If you are like most eCommerce business owners that we talk to, managing and deploying your working capital effectively is one of the hardest parts of running your business.
And your two largest expenses are likely ad spend and inventory.
If you are still managing your inventory through spreadsheets or your Shopify dashboard alone, you are compounding the problem. That’s why you should switch to designated inventory management software, like Cin7 or DEAR.
DEAR and Cin7 are two of the leading inventory management software systems. In February 2021, news broke that Cin7 acquired DEAR and Orderhive. By doing so, Cin7 has positioned itself to become a leader in inventory management software.
Despite being acquired, Cin7’s CEO, Danny Leach, confirmed that even though all three products are owned by the same company, they will continue to function as they did before. In this post, we’re taking a closer look at the pros and cons of both DEAR and Cin7.
Article Contents
Cin7 top features
Cin7 aims to make managing all of your inventory across retail, eCommerce, and wholesale simpler by having an all-in-one cloud inventory system.
Cin7 pros
Founded in 2012, one of the key reasons that many eCommerce businesses choose Cin7 is because it has the most integrations of any cloud-based ERP solution. This means that if you sell across many different channels including retail it will be easier to sync your inventory.
In fact, you can integrate with more than 550 integrations, including small, vendor-supported 3PLs and EDIs.
Part of Cin7’s efficiency is that it automates many inventory and order management processes.
In addition, Cin7’s warehouse management feature assures accurate order fulfillment that’s easy to use. The integrated POS helps to track costs and facilitate in-store pickups.
Cin7 potential drawbacks
With over 550 integrations and tons of additional features, Cin7 has a steeper learning curve than DEAR and some other inventory management software solutions.
To their credit, Cin7 does offer users onboarding support with the option to train your team on how to use the system. However, if you do decide to go with Cin7, we recommend hiring a third-party cloud integrator to assist with migrating and setting up your account.
Pricing
Cin7 has several different plans available, with the cheapest one starting at $399 a month, and going up to $999. Choosing the right plan depends on how many users need access, the features that you want, and the size of your business. The price is pretty reasonable when you compare it to other top contenders and consider all of the capabilities that Cin7 has.
Related Reading: A Detailed Guide to TradeGecko Alternatives
DEAR top features
DEAR’s end-to-end software is a cloud-based inventory management software that is best suited for small or medium-sized businesses..
DEAR pros
With DEAR, you can effectively manage all of your inventory, orders, and suppliers as well as detailed inventory reporting. This software automates several steps in the tracking and ordering processes to eliminate human errors and save money.
However, where it really shines is its robust Xero integration. For instance, it is one of the only inventory management software solutions out there that can do two-way payments, customer deposits, and purchase order syncs with Xero.
Related Reading: How to manage purchase orders
In addition, DEAR’s robust API means you can also build out custom integrations at a fraction of the cost of a traditional ERP, like NetSuite. This is most often used to build a custom app to integrate with your 3PL.
Not to mention, DEAR works with all major eCommerce platforms and channels including Shopify, BigCommerce, WooCommerce, Amazon, Shipstation, Vend, and many more.
DEAR potential drawbacks
DEAR doesn’t have hundreds of integrations like CIN7. However, the ones it does have tend to be well-done. And, their API is robust. So, you can build almost anything you might need.
In addition, some users have reported that the platform can be glitchy or slow at times.
Pricing
Pricing isn’t drastically different from Cin7 as there are different plans available so you can choose what fits your business and your budget. The most basic plan starts at $325, which is a bit more than Cin7’s, but the most expensive plan tops off at just $525. If you want to give DEAR a try, you can register for a 14-day free trial before you decide to buy.
So Which One is Better?
When choosing between Cin7 and DEAR, it comes down to a few key points. Cin7 can work best for businesses of all sizes, particularly medium-sized businesses with both a retail and ecommerce presence.
DEAR is aimed at small to mid-sized businesses. If you are already using Xero, then DEAR is a solid option given its extensive integration.
However, we recommend putting together a list of must-have features and then doing demos of each software to figure out which one works best for your needs.
