Automate Your Shopify Store
Learn about the best ways to automate your e-commerce business and manage your inventory across multiple Shopify stores.
Product organizationHow to Manage Inventory on Shopify With the Best AppsEffective inventory management is a critical aspect of running a successful Shopify store. It ensures you have the right products on hand to meet customer demand while minimizing costs and maximizing profits. In this guide, we'll explore the importance of inventory management for Shopify businesses and provide strategies and app recommendations to help streamline the process.
Why Is Inventory Management Important for Shopify?
Inventory management on Shopify is about more than just keeping track of products. It's a strategic tool that enables you to:
Track stock levels: Monitor your available inventory and reserve stock, and know precisely when to reorder.Profit and loss analysis: Understand the profitability of each product and make informed decisions.
Best Shopify Apps for Inventory Management
1. Bestsellers reSort
Bestsellers reSort is your smart organizer for products, allowing you to organize them in unimaginable ways to improve sales and save time.
No-limits configuration: With dozens of options, this app is as flexible as you want it to be, allowing you to configure sorting rules per collection.Sort by real revenue: Resort allows you to sort by real revenue or sales for a specific number of days, helping you sell more popular products that are relevant now.Custom sort order: Create a custom sort order using sorting by tags and keep products organized as required.Drive better ROI: Properly organized collections sell better and increase your Return On Investment (ROI), and Resort helps you drive growth automatically.
» Check out this comprehensive Bestsellers reSort review for an in-depth understanding
2. Out-of-Stock Police
Out-of-Stock Police is your smart management solution for out-of-stock products, increasing sales and organizing collections efficiently.
Push products to the bottom: This app ensures that out-of-stock products are never shown at the top of their collections, improving the user experience.Flexible configuration: Automatically push out-of-stock products down or hide them based on your inventory cycles, enhancing inventory management.Boost Shopify SEO: Keep your out-of-stock products indexed by search engines, increasing store visibility and attracting more organic traffic.Get more and better leads: Benefit from organic traffic to out-of-stock products and improve customer engagement with relevant products and cross-selling.
» Learn more about this handy app in the following Out-of-Stock Police review
Best Inventory Management Strategies
1. Allocate Par Levels
Setting par levels for inventory items can be extremely helpful for a business's overall inventory management. By establishing desired quantities for each item, a company can plan its purchasing and stocking decisions more effectively. In addition, regular reviews of par levels can help to identify items that may no longer be needed or necessary, leading to less excess stock on hand.
2. Perform Regular Stock Audits
A regular stock audit is an important tool for inventory management because it helps ensure that the correct inventory is being tracked and that there are no discrepancies between the physical inventory and the accounting records. An audit can also help to identify any potential problems with the inventory management system or with the way that the inventory is being managed.
3. Hone Your Demand Forecasting Skills
Demand forecasting is a tool used to predict future demand for a product or service. This information can be used to help with inventory management by helping to ensure that the correct amount of stock is kept on hand. Inventory forecasting can also help identify patterns in demand so that managers can plan for fluctuations in demand in the market.
» Do you want to plan for fluctuations in demand? Then, you must know all the tips, tricks, and techniques
4. Outsource Inventory Management
One way that outsourcing inventory management to a Shopify app can help to reduce profit loss is by reducing the amount of time that is needed to manage inventory. By automating some or all of the tasks related to inventory management, a business can save time and resources that can be put towards more important tasks.
Additionally, using a Shopify app for inventory management can help businesses to better track their inventory levels and ensure that they are not overstocking or understocking items.
Mastering Your Shopify Inventory: From Chaos to Control
In the world of e-commerce, where every click counts, effective inventory management isn't just a necessity—it's a critical component of your Shopify store's success. As you've discovered, the strategies outlined here, coupled with the power of top-notch apps like Bestsellers reSort and Out-of-Stock Police, can transform your inventory management from a headache to a competitive advantage.
Your Shopify store's profitability and customer satisfaction hinge on your ability to manage inventory effectively. With these tools and techniques, you can ensure your products are always in stock when your customers need them.
MultichannelBest Practices for Managing Multiple Shopify StoresThe digital landscape has seen a seismic shift in the past two years, with over two billion online consumers worldwide by the end of 2021. As e-commerce continues to flourish, expanding your business into new markets and niches through multiple Shopify storefronts is a smart move.
