Top 54 Distribution Software (Jun 2024)

Distribution Buyer's Guide

Overview

Distribution software, also known as distribution management software, is a type of software designed to help businesses manage and streamline their distribution processes. It provides tools and features to efficiently handle tasks such as inventory management, order processing, warehousing, logistics, and supply chain management.

Why Businesses Need It

Businesses in the distribution industry need distribution software to automate and optimize their operations. This software helps in improving efficiency, reducing costs, minimizing errors, and enhancing customer satisfaction. By providing real-time visibility into inventory levels, order status, and delivery schedules, distribution software enables businesses to make informed decisions and respond quickly to changing market demands.

Main Features

The main features of distribution software include inventory management, order processing, warehouse management, logistics management, supply chain management, demand forecasting, reporting and analytics, integration with other business systems (such as accounting and CRM), and mobile access for on-the-go operations.

Main Business Processes the Software Apps Can Help With

Distribution software can help businesses with various key processes, such as:

• Inventory management: tracking stock levels, managing reorder points, and optimizing inventory turnover
• Order processing: receiving orders, processing them accurately and efficiently, and managing returns
• Warehouse management: organizing warehouse space, optimizing picking and packing processes, and improving overall warehouse operations
• Logistics management: managing transportation, route optimization, and tracking shipments
• Supply chain management: coordinating with suppliers, managing procurement processes, and ensuring timely delivery of goods

Steps on How to Buy This Software

When buying distribution software, businesses should follow these steps:

1. Assess business needs and requirements
2. Research available distribution software solutions
3. Request demos and trials from potential vendors
4. Evaluate features, functionality, and scalability of the software
5. Consider integration capabilities with existing systems
6. Review pricing and licensing options
7. Check vendor reputation, customer reviews, and support services
8. Negotiate terms and finalize the purchase
9. Implement and train employees on using the software
10. Monitor performance and seek feedback for continuous improvement

Things to Consider

When choosing distribution software, businesses should consider factors such as scalability to support future growth, ease of use for employees, customization options to fit specific needs, cloud-based vs. on-premise deployment, security features to protect sensitive data, and ongoing support and maintenance services provided by the vendor.

Most Popular Vendors and Their Market Share

Some of the most popular vendors in the distribution software category include:

• SAP
• Oracle NetSuite
• Infor
• Microsoft Dynamics 365
• Epicor

These vendors hold a significant market share in the distribution software industry, offering robust solutions to meet the diverse needs of businesses in this sector.

Trends and Next Steps in this Category

Some of the key trends shaping the distribution software category include the adoption of artificial intelligence and machine learning for predictive analytics, the integration of Internet of Things (IoT) for real-time tracking and monitoring, the emphasis on sustainability and green logistics practices, and the shift towards omnichannel distribution strategies to meet evolving customer expectations.

10 Questions to Ask Software Vendors During a Demo

1. How does your distribution software handle multi-warehouse management?
2. Can the software integrate with our existing ERP system?
3. What kind of reporting and analytics capabilities does the software offer?
4. How does the software help in optimizing inventory levels and reducing carrying costs?
5. What are the security features in place to protect sensitive data?
6. Does the software support mobile access for remote operations?
7. How does the software handle order processing and fulfillment?
8. What kind of support and training options do you provide to customers?
9. Can the software scale to accommodate our growing business needs?
10. What sets your distribution software apart from competitors in the market?

Head to head Distribution software leaders comparisons:

List of Distribution Software:

Distribution Software Price Range

A majority distribution software in the market has perpetual licences that can be bought with a one-time fee. However, there are others set on the conventional per month, per user basis. Businesses can expect to pay between $20 to $100 per month for a distribution software. Alternatively, companies can expect prices from $5,000 and above for distribution software perpetual licenses.

For example, Visco pricing starts from $95 per user monthly and Info M3 pricing from $150 per user monthly. Meanwhile, Epicor Distributor and Accolent ERP cost one-time fees of $20,000 and $2,500 respectively for perpetual licences.

Different vendors target different sizes of businesses; hence, each business size should expect disparate pricing.

• Small Businesses can expect price points which range from $10 to $40 for distribution software. For example, Hello Tracks is priced at $10 per user, per month, while Zoho Creator pricing starts from $10 per user, per month. Also, Emerge App costs up to $26 per user monthly.
• Medium Businesses can expect to pay within $40 to $100 for a distribution software, depending on the type of package, the robustness of its features, and the number of user accounts. For example, Aquilon is priced at $75 per month for a single user account, but costs around $60 for multiple accounts. Also, Visco is priced around $95 per user monthly, and Nowcommerce for QuickBooks costs around $100 per month.
• Large Businesses can expect volatile pricing for a distribution software because most vendors adjust their prices to suit capacity of interested organizations. However, they can expect a price between $100 to $800 per month. For example, InfoPlus pricing starts from 695 per month, while that of Infor M3 starts from 150 per month.

Distribution Software best of breeds and their price ranges are as follows:

• Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) Software Most electronic data interchange software in the market are priced either on a yearly basis or per license, although there are a few others with monthly pricing. The price ranges for EDI, depending on their tiers, are $150 to $250, $250 to $2,500, and $2,500 upward. For instance, Chiapas EDI is priced around $3750 per year, while ERP Integration Software costs $1,000 per year. Alternatively, GoAnywhere MFT perpetual licence costs around $2,000, while that of Business Systems Integrators costs $1,200.
• Food Traceability Software Most food traceability software products in the market are set on per user, per year or per user, per month basis. The price points ranges are $40 to $80, $80 to $200, and $200 above per month, depending on their tiers. Otherwise, yearly food traceability software tools are between $500 to $2,000, and $2,000 to $10,000 per year. For example, SafetyChain Food Safety & Quality Software starts from $7,500 per year, while Compliance Mate pricing starts from $500 per year. Otherwise, Visual Produce costs $300 per user monthly, while eQ Trace costs $350 per user monthly.
• Shipping Software Most shipping software apps in the market are either priced per user, per month or by the volume of shipping per month. Its price varies between $2 and $50 above depending on the vendor offering it. For instance, ShippingEasy pricing starts from $29 per month, FreightView costs around $99 per month, and 2Ship pricing starts from $10 monthly.
• Logistics Software Most logistics Software solutions in the market are priced per user, per month or per volume of items monthly. There are also others based on commission. The price ranges are between $40 to $80 and $80 to $200 per month. For example, Logitude World starts from $45 per month, OnFleet pricing starts from $149 per month, and Betachon Freight Auditing pricing starts from $0.1 per gain on each item.
• Food Distribution Software Food distribution software have prices that fall between $18 to $50 and $50 to $150 per month, depending on their tiers. The price is set per driver or user per month or per trip, per month. For example, Traverse pricing starts from $100 per month, Routteique pricing from $49 per month, and OptimoRoute costs about $19 per driver per month.