Inventory how-to

What to look for in inventory software for Shopify

Focus on whether the tool actually predicts what to reorder and when, not just whether it shows stock counts.

Short answer: Focus on whether the tool actually predicts what to reorder and when, not just whether it shows stock counts. Look for per-variant forecasting, supplier lead times, case pack rounding, and a clear order-by date. Then check carefully what it does not cover, since most tools leave out several things small stores assume are included.

Forecasting, not just counting

Plenty of tools just display current stock levels. That is not inventory management, it is a dashboard. What you want is software that looks at recent sales per variant and turns that into a forecast, so it can tell you how many days of stock you have left and when you need to place an order given your supplier's lead time.

Supplier-specific lead times and safety days

Different suppliers take different amounts of time to deliver. Good software lets you set a lead time and a safety buffer per supplier, then calculates an order-by date per SKU from that. If a tool only gives you one generic "low stock" alert with no lead time logic, you will still end up guessing.

Case packs, minimums, and purchase orders

Check whether suggested order quantities get rounded to your supplier's case pack sizes and minimum order quantities. If not, you will manually adjust every single order line. Also check if it can draft a purchase order and send it to the supplier, and whether it can receive stock back in, including partial deliveries, since partial shipments are common.

Know what it skips

Almost no tool in this price range does everything. Common gaps are multi-location transfers and per-location forecasting, manufacturing or bill-of-materials support, lot and expiry tracking, landed cost calculations, stocktakes and cycle counts, bundle handling, barcode and label printing, multichannel sync, and accounting integrations. Decide which of these actually matter for your store before you compare tools, so you are not paying for features you will not use or missing ones you need.

Step by step

  1. List your biggest inventory pain point: stockouts, overordering, or manual order building
  2. Check if the tool forecasts per variant using recent sales data, not just a static reorder point
  3. Confirm you can set lead time and safety days per supplier
  4. Check if order quantities round to case packs and respect supplier minimums
  5. Check if it drafts and emails purchase orders, and whether it supports partial receiving
  6. Make a list of things you need that are out of scope (multi-location, bundles, landed cost, etc.) and plan to handle those manually or with a separate tool
  7. Test with your real sales history for at least a few weeks before committing

Worked example

A store selling a candle in three scents has 40, 15, and 60 units on hand. Daily sales average 2, 1, and 3 units per scent. The supplier lead time is 10 days with a 4 day safety buffer, so the reorder point per scent is daily sales times 14 days: 28, 14, and 42 units. The 15-unit scent is already below its reorder point, so software with per-variant forecasting flags it for reorder now while the other two are fine.

How SteadyShelf helps

SteadyShelf covers the core of this: per-variant forecasting from a 28-day sales window, supplier lead times and safety days, case pack rounding, purchase order drafting and emailing, and partial receiving, all for $29/month. It does not do multi-location forecasting, bundles, lot tracking, landed cost, or stocktakes, so if those matter to your store you will need a manual process or another tool for them.

$29/month flat, unlimited products and suppliers, 30-day free trial. Run the numbers now with the free reorder point calculator.

SteadyShelf is launching on the Shopify App Store. Join early access to get the install link first.

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FAQ

Does more expensive inventory software always mean better forecasting?

Not necessarily. Price often reflects extra modules like multi-location, manufacturing, or accounting integrations rather than better forecasting logic. A focused tool with solid per-variant forecasting can outperform a broader, pricier one for a store that just needs to know what and when to reorder.

How much sales history do I need before forecasting is useful?

A few weeks of sales data is enough to get a basic daily sales average and reorder point. Seasonal adjustments need more history, typically around 13 months, so the software can recognize patterns like holiday spikes instead of treating them as normal demand.

Let SteadyShelf do this math for every SKU

Order-by dates per supplier, seasonal forecasts and draft POs for your Shopify store. $29/month after a 30-day free trial.

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