tight, there are great options for every budget. If portability is the most important issue, look into an Apple MacBook Air. For creative types, the 2017 MacBook Pro, with its gorgeous display, is a great option. For a durable, powerful option with great features and 8G of memory, the Asus ZenBook UX330 is a fantastic option at a great price. If the price of tech is overwhelming for you, eBay has a great site with refurbished technology.

Headphones. For parents, this may seem frivolous.  They managed to get through their 4 years of college without them.  Bear in mind that Millennials and Generation Z are used to a barrage of constant white noise, what with people on their phones, typing on laptops, and watching videos. Every student we spoke with said that the ability to be able to block out distractions and listen to music or podcasts while they study is imperative. Headphones offer a portal to focus on the task at hand.  Audio-Technica has a great wired version at a good price, while wireless fans can find quality,  bargain-priced versions through BeatsX or SkullCandy.

Apps.  Many apps that are helpful for students are free, but if you do want to purchase one that you can be sure they will use, Amazon Prime for Students is probably the best choice. They have great deals on items that students would want, including textbooks. It also gives your student an option for entertainment when they need to unwind, because Amazon video has a staggering choice. For on-campus safety,  Circle of 6 is a great app to reassure nervous parents. To make the deluge of group projects easier on your student, try GroupMe.  To help with studying, Brainscape offers a nifty app to create flashcards. To facilitate and encourage your student to call home more often, make sure to install FaceTime or Google Hangouts. The list is endless, and many apps are either low- or no-cost, which is great for students (and parents) on a budget.

 

If you are a college student and need to amp up your resume and earn a bit of pocket money at the same time, Commercient is offering paid internships in a variety of positions.

Weekly Tech Blog, Week of July 10-14, 2017

There is a ton of great stuff going on this week in the tech world.  Here is my roundup of some of the best.

The folks at Tesla must never sleep.  The state of South Australia has had some energy concerns of late. In order to help alleviate them, the crew at Tesla and Neoen Energy have made a wager to create the world’s largest lithium-ion battery. Elon Musk, the founder of Tesla, bet that the company could build 100 megawatts of capacity in 100 days or he would give the State its money back. The government of South Australia asked him to prove it.  In a collaboration with local energy company Neoen, Tesla built a grid-scale energy storage system to be used in conjunction with the Hornsdale Wind Farm. The storage system will provide power for some 30,000 homes according to Tesla.  Musk has also promised to complete the build in 100 days. We should see the final product this December. Whether you like Elon Musk or not, the guy keeps his word.

Amazon Prime Day starts today. If you have a minor Amazon addiction like I do, Prime Day is like Christmas, New Year’s and Black Friday rolled into one bargain-filled circus of consumerism. The difference is that you can sit in the comfort of your home and shop to your heart’s content.  All you need is a decent wifi network and a debit card.  Some of the best deals are on electronics, including 50% on the Amazon Echo, which is priced at $89.99, and $30 off on the awesome Kindle Paperwhite, making it only $89.99. Whatever your interest, Amazon will have something for you.  Even if you don’t have a Prime account, you can get a free trial for a month and take full advantage of the deals.

Laser tag is back, and I for one am really excited. Drone maker Skyrocket has created Recoil, an updated version of the laser tag we all loved in the 80s. The basic idea is the same–you shoot lasers at other players, and if you hit them, they die.  Unlike the old game, there is a neat bit of tech added. You use Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, and your phone to track players’ positions in real time. The app’s tracking capabilities add the fun of airstrikes and land mines, which means that if one player calls in an airstrike opposing players have to get out of the area immediately or be “killed” in the game.

Commercient has some news, as well.  Our SYNC application has two new listings on the Salesforce app exchange.  We now have SYNC for SAP and Salesforce and SYNC for NetSuite and Salesforce.