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4 Software Must-Haves For Your Apparel/Footwear Business

Published: April 02


Managing your apparel supply chain isn’t easy — with shipping issues, constantly changing tariffs and taxes and the unpredictability of demand among apparel manufacturers, optimizing your sourcing, production & supplier management, clothing manufacturing process,  and multi-channel inventory can be a real challenge in the fashion and apparel industry. Thankfully, technology can help you get control of supply chain management.  It starts with an effective
apparel management software solution.


apparel mgmt software must haves

Here’s a list of the top 4 apparel management software tools necessary to for companies to thrive in the apparel and fashion industry, including an all-inclusive enterprise resource planning software (ERP) and warehouse management solution (WMS).


1.) Enterprise Resource Planning. The best apparel ERP software is the cornerstone of any modern apparel supply chain. ERP solution tools like the Apparel Business Systems suite give apparel manufacturers and distributors the power to track every step throughout the production process from sourcing to shipping with extreme granularity, and deliver a host of reports and analytical tools to help you optimize that process. 

Software used across all supply chain processes in the apparel industry empowers businesses to effectively manage their design, production, inventory control, and sales processes, enabling seamless operations and improved profitability. Prominent ERP apparel inventory management software comes with highly customizable modules for invoices, payroll, financial reporting, and more. A leading fashion ERP software like ABS should also offer fashion manufacturing software. Without a well implemented apparel management ERP tool, you might as well be guessing at how your business is performing. 


2.) Project Management Software. A great value add for clothing brand software is project management software which is designed to help  apparel companies designate tasks, map out projects and maintain accountability in your organization. For example, if your sales team has to put together a monthly report, you can create that task, attach the appropriate employees to it, and track the progress of each step of the process. You can have a project management software suite installed on your servers in the office, but most modern project management tools are hosted in the Cloud. so they can be accessed from anywhere. Basecamp, Trello and ProjectBubble are three of many options available — and all are simple to set up and hosted in the Cloud.


3.) Customer Relationship Management Service. Hopefully, your business has many customers – and those customers need to be contacted and persuaded to come back to you again and again. Customer relationship management service (CRM) tools help apparel and retail businesses to track, categorize, and analyze your customer base and get a better idea of their habits. They are also essential to your sales team for tracking leads and maintaining detailed notes on long-standing customer relationships. Best when fully integrated with your chosen apparel distributor software, many CRM tools, like SalesForce, include modules for email marketing and other targeted promotions, which can be very useful if you’re involved in direct-to-consumer sales.


4.) Content Management Service. CMS tools allow you to manage and enhance your website, blog, and eCommerce portal — if you have a web presence, you’re probably already using a CMS. However, it’s worth taking the time to make sure that your CMS works for you. WordPress is one of the most popular options – it makes it very easy to set up eCommerce and the interface is simple enough for almost anyone to learn. SquareSpace has become a major player in the past few years as well – they offer an interface similar to WordPress, with native eCommerce capabilities. If you’re running a clunky CMS from the heyday of GeoCities, consider making an upgrade.


Apparel Business Systems (ABS) Solutions Can Help!

If your current ERP tools aren’t delivering the results you want, ABS can help! Our fashion industry apparel ERP suite is a purpose-built cloud based order, production, accounting, apparel inventory management software to streamline your apparel supply chain and manage inventory across multiple sales channels. Whether you operate branded apparel programs, wholesale and distribution, e-commerce retail, apparel manufacturing, or even need decorated apparel management software, ABS has you covered with its 'one source of truth' solution.


In today's fast-paced fashion industry, staying ahead of the competition requires cutting-edge tools and strategies. If your current ERP tools aren't delivering the results you want, ABS is here to elevate your business to new heights. Our state-of-the-art fashion industry apparel ERP suite is purpose-built, offering cloud-based solutions that cover all your business processes, from order management and production to manufacturing, accounting, and inventory control. Here are some key features of our garment manufacturing software that make ABS the ideal choice for your apparel supply chain needs:


  1. Scalability: Whether you're a small boutique or a global enterprise, ABS fashion supply chain software and managed services are designed to scale seamlessly, ensuring your business can grow without limitations.
  2. Real-Time Insights: Gain a competitive edge with real-time analytics and reporting tools in the ABS garment wholesalers software. Make data-driven decisions that optimize your processes and boost efficiency with needed key performance indicators.
  3. Streamlined Operations: Say goodbye to manual processes and inefficiencies throughout the entire production process. ABS's garment management software automates and streamlines your supply chain business processes, reducing errors and saving you valuable time and resources.
  4. Comprehensive Support: Our dedicated team of experts is here to guide you every step of the way. From implementation to ongoing support, we're committed to your success.
  5. Cloud-Based Flexibility: Access your data and tools from anywhere, anytime, with our cloud-based system. Stay connected to your business no matter where you are.
  6. Customizable Solutions: Tailor our apparel wholesale software to meet your unique business needs. Our flexible platform adapts to your specific requirements.
  7. Cost-Effective: ABS offers cost-effective clothing distribution software solutions that deliver a strong return on investment to any apparel and fashion business. Maximize your profitability while minimizing overhead costs.



Whether you need apparel software for small business or global enterprise, the ABS fashion supply chain software and managed services for apparel and footwear are designed to scale and grow with your business.  If you would like more information about how ABS can improve your business,  contact us today!


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