# What is OMS – Order Management System?

What is OMS – Order Management System? A system that consolidates and synchronizes orders from every sales channel (website, marketplaces, physical store)…

## How it works in practice

An OMS becomes essential once you sell on more than one channel. Without one: an order from Amazon, an order from your website, and an order from your store — 3 separate places to check. With one: every order lives in one place, inventory is synced, and the process is uniform.

## Related metrics

- Fulfillment — OMS manages the fulfillment process
- Inventory — OMS syncs inventory across channels
- Omnichannel — OMS is the technical foundation
- 3PL — OMS communicates with the 3PL

## Common misconception

'Shopify is enough as an OMS.' Shopify is a sales platform plus a basic OMS. Once you're also selling on Amazon, eBay, a physical store (POS), and B2B, Shopify won't sync everything. A dedicated OMS is needed: Linnworks, Brightpearl, Skubana.

## How to fix it

Orders getting lost or delayed? (1) Map every channel and check for real syncing, (2) check whether inventory updates in real time across every channel, (3) check automation rules — when does an order move to the next stage automatically?

## Real-world example

A seller on Amazon, Shopify, and in a physical store sold the same product across all channels simultaneously because inventory wasn't synced. Three orders, one unit of stock — 2 cancellations and 2 chargebacks. After adopting an OMS: real-time inventory meant zero cancellations over 3 months.

## Where to start

An OMS becomes necessary at 2+ sales channels. Cost: $140-850/month. ROI: fewer errors, time savings, and better customer experience. Set it up before opening a second channel.

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Category: Operations · From the [Jimmy OS KPI Glossary](https://jimmy-os.com/glossary/kpi.md) · Source page: https://jimmy-os.com/glossary/kpi/oms-order-management-system