Online shop and physical store: keeping products and stock up to date

When an online shop and a physical store sell from the same stock, product identifiers and stock levels have to match. A shared system or a working integration reduces manual updates. Before buying, it is still worth finding out exactly what data moves and at which point an order affects stock.

Start with product identifiers

The same product has to be recognised in both sales channels. A name isn't always enough if, for example, the same shirt comes in several sizes and colours. Check product codes, barcodes and the details of each variant before matching.

Also agree where product data is maintained. Who adds a new product, changes a price and takes a product off sale? One agreed way of working prevents conflicting data, even when the systems are already connected.

Find out when stock changes

An online order can be in the basket, unpaid, paid or already picked. Ask the supplier at which point a product is reserved or deducted from the quantity for sale. Also find out how a cancelled or interrupted order affects stock.

The store and the online shop might, for example, both offer the same last size M shirt. In a demo, try what happens if the product is bought in the store while an online order is in progress. That way you see how the setup works in practice.

In Solmio's shop solution, till sales and the Solmio online shop use shared stock data. If you use another online shop, check its compatibility and how data moves separately.

Go through prices and range

Not everything sold in the store necessarily needs to be offered online. On the other hand, the online shop may have a campaign or a delivered product that the customer can't buy straight off the shelf.

Write down your own needs and ask to see how they are handled. Check at least regular prices, campaigns, the products shown in the online shop and how sold-out products are handled. Don't assume channel-specific pricing or a limited range without seeing it in a demo.

A return doesn't always mean putting the product back on sale

When a customer returns a product, both the payment and the stock entry need to be handled in the agreed way. A sellable product can be made available again, while a damaged product needs different handling.

If you want to offer it to your customers, also ask to see an online purchase returned in the store. Check where the original order is found, how the refund is made and how it shows in reports. The procedure depends on the systems and payment services used.

Define stock and reporting

If the company has several shops, online availability can be based on one warehouse or on several locations' data. Agree where online orders are shipped from and who is responsible for picking. Also find out about transfers between shops and how stocktaking affects stock levels.

Reports should give both total sales and the breakdown you need by channel. Check with your accountant what data is needed on sales, returns and payment methods.

Bring these to the demo

• The names of your current online shop and POS system.
• A few example products with their sizes, colours and identifiers.
• A description of your stock locations and where online orders are shipped from.
• Examples of a campaign, a cancellation and a return.
• The sales and stock reports you need.

See Solmio's shop solution or tell us about your current online shop, and we'll work out a suitable setup.