Inventory glossary
What is Bundle inventory?
Bundle inventory is stock made up of two or more individual products sold together as one listing, such as a gift set or starter pack.
Bundles hide a simple problem. The bundle listing might show in stock, but if one of its components is almost sold out, you can oversell the bundle and disappoint a customer who already paid. Knowing which component limits your bundle supply tells you when to stop promoting it or when to reorder.
Check the stock of each item inside a bundle, not just the bundle listing. The component with the lowest stock sets the real ceiling on how many bundles you can sell. Reorder that component early if the bundle is a steady seller, and pause the bundle listing if any component is close to running out.
Example
A candle shop sells a "Relax Set" bundle containing one lavender candle and one vanilla candle. If the shop has 40 lavender candles and 25 vanilla candles in stock, it can only make 25 Relax Sets, because vanilla candles are the limiting component.
Common mistakes
- Tracking stock for the bundle as its own number instead of checking the component items that limit how many can be made.
- Forgetting to deduct component stock when a bundle sells, which leads to overselling the slower-moving item inside it.
- Not noticing when one component in a bundle runs low while the others still show plenty of stock.
Bundle inventory and SteadyShelf
SteadyShelf forecasts and reorders at the individual SKU level, so component items inside a bundle are tracked on their own rather than as a combined bundle count.
SteadyShelf is launching on the Shopify App Store. Join early access to get the install link first.
Related terms
Kitting · Variant · SKU · Committed inventory
FAQ
Can I track bundle inventory as its own SKU?
Yes, if you track the bundle as its own SKU with its own stock count. The risk is the bundle count and the component counts can drift apart if you do not update both when something sells.
What is the difference between a bundle and a kit?
A kit is usually built in advance and held as its own stock item. A bundle is often assembled virtually at the time of sale, with components pulled straight from individual stock.
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