Pattern, a global eCommerce and marketplace accelerator, has launched 'Shelf', a revolutionary inventory and supply chain technology providing Australian brands exceptional visibility and control of their products across all eCommerce and wholesale platforms.

Integrated within Pattern’s eCommerce acceleration tech suite, Shelf bolsters brands' supply chain efficiencies whilst enhancing inventory accuracy, real-time tracking and demand forecasting. Shelf transcends traditional inventory and warehouse management solutions by presenting an amalgamated approach to inventory and marketplace management, and by seamlessly interfacing with major platforms, including Shopify, Amazon, eBay, and Catch.

Sean Walsh, Director at Pattern Australia, emphasises the current need for brands to gain accurate visibility of their stock in complex sales ecosystems to facilitate informed decision-making and attend to customer demand. "Brands are selling across more channels than ever before. In a complex sales ecosystem, it is critical that brands have accurate visibility of their stock to make informed business decisions and meet customer demand," he said.

According to Pattern’s Marketplace Consumer Trends Report 2024, 94% of consumers plan to shop on marketplaces such as eBay, Amazon and Catch in the coming year. This highlights a vast opportunity for Australian brands to boost sales through these emerging marketplaces. For brands seeking to diversify their online presence and tap into new customer bases via these marketplaces, the pre-configured connectors that are part of Shelf's offerings simplify inventory management and marketplace selling.

Walsh adds, “In an environment where marketplaces like Amazon are attracting a growing share of sales, brands must have inventory and supply chain systems in place tailored to these emerging channels.”

Shelf ensures brands enjoy complete visibility of each inventory unit throughout its lifecycle, from order placement to receipt at the delivery address. The real-time inventory tracking feature enables brands to communicate delivery updates accurately across multiple sales channels, thereby enhancing customer interaction and buyer satisfaction. "Accurate inventory visibility ensures correct stock levels are maintained and over-allocation or out-of-stock situations are avoided, to prevent costly wastage and lost sales situations,” Walsh explains.

In addition, Shelf aids in the optimisation of warehouse space and improves inventory turnover, thus reducing storage costs. Moreover, it's proficient planning of picking and put-away routes within the warehouse slashes time and resources by 40%, presenting cost-saving opportunities for brands.

Walsh describes Shelf as a bullish growth catalyst for brands. “Shelf is more than just an inventory solution; it's a growth enabler for brands," he said. "Pattern has observed the challenges brands face in managing inventory and warehouse operations when scaling their eCommerce presence across multiple channels, including marketplaces. Shelf addresses these challenges head-on with powerful supply chain tools.”