What is the difference between an OMS and a WMS?

An OMS (Order Management System) handles the commercial side: receiving orders, routing them to the right fulfilment location, and tracking status back to customers and marketplaces. A WMS (Warehouse Management System) handles the physical side: directing warehouse staff through receiving, picking, packing, and despatch.

Which OMS has the best support for Kaufland orders in Germany?

Linnworks has a native Kaufland connector for order intake and tracking uploads. plentymarkets also has deep Kaufland integration. For sellers not on either of those platforms, Channable can act as middleware to route Kaufland orders into an OMS.

How do order management systems handle returns from EU marketplaces?

Most OMS platforms create a return record and update inventory when a return is confirmed. Marketplace-specific return rules (Kaufland's return window, Amazon's returnless refund policies) are handled differently per connector. Brightpearl and Linnworks both support marketplace returns workflows.

Can an OMS handle split orders across multiple warehouses?

Yes. Most mid-market OMS platforms support split-order logic — if a customer orders two items held in different warehouse locations, the OMS generates separate pick lists and ships in separate parcels. Routing rules determine which warehouse fulfils each line item.

Do I need an OMS if I only sell on Amazon FBA?

Probably not. Amazon FBA handles fulfilment; Seller Central manages orders. An OMS becomes relevant when you add FBM, a Shopify store, or other marketplaces where you control fulfilment directly.

EU Ecommerce Operations Guide

Order Management Systems for European Multichannel Sellers

A structured comparison of OMS platforms that centralise order routing, fulfilment, and returns across EU marketplace and direct-to-consumer channels.

🇪🇺 EU-focusedIndependently researchedUpdated 2024

The Fulfilment Complexity Behind Multichannel EU Ecommerce

Processing orders from five different marketplaces through five different workflows is not sustainable. An Order Management System creates a single processing layer: orders flow in from every channel, routing rules determine fulfilment path, and status updates flow back.

Each marketplace has distinct order confirmation and tracking upload requirements
Routing orders to the right 3PL, warehouse, or dropship supplier requires rules logic
Returns and refunds must be reconciled across marketplaces and accounting systems
SLA timers differ per marketplace and require automated escalation logic
Split orders (multiple warehouses) create fulfilment complexity without central management

Quick Comparison

All tools at a glance — scroll right on mobile.

Tool	Best for	Pricing	Key integrations	Notes
Linnworks	Mid-market inventory + order management	From £449/mo	Amazon EU, Kaufland, eBay, DHL, DPD	Single platform for IMS + OMS	View →
Brightpearl	Automated routing + native accounting	Custom ~£600–1,500+/mo	Shopify, Amazon, eBay, Xero	Best automation engine at mid-market	View →
ShipStation	Shipping automation + label generation	From $9.99/mo	Amazon, eBay, Shopify, DHL, DPD	Not a full OMS; excellent for carrier management	View →
Ordoro	Mixed warehouse + dropship fulfilment	From $59/mo	Amazon, Shopify, eBay	Strong dropship vendor management	View →
Peoplevox	High-volume DTC warehouse execution	Custom ~£1k–3k+/mo	Shopify, Amazon, DHL, DPD	WMS-grade; overkill under 200 orders/day	View →

Tool Reviews

Detailed analysis of each tool — capabilities, limitations, and fit.

Linnworks

Best combined IMS+OMS

Inventory + OMS combined for multichannel EU sellers

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Linnworks handles both inventory management and order management in a single platform. Orders from all channels consolidate into a unified processing queue with routing rules, shipping label generation, and status-back to marketplaces.

Pros

Single platform for inventory and order management
Strong EU marketplace order connectors
Shipping label generation for DHL, DPD, Royal Mail, and more
Rules-based order routing to different warehouses or fulfilment methods

Cons

Not purpose-built as an OMS — advanced routing logic is limited
Returns management requires manual handling in complex scenarios
Reporting lacks depth for high-volume operations

Best for

Mid-market EU sellers wanting inventory and order management in one system

Pricing

From £449/month

Key integrations

Amazon EUKauflandeBayShopifyDHLDPDRoyal MailHermes

Brightpearl

Retail operations platform with automated order processing

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Brightpearl's Automation Engine handles order routing, fulfilment assignment, and exception handling without manual intervention. One of the more sophisticated OMS offerings at the mid-market price point.

Pros

Automation engine handles complex routing without manual rules setup
Native accounting integration reduces reconciliation overhead
Strong Shopify and Magento connectors
Backorder and pre-order management

Cons

Higher price point than pure-play tools
Implementation requires a certified partner for complex setups
Kaufland connector requires middleware

Best for

Omnichannel retailers needing automated order routing across warehouse, 3PL, and dropship

Pricing

Custom; typically £600–£1,500+/month

Key integrations

ShopifyMagentoAmazon EUeBayXeroQuickBooksDHLUPS

ShipStation

Best for shipping

Shipping-focused order management for ecommerce

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ShipStation is primarily a shipping automation tool that also centralises order intake from marketplaces. Excels at label generation and carrier rate shopping.

Pros

Best-in-class carrier rate shopping and label generation
Wide marketplace and storefront connector library
Automation rules for order tagging and routing
Affordable entry price

Cons

Not a full OMS — no native inventory management
EU carrier coverage less comprehensive than US
Returns management is basic

Best for

Sellers focused on shipping efficiency who already have separate inventory management

Pricing

From $9.99/month; scales by shipment volume

Key integrations

Amazon EUeBayShopifyWooCommerceDHLDPDRoyal MailUPS

Ordoro

Multichannel OMS with dropship management

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Ordoro handles order centralisation, inventory sync, and has one of the better dropship supplier management features in the mid-market OMS space.

Pros

Strong dropship supplier routing and PO management
Kitting and bundle fulfilment logic
Vendor portal for dropship suppliers
Competitive pricing

Cons

US-origin product; EU carrier and marketplace depth varies
UI has not been significantly modernised
Support primarily US time zones

Best for

Sellers with a mixed own-warehouse and dropship fulfilment model

Pricing

From $59/month

Key integrations

AmazoneBayShopifyWooCommerceFedExUPSUSPS

Peoplevox

WMS and OMS for direct-to-consumer fulfilment operations

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Peoplevox (now part of Descartes) is a warehouse management system with OMS capabilities aimed at DTC ecommerce fulfilment. Strong for sellers with high order velocity.

Pros

Barcode scan-driven warehouse execution
Real-time pick, pack, and despatch management
Shopify and marketplace order intake
Proven at high order volumes

Cons

Primarily a WMS — pairs best with a separate marketplace integration layer
Implementation complexity and cost
Overkill for sub-200 orders/day operations

Best for

Sellers with dedicated fulfilment operations processing 500+ orders/day needing WMS-level accuracy

Pricing

Custom; typically £1,000–£3,000+/month

Key integrations

ShopifyAmazonMagentoLinnworksChannableDHLDPD

Recommended Stacks

Tool combinations based on business scale and operational complexity.

Lean Stack

For sellers under 200 orders/day on 2–3 channels

→ShipStation (order processing + shipping)
→Linnworks or Veeqo (inventory)
→Shopify

Growth Stack

For sellers at 200–1,000 orders/day with warehouse ops

→Linnworks (IMS + OMS)
→Channable (marketplace feeds)
→Xero or Brightpearl (accounting)

Enterprise Stack

For high-volume DTC or omnichannel operations

→Brightpearl (OMS + accounting)
→Peoplevox (WMS)
→Akeneo (PIM)
→Channable or ChannelAdvisor (marketplace management)

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about order management systems for european ecommerce.

Explore the Full Operations Stack

Each tool category in European ecommerce has its own decision framework.

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Inventory Management

Track stock across warehouses and marketplaces

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Marketplace Integrations

Sync listings across Amazon, Kaufland, eBay, and more

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PIM Systems

Centralise and enrich your product data

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Automation Workflows

Remove manual work from repetitive operations