Maintaining Low Inventory Levels for Your Online Store

Virginia Miller

November 15, 2024

In this article

To establish a sustainable, lucrative, and scalable eCommerce business this year, you must master inventory management. Unfortunately, poor inventory management may be a difficult obstacle for any eCommerce entrepreneur to tackle, regardless of their skill, the size of their business, the sorts of products they offer, or the audience they serve.

Proper inventory levels are a strong indicator of eCommerce supply chain productivity and effectiveness. By avoiding overstocking or understocking, you can enhance cash flow, maximize storage capacity, and reliably satisfy customer demand, resulting in customer loyalty and confidence.

Too much inventory can cost you money in the form of overspending on holding fees or, worse, sitting on many goods that have lost value or are no more marketable. Therefore, it is critical to examine your business frequently to ensure that you are on the right course. Inventory management is a vital component of any organization.

Aside from maintaining appropriate inventory levels, a greater awareness of your inventory levels can aid supply chain planning by determining the best time to reorder more products and increase inventory accuracy.

We go over some quality standards for inventory management in this article and fundamental inventory management strategies and look for ineffective inventory management software.

What Is Inventory Management?

At its most fundamental, inventory management is the process of acquiring, storing, and selling stock. It knows how much stock you possess, how much it should market for, where you should keep it, and how long you should retain it.

Mastering inventory management is critical for any business, large or small. It reduces waste, reduces expenses, and saves time. Keeping up with supply promotes more customer focus by providing consumers with the things they want. Unfortunately, many organizations are still unaware of effective practices for inventory management. As a result, some of the world's largest corporations have failed due to a lack of proper processes.

Here are a few ideas to keep your eCommerce store on top by implementing an effective inventory management system.

How to Effectively Manage Inventory for Your Online Store

Use Inventory Management Software

Manually tracking a large inventory over time is difficult. Losing track of inventory levels can result in your store running out of a popular product, leading to unhappy customers. To avoid this, monitor inventory levels regularly so you can quickly increase supply before a sales spike.

Some companies track inventory using Excel or manual methods. While economical initially, most realize these solutions don't scale as inventory and sales volume increases. Inventory management software provides more robust tracking and analysis tools.

Organize Your Inventory

Good organization is key for effective inventory management. Keep similar items together to simplify tracking. Categorizing comparable pieces makes them easier to locate when needed for an order.

Plan for Inventory Issues

Expect that inventory problems will occur occasionally. Create contingency plans to address potential issues like excess stock of slow-moving items or supplier shortages during busy sales periods. Being prepared allows you to resolve problems quickly.

Analyze Inventory Turnover

Track inventory by sales velocity - how quickly items sell. Use this to stop stocking poor performers and ensure adequate stocks of top sellers, especially ahead of seasonal spikes. Adjust purchasing budgets if prices of regularly ordered items change.

Conduct Regular Audits

Frequently audit inventory totals against recorded data to catch any discrepancies. While software provides tracking, periodic checks help ensure nothing gets misplaced. Audits verify actual warehouse stocks match your recorded inventory.

Optimize Inventory Storage

Carefully consider inventory storage locations. Keep items easy to access for efficient order processing and shipping. Based on sales patterns, choose storage areas that simplify tracking. Rearrange occasionally to support visibility and order fulfillment.

Conclusion

Following these best practices will help you gain control of inventory management for your online store. Whether staying online-only or expanding to multi-channel sales across online and brick-and-mortar stores, these guidelines will support your business growth and success.

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Next article: How to Calculate Inventory Turnover?

FAQs

What is inventory management?

Inventory management refers to the processes used to track, organize, and control the items a business buys and sells. For ecommerce stores, it involves monitoring stock levels and sales to ensure adequate supply.

Why is inventory management important?

Careful inventory management prevents stockouts that result in missed revenue. It also avoids accumulating excess inventory which ties up cash. Effective management lets you respond quickly to sales spikes and trends.

What inventory management software should I use?

Choose user-friendly software that seamlessly integrates with your sales channels and accounting platform. Leading solutions include TradeGecko, Cin7, and Brightpearl. Evaluate options to find the best fit for your business.

How often should I audit my inventory?

Conduct a full inventory audit at least once per quarter. Spot check high value goods or fragile inventory weekly. Auditing verifies your actual stock matches the levels in your management system.

Should I categorize my inventory?

Organizing inventory into categories simplifies tracking and management. Group similar items together, separate high and low turnover products, and segment them based on storage location or sales velocity.

What reports help manage inventory?

Inventory analysis reports to regularly review include aging reports showing slow-moving stock, inventory turnover rates by product, stock level and value summaries, and out-of-stock item reports.

How can I prevent inventory problems?

Stay on top of inventory tracking, create contingency plans for potential issues, monitor sales trends and budgets, and use your storage space efficiently. Following best practices prevents most problems.