Inventory Management for Online Store

Ecom
1

Hey everyone,

I’m working on an online store and I’m stuck on how to handle inventory. Here’s my current setup:

function checkStock($itemId, $requestedQty) {
    $stockQty = Item::find($itemId)->stock_quantity;
    $soldQty = Order::where('status', 'paid')
                    ->sum('quantity');
    
    return ($stockQty - $soldQty) >= $requestedQty;
}

This only counts paid orders. Should I include pending payments too? What’s the best practice for managing stock in e-commerce?

I’m worried about overselling but also don’t want to hold stock unnecessarily. Any advice from experienced shop owners would be great. Thanks!

2

From my experience running an online store, inventory management can be tricky. I’d suggest including pending payments in your stock calculation to avoid potential overselling. However, set a time limit for pending orders (e.g., 30 minutes) before releasing the stock back into inventory.

Consider implementing a ‘reserved’ status for items in carts or pending payment. This approach provides a balance between preventing oversells and not unnecessarily holding stock for too long.

Also, think about adding a buffer to your available stock. This can help account for potential issues like damaged items or sync delays between your system and actual inventory.

Lastly, regular inventory audits are crucial. Even with a good system, discrepancies can occur, so periodic checks help maintain accuracy.

3

Hey there! I’m curious about your inventory setup. Have you considered using a real-time inventory system? It could help you track stock levels more accurately as orders come in.

I’ve heard some stores use a ‘soft hold’ on items in carts for a short time. Maybe like 15 minutes? That way you don’t oversell, but you’re not tying up stock forever either. What do you think about that approach?

Also, how often do you update your inventory counts? Do you sync with your suppliers regularly? I’d love to hear more about how you’re handling the backend stuff.

Oh, and have you looked into any inventory management software? There might be some cool solutions out there that could make your life easier. Just a thought!

Keep us posted on what you decide to do. It’s always interesting to see how other store owners tackle these challenges!