9 Best Inventory Management Systems for Wholesalers
As a wholesaler, you play an essential role in the supply chain. By sourcing products in bulk, you provide retailers with a variety of options to keep their shelves stocked.
However, sourcing products in bulk also results in a huge volume of inventory to juggle. Investing in a digital inventory management system is the easiest way to keep your stock organised.
With quality inventory management software, you’ll have all of your warehouse data conveniently accessible in one place for efficient and cost-effective operations. We’ve curated a list of the top wholesale inventory management systems to help you find the right tool for your business.
What makes the best inventory management system for wholesalers?
There are plenty of inventory management systems on the market today, not all of which will meet the unique needs of wholesalers. Here are some of the essential features to look for when selecting your inventory management system:
- Order management: Wholesalers are constantly placing orders to manufacturers and processing orders from clients. Look for software with comprehensive order documentation, as well as automated reordering when stock gets low.
- Batch tracking: When you’re processing inventory in large quantities, you need an easy way to track items based on when they were produced and expire. When selecting software, look for batch tracking to trace inventory as it moves through the supply chain. This can help you identify defective or expiring batches quickly for effective quality control and cost management.
- Digital stocktaking: Manual inventory counts are costly and time consuming, so opt for a system with digital stocktaking instead. Digital Inventory counts automatically update as items are scanned in and out, resulting in better accuracy and visibility.
- Multi-warehouse functionality: As your wholesaling business grows, you’ll need a program that can track inventory levels across multiple warehouses for complete accuracy.
- Demand planning: It’s normal for demand to fluctuate throughout the year. Demand planning and inventory forecasting features help you anticipate your clients’ needs to ensure you’re prepared with enough stock at the right times – and aren’t overspending when demand is low.
We compared functionality, pricing, and customer reviews across a variety of inventory management systems to narrow down the best options for wholesalers.
9 best wholesale inventory management software systems
After researching a wide range of wholesale inventory software solutions, there were 9 tools that stood above the rest. Here’s a look at the best inventory management software for wholesalers.
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Unleashed: Best for cloud-based inventory management
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inFlow: Best for custom barcode tracking
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Fishbowl: Best for inventory and accounting integrations
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SYSPRO: Best for wholesalers that need manufacturing support
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Katana: Best for small business inventory support
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NetSuite: Best for enterprise-level wholesalers
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Cin7: Best for demand planning and forecasting
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Ordoro: Best for inventory and shipping management
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Extensiv: Best for mobile-friendly inventory management
1. Unleashed
Unleashed is a comprehensive cloud-based inventory management platform, with features to support every aspect of your warehouse.
Automated features like rolling stocktakes, auto-reordering, and demand planning help you save time and maintain ideal stock levels. Unleashed also supports your sales processes with full order management features, an optional CRM, custom B2B sales portals, and a wide selection of eCommerce integrations. Detailed analytics help you identify trends so you can streamline your operations.
Who it’s best for
Unleashed is ideal for mid-sized wholesale businesses looking for an accessible inventory management solution. The platform’s robust features offer the support you need to grow, and the user-friendly interface and intuitive features help you hit the ground running quickly.
Pros:
- Comprehensive inventory tracking: Unleashed helps wholesalers track products from their initial arrival all the way until they are sent out for delivery, making it easy to locate any item you need.
- User-friendly: Unleashed has a clean, sleek interface, making it easy to find the inventory data you’re looking for.
- Strong integration options: Unleashed has integrations available with a variety of digital tools, including Xero and several notable eCommerce platforms.
- Planning and analytics: Advanced data analytics tools help wholesalers identify inventory management trends and operate their businesses more effectively.
Cons:
- Not suitable for large enterprises: While Unleashed has a powerful suite of features, it may not be comprehensive enough for large enterprises that need features like payroll management.
- Limited document customisation options: Unleashed offers a range of reporting options, but not all templates are fully customisable.
