Your marketing efforts have been great, and your items have been shipped to your customers. But will they be happy after the unboxing? Let’s turn to some numbers. 23% will return the item because it was the wrong one, and 20% — because it was damaged in transit. If the returns don’t scare you that much (though they are a financial burden themselves), how about reputation? It takes 12 positive reviews to make up for one negative review related to order issues!
Retail, e-commerce, and any other order processing companies face the same old problem: make their order fulfillment process simple, fast, and error-free. The solution lies in implementing order management software solutions that help you ditch manual processes and automate as much as possible. Throughout this guide, we'll explore how the right system can cut costly errors, returns, and turn your order processing into a competitive advantage.
What is order management?
At its core, order management spans all the activities, processes, and systems that convert a customer's "I want this" into "I got exactly what I ordered, when I needed it" (if performed at the highest level, of course). It's the entire journey from the moment a customer hits "buy" to when they're unboxing their purchase.
The primary purpose? Making sure every single order flows smoothly through your business without delays or mistakes that we are all prone to. When done right, order management becomes your secret weapon for building customer loyalty and keeping your business running like a well-oiled machine. 86% of the customers become brand ambassadors after just one successful purchase and a good experience with the company. A lot to think about, right?
The order management life cycle involves inventory tracking, payment processing, shipping coordination, and customer communication. And if this isn’t complicated enough, ask yourself: have you mixed up order management and order fulfillment yet? You have? Read on to know the difference.
Order management vs order fulfillment: What is the difference?
Here's where things get a bit tangled – while terms "order management" and "order fulfillment" are similar and work hand-in-hand, each of these processes has its distinct role in keeping your business humming along.

Here’s the comparison for you to understand this relationship:
- Order management guides the entire process, while order fulfillment focuses on the logistics of getting goods out the door and into customers' hands.
- Order management has multiple departments working together, from customer service inquiries to accounting payments, and order fulfillment concerns warehouse operations, packaging, and shipping logistics, including route management, and fuel optimization.
- Order management handles the administrative side, including order processing, inventory updates, customer communications, and post-purchase follow-ups, while order fulfillment zeroes in on picking, packing, and delivery execution.
- Order management spans the relationship from initial purchase to customer satisfaction and potential returns, while order fulfillment ends once the package arrives.
- Order management requires coordination between internal teams and external partners (like payment processors), while order fulfillment collaborates with shipping carriers and warehouse management through a fulfillment management system.
Both are essential, but order management takes the wider view of your entire customer experience. Speaking of working together, another area where lines often get blurred is between inventory management and order management.
Inventory management vs order management: another important distinction
While these two business functions dance around the same products and data, they tackle completely different challenges. Inventory management keeps your stock levels in check, while order management shepherds individual customer orders through your entire sales pipeline.

But this is just the main focus. There are more details:
- Inventory management tracks quantities, forecasts demand, and triggers reorders, and order management handles the customer-facing journey from purchase to delivery.
- Inventory management answers "how much do we have and when do we need more?" while order management — "where is this customer's order and when will it arrive?"
- Inventory management runs on aggregate data and trends across all products, while order management processes individual transactions and customer requirements.
- Inventory management involves procurement teams and suppliers for restocking decisions, while order management works between sales, customer service, and fulfillment teams.
- Inventory management prevents stockouts by maintaining optimal inventory levels, while order management ensures accurate order processing and timely delivery.
The overlap becomes obvious when you examine the software solutions businesses use. B2B order management software often includes inventory tracking features, while ecommerce inventory software frequently handles online order processing software functions. Both systems need real-time stock visibility and automated updates to prevent overselling.