101 Guide to Mobile Inventory Management for Ecommerce: Software and Tips

Smartphones enable you to perform many complex tasks on-the-go, like trip planning, adjusting smart home devices, and even banking. For ecommerce brands, this begs the question: why not manage inventory from your phone? 

If you want more flexibility and accessibility as you’re overseeing your brand’s stock, a mobile inventory management system may help. While it might not be for everyone, these systems can be a gamechanger for brands looking for a way to track inventory levels, access key data, and monitor KPIs no matter where they are. 

In this guide, we’ll take a look at what mobile inventory management is, what software solutions are available, and how to choose one that fits your needs.  

What is mobile inventory management? 

This can include smartphones, tablets, or similarly small and handheld devices that have an inventory management application installed onto them. These applications enable the user to perform certain inventory management tasks through the mobile device, such as: 

• Scanning QR codes or barcodes 
• Recording incoming inventory 
• Tracking inventory movement 
• Checking SKU information 
• Updating inventory records 
• Viewing inventory levels 

Key features of mobile inventory management software 

Businesses have a wealth of options when it comes to mobile inventory management software, but this can make it challenging to narrow down the best software to invest in. To help you hone your search, here are some of the key features to look for in a mobile inventory management. 

Real-time inventory tracking 

The ability to view and capture real-time inventory data is absolutely essential to any inventory management system, including mobile-based systems. You should be able to achieve real-time inventory tracking at a glance, as well as accurate information on your inventory counts and stock movement. 

“Partnering with ShipBob finally gave us the inventory visibility and analytics we were looking for. Through the program, we get real-time insight into how much inventory to allocate to a specific warehouse, our current on-hand inventory levels, and how long each SKU is going to last by location. ShipBob provides a lot of distribution metrics, and everything presented is useful.”

Mithu Kuna, Founder and CEO of Baby Doppler 

A lot of inventory data that enables this level of visibility comes from scanning each product’s barcode as it moves through your supply chain (from receiving to picking to packing to shipping), so look for a mobile app equipped with QR code and barcode scanning functionality. This speeds up data entry and simplifies data collection throughout various stages of the ecommerce fulfilment process, instantly updating your system according to the latest inventory movement.  

Advanced reporting and analytics 

Your mobile inventory management system should also go deeper than real-time inventory data to provide you with in-depth reporting and analytics. It should have the capability to analyse your inventory performance and give you essential insights to make informed decisions.  

For instance, you should be able to view SKU-specific performance metrics, as these metrics can give you insight into which items are bestsellers and should be reordered the next time you’re replenishing stock. 

“In addition to ShipBob’s App Store and integrations, the ShipBob dashboard is great for real-time information with their built-in reporting. It’s one of the things that really separates ShipBob from the rest of the solutions on the market.

I’ve oftentimes leveraged the data and analytics ShipBob provides when I’m preparing for sales meetings. I can see what our top selling states are, what our average fulfilment time and cost is, how much inventory we have on hand at each fulfilment centre – a lot of different metrics that are very helpful. ShipBob has all of that information ready for us at any time.”

Tyler McCann, Co-Founder of Taste Salud 

Demand forecasting 

Another useful feature is the ability to leverage historical data on demand patterns and sales trends to optimise inventory forecasting. Your mobile inventory app should help you predict your inventory needs so you can plan your inventory reorders accordingly. This is crucial to make sure you’re reordering the right quantities to avoid unexpected stockouts while preventing overstocking. 

“Forecasting where demand will be highest is always a tricky exercise, especially when coupled with how much inventory we want to put into each fulfilment centre. We’ve been working together with ShipBob to figure out how much inventory we want to place in each of the fulfilment centres so that we can get our products into customers’ hands as quickly as possible.

This collaborative effort has definitely had its impact. In 2022, 79% of our orders with ShipBob reached customers within 0-4 days, and in 2023, this same stat was 85%. Year over year, that’s a 7.45% improvement on average. For a subscription business, this speed and reliability are crucial, and we’ve seen the positive effect on our customers in terms of compliments on our delivery times and fewer outreach related to shipment inquiries.”

Stephanie Lee, Co-CEO at PetLab 

Seamless integrations 

For your inventory management app to deliver real value, it should be able to integrate seamlessly with your existing ecommerce tools. At the bare minimum, you need an app that can work well with your warehouse technology, sales channels, POS systems, and any inventory management software you already use. This will facilitate a smooth transfer of information between the systems to ensure a greater level of inventory accuracy. 

“We have Attentive, Recharge, Loop, Klaviyo, and Gorgias integrated with our ShipBob dashboard, which has been really helpful.  For example, with Gorgias, we’re able to create a replacement order from Gorgias and it automatically gets uploaded into ShipBob. There’s a lot less back and forth between the different platforms, which allows us to cut out unnecessary work. It makes it a lot quicker to handle customer service inquiries and issues.”

Callie Tivnan, E-commerce Manager, and Christina Williams, Customer Success Manager at Barefaced   

Ease of use 

Most importantly, you need to invest in a mobile inventory management solution that’s easy to adopt across all your warehouse and ecommerce operations. Consider an app with a user-friendly interface that’s easy to learn and understand for workers of all experience and skill levels. Mobile applications and tools with a short learning curve will help you boost adoption – and make your job easier.  