Plans and pricing
Unleashed offers three pricing tiers:
- Medium: $410/month, 3 users
- Large: $785/month, 8 users
- Large Plus: $1,188/month, 20 users
There are also several add-on options to choose from, including:
- eCommerce integrations: $30/integration/month
- B2B eCommerce store: $129/month
- Advanced Iinventory Mmanager: $100/month
- Business Iintelligence: $39/month
Start your free trial of Unleashed today and see how inventory management software can transform your wholesaling business.
2. InFlow
InFlow is an inventory management system that helps you track stock levels and manage purchase orders with ease, giving you a comprehensive view of your warehouse levels at any given time. InFlow also offers unique features like barcode generation for custom inventory tracking, as well as a digital showroom to support your sales process.
Who it’s best for
InFlow is ideal for small wholesaling businesses who are new to digital inventory management. It’s particularly helpful for those who use a digital barcode system to track items and want custom options.
The platform is easy to set up and has an intuitive layout, so you don’t need to be an inventory expert to get started. However, it may not be powerful enough for larger wholesalers.
Pros:
- Quick setup: The inFlow setup process is fast and straightforward, allowing you to dive right into inventory management.
- Visually appealing interface: InFlow’s design is very sleek and aesthetically pleasing, making for a positive user experience.
- Custom barcode generation: One of inFlow’s most unique features is its barcode generation options, which are compatible with a wide variety of label printers.
Cons:
- Limited integrations: InFlow limits the number of software integrations that clients can use, making it difficult to pair with your existing systems.
- Limited reporting: InFlow’s reporting and documentation options are limited, which could be challenging for wholesalers with strict compliance standards.
Plans and pricing
InFlow offers three service tiers, starting at the following price points with annual billing:
- Entrepreneur: $149/month, 2 users, 1200 orders/year, 1 integration
- Small business: $349/month, 5 users, 12,000 orders/year, 2 integrations
- Mid-size: $799/month, 10 users, 60,000 orders/year, 3 integrations
Onboarding also comes with a mandatory one-time fee of $499.
3. Fishbowl
Fishbowl is an inventory management platform that is known for real-time traceability. With Fishbowl, you can sort items by creation date, lot number, serial number, and more, helping you keep track of every piece of inventory in your system. Fishbowl also incorporates AI-powered data analytics to help you identify trends and find opportunities for cost savings.
Who it’s best for
Fishbowl is particularly well-known for its integrations with accounting software programs like Quickbooks and Xero. This makes it a good option for wholesalers who need their inventory and accounting data in one place. Fishbowl also offers a wide range of other features that are ideal for mid-sized wholesalers.
Pros:
- Reliable customer service: Fishbowl users note that the customer service team is highly responsive.
- Extensive analytics and documentation: Fishbowl collects and organises a huge volume of warehouse data in one place.
- Strong accounting integrations: Inventory management and accounting often go hand-in-hand. Robust accounting integrations make it easy to access financial data as you’re managing your inventory.
Cons:
- Limited flexibility: Many of Fishbowl’s features are not customisable. Additionally, it can be difficult to edit data once it has been added to the system.
- Limited manufacturing features: Fishbowl’s manufacturing features are not as extensive as other inventory management programs, which can be frustrating for wholesalers who also manufacture products.
Plans and pricing
Fishbowl offers three pricing and service tiers for wholesalers: basic inventory, advanced warehousing, and advanced manufacturing. However, they do not list pricing information publicly, so interested clients will need to contact their sales teams directly for a quote.
4. SYSPRO
SYSPRO is a comprehensive inventory management and enterprise resource planning (ERP) platform. Its data-driven features help users track inventory, monitor supply chains, and distribute products to clients.
As an ERP, SYSPRO also offers features to support sales, accounting, compliance, business development, and more. The platform also has a robust suite of manufacturing features, including tools for capacity planning, Bill of Materials generation, batch tracing, and more.
Who it’s best for
With its extensive suite of manufacturing features, SYSPRO is particularly effective for wholesalers who also manufacture their own products. The platform has industry-specific features and can be customised to suit your manufacturing processes. Due to the complexity of the platform, it is better suited to large businesses than small organisations.
Pros:
- Highly customisable: SYSPRO offers features for a variety of different industries and can be adjusted to suit your unique business model and warehouse operations.
