What is online inventory?
Online inventory is a term used to describe the items that are sold on an online marketplace for business or personal use. It's called inventory because the items you sell are stored digitally and are accessible from anywhere in the world. As far as online retailers go, there are multiple platforms out there in which you can sell your goods and services. Some of the most popular storefronts include eBay, Amazon, Etsy and Walmart. There are also plenty of smaller sites where you can start a new e-commerce project such as Shopify and Magento. The only thing you have to do is come up with a catchy name for your new project. Once you have that sorted out, finding customers will be much easier!
Online Inventory Tips- What You Need to Know Before Getting Started
What is online inventory?
Online inventory is more of a function than a type of business. It's just a way to keep track of what you have sold and what you still have available for sale. Online inventory will help you determine when your products are selling, which can help you figure out ways to increase your business. It can also make it easier for customers to find items they may be looking for. You can install an online inventory app or software that tracks your sales data.
What is Online Inventory Management?
Online stores are growing in number. They are convenient and easy to use for small business owners and customers. Customers can sign in for free to online stores, but a credit card is required to buy products from these online stores. Whether you operate an online clothing business or sell handicraft items, you need an effective inventory management system. Inventory tracking with traditional methods is time-consuming and tends to have errors. On the other hand, inventory management systems are accurate and allow small business owners to keep track of inventory in real-time.
Cloud-based inventory management solutions provide real-time insight into order management and asset tracking from anywhere, anytime. Plus, as your business grows, you must manage your inventory with minimum errors to increase business profitability. There are several features of inventory management software that allow business owners to streamline their businesses to boost sales and profitability.
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Tips to Manage Online Inventory
Keeping your inventory updated is critical to the success of your business. If you have an online inventory, it can be difficult to keep up with the ever-changing trends of the market and make sure that your website or store looks just as good at all times. Here are some tips to better manage your inventory and make sure that your online store will always look great.
1. Use Inventory Tracking Software
Small businesses prefer using inventory tracking software to manage online inventory. Inventory management software like Zip Inventory allows you to manage business inventory and keep your data organized, ensuring that your data is secure from theft. Physical inventory tracking can take longer and is prone to errors. If you prepare records using traditional methods of inventory management, then there is a possibility of losing them and you might have to start over again. With an online inventory management system, your sales data is stored on a cloud inventory storage that can be accessed anytime and from anywhere.
2. Organize Your Inventory

Keeping your inventory organized is the easiest way to minimize wastage and increase profitability. Small businesses may have several items in their inventory, but keeping track of inventory can be a tiring job. An inventory management system can be a perfect solution to this problem. You can keep a record of inventory levels by integrating warehouse management solutions with your store point of sale system to better manage your inventory. Business owners can generate sales orders, purchase orders and install third-party add-ons with the best Inventory Management software. Plus, inventory software helps business owners in tracking inventory and streamlining their supply chain, allowing them to track incoming raw materials till they go out as finished products.
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3. Automate With Barcode Scanning
Online business operators scan a large number of products per day. Physically scanning every item in your warehouse can be a long process and tend to have human errors. By using automated barcode scanning, you can reduce the risk of errors that can downstream costs. You can accurately scan hundreds of items and avoid misplacing items in the warehouse. With a barcode mobile app, you can track inventory using your phones or tablets. Plus, automated bar scanners allow business owners to keep an accurate count of stock levels. By integrating barcode scanners with your store POS system, you can also get low stock alerts and know when to reorder raw materials.
4. Regularly Audit Your Inventory

You can keep track of your inventory with regular audits of all the warehouse items you have and new inventory. With Inventory Management software, you can easily conduct weekly, monthly, or quarterly audits. Cloud-based inventory management systems allow business owners to generate sales reports and purchase orders for multiple locations whenever required. You can maintain inventory control through regular audits and keep track of your inventory. Regular audits give you an insight into products ordered and received from vendors.
5. Estimate Reorder Points

An online inventory system provides an insight into whether finished products in your warehouse will see sales growth over time. You can estimate which products are likely to sell more and which ones will remain in the warehouse for longer. Proper estimates will allow you to determine the right amount of inventory you will need to fulfill orders. When finished products do not get sold, they pile up in your warehouse, making it overloaded with unsalable products. By setting reorder points, you will know exactly when to restock raw materials.
6. Optimize Supply Chain Management
Supply chain management is essential to streamline inventory operations. By monitoring the supply chain, you can optimize your relationship with your vendors and sellers. The success of an online business depends on the lead time between placing orders till their delivery. By reducing lead time, you can boost your business and improve the bottom line. An online inventory management system allows you to estimate the lead time and detect any bottlenecks in the entire supply chain process. Business owners can install a cloud inventory system, allowing them to access the entire supply chain in real-time. You can easily detect any problem areas and clear roadblocks in no time.
You want to get started with your business, but you don’t know where to start
With its comprehensive guide, Zip Inventory will walk you through everything you need to know about online inventory