ERP vs. WMS: Do You Need Both to Scale in Europe?
20 December 2025
Online Marketing Strategies for E-commerce Brands
21 December 2025
OUR GOAL
To provide an A-to-Z e-commerce logistics solution that would complete Amazon fulfillment network in the European Union.
Why Misalignment Between Marketing and Logistics Costs Brands Millions
Marketing drives demand. Logistics fulfills it.
When they don’t talk, disaster follows:
- Flash sales cause stockouts → lost sales + angry customers
- Over-promotion of slow-movers → excess inventory + storage fees
- Under-forecasted campaigns → rushed air freight at 3–5× cost
In 2025 surveys, 62% of e-commerce brands admitted misalignment caused at least one major stockout. The fix: treat marketing and logistics as one team with shared data and goals.
The Core Problems of Siloed Teams
| Issue | Marketing Symptom | Logistics Symptom | Business Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| No shared forecast | Surprise viral campaign | Sudden 500% demand spike | Stockouts or emergency air freight |
| Promotions without inventory check | Deep discount on low-stock item | Immediate out-of-stock | Lost revenue + damaged reviews |
| Over-optimistic sales projections | “We’ll sell 10k units” | Only 3k in stock | Rush orders + higher COGS |
| Ignoring lead times | Launch new product in 2 weeks | 45-day ocean transit | Delayed launch or disappointed customers |
Key Alignment Strategies That Actually Work
1. Shared Demand Forecasting
Marketing provides campaign calendar 60–90 days ahead. Logistics adds lead times, MOQs, and capacity constraints.
Tool Stack:
- Helium 10/Jungle Scout → baseline velocity
- Sellerboard or Inventory Lab → historical sales data
- Shared Google Sheet or Airtable → single source of truth
Result: Forecast accuracy improves 40–60%; stockouts drop dramatically.
2. Inventory-Gated Promotions
Never promote what you can’t fulfill.
Rule: Only discount/coupon items with >45 days stock at forecasted velocity.
Implementation:
- Tag ASINs in Seller Central: “Promotion-Ready” if buffer stock exists
- Use Amazon’s “Promotions” tool with inventory checks
- Set dynamic pricing rules (e.g., Repricer tools pause at low stock)
Brands using gated promotions cut returns 18–25% (fewer “out of stock” frustrations).
3. Pre-Launch Logistics Checklist for Every Campaign
Before any major push (TikTok viral, email blast, DSP):
□ Campaign volume forecast shared □ Inventory in FC (or en route with ETA) □ Backup stock buffer (20–30%) allocated □ Freight contingency (air option priced) □ Customer service briefed on potential delays
One 7-figure brand reduced emergency air freight spend 72% with this simple checklist.
4. Real-Time Data Integration
Connect tools so everyone sees the same numbers.
Best integrations 2026:
- Helium 10 → Zapier → Airtable (sales velocity)
- Amazon Advertising → Google Data Studio (campaign performance)
- Inventory tools (RestockPro) → Slack alerts at low-stock thresholds
Result: Marketing pauses ads automatically when stock hits buffer.
5. Joint KPI Dashboard
Stop measuring teams separately.
Shared metrics:
- Stockout rate during promotions (<2%)
- Excess inventory days (<60)
- Campaign ROAS including logistics cost
- Fulfillment cost per order (target <12%)
Teams that share KPIs align incentives—marketing cares about profitable demand, logistics enables aggressive growth.
Case Studies: Alignment in Action
Case 1: Home Goods Brand ($8M/year)
Old: Marketing ran unannounced flash sales → 38% stockout rate New: 90-day campaign calendar + inventory gating Result: Stockouts down to 4%, margins up 11 pts, no emergency freight in 2025
Case 2: Beauty Brand ($3M/year)
TikTok viral video → 12,000 orders in 48h → only 2,000 units ready Switched to shared forecast + pre-stocked buffer Next viral hit: 100% fulfillment, 42% higher repeat rate
Quick Wins to Start Aligning Today
- Schedule monthly marketing-logistics sync meeting
- Create shared campaign calendar (Notion/Google Sheets)
- Tag promotion-ready ASINs in inventory tool
- Set low-stock alerts that notify marketing channel
- Review last quarter’s biggest misalignment and fix the process
Conclusion
Perfect alignment between marketing and logistics turns demand generation from a liability into your biggest competitive advantage.
Stop treating marketing as “create demand at all costs” and logistics as “fulfill whatever comes.”
When both teams share forecasts, data, and goals, you eliminate stockouts, slash emergency costs, reduce returns, and scale profitably.
Start with one shared calendar and one joint KPI this week. The brands that align first in 2026 will outgrow everyone else—while spending less on chaos.
Need a logistics partner who understands the importance of getting every detail right? Contact FLEX..
