Linnworks forcing ridiculous price increases on us, need to find an alternative?

[alexoco]

Hi,

My first post here!

We've been using Linnworks since around 2013. We used to pay £40 a month for it. A few years ago it increased to £1400 a year which wasn't great but workable.

They've just contacted me saying that, despite being a very old customer (Linnworks started in 2010), they now want £3600 a year. It's just way too much for us and just feels like a total **** you after being with them for 10 years. They cited "rising costs" but it's a 150% increase which I think it outrageous and pure greed. And to be honest we simply can't afford it.

So, my question is, what do people recommend?

We need it to:

• Link with Ebay, Amazon and Shopify
• Link to MintSoft, our fulfilment centre's platform.
• Ideally keep track of batch and best before, although MintSoft does this so not esential.
• No need to do fulfilment like Linnworks does, although we may take fulfilment in house in future so would be handy to have it as a feature to future proof ourselves.
• Keep track of customers details.
• Keep track of VAT and stock value for accounting.
• Ideally some kind of link with Xero or Quickbooks etc., we have been waiting on the Linnworks upgrade to do this and it's never come, would be good to finally get on an accounting package.
  
  Thanks!
  

 

[antropy]

Linnworks forcing ridiculous price increases on us​

I expect that's what Shopify will do once they have enough users. But I digress.

To answer your question we need to know what platform you use?

Paul.

 

[alexoco]

Hi,

What do you mean by what platform?

In my bullet points I say Amazon, Ebay and Shopify.

I should also add that Linnwork's Ebay listing functionality is also useful.

 

[antropy]

Hi,

What do you mean by what platform?

In my bullet points I say Amazon, Ebay and Shopify.

I should also add that Linnwork's Ebay listing functionality is also useful.

Ahh I missed Shopify there. Well watch out they don't do the same as Linnworks one day.

Anyway, there are a few listed here:

https://alternativeto.net/software/channelgrabber/

Paul.

 

[Carol Learmouth]

Hi,
Useful link there from Paul.
One of my clients uses Channel Grabbers. It might not tick all your boxes but I find it great and the technical support is very good.
Not sure it helps with the accounting side, but worth an enquiry. I abandoned Linnworks some time ago due to the cost.
Good luck and it would be great if you come back and tell us progress for future reference.
Carol

 

[antropy]

Good luck and it would be great if you come back and tell us progress for future reference.

Yes it seems there's good demand for a good order management system. It's something we've considered developing ourselves but we just don't have the time or resources at the moment.

Paul.

 

[Carol Learmouth]

If it is just order management my all time favourite is Packing Partner from Aimco software. For some reason I cannot post a link but well worth looking up.


Carol

 

[antropy]

If it is just order management

I think generally it's better to use a specialised piece of software for each thing, so in this case a separate accounting package for that.

I hadn't heard of the one you mentioned - worth a look!

Paul.

 

[LPB 123]

Hi,

My first post here!

We've been using Linnworks since around 2013. We used to pay £40 a month for it. A few years ago it increased to £1400 a year which wasn't great but workable.

They've just contacted me saying that, despite being a very old customer (Linnworks started in 2010), they now want £3600 a year. It's just way too much for us and just feels like a total **** you after being with them for 10 years. They cited "rising costs" but it's a 150% increase which I think it outrageous and pure greed. And to be honest we simply can't afford it.

So, my question is, what do people recommend?

We need it to:

• Link with Ebay, Amazon and Shopify
• Link to MintSoft, our fulfilment centre's platform.
• Ideally keep track of batch and best before, although MintSoft does this so not esential.
• No need to do fulfilment like Linnworks does, although we may take fulfilment in house in future so would be handy to have it as a feature to future proof ourselves.
• Keep track of customers details.
• Keep track of VAT and stock value for accounting.
• Ideally some kind of link with Xero or Quickbooks etc., we have been waiting on the Linnworks upgrade to do this and it's never come, would be good to finally get on an accounting package.
  
  Thanks!

Why not use Mintsoft if your 3PL uses it as it covers all of the things you want to do?

Also there's plenty of software that links eBay / Amazon / Shopify to accounting software. If you use Quickbooks they have a free connector (formerly OneSaas before they bought them) but there's plenty of others to look at depending on which accounting software you have an how much functionality you need.

