If you had to choose between managing logistics without real-time visibility or stepping on a Lego barefoot, which would you pick?
Tough call. But if you’ve ever dealt with missing order updates, inventory headaches, or last mile chaos, you might actually take the Lego.
That’s exactly why we built the GoBolt Merchant Portal, a centralized order management hub. It gives brands real-time order and inventory visibility, along with a full reporting suite, helping ensure a smooth experience without the frustration.
We sat down with Alicia Francis, Sr. Product Manager at GoBolt, to talk about why visibility and control are essential in 3PL order management, and how the right system can make all the difference.
In this post, we’ll break down how the portal works, what makes it valuable, and how it helps brands finally take control of their 3PL order management. Because logistics should be simple, not painful.
TL;DR
The GoBolt Merchant Portal’s benefits include:
- Centralized visibility into fulfillment and inventory operations
- Real-time tracking to help brands make informed decisions.
- A full reporting suite, helping brands regain control of their data
- Bonus: an easy-to-use interface at no cost with unlimited user seats
Looking for more information on 3PL order management? Jump to our FAQ section here.
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The Challenge: Navigating Complex Order Management Systems
“So many brands struggle with fragmented logistics systems that don’t communicate effectively,” Francis noted. Without a unified platform, tracking orders, understanding inventory levels, resolving issues, and maintaining last mile delivery and fulfillment SLAs can become a difficult task. Delays, miscommunications, and inefficiencies add up, impacting the bottom line and customer experience.
The Solution: An Order Management System to Simplify Logistics
“The portal addresses key pain points for merchants by centralizing visibility into fulfillment, inventory and delivery operations, including order details like proof of delivery and signatures.”
The GoBolt Merchant Portal was designed to simplify the standard 3PL order management complexities by providing a single platform for managing fulfillment, inventory and delivery operations.
The key benefits of the Merchant Portal include:
1. Real-Time Order Tracking & Visibility
“With real-time tracking, merchants and shoppers no longer have to guess where their deliveries are or wait for updates,” Francis explained. Brands and their shoppers can access up-to-the-minute last mile delivery tracking, helping them manage delivery exceptions proactively and keep all parties informed. Brands can access full visibility into proof of delivery and signatures.
Some brands leverage the live-tracking feature to streamline store replenishments. Rather than a fully loaded truck arriving unexpectedly, store employees can proactively plan for its arrival, ensuring smoother operations and better preparedness. Further, GoBolt’s real-time delivery tracker helps brands reduce WISMO inquiries, saving the average brand thousands of dollars per month in support costs.
2. Simplified Order Management
The portal allows brands to manage orders by simplifying order edits and resolving issues faster, such as address verifications. Whether it’s cancelling an order before fulfillment or rerouting a shipment, brands have control at their fingertips.
The portal allows merchants to:
- Create orders manually through CSV upload, API, or an integration (like Shopify or Netsuite)
- Create inbound ASN’s and send stock to warehouses independently. This includes:
- Easily tracking ASN statuses including arrivals, late shipments, missing items, or damages, all in one place.
- Uploading ASNs via your ERP or CSV in just a few clicks.
- Select your facility and shipment type, and download ready-to-go labels.
- Manage the lifecycle of orders, see the delivery status, and proof of delivery photos
- Access real-time inventory levels and statuses (on-hold, damaged, available for sale)
3. Reduced Customer Support Tickets
Logistics doesn’t always go as planned, but the GoBolt Merchant Portal ensures that brands can quickly identify and resolve exceptions before they escalate.
The portal helps solve some of the most common inquiries, allowing merchants to resolve them independently through the portal.
These include inquiries such as:
- Where is my order?
- How much inventory do I have in stock?
- What is the status of my inbound shipment??
- Where is the proof of delivery?
4. Comprehensive Reporting
With GoBolt’s reporting dashboards, merchants get access to actionable insights to help identify trends, optimize operations, and improve performance. The portal offers three powerful dashboards:
Operations Overview: Provides high-level metrics regarding fulfillment performance and highlights orders, shipments or inventory needing immediate attention.
Inventory: Tracks inventory in real-time, empowering merchants to manage stock efficiently and avoid shortages or overages.
Shipping: Delivers detailed analytics on deliveries, returns, carrier performance, order lifecycle, and sustainability metrics.
The Impact: Why Brands Love GoBolt’s Merchant Portal
GoBolt’s Merchant Portal offers transparency and ease of use that sets it apart from other 3PL order management systems. The platform ensures brands stay informed, in control, and equipped with the right tools to scale efficiently.
1. Improved Fulfillment Efficiency and Reduced Costs
With better visibility and control, brands can optimize fulfillment workflows, reducing unnecessary delays and shipping costs. By providing full visibility into operations, brands understand the status of their operations and can monitor and improve their bottom line.
2. Better Shopper Experiences with Proactive Delivery Updates
The portal enables proactive communication with shoppers by providing real-time tracking and automated SMS and email updates. This transparency reduces WISMO (“Where is my order?”) inquiries and enhances the overall shopping experience.
3. Data-Driven Decision-Making for Smarter Logistics Decisions
Brands can leverage real-time insights from the portal to optimize their logistics operations. Retailers can make informed decisions by tracking orders in progress and monitoring fulfillment and delivery statuses.
Ready to Simplify Your Logistics?
If you’re looking for a 3PL partner that prioritizes visibility, efficiency, and control, GoBolt is ready to help. Learn more about how our Merchant Portal can transform your logistics strategy — get in touch today.
FAQ: What is Order Management & GoBolt’s Merchant Portal?
What is 3PL order management?
Order management refers to the process of handling, tracking, and optimizing order fulfillment through a third-party logistics (3PL) provider. It includes order processing, inventory tracking, shipping coordination, and delivery performance monitoring.
How does GoBolt’s Merchant Portal help with order management?
GoBolt’s Merchant Portal provides brands with real-time visibility into their fulfillment and delivery operations, ensuring they can monitor inventory, track shipments, manage exceptions, and access key performance analytics all in one place.
Can brands make changes to orders in the Merchant Portal?
Yes, the portal allows brands to manage their orders efficiently, including cancelling or modifying shipments before fulfillment and resolving delivery issues faster.
Does GoBolt’s Merchant Portal replace an Order Management System (OMS)?
Not exactly. While the Merchant Portal offers visibility, tracking, and analytics similar to an OMS, it is specifically designed for logistics and fulfillment management rather than full order lifecycle management across multiple sales channels.
What kind of insights does the Merchant Portal provide?
Brands can access data on inventory, orders, shipments, transit times, delivery success rates, and more, helping Merchants make informed decisions to optimize their logistics strategy.
How does GoBolt’s Merchant Portal improve customer experience?
By offering real-time tracking, proactive issue resolution, and seamless order updates, brands can keep their shoppers informed and minimize delays, leading to higher customer satisfaction and fewer support inquiries.
