I have upgraded my main site to the last 4.6.60 version
I will explain my needs and would like to hear advices from developers or shop-keepers how you deal with these things?
I have my main website for my store. I have warehouse. In my admin I don't use any warehouses, I always use simple products with tracking inventory. For every real product, size, color and etc I have separate Simple Product, for example every T-shirt size is just a simple product. That's how I track my stocks. This is my main website and main warehouse which is very important for me.
I have two types of selling. First is when buyer goes to my website and places order, then I ship it. Second way is when a person comes to my store (warehouse) and buys products and pay it, in this case I have an account for such buyers and I place order from this account manually without getting any information from buyer.
Now I have few partners who want to become my store branches in few areas. How can I organize tracking inventory for my new branches? The main requirement is that decrease amounts of products from my main website... What would I do? Install new nopCommerce sites for these branches and copy all my stocks and let them edit stocks for their branches and create orders on my main site? My branches will not ship goods like my main warehouse, they only sell them in their locations, just like retail shops...
I am sorry, I don't even know how to explain this. I need some way to track my inventory and orders for my new branches which I am going to open... I would like to see available stocks of these branches and also let people see stocks available in exact branch... I would like to integrate info from my branches to my main website or do all this for main website?
Also, one more thing... How can I organize targeted storage of products inside warehouse? For example, I have Product A in my main Warehouse, but in different places, let's say 100 pieces in shelve #145 and 755 pieces in shelve #312. How can I keep this information on the product page (admin) and find products quickly when I need them?
What are the best practices for these needs in selling? Please, let's discuss and give advices if you've worked on this...
Thanks in advance...
What is the best practice for inventory management for my store branches? Please, advice the best practice
MVP
- 11329
- 101027
- 5/22/2011
- United States
I think it can work if you use Warehouses and on the Product set "Inventory method" to "Track Inventory".
That should also handle both "store branches" and your need to "organize targeted storage of products inside warehouse" where you would just set up a separate warehouse for each shelf.
However, to make it work, have inventory properly reduced, you need to use Shipments.
Here's how inventory reduction works:
1) If you only have product assigned to one warehouse, then the inventory is reduced when the order is placed, and then you don't need to use Shipments.
2) If you have a product set up with "Multiple warehouses" selected, and you "use" multiple warehouses and set up "Stock qty" for each, then the inventory is reduced when the product is shipped.
You can confirm the above by testing and then look at the product's "Stock quantity history" tab (at the bottom of product edit page), that shows a message indicating when "stock quantity has been reduced" - examples:
The stock quantity has been reduced by placing the order #N
The stock quantity has been reduced when an order item of the order #N was shipped
(After you add a shipment, be sure to select the "Shipped" checkbox)
In regards to your "store branches" placing an order, with customization you could make the "workflow" easier by automatically creating a shipment / set Shipped with proper warehouse selected (e.g., based on Customer / Role).
FYI, you can also read this post where I discuss similar.
https://www.nopcommerce.com/en/boards/topic/52190/fulfillment
That should also handle both "store branches" and your need to "organize targeted storage of products inside warehouse" where you would just set up a separate warehouse for each shelf.
However, to make it work, have inventory properly reduced, you need to use Shipments.
Here's how inventory reduction works:
1) If you only have product assigned to one warehouse, then the inventory is reduced when the order is placed, and then you don't need to use Shipments.
2) If you have a product set up with "Multiple warehouses" selected, and you "use" multiple warehouses and set up "Stock qty" for each, then the inventory is reduced when the product is shipped.
You can confirm the above by testing and then look at the product's "Stock quantity history" tab (at the bottom of product edit page), that shows a message indicating when "stock quantity has been reduced" - examples:
The stock quantity has been reduced by placing the order #N
The stock quantity has been reduced when an order item of the order #N was shipped
(After you add a shipment, be sure to select the "Shipped" checkbox)
In regards to your "store branches" placing an order, with customization you could make the "workflow" easier by automatically creating a shipment / set Shipped with proper warehouse selected (e.g., based on Customer / Role).
FYI, you can also read this post where I discuss similar.
https://www.nopcommerce.com/en/boards/topic/52190/fulfillment