Managing inventory in e-commerce is challenging, but when you add a brick-and-mortar business into the mix, it becomes even more complex. Here’s how we navigated the inventory puzzle:
Implement a Centralized System
One of the first steps was to implement a centralized inventory management system that could track stock levels in real-time across both online and physical stores. This helped avoid overstocking and understocking issues.
Forecast Demand
Predicting demand for both e-commerce and retail can be tricky, but using historical data and sales trends allowed us to create more accurate forecasts and avoid stockouts.
Separate Inventory Where Needed
In some cases, it made sense to separate online inventory from physical store inventory. This was particularly useful for high-demand items that needed to be reserved for in-store customers.
Balancing inventory requires constant monitoring and adjustments, but with the right systems and strategies in place, it’s manageable.