- December 8, 2024 10:20 am
- California
Food Huggers, a consumer brand that designs products to reduce waste at home, may be in an enviable position now but before they found Extensiv Order Manager, managing booming orders and staying on top of inventory was a huge operational challenge. The business has inventory spread across multiple geographically distributed warehouses, with orders received via multiple sales channels, including Shopify storefronts and Amazon. Food Huggers partnered with Extensiv to not only manage their viral moments, but also to drive operational efficiency around their order and inventory management.
Extensiv is a visionary technology leader focused on creating the future of omnichannel fulfillment. They partner with warehouse professionals and entrepreneurial brands to transform their fulfillment operations in the radically changing world of commerce and consumer expectations. Through its unrivaled network of more than 1,500 connected 3PLs and a suite of integrated, cloud-native warehouse management (WMS), order management (OMS), inventory management (IMS), and integration management software, the company enables modern merchants and brands to fulfill demand anywhere and anytime with superior flexibility and scale without painful platform migrations as they grow. More than 25,000 logistics professionals and thousands of brands trust Extensiv every day to drive commerce at the pace that modern consumers expect.
For years, brands and third-party logistics (3PL) providers have worked together to support the growing consumer demand through ecommerce channels.
Extensiv brings brands and 3PLs together, using software to seamlessly connect their fulfillment operations.
For ecommerce brands,Extensiv’s order management, inventory management, and integrations management software enables brands to manage inventory in one single system. Seamlessly integrating with 150+ ecommerce shopping carts and 50+ order destinations (WMS systems + 3PLs), Extensiv acts as a hub for all ecommerce operations enabling brands to view inventory across all warehouses and allocated that inventory across all sales channels. It intelligently routes orders to the warehouse with inventory available and that would provide the fastest shipping at the lowest cost, automating and providing visibility to all order management activities.
For 3PLs, Extensiv’s 3PL Warehouse Management system is a proven cloud-based WMS trusted by more than 1500 3PLs daily. Designed for 3PLs by a 3PL, Extensiv 3PL Warehouse Manager includes inventory and order management capabilities, advanced reporting, billing built for 3PLs, and a robust set of shopping cart, marketplace, and carrier integrations. 3PL Warehouse Manager quickly transforms paper-based, error-prone businesses into service leaders who can focus on customer satisfaction, operate efficiently, and grow faster.
Helping Clients Navigate
Extensiv’s platform supports customers through inventory visibility. By giving them accurate data about inventory availability, throughput, and order demand, Extensiv helps companies identify what inventory to order and when and can systemically build in time to delivery so that it automates PO creation. If a brand experiences longer lead times, they can easily add that into the system to factor in for future orders.
Especially in economic times where financing has become harder for small and midsize businesses, Extensiv has created solutions that enable virtually any company to expand their fulfillment footprint with limited expense.Through Extensiv’s Fulfillment Marketplace, companies get connected based on the brand’s size, product makeup, and consumer geographic distribution to pre-vetted 3PLs that can support their fulfillment needs.
For years, single warehouse 3PLs have had to compete with the mega 3PLs or 4PLs or Amazon distribution networks with a single footprint. With the invention of Extensiv Network Manager, 3PLs can now easily expand geographically and connect to partner warehouses. This technology enables them to expand via a partner strategy versus paying to build or buy new locations.
The first ever 4PL Management software for 4PLs or 3PLs who use a partner network, Extensiv Network Manager provides the technology to manage network fulfillment and expand geographic reach, increase service offerings, and improve SLAs–without reducing order and inventory visibility. With Extensiv Network Manager, 3PLs can get access to customers inventory, order, and transaction data across all networked warehouses in real time.
Navigating Data Security
In the face of escalating cyber threats, Extensiv stands steadfast in its commitment to securing its clients’ businesses. Harnessing the power of top-tier technological infrastructure, they are anchored by the unparalleled robustness of Amazon Web Services (AWS) – a hallmark of hosting excellence. With AWS at the helm, the company engages its most advanced security features, distributing assets across multiple Availability Zones to ensure redundancy and scalability.
The company’s comprehensive approach also encompasses a robust disaster recovery plan. By having systems in place to quickly restore data and maintain operational continuity, they ensure that even in the face of unforeseen events, the clients’ businesses can bounce back with minimal disruption. “Our devotion to paramount security is underlined by our SOC2 compliance. This benchmark signifies our adherence to world-class industry standards and customer expectations, ensuring our security measures are perpetually up-to-date and subjected to rigorous testing,” says Sheridan Richey, Chief Product & Technology Officer at Extensiv. “Recognizing data as an invaluable asset, we give top priority to its encryption, coupled with regular backups. This dual approach ensures swift data accessibility and offers a fortified shield against looming threats.”
Towards the Future
Quality remains a cornerstone of Extensiv’s operations. Their meticulous testing methodologies, ranging from unit to integration tests, ascertain the reliable and scalable operation of the software and its alignment with user expectations. Proactive automated security scans are conducted to pre-empt vulnerabilities, ensuring they are always ahead of potential risks. Performance tests, especially under high-load scenarios, are a testament to Extensiv’s resilience and our promise to deliver consistent peak performance. “With Extensiv by your side, your business is fortified, resilient, and primed to thrive,” adds Sheridan.
For the days to come, Extensiv will continue to invest in business intelligence tools that enable their customers to make better decisions, improve productivity, and maximize profitability. Extensiv will continue to build upon its platform to usher in the new era of dynamic hybrid shipping networks, expanding upon its Network Manager and Fulfillment Marketplace solutions to support 3PLs and brands creating multi-node geographically distributed fulfillment networks.
Extensiv has continued to drive change in the supply chain through its product, thought-leadership, and contributions to the community. In the past year, Extensiv has launched the industry’s first unified omnichannel fulfillment platform that centralizes information for 3PLs and brands.
They also released a series of industry-first innovations in 2022 and 2023 as part of its omnichannel solutions strategy. The company launched Extensiv Fulfillment Marketplace (a list of pre-vetted fulfillment partners best suited to merchants looking to find a new 3PL or 3PLs looking to build a 4PL network); Extensiv Network Manager (a way to help small and mid-sized 3PLs partner with geographically complementary 3PLs to offer distributed fulfillment services); and Extensiv Labor Analytics (a business intelligence tool that gives 3PLs real-time data and visibility into historical trends to provide actionable insights on individual and team performance).
To support growing interest in supply chain and foster the next generation of supply chain professionals, Extensiv publishes multiple industry reports providing critical insights and context into the state of the 3PL warehouse industry and ecommerce operations and awarded Supply Chain Scholarships to seven undergraduate and graduate students committed to advancing industry innovation in areas from augmented reality (AR) and artificial intelligence (AI) to blockchain and drone delivery.
" Recognizing data as an invaluable asset, we give top priority to its encryption, coupled with regular backups. This dual approach ensures swift data accessibility and offers a fortified shield against looming threats. "
Sheridan Richey
Chief Product & Technology Officer