Cin7

What is Cin7

Cin7 is a cloud-based inventory management software designed for product sellers, including retailers, wholesalers, and manufacturers. Its main purpose is to connect all parts of a business's operations, such as sales channels, stock locations, orders, and warehouses, into a single, centralized system. This provides real-time visibility and control over inventory. The platform helps businesses automate order processes, manage production, and forecast demand to prevent stockouts or overstocking. Cin7 was founded to help growing businesses manage the complexities of multi-channel sales and has become a popular choice for companies looking to scale their operations efficiently. The company provides a robust solution that integrates inventory management with sales, manufacturing, and financial reporting.

Cin7 Features

Cin7 offers a wide range of features to streamline inventory and order management.

• Inventory Control: Provides real-time tracking of stock levels across all locations, including warehouses and retail stores. It supports batch and serial number tracking for detailed product monitoring.
• Order Management: Automates the entire order lifecycle, from purchase orders to sales orders and fulfillment. It syncs orders from all sales channels into one dashboard.
• Multi-Channel Sales: Connects with e-commerce platforms, online marketplaces, and Point of Sale (POS) systems. This allows businesses to manage online and in-store sales from one place.
• Manufacturing Module: Includes features for managing production jobs, bills of materials (BOM), and component inventory. It helps track the cost of finished goods.
• Warehouse Management: Supports multi-location warehousing with features for stock transfers, bin tracking, and efficient picking and packing workflows.
• Reporting and Analytics: Offers powerful reporting tools and a feature called ForesightAI to forecast demand. This helps businesses make data-driven decisions about purchasing and stock levels.
• Integrations: Connects with over 700 applications for accounting, shipping, e-commerce, and third-party logistics (3PL) to create a seamless workflow.
• B2B Portal: Provides a dedicated online portal for wholesale customers to place orders, view pricing, and check stock availability.

Cin7 Pricing Plans

Cin7 offers several pricing plans tailored to the size and complexity of a business. The plans are structured in tiers to support companies from their early stages to large-scale enterprises.

• Standard Plan: This plan is designed for growing businesses that need to centralize their inventory and order management. It typically includes core inventory control features, a limited number of integrations, and support for a single warehouse.
• Pro Plan: Aimed at scaling businesses, this plan offers more advanced features. It includes support for multiple warehouses, more integrations, advanced manufacturing capabilities, and access to the B2B portal.
• Enterprise Plan: This is a custom plan for large, complex businesses with unique requirements. It provides access to all features, a higher volume of transactions, dedicated support, and advanced customization options.

Cin7 Free Plan

Cin7 does not offer a free plan. However, they provide a free trial period for businesses to explore the platform's capabilities. Interested users can also request a personalized demo with a product specialist. The demo shows how Cin7 can be configured to meet the specific needs of a business, helping potential customers understand its value before committing to a subscription.

How to use Cin7

Getting started with Cin7 involves setting up your inventory and connecting your business systems.

1. Onboarding and Setup: The first step is to work with the Cin7 onboarding team to configure the system. This includes importing product data, supplier information, and customer lists.
2. Connect Sales Channels: Integrate your e-commerce stores (like Shopify or BigCommerce), online marketplaces (like Amazon), and POS systems. This allows orders to flow directly into Cin7.
3. Configure Inventory: Set up your warehouse locations, define stock levels, and configure product details, including variants, pricing, and bills of materials if you manufacture products.
4. Automate Workflows: Create rules to automate order routing, purchasing, and fulfillment processes. For example, you can set up automatic purchase order creation when stock levels fall below a certain threshold.
5. Manage Daily Operations: Use the central dashboard to process orders, manage stock transfers between locations, and monitor inventory levels in real time.
6. Analyze and Report: Regularly use the reporting tools to track sales performance, inventory turnover, and profitability. Use the forecasting feature to plan future stock needs.

Pros and Cons of Cin7

Pros:

• Comprehensive Features: Offers an all-in-one solution for inventory, order, and warehouse management.
• Extensive Integrations: Connects with a very large number of third-party applications, making it easy to fit into an existing tech stack.
• Scalability: The platform is built to grow with a business, from a small startup to a large enterprise.
• Real-Time Visibility: Provides accurate, up-to-the-minute data on stock levels across all channels.
• Industry-Specific Tools: Offers specialized features for industries like fashion, food and beverage, and electronics.

Cons:

• Learning Curve: The software is powerful and can be complex to learn, especially for users new to inventory management systems.
• Cost: The pricing can be high for very small businesses or startups with limited budgets.
• Implementation Time: The initial setup and data migration can be a time-consuming process.

Cin7 Integrations

Cin7 integrates with over 700 applications across different categories to provide a connected business ecosystem. Key integrations include:

• E-commerce: Shopify, BigCommerce, Magento, WooCommerce, Amazon, eBay.
• Accounting: QuickBooks Online, Xero.
• Shipping and 3PL: ShipStation, Starshipit, and various third-party logistics providers.
• Point of Sale (POS): Shopify POS, Vend.
• CRM and Marketing: Salesforce, Mailchimp.

Integrations are typically set up within the Cin7 dashboard by authorizing access to the third-party application and configuring data synchronization settings.

Cin7 Alternatives

• NetSuite: A comprehensive ERP solution that includes inventory management, finance, and CRM. It is more suitable for large enterprises with complex needs and is generally more expensive than Cin7.
• Fishbowl Inventory: A popular inventory management software for QuickBooks users. It offers strong manufacturing and warehouse management features and is available as a desktop or hosted solution.
• Unleashed Software: A cloud-based inventory tool focused on manufacturers, wholesalers, and distributors. It is known for its strong production and B2B sales features.
• Katana: A manufacturing ERP designed for small to medium-sized businesses. It focuses on production planning, inventory control, and shop floor management, making it a good alternative for direct-to-consumer brands that manufacture their own products.

Cin7 API

Yes, Cin7 provides a RESTful API that allows developers to build custom integrations and connect the platform with other software. The API enables access to various data points, including products, orders, stock levels, and contacts. To get an API key, you typically need to be a Cin7 customer and request access through their support team or a developer portal. Once approved, you can generate API keys from your Cin7 account settings.

Here is a basic example of how to connect to the Cin7 API using cURL to fetch a list of products:

curl -X GET 'https://api.cin7.com/api/v1/products' \
-H 'Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY' \
-H 'Content-Type: application/json'

Replace YOUR_API_KEY with the key provided in your Cin7 account.

Cin7 Affiliate Program

Cin7 has a partner program that allows other businesses, consultants, and agencies to collaborate with them. This program is designed for resellers, implementation partners, and technology partners who can help new customers adopt Cin7. While a traditional public affiliate program with simple commission links is not prominently advertised, interested parties can apply to become a partner through the Cin7 website. The partnership typically involves referral fees or revenue sharing, and benefits include co-marketing opportunities and access to support resources. To join, you would need to fill out a partner application form on their website or contact their partnership team directly for more information on commission structures and payment terms.