 

[LPB 123]

Hi,
Useful link there from Paul.
One of my clients uses Channel Grabbers. It might not tick all your boxes but I find it great and the technical support is very good.
Not sure it helps with the accounting side, but worth an enquiry. I abandoned Linnworks some time ago due to the cost.
Good luck and it would be great if you come back and tell us progress for future reference.
Carol

Channelgrabber has some really awful reviews. A lot to do with unexplained and extended downtime where customers can't process orders for hours, days or longer at times. We considered them a couple of years ago but were put off by the reviews.

 

[Martyn Watters]

Hi,

My first post here!

We've been using Linnworks since around 2013. We used to pay £40 a month for it. A few years ago it increased to £1400 a year which wasn't great but workable.

They've just contacted me saying that, despite being a very old customer (Linnworks started in 2010), they now want £3600 a year. It's just way too much for us and just feels like a total **** you after being with them for 10 years. They cited "rising costs" but it's a 150% increase which I think it outrageous and pure greed. And to be honest we simply can't afford it.

So, my question is, what do people recommend?

We need it to:

• Link with Ebay, Amazon and Shopify
• Link to MintSoft, our fulfilment centre's platform.
• Ideally keep track of batch and best before, although MintSoft does this so not esential.
• No need to do fulfilment like Linnworks does, although we may take fulfilment in house in future so would be handy to have it as a feature to future proof ourselves.
• Keep track of customers details.
• Keep track of VAT and stock value for accounting.
• Ideally some kind of link with Xero or Quickbooks etc., we have been waiting on the Linnworks upgrade to do this and it's never come, would be good to finally get on an accounting package.
  
  Thanks!

I have a Magento website/database which i connect to eBay/Amazon etc via M2Epro then I have Royal Mail connections directly to eBay/Amazon, i had the Royal Mail connected to Magento but found some tracking numbers never made it to eBay/Amazon.

Accounting wise, nothing from Magento to link to Xero. I use the the monthly eBay invoice and then Link My Books for Amazon

I am in the process of setting up a fulfilment center to maximise the efficiency of our resources i.e. warehouse, infrastructure, this is how i found your most.

I hope this helps

 

[NickZ]

Link with Ebay, Amazon and Shopify

How did it go?
Do you plan to have an independent shop someday?
All the mentioned options can hike prices unreasonable or worse close your account.

 

[sdob]

Would love to give you a walk through of our platform: OneSila.com eCom ERP

 

[boxlot]

I used Storefeeder for years to link eBay and website, control the stock and despatch orders. They don't link with MintSoft but the do have Excel import/export etc. They are UK based and support is 5 star. Worth checking out.

 

[SamDC]

Hi,

My first post here!

We've been using Linnworks since around 2013. We used to pay £40 a month for it. A few years ago it increased to £1400 a year which wasn't great but workable.

They've just contacted me saying that, despite being a very old customer (Linnworks started in 2010), they now want £3600 a year. It's just way too much for us and just feels like a total **** you after being with them for 10 years. They cited "rising costs" but it's a 150% increase which I think it outrageous and pure greed. And to be honest we simply can't afford it.

So, my question is, what do people recommend?

We need it to:

• Link with Ebay, Amazon and Shopify
• Link to MintSoft, our fulfilment centre's platform.
• Ideally keep track of batch and best before, although MintSoft does this so not esential.
• No need to do fulfilment like Linnworks does, although we may take fulfilment in house in future so would be handy to have it as a feature to future proof ourselves.
• Keep track of customers details.
• Keep track of VAT and stock value for accounting.
• Ideally some kind of link with Xero or Quickbooks etc., we have been waiting on the Linnworks upgrade to do this and it's never come, would be good to finally get on an accounting package.
  
  Thanks!

Hi there, just out of interest did you get sorted with this? Also what sort of numbers of orders is this based on?

 

[Solly]

Do feel free to look at our platform https://despatchcloud.com/

We have picked up quite a few Linnworks clients because of the prices increase.

 

[AimcoSoftware]

For a really cost effective fulfilment solution from an experienced UK business, please have a look at Packing Partner