30,000+ SKUs and 430 Orders/Day on a Single Platform
Automotive Parts
30,000+ SKUs and 430 Orders/Day on a Single Platform
How a high-volume auto parts operation consolidated 30,000+ SKUs, automated vendor routing across dozens of dropship suppliers, and replaced a duct-taped stack with a single platform.
430+
Orders/Day
30K+
SKUs
3
Channels
Channels: Shopify, Amazon, eBay
Modules: OMS, WMS, Shipping, Dropship
Model: 40–60% Dropshipped
Previous Stack: Katana + ShipStation
SKU Count: 30,000+
Before & After SkuNexus
The transformation at a glance
| Dimension | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Picking Process | Printed paper pick lists, no barcode verification | Wave picking with barcode scanning at every step |
| Vendor Routing | Manual decisions or brittle workarounds | Automated cost-based routing across dozens of vendors |
| Kit Decomposition | Manual - marketplace kits didn’t match fulfillment SKUs | Automatic decomposition per marketplace rules |
| Multi-Channel | Separate processes per channel | Single fulfillment pipeline for Shopify, Amazon, eBay |
| Previous System | Katana used at ~20% capability, not built for eCommerce | Purpose-built eCommerce fulfillment platform |
About Auto Parts Distributor
This distributor sells performance and aftermarket auto parts across Shopify, Amazon, and eBay. At 430+ orders per day with a catalog of more than 30,000 SKUs, they were operating at a scale that had overwhelmed every tool they’d tried.
The Challenge
Their previous system was Katana, a manufacturing-focused tool they were using for maybe 20% of its capability. Katana didn’t do picking. It didn’t do scanning. It wasn’t built for eCommerce fulfillment. ShipStation handled labels, but everything between the order and the shipping label was manual - printed paper pick lists, no barcode verification, no batch picking.
The bigger operational challenge was dropshipping. Forty to sixty percent of orders route to external vendors, and the company works with dozens of suppliers. Each line item on a multi-item order might need to route to a different vendor based on cost and availability. The routing decisions were being made manually or through brittle workarounds that couldn’t scale.
Marketplace-specific complexity added another layer. The same product might be sold as a single unit on Amazon but as a kit of eight on eBay, depending on the listing photos and marketplace rules. Kit decomposition needed to be automatic.
Why SkuNexus
The GM had run a lot of demos and tried a lot of software. He knew the space. What stood out about SkuNexus was that every question he asked about vendor cost-based routing, kit decomposition, batch picking with barcode scanning, or wholesale orders created outside Shopify got a real answer. Not a “that’s on our roadmap” answer. A “here’s how it works” answer.
The wave picking demo was the turning point. When the GM saw orders grouped into optimized warehouse walks with barcode verification at every step, the operational math clicked immediately.
What Was Built
Automated Vendor Routing by Cost
The decision engine evaluates every line item on every order and routes it to the vendor offering the lowest cost with confirmed inventory. When multiple vendors carry the same SKU, the system selects automatically based on cost, availability, and geography.
Kit Decomposition Across Marketplaces
A product listed as a kit on eBay and a single unit on Amazon decomposes into the correct fulfillment components automatically. The warehouse team picks individual SKUs regardless of how the product was sold on the marketplace.
Wave Picking with Barcode Verification
Hundreds of daily orders are grouped into optimized waves. Pickers follow system-directed routes through the warehouse, scanning locations and products at every step.
Consolidated Multi-Channel Fulfillment
Orders from Shopify, Amazon, and eBay flow into a single fulfillment pipeline. The decision engine routes each order - or each line item within an order - to the right destination: warehouse pick, vendor dropship, or split across both.
The Results
A 30,000+ SKU operation running 430 orders a day across three marketplaces with a hybrid warehouse-and-dropship model now runs through a single platform. The vendor routing that used to require manual decisions happens automatically. The wave picking that replaced paper lists cut the labor math dramatically.