- Scalable: Because SYSPRO has such an extensive range of features available, your business is unlikely to outgrow it.
- Detailed cost management: SYSPRO’s features help you conduct cost-benefit analysis at every stage of your business for more efficient operations.
Cons:
- Can be overwhelming: The sheer volume of features available on SYSPRO can be overwhelming and difficult to master, especially for new users.
- Long onboarding process: Due to the complexity of the system, it takes a long time to customise each feature and train new users.
- Challenging to maintain: Due to the complexity of the system, it can take time to identify and correct problems when they arise.
Plans and pricing
SYSPRO does not offer pricing information on its website. Exact costs are based on the customers’ individual needs.
5. Katana
Katana is an agile, cloud-based inventory management system. It allows wholesalers to track and manage inventory in real time across multiple locations. Features like inventory planning and purchase management ensure you’re always appropriately stocked, while warehouse management tools streamline the stocktaking process. Katana also offers basic accounting and sales features that integrate directly with your inventory management.
Who it’s best for
With its intuitive features, Katana is great for wholesalers who need simple, straightforward inventory support. The platform is intended primarily for small businesses, but can scale with you as you grow.
Pros:
- Cloud-based inventory tracking: Katana is an agile, cloud-based platform that makes it easy to track your inventory levels from anywhere.
- Intuitive features: Katana has a modern, user-friendly layout that’s simple and easy to navigate. Users can track item locations, quantities, and purchase orders all in one place.
- Sales features: Katana’s sales tools help you create quotes and process client orders efficiently.
Cons:
- Can be slow: Some users note that the platform can be sluggish at times.
- Integration quality varies: Katana offers a decent selection of integrations, but users note that some work better than others.
- Pricing structure may force you to pay a lot to access the tools you need.
Plans and pricing
Katana offers three pricing plans:
- Starter: $179/month, 1 inventory location
- Standard: $359/month, 3 inventory locations, access to multicurrency support, barcode scanning, and advanced insights
- Professional: $799/month, 10 inventory locations, access to API, detailed traceability, planning, and forecasting
Katana also offers an enterprise-level Professional Plus plan starting from $1799, although exact pricing depends on the features you need.
6. NetSuite
NetSuite is a popular ERP software that includes inventory management tools. It’s built for large organisations who handle large volumes of complex data. NetSuite has features to manage products throughout their entire lifecycle, from manufacturing through to delivery.
Who it’s best for
NetSuite is best for large-scale wholesaling businesses who need comprehensive inventory management features and business support. Every aspect of the program can be configured to suit your business model, keeping your inventory data all in one place.
Pros:
- Manage every aspect of your business: NetSuite has features for virtually every aspect of your wholesaling business, from inventory to sales to accounting and more.
- Advanced reporting: The platform’s comprehensive data collection and reporting features ensure that every aspect of your warehouse is documented, which can help with compliance.
- AI-powered inventory management: NetSuite has integrated AI into many aspects of the platform to make the inventory management process more efficient.
Cons:
- Too complex for SMBs: The NetSuite system is very complex and will likely be overwhelming for small businesses.
- High pricing: While NetSuite doesn’t provide exact pricing details online, some users have noted that pricing may be out of budget for small businesses, particularly if you need custom modules.
- Time-intensive setup: NetSuite’s onboarding and training can take a long time to complete, making it difficult to integrate the platform into your business operations.
Plans and pricing
NetSuite does not make pricing publicly available. Interested customers will need to contact their sales team directly for a quote, which will depend on the exact features and customer support you need.
7. Cin7
Cin7 is another popular inventory management and ERP platform. Cin7 is best known for its advanced inventory planning features, which use AI to help you predict product demand and automate reordering to maintain optimal stock levels. Cin7 also has built-in features to support manufacturing, sales, and accounting.
Who it’s best for
Cin7 is best for medium to large wholesalers who need extensive inventory management support across multiple warehouse locations. It’s also particularly helpful for wholesalers who navigate frequent demand fluctuations, as advanced planning tools can help you set appropriate stock levels in advance.
