Ecomdash vs. Unleashed Software

Ease-of-use is the one area where Ecomdash doesn’t perform well. The interface is outdated and the features aren’t particularly well-organized. While the dashboard follows a typical layout, with a sidebar with links to dedicated areas for managing orders, shipping, analytics and so on, the workflows and organization of input fields do take a little getting used to.

The one upside, however, is that Ecomdash offers extensive support and training materials. So while there is a slight learning curve, users are supported throughout the process.

"The software is so capable that it also has a huge learning curve (we’ve been at it several years and still learn new things), and the interface isn’t very modern, nor is it mobile-friendly."

"Wonderful experience. Would never switch."

"The software takes time to learn and understand. The best part is the support you get from the support team."

Unleashed is a cloud-hosted solution and access is through a browser app. It’s a good option for companies that don’t want the hassle of maintaining desktop software.

All in all, the Unleashed dashboard is fairly intuitive and easy to use. It follows a traditional format, with a left-hand menu providing access to the management areas for order processing, customer details, production processes, integrations, and analytics.

“Using Unleashed I finally have a process for everything inventory related in my business from purchasing, manufacturing, through to pick/pack/dispatch/invoice and everything in between.”

“Unleashed is a necessity for small businesses growing in the e-commerce industry.”

"Outstanding. We went live with Xero and Unleashed on October 1, 2018. We chose both on the basis of their respective features, and the tight integration."

Ecomdash has a broad set of features, with more or less everything you would expect from an inventory management app. Functionality includes SKU mapping, custom order alerts, extensive multichannel tracking, bundled product options, fulfillment tools, and more. Ecomdash also offers a mobile app on Android and Apple, but its functionality is limited to barcode scanning.

New users can take advantage of a myriad of training tools, including a resources library, webinars, and regular demos. Ecomdash also offers a variety of well-priced training packages, covering onboarding support, dropshipping guidance, and dedicated coaches. Support is completely free and the team can be reached via phone, email, and live chat.

So what about analytics? The reporting options are fairly comprehensive. They’re not quite as advanced as what you might find in an enterprise app, but they’re perfectly adequate for small and medium retailers. Along with basic sales and inventory reports, users can also access data about taxes, trends, and the performance of individual listings. Apps are available in the integrations library to supplement the core analytics.

Overall, we were very impressed with the features, level of support, and reporting tools. Ecomdash lacks a little bit of the nuance of enterprise-focused solutions like Skubana, but it’s not far-off. Store-owners and managers will be hard-pressed to find a similar package of features at the price point on offer.

Unleashed has a very large set of features and is suitable for both manufacturers and retailers. The platform has everything users need to run a store efficiently. Main features include inventory, reorder, and management tools, analytics, POS, barcode scanning, materials and production tracking, warehouse connectors, and a reasonably extensive library of integrations. The one big downside is that native integrations with third-party marketplaces like Etsy and eBay aren’t available.

Retailers looking for a solution accessible from mobile devices will feel very at home with Unleashed. The Apple and Android apps are suitable for a range of tasks, including displaying online catalogs, checking stock, and making sales (both online and offline). It’s a great tool for sales teams and one of the best inventory management mobile apps we’ve seen.

Training and customer service are also excellent. UK businesses will benefit from fast email support on UK hours, with the option to upgrade to premium phone and live chat support for an extra £119/month. Team members also have access to “Unleashed University”, which is a structured and in-depth set of training materials for new users.

On the reporting front, Unleashed offers a comprehensive collection of twenty-one reports, covering areas like purchases, sales, reorders, and so on. Analytics functionality can further be extended with integrations.

Ecomdash offers an extensive integrations library, with connectors for accounting apps, fulfillment services, shopping carts, and, of course, a variety of third-party marketplaces.

On the accounting front, both Quickbooks and Xero are supported with in-house integrations. Retailers torn between Skubana and Ecomdash should remember that Skubana doesn’t offer in-house accounting connectors.

As many would expect, Ecomdash excels when it comes to support for third-party marketplaces. A huge number of integrations are provided, including for Amazon, eBay, Walmart, Etsy, Google Shopping, Jet, Rakuten, Sears, and others. The integration with SPS Commerce also provides further EDI functionality.

Numerous shipping and fulfillment integrations are also available, with DHL, UPS, and FedEx all covered (among others).

Interestingly, Ecomdash has also built connectors for several drop-shipping providers (such as Hicks and The Wholesale House). These will be useful to retailers that want to offer additional products to their customers.

Finally, a large number of shopping carts are supported, including Shopify, WooCommerce, and Magento. We were pleased to see connectors for some smaller ecommerce platforms and site builders like Sitey and SiteBuilder.com.