“ShipBob’s dashboard is also simpler to use than our previous fulfilment provider’s. It’s user- friendly, cleaner, and more straightforward. There’s a lot of different ways to sort and display data, so you can hone in on what’s important to you. The support portal is also great – if there’s ever an issue, it’s easy to get it addressed and resolved.”

Stuart Jones, Co-Founder of Canvas 

Top mobile inventory management software options 

Here’s a breakdown of some of the most popular mobile inventory management software solutions on the market, their key features, and what ecommerce brands they may be best fit for.  

Solution	Overview	Key Features and Use Cases	Best For
Mobile Inventory	Real-time stock management app that lets you take stock and manage your inventories	Barcode/QR/NFC code scanner  Locations management  Built-in calculator  Customizable fields and tags	Small ecommerce operations needing a cost-effective solution to manage their own inventory
Zoho Inventory	A mobile app version of the Zoho inventory management software	Complete directory of items in your inventory  Snapshot of business activities and inventory summary  Inventory allocation  Barcode scanning  Item grouping	Businesses already using ecommerce tools from the Zoho ecosystem
Cin7 Warehouse Management	A mobile app version of the Cin7 Warehouse Management platform, available for both Android and iOS devices	Barcode scanning and item validation  Real-time stock counts  Real-time inventory locations  Multi-platform integrations	Businesses looking for a multi-channel mobile inventory management solution

How to unlock mobile inventory management 

Successful mobile inventory management takes more than simply downloading an app; it requires a strategic approach, the right tools, and operational buy in. 

Here are some of the most important steps to take as you adopt and implement mobile inventory management. 

Evaluate your inventory management needs 

Start by assessing what you need in a mobile inventory management solution. To do this, you’ll need to take a closer look at your current inventory management activities to understand the role that a mobile app will take over or facilitate. 

For instance, if you sell across multiple sales channels, you’ll need an app that allows for multichannel inventory management. If you’re selling perishable products like food and beverages, medical supplies, or cosmetics, you’ll also need lot tracking features to better organise your inventory.  

Choose the right software 

The inventory management needs you outline should help you select a software solution that addresses those needs. Besides this, you should also consider plans and pricing to make sure that the software fits with your budget. 

Scalability is another major consideration in inventory management software, as you’ll want a solution that can support the growing needs of your business. For instance, consider whether your solution can support: 

• Adding more users 
• Increasing order volumes 
• Higher inbound inventory volumes 

By selecting a scalable solution from the start, you eliminate the need to look for a new solution later (which can be costly and time-consuming). 

Train inventory and warehousing teams 

The whole point of investing in a mobile inventory management system is to make your life – and the lives of your warehouse staff – easier.  

To ensure that relevant teams can use the software effectively, provide them with thorough training to help them understand how the software works, how it applies to their different tasks, and how to make the most of it for improved efficiency. 

Integrate with existing systems 

Once you invest in a mobile application to manage your inventory, it’s important to integrate with your existing systems. Make sure to connect the system with your existing ecommerce platforms, warehouse and inventory management systems, and other essential ecommerce tools. This will help to facilitate a seamless transfer of information between all your ecommerce systems, giving you a complete and unified view of your inventory. 

How ShipBob supports ecommerce inventory management 

However you choose to manage your brand’s inventory, one thing’s for certain: it’ll be easier with an expert supply chain partner in your corner. As an ecommerce enablement platform, ShipBob’s solutions optimise inventory management for thousands of brands, helping them save time, money, and hassle while delivering the omnichannel visibility and inventory control they need.  

Here are just some of the ways ShipBob’s platform supports inventory management for ecommerce brands.  

Real-time inventory tracking 

ShipBob’s merchant dashboard (which you can access through your phone as well as a desktop computer) features built-in inventory management capabilities, including real-time inventory tracking. This enables you to view up-to-date stock counts and monitor inventory movement in real time, as well as access SKU-level sales and performance data that lets you see when you’re running low on specific products.  

With this deep visibility, you have the information you need to time replenishment, avoid costly stockouts and backorders, and keep holding costs in check – all while meeting customer demand.  

Proprietary warehouse management system (WMS) 

In addition to meeting the standard WMS requirements, ShipBob’s proprietary WMS gives you a 360-degree view of your inventory across multiple warehouses. This lets you manage your warehousing, inventory, and fulfilment through a single solution, making your job easier and your warehouse operations more efficient. 

You can also access a mobile version of our WMS interface through the MiniBob app, empowering your warehouse teams to minimise errors and improve efficiency as they move through your fulfilment centre(s). This handy application guides teams as they perform various warehousing tasks, including receiving, stowing, picking, packing, replenishment, inventory control, loading, sorting, and even returns. 

Analytics and insights on the go 

The comprehensive ShipBob analytics dashboard is mobile-accessible, allowing you to access vital inventory KPIs while on the go. At any time, you can view and track key metrics like: 

• Inventory accuracy 
• Holding costs 
• Inventory days on hand 
• Inventory turnover 
• Ideal inventory allocation across fulfilment centres 

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With these insights available at a glance, you’ll be equipped to make more informed, timely decisions about your inventory management. 

For more information on how ShipBob can help you optimise your inventory management, click the button below.  

Mobile inventory management FAQs 

Below are answers to the most commonly asked questions about mobile inventory management.