Pros:
- Robust onboarding and resources: Although Cin7 is a complex platform, the team offers thorough onboarding and a large library of resources to help users get the most from the platform.
- AI-powered forecasting: Cin7 uses AI technology to predict future demand levels, helping to keep your warehouse perfectly stocked.
- Extensive integration options: Cin7 integrates with a wide range of other software programs, so it fits into your existing systems.
Cons:
- Reports are slow to generate: Some users note that the process of creating reports can be slow, especially with large volumes of data.
- System is not always intuitive: Cin7 has a very large library of features, and many users have noted that it can be difficult to find the exact data you’re looking for.
- Poor customer support: Deteriorating customer service levels have angered some users.
Plans and pricing
Cin7 has several pricing tiers, which are as follows:
- Cin7 Core Standard: $349/month
- Cin7 Core Pro: $599/month
- Cin7 Core Advanced: $999/month
- Cin7 Omni: Contact for pricing details
8. Ordoro
Ordoro is a platform that offers shipping and inventory services for small businesses. The platform’s inventory features include automated stocktaking across multiple warehouses, purchase order generation, and manufacturing management. Ordoro also offers shipping and dropshipping management features.
Who it’s best for
While Ordoro caters to eCommerce brands, it also works well for small wholesalers who need both inventory and shipping services. The platform even has features specifically for dropshipping, which can be helpful for wholesalers who also dropship.
Pros:
- Responsive customer service: Users praise Ordoro’s customer service team, noting that they are very responsive and address issues quickly.
- Combines inventory and shipping: Ordoro combines inventory and shipping management into one platform to streamline the process.
- Easy to use: Ordoro’s platform is straightforward and simple to master, with features that are small-business friendly.
Cons:
- Features limited by plan and app: The exact features available for Ordoro users will vary based on which apps and plan you choose, which can be confusing.
- No automated reordering: Ordoro will alert you if your stock levels are getting low, but doesn’t offer an option to automate reordering
- No demand planning: Ordoro doesn’t offer any sales forecasting features. It also does not provide detailed analytics.
Plans and pricing
Ordoro has three separate apps that customers can combine to suit their businesses: Shipping, Inventory, and Dropshipping. Each app has multiple service tiers.
The Shipping app is free for basic users, but can go up to $149/month for premium features. Inventory starts at $349/month, while Dropshipping starts at $299/month.
9. Extensiv
Extensiv is an inventory and warehouse management platform that helps you track stock levels, product locations, and purchase orders. Extensiv also offers stock forecasting and analytics for more efficient operations across multiple warehouses. On top of that, Extensiv has shipping management tools to help you find affordable rates and manage the pick-and-pack process.
Who it’s best for
Extensiv is ideal for mid-sized wholesalers focused on speed and efficiency. Unlike many other inventory management platforms, Extensiv is designed to be mobile-friendly and works well on a tablet, making it ideal for on-the-go inventory management.
Pros:
- Mobile-friendly: Users can access Extensiv’s inventory data directly from their mobile phones.
- Support for multiple warehouses: Extensiv supports inventory management across several different warehouses at once.
- Easy to navigate: Extensiv is very easy to navigate, allowing you to categorize data points into different tabs.
Cons:
- Complex pricing structure: Extensiv doesn’t have standard pricing available online, and exact costs can vary significantly depending on the specific features and integrations you need.
- Can be glitchy: Some users note that the software can run slowly or glitch at times, especially when importing new data.
- Limited custom reports: Extensiv offers many standard report templates, but does not offer many custom options.
Plans and pricing
Extensiv doesn’t display its pricing options publicly. Interested wholesalers can contact Extensiv directly to get a quote.
What’s the best inventory management system for wholesalers overall?
While there are plenty of excellent inventory management software programs on the market, Unleashed stands out due to its flexibility and user-friendly interface.
Unleashed also offers support for every stage of your operation, from ordering to sales, and offers a wide range of integrations to fit into your existing workflows. Automated features handle repetitive tasks like stocktaking and reordering, so you can focus on growing your business.