Yet, managing multiple Shopify stores can be a daunting task if not approached strategically. This article delves into these key aspects:
Best practices for better managementReasons for opting for multiple storesCommon challenges
Best Practices for Streamlined Management
1. Tailor Each Store for Its Audience
To ensure your Shopify stores resonate with their respective target consumers, optimize them individually. This may involve using local keywords, promoting region-specific deals, adapting site design or URL structure, and offering content that suits different demographics.
2. Implement Real-Time Inventory Updates
Selling the same products across multiple sites demands real-time inventory updates. Centralizing inventory management is the most effective way to ensure accurate counts, even when selling on multiple fronts. Apps like Multi-Store Sync Power can synchronize your Shopify stores in real time and automatically update inventory with each order, refund, or cancellation.
Effortless sync: Seamlessly synchronize inventory, products, and collections across multiple Shopify stores, reducing manual effort.Flexible settings: Two-way sync with flexible settings allows for easy management from any location.Error detection: Identify and rectify issues with SKUs and barcodes to ensure a smooth synchronization process.
» Read this comprehensive Multi-Store Sync Power review to learn more
3. Centralize Order Management
Simplify order tracking by integrating all order data, including fulfillment, returns, customer support, and dropshipping, into a centralized system. This streamlines order management across your various online stores.
4. Use a Product Information Management (PIM) System
When you have multiple Shopify stores, product information can become fragmented. A Product Information Management (PIM) system centralizes and standardizes your product data, ensuring consistency across all your stores.
Why You Should Consider Creating Multiple Shopify Stores
1. You're Selling Internationally
Expanding globally requires tailoring your stores to cater to diverse regions. With multiple Shopify stores, you can effortlessly customize language, currency, products, website layout, and even offer region-exclusive products that resonate with local markets.
2. You're Targeting Different Customer Segments
Regardless of your business model, creating separate Shopify sites for distinct customer segments is a wise strategy. This allows you to cater to the unique needs of each customer group while keeping all stores under one domain umbrella.
3. You Want to Create an Outlet
If you want to clear warehouse space or offer discounted products without diluting your brand's value, consider setting up a separate Shopify store as an outlet. This allows you to reach new customers without compromising your brand image.
Common Challenges With Managing Multiple Shopify Stores
While having multiple Shopify stores has its advantages, managing them can be time-consuming, and there are different challenges that go with it:
Order Processing
You'll have to manage orders on each unique site, which can make fulfillment and return processing more difficult and increase the risk of errors.Keeping Track of Inventory
In cases where some products are sold on both sites, you will have to update and manage the inventory of multiple Shopify stores.Managing Product Data
Your shops' structures may differ, making it difficult to organize product data across multiple shops. This includes product names, images, descriptions, pricing, and so on, which might affect your bottom line.System Integrating
Integrating other ERPs and point-of-sale (POS) systems becomes more complex.
» Shopify sellers must be prepared to tackle problems
It Is All up to You
If managing multiple Shopify stores feels overwhelming, fret not. By employing the right tools and strategies, you can simplify the process and reap the benefits. Consider utilizing apps like Multi-Store Sync Power, which can work like magic to manage all your stores in one place, saving you time and reducing stress.
With these strategies, you can efficiently oversee multiple Shopify stores like a pro, keeping everything in order while prioritizing customer satisfaction.
Out-of-stockHow to Use AI When Building a Shopify Store From ScratchBy now, you've surely heard a lot of buzz about AI. Maybe you've even used it for personal or business tasks, like asking ChatGPT for tips to start a Shopify store. In the past decade, AI has transformed how we get things done across nearly any industry, from healthcare to finance to gaming to agriculture. In fact, according to a recent PwC survey, 86% of business decision-makers think of AI as a mainstream technology.
So, it's no wonder that there are powerful sets of AI tools to help you build a Shopify store from scratch. As an entrepreneur or developer, AI can help enhance different aspects of your Shopify store for improved efficiency and customer experience. In this article, we'll touch on practical AI integration to streamline inventory management and boost sales for your store.
