Lightweight ERP for Scaling Brands (Without the Enterprise Cost)
Most ecommerce set-ups start simple: an intuitive platform, a handful of tools and a system that keeps everything running smoothly. And it works for a while.
But then growth happens.
Orders ramp up, new product lines get added, and suddenly managing it all starts feeling complicated and overwhelming.
Stock gets harder to track. Orders take longer to fulfil.
Then someone goes on holiday. They’re the only person on the team who knows exactly where everything is stored. Panic sets in.
That’s the tell.
The storefront isn’t the problem. It’s the lack of basic controls behind it.
A lightweight Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system gives you those controls. It adds structure to purchasing and stock so your team can work with confidence and scale smoothly.
“My business is scaling but ERPs are too expensive”
Enterprise-grade ERPs like Brightpearl and Cin7 are great for huge businesses with a lot of resources and a few grand a month to spare. But if you’re scaling, a lightweight option like Erplain is the smarter first step.
These systems are designed for mid-market businesses who have outgrown the native capabilities of their ecommerce platform, but without the overhead of enterprise systems. They cost less than £100/month but still deliver the essentials. In fact, we’ve noticed a lot of our clients on Brightpearl typically use only about 10% of its features, whereas those on Erplain use 80–90% of what’s available.
5 Signs you’ve outgrown your platform
If two or more of these sound familiar, it’s probably time to consider integrating an ERP.
No formal Purchase Order (PO) process. Orders live in emails and spreadsheets, so you can’t easily see what was ordered, when it was placed, or who placed it.
Stock locations live in people’s heads. Stock is put away in ad-hoc spots and picked from memory, so time is wasted searching and correcting mistakes.
Manual receipting. Deliveries get logged by hand, often late or inconsistently, so stock levels don’t match reality.
Traceability pressure. Your category needs batch/lot and expiry tracking but you’re using workarounds that won’t scale.
Dead stock builds up. There’s no easy view of expiring inventory or why it’s piling up.
What a lightweight ERP gives you now - and how it sets you up later
Think inventory and purchasing control, not a giant enterprise suite. Lightweight systems typically cover:
Purchase Orders. Raise and track POs to suppliers in one place.
Receiving and stock movements. Log deliveries as they arrive and adjust stock in real time.
Multiple warehouses and bin locations. Track stock across different sites, and down to specific bins for quicker, more accurate picking.
Batches and expiration dates. Record lot numbers and expiry dates where compliance or safety requires it.
Simple replenishment. Use reorder points and alerts so low stock is flagged automatically.
Integrations. Keep products and stock in sync with your ecommerce store and accounts.
Traceability done right
If you sell food, cosmetics or supplements, traceability isn’t optional. A lightweight ERP can store batch/lot numbers and expiry dates, and GS1 (Global Standards 1) barcodes can encode the same data so it flows with the product through your warehouse. In the UK, food businesses are expected to trace and, if needed, withdraw or recall products effectively, so putting the right processes in place early pays off.
Better habits = stronger foundations
When the system takes care of the core tasks, your team can focus on building habits that stick: tidy product data, clear warehouse layouts, labelled aisles/bays/bins, and short Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for receiving and picking. Down the line, if you move to a full ERP, you’ll already have solid foundations in place to make that step up easier.
Want to talk it through?
Not sure if now is the moment? Share a brief outline of your purchasing/stock process (POs, receiving, locations, pain points). We can help sense-check where you’re at, and recommend what to fix first and what to leave alone.
