The moment a store sells both online and in person, it has a stock problem. The last unit sells at the counter, and ten minutes later someone buys it online. Now you're refunding a customer and apologizing, which costs more than the sale was worth.
Why separate systems drift
Many stores run a POS for the counter and a separate eCommerce site, connected by a plugin, a scheduled import or a spreadsheet. Each of these has a delay. During that delay, both channels sell the same item. The busier you are, the more often it happens.
One catalog, one stock count
The fix is structural, not a better spreadsheet: the online store and the register read the same catalog and the same stock. A sale anywhere updates the count everywhere. A price change at the counter is a price change online. There's nothing to sync because there's only one record.
Units, cases and barcodes
Stock is easy for products sold one way. It gets harder when you buy by the case and sell by the pack or piece. Give each product its units with their own price and barcode, so receiving a case adds the right number of singles and selling one online removes one.
Low stock and reorders
When stock is accurate, low-stock flags become useful. Set a reorder point per product, review the low-stock list weekly, and turn it into a purchase order for the right supplier. Accurate stock is what makes that list trustworthy.
More than one store
With several locations, decide which store's stock the website sells from, or whether customers pick a store. A shared catalog keeps prices and product names the same everywhere, and stock visible across branches tells staff where an item is when one store runs out.
Checklist
- Run online and in-store sales from one catalog and stock count
- Set units and barcodes for case, pack and piece
- Set reorder points for your fastest sellers
- With several stores, decide which stock the website uses
- Test: sell the last unit at the counter and check the website
In ScomsPOS, the online store sells from the same catalog and stock as the register, with case and pack units, low-stock flags, reorder suggestions and shared catalogs across stores. See the retail POS system and the POS-synced online store. ScomsPOS starts at $10/month.
Frequently asked questions
How do I stop overselling online?
Run the online store and the register from one catalog and stock count, so a sale anywhere updates the count everywhere, without imports or plugins in between.
Can I sell by the case in store and by the piece online?
Yes, if each product carries several units with their own price and barcode, so receiving and selling agree.
How does inventory work across several stores?
Use a shared catalog for names and prices, keep stock per store, and decide which store's stock the website sells from.
Tagged: