Custom Order Management
System
How a Growing E-commerce Brand Unified Orders, Inventory, and Warehousing
Tech Stack Used
Overview
Australia
E-commerce
Order Management System for Online Sellers
Online store owners, warehouses
Project Background
Our client, an Australia-based e-commerce company, operated multiple online stores for promotional products and corporate gifts. As demand grew across Australia and New Zealand, so did their operations. Orders were pouring in from every direction, and the business was scaling faster than its processes could keep up.
Each store functioned in isolation. Orders had to be fetched separately, inventory was tracked across different tools, and the team spent hours coordinating updates. Simple tasks took longer than they should, and the lack of visibility began to affect both efficiency and the customer experience.
The client needed a better way to organize everything. A centralized order management system could consolidate orders, sync inventory, generate quotes, and manage suppliers from a single location.
We built a unified platform that streamlined their backend. We rolled out an internal solution, but it soon evolved into a Saas product that now helps other sellers manage their online orders just as smoothly.
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TOPS Strategies in Action
When the client came to us with their requirements to build an order management system, their primary focus was to provide a user-friendly interface. Most of their team members were accustomed to manual processes and spreadsheets, and had no prior experience with a dedicated tool.
The goal was to make the platform feel simple and approachable from the start. Every decision was guided by ease of use and faster adoption, not feature overload. We rolled things out in phases so the team could adapt comfortably while still seeing quick results.
Our key strategies included:
- Designing a clean, intuitive UX with guided workflows and minimal training required
- Prioritizing must have features like order entry, imports, creating quotes, and supplier management
- Streamlining repetitive tasks to reduce manual effort and errors
- Taking an incremental rollout approach to ensure smooth adoption
Challenges
The operations suffered like any other warehouse and online store that relied extensively on manual processes. As the client’s e-commerce network expanded across multiple stores and supplier platforms, their operations became increasingly difficult to manage. Some of the key challenges:
- No centralized view of orders, requiring teams to log into each store portal separately as sales channels expanded
- Manual order entries from external platforms, leading to delays and frequent errors
- Inventory managed through spreadsheets with no real-time stock counting or visibility
- Difficulty identifying item locations within the warehouse, slowing down fulfillment
- Limited visibility into overall sales and performance due to scattered data across platforms
Solution
To manage the growing complexity, we built a centralized Order Management System tailored to the client’s workflows.
Key platform features included:
We laid the roadmap for building a set of core capabilities that form the backbone of any effective order management system. The features were designed to improve visibility and create a seamless flow between orders, inventory, suppliers, and payments.
Bulk Imports
The client wanted to address the volume of orders as it was a barrier to growth and scalability. With bulk import, we enabled a large volume of orders from external platforms and supplier networks to be captured instantly within the system.
Within this feature, we also provided two ways to manage orders: one from the client’s online platforms and one from other users. Users can also perform other actions in bulk, such as cancelling orders or sending messages to customers.
Generate Orders
Order generation enables teams to create quotes and orders directly within the platform through a structured and guided workflow. Users can add supplier details, select products, attach references or specifications, and set automated reminders to ensure timely follow-ups.
The order list provides a clear visual overview of customer types, order status, and production stages in real time. This organized visibility helps teams prioritize tasks, monitor progress efficiently, and maintain consistency throughout the entire order lifecycle, improving overall operational control.
Warehouse Management
We built this feature for real-time stock visibility, item location tracking, and structured storage management. Warehouse management makes it easy to perform accurate stock counting, faster picking and packing, and smoother fulfillment operations.
Payment Integration
The platform integrates seamlessly with invoicing tools like Xero for real-time financial visibility. This feature is an essential addition for tracking revenue, monitoring outstanding payments, and maintaining smooth cash flow.
Reporting & Analytics
This was a must for the clients as they wanted insights about their sales, inventory, and operations through live dashboards. It allowed them to make informed decisions quickly and plan inventory and fulfilment with greater accuracy.
Manage Contacts
Centralizes supplier, vendor, and customer information in one place. This ensures smoother communication, quicker coordination, and stronger relationships across the supply chain.
Stand-out features
Apart from the must-haves, we also had additional features that made our tool stand out.
Auto Quote
For customers submitting product inquiries or custom requests, the details are automatically captured within the platform. By centralizing all quote data and enabling one-click conversion to orders, this feature accelerates sales cycles, improves response times, and ensures no potential order slips through the cracks.
Container Management
It provides complete visibility into freight shipments. Users can track status and view key details like estimated packing and arrival dates, logistics providers, volume capacity, packing locations, and contact information. This helps businesses plan inventory more accurately, anticipate delays, coordinate with suppliers, and avoid stock shortages, making it an essential capability for smoother supply chain and fulfillment management.
Streamlining Multi-Channel E-commerce with a Custom OMS Solution
Result
After the implementation, the impact was visible almost immediately. With all orders, inventory, and supplier workflows centralized into one system, the team no longer had to juggle multiple tools or chase updates across channels.
Key outcomes within a few months of implementation:
60 to 80%
faster order processing
Up to 70%
reduction in manual effort and errors
2 to 3x
increase in order volume handled
What’s next?
With a growing number of customer inquiries coming in every day, the support team found themselves constantly juggling calls, emails, and messages. Many of these were simple, repetitive questions, yet they consumed a significant portion of the team’s time. The challenge wasn’t just resolving queries, but keeping up with the volume from multiple platforms without overwhelming the team or slowing response times.
AI Support Chatbot
To ease this load, the client plans to deploy an AI-powered chatbot across all their websites, integrated directly with the OMS. We’re building an AI chatbot that will handle common questions, provide instant responses, and route only complex or high-priority issues to human agents. This ensures faster support for customers while allowing the team to focus on more meaningful interactions. The initiative also opens the door to exploring broader AI-driven improvements across their operations.
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