What and How to Use AI for
1. Personalized Customer Experience2. Streamlined Inventory Management3. Automated Customer Support4. Dynamic Pricing Strategies5. Predictive Analytics for Marketing
1. Personalized Customer Experience
Many customers will settle for no less than a personalized experience, walking away from a brand interaction feeling like their needs and wants were catered to swiftly and efficiently. Personalization enhances sales and drives customer satisfaction—a big part is relevant product recommendations based on the customer's past behavior and shared preferences.
EBay uses AI to deliver personalized item recommendations. With user behavior analysis, the AI can identify the interests of different customer segments. EBay then delivers tailored product suggestions that are likely to bring in conversions.
2. Streamlined Inventory Management
Another great AI use for your Shopify store is inventory management, which can be a huge pain for brands that take a more manual or hands-on approach. This is especially true for stores with brick-and-mortar locations and their online storefront. Let's look at some Shopify apps developed to use AI technology. You can use them to streamline and automate your inventory management—and save yourself some major headaches.
Bestsellers reSort: Smart Product Ordering for Increased Sales
Bestsellers reSort is an app by Egnition that helps with automated online merchandising. It offers precise sorting rules based on real revenue, sales, and tags, which make the predictions laser-targeted for better accuracy. Bestsellers reSort also has features like pushing sold-out products down and promoting new items, helping to flow traffic and demand toward the items that make the most sense for your current stock.
Advanced AI Algorithms
Leverage cutting-edge AI algorithms to automatically sort and arrange products within collections, ensuring optimal visibility for bestsellers.Strategic Product Highlighting
Utilize AI-driven automation to position regionally exclusive or promotional items in prime spots, enhancing customer engagement. Customized Arrangement: Tailor collections based on diverse parameters like revenue, sales, and inventory, offering a personalized shopping experience.Time Efficiency
Harness the power of AI to swiftly execute bulk sorting actions, saving you valuable time compared to manual efforts.Maximized Cross-Selling
Employ AI-driven arrangements to strategically group complementary products, boosting cross-selling opportunities. Data-Driven Insights: Benefit from AI-powered analytics to identify trends and adjust product positioning for optimal sales performance.
» Still not sure? Check this review for the Bestsellers reSort app
Out-of-Stock Police: Efficient Handling of Inventory Availability
Out-of-Stock Police is another app by Egnition designed for seamless out-of-stock product management. The app uses real-time inventory organization to push products down, similar to Bestsellers reSort. You'll also have flexible configuration options for hiding or pushing products based on timeframes. It also allows you to keep products indexed on search engines even if they're out of stock, which helps your SEO performance in the long run by retaining your search rankings, avoiding broken links, and preserving the user experience.
Automated Visibility Management
Utilize AI technology to automatically hide out-of-stock products and ensure that customers see only available items.Real-time Monitoring
Leverage AI-driven real-time monitoring to promptly detect stockouts and adjust product visibility accordingly.Minimized Lost Sales
AI-driven automation reduces the risk of lost sales due to out-of-stock products, boosting revenue potential.Multi-Channel Control
Benefit from AI's ability to manage out-of-stock items across multiple channels, ensuring consistency in inventory presentation.Focus on Growth
With AI handling inventory visibility, you can focus on business growth strategies instead of manually managing product availability.
By integrating Bestsellers reSort and Out-of-stock Police, you tap into the power of AI and new technological advancements to elevate your inventory management on Shopify. These apps streamline your operations and position your store for success in a rapidly evolving e-commerce landscape.
» Need to know more? Read the following Out-of-Stock Police review
3. Automated Customer Support
E-commerce customers expect instant responses. AI chatbots, driven by intelligent algorithms, offer just that. These bots promptly address user inquiries, ensuring no customer is left hanging—quite a shift from the prolonged waits of traditional customer support.
Beyond speed, chatbots offer 24/7 support. Chatbots are always available, whether it's a midnight query or a weekend request. This continuous availability, paired with their ability to tailor interactions based on customer data, ensures that every user enjoys an enhanced and seamless support experience, regardless of when they shop.
Shopify store SSENSE uses an AI chatbot that promptly addresses style-related queries. All customers need to do is ask a question or describe what they're looking for, and the chatbot will deliver relevant advice or product recommendations.
4. Dynamic Pricing Strategies
AI tools can significantly help craft the perfect price for your products. They use sophisticated algorithms that sometimes analyze millions of data points, including market trends and customer demand. The output from these calculations is data-backed recommendations for optimal pricing strategies. In turn, e-commerce brands can stay competitive and maximize their profits.