All in all, we were very impressed with the integrations library. Small and independent retailers that don’t have much development expertise will find the process of connecting to different marketplaces trouble-free.

We were a little disappointed with the Unleashed integrations library. The “App Marketplace” isn’t anywhere near as extensive as some other solutions we’ve reviewed. It’s not terrible - and for many businesses it will be entirely sufficient - but it’s not brilliant either.

Unleashed also relies quite heavily on “connector” integrations like Zapier and OneSaaS, which allow users to link up with third-party apps via an intermediary service, rather than syncing directly. Functionality is sometimes limited by this approach. What’s more, features that retailers may consider essential, such as a point-of-sale system, are only provided through integrations, which often incurs extra costs. It would have been nice to see more in-house Unleashed options for retailers that want to take advantage of additional functionality.

Magento and Shopify are the only ecommerce platforms which are natively supported. Further compatibility, for example with WooCommerce and BigCommerce, is provided through OneSaaS. On the accounting front, both Xero and Intuit Quickbooks are available.

A point-of-sale system is available through Vend or Shopify POS, both well-respected solutions. Shipping is managed with the ShipStation integration. Finally, Unleashed offers an in-house app for building a B2B ecommerce portal, which is a nice extra. Users can also take advantage of a mobile app, downloadable on either Apple or Android.

We liked Ecomdash’s pricing structure and thought that smaller retailers in particular would find it appealing.

Ecomdash uses a custom pricing model that’s based on a store’s volume of sales rather than the number of users or tiered access to different features. Over time, this can result in significant savings. An unlimited number of employees can use the software.

Plans start at $60/month for fewer than one hundred sales. The highest-level plan for stores with between 6,000 and 10,000 sales costs $350/month. Above this amount, users will need a custom plan.

A free trial and annual discounts are available. Onboarding assistance costs $99.

Fewer than 100 orders per month: $60/month. 101 to 500 orders: $90/month. 501 to 1000 orders: $135/month. 1001 to 3000 orders: $190/month. 3001 to 600 orders: $250/month. 6001 - 10,000 orders: $350/month.

We thought that Unleashed was very affordable. Retailers will appreciate the custom pricing model (the monthly cost increases for every extra user), along with annual discounts and a 14-day free trial.

The one downside is that there are the additional “hidden” costs for premium support and a compulsory onboarding fee of £139/month for the first three months.

The entry-level “Medium” plan, which includes three users, costs £149/month when paid annually or £159/month when paid monthly. Every extra user costs approximately £50/month on all plans. The “Large” plan is £299/month and is suitable for between eight and twenty users. The “Large Plus” plan costs £519/month and accommodates upwards of twenty users.

The customer service package offered by Ecomdash is one of the best we’ve come across. Support is via phone, live chat, and email, with availability from 8 AM to 7:30 PM EST.

On top of this, Ecomdash also offers several additional paid services to users. These include onboarding support, assistance with setting up dropshipping on your store, and direct one-to-one training.

User reviews of customer support are very positive on the whole. It would have been nice to see 24/7 availability, and the additional cost of an onboarding manager isn’t fantastic, but you would be hard-pressed to find a better package at this price-point - it even beats some enterprise support offerings.

On the whole, support is good. Unleashed customer service teams are available from GMT 8 AM to 6 PM, which will be of benefit to retailers based in the UK who might not be able to access direct support from companies based in other countries. Email and community/forum support are included on all plans. For help via phone or live chat, you’ll need to upgrade to the premium support package, which costs an extra £119/month and has a four-month minimum term.

The big downside in the pricing structure is the inclusion of compulsory “managed onboarding”, which essentially hikes up the monthly price by £139 for the first three months.

Ecomdash occupies a very clear position in the market. It’s a multichannel solution aimed at small and medium businesses.

While there are better options for companies with a single store, and although enterprise multichannel sellers will likely benefit from a more advanced app like Skubana, smaller retailers will struggle to find a better solution, either in terms of functionality or cost.

Standout features include the extensive integrations library, access to multiple support channels, and a custom pricing structure that allows for unlimited users. If you’re thinking about opting for Ecomdash, don’t forget to take advantage of the free trial and video product demos.

On the whole, we were very impressed with Unleashed. It’s definitely not suitable for certain kinds of retailers, especially those that process high volumes of sales on third-party marketplaces and use unsupported ecommerce platforms. But other retailers will find it ideal. If you’re based in the UK, run manufacturing as well as retail, and require a high-quality mobile app to manage sales and orders, then Unleashed is well worth considering. Despite some semi-hidden costs, it’s also one of the best-priced solutions available. Many retailers will appreciate the custom subscription model.

If you’re thinking about giving it a whirl, just make sure that your ecommerce platform is supported first. And don’t forget to take advantage of the free trial.