Channel integration software is used by the retailers to ensure that customers see the same price and have the same experience of their products regardless of the channel they use, such as printed media, the internet, and direct mailing. Organizations use the software to manage end-to-end sales orders across multiple sales channels, which results in simplifying customers' buying process and making it easier for companies to manage orders, fulfillment, inventory, and returns. The software also enables retailers to list their products on multiple digital marketplaces, including Amazon, Walmart, and eBay, through integration. These marketplaces offer an opportunity for businesses to sell their products to a larger market, as the customer base for these marketplaces is already wide. Some of the typical users of the software are large retailers, consumer brands, eCommerce, automotive, apparel and fashion, sporting goods businesses, and more.
Gartner defines a warehouse management system (WMS) as a software application that helps manage and intelligently execute the operations of a warehouse, distribution center (DC) or fulfillment center (FC). WMS operations natively exploit mobile devices along with bar codes and potentially RFID or other scanning/sensing technologies, to form the transactional foundation of warehouse management. This enables efficiencies of directed work activity (optimization) and the delivery of accurate information in near real time. Core WMS capabilities address, among others, the needs to receive, put away, store, count and pick, pack and ship goods. Gartner also includes additional integrated functionality offered by WMS providers beyond core WMS. These extended WMS capabilities can include more advanced capabilities, such as managing labor or optimizing the locating of inventory within a facility.