Amazon is one of the most ubiquitous brands regarding dynamic pricing strategies. The company uses a complex algorithm, predicting prices based on:
Supply and demand Inventory levelsCompetitor pricesHistorical sales dataConversion ratesUser behaviorSeasonalityTime of dayLocationReviews and more
5. Predictive Analytics for Marketing
AI tools can also use customer data to predict trends and behaviors, which can help inform your marketing strategies and plans. With the help of AI-driven data, you'll be able to optimize marketing campaigns on a granular level by targeting specific customer segments. Here are some key ways that AI can help boost your marketing ROI:
Customer segmentation and lead scoringPredicting churn rates and demandAllocating marketing budgetOffering personalized product recommendations and marketing incentivesChoosing the best marketing channelsPersonalizing content for segmentsOptimizing conversion ratesGuidance for A/B testing
Men's custom suit company Indochino uses an AI tool to personalize content across its website. By serving content tailored to different customer segments, the company has driven a substantial boost in revenue, amounting to an impressive $1 million in incremental sales.
Pro Tips for Advanced AI Integration
Depending on your e-commerce store type, AI can help take it to another level. Here are some advanced AI integrations you can try:
Augmented reality: To provide an immersive shopping experience, consider integrating virtual product try-ons with tools like Shopify AR.Visual search: Improve user search experience by facilitating image-based queries. FastSimon can be a helpful tool for such integrations.Voice search: To cater to hands-free users and improve accessibility, add voice-driven searches using platforms like Speechify.Visual commerce: Enhance customer engagement by making user-generated visuals shoppable. Photoslurp offers a solution to achieve this seamlessly.
Unleashing the Future of E-Commerce With AI-Powered Shopify Stores
If you're ready to learn how to build a successful Shopify store, AI should be at the forefront of your development and operational strategy. You'll reap the benefits of supercharging areas like personalized customer experiences, streamlined inventory management, automated customer support, dynamic pricing strategies, predictive marketing analytics, and more. AI provides a genuinely transformative potential for enhancing e-commerce operations. As you continue your journey, leverage AI tools like apps and integrations (including Egnition's apps) to improve your Shopify business and stay ahead of your competition.
InventoryBlack Friday Checklist: Prepare Your Store for Black Friday Success in 2023Black Friday is one of the most important events of the year for an e-commerce business owner, and the numbers back it up. Data from Adobe Analytics shows that online shoppers spent a record-setting $9.1 billion in 2022.
Projections show that 2023 is set to be on par, with many consumers feeling the sting of inflation and looking for the best holiday deals.
If you want to capture some of the spend for your own Shopify Black Friday sale, it's important to be prepared so you can stay ahead of the growing competition. Let's look at a Black Friday checklist to help you do just that.
» Want your collections to stand out? Keep best-sellers top of mind with this step-by-step guide.
1. Review and Optimize Product Inventory
Since inventory moves quickly on a day like Black Friday, it's essential to make sure you're reviewing and updating your product inventory before you launch your campaign.
Consider using curated Shopify collections, which can enhance your customer's shopping experience and make it easier to find products they're interested in. "Gifts under $50," "Bestselling tech deals," or "Gifts for her" are all great examples of effective collection themes.
It's also important to make sure you're identifying and removing out-of-stock items to avoid customer frustration and messy customer service situations. If you're using Shopify, hide out-of-stock inventory with these apps:
Out-of-Stock Police
Maintaining a well-organized collection layout is even more important during the high-demand Black Friday period. Out-of-Stock Police helps you manage out-of-stock products and optimize inventory more efficiently. It offers many helpful features, like the ability to push out-of-stock items to the bottom of collections and monitor their status.
» Get all the details in this Out-of-Stock Police review.
Bestsellers reSort
Bestsellers reSort can help optimize your store's product organization. This powerful tool simplifies the process of online merchandising by offering a range of smart sorting rules. Whether you want to prioritize products based on real revenue, sales, tags, or other criteria, Bestsellers reSort has got you covered.
» Find out more in this Bestsellers reSort review.
2. Craft Irresistible Discounts
The whole point of Black Friday is to get an incredible deal, so you'd be remiss if you didn't craft irresistible discounts for your customers. The better the deals, the quicker you can draw them in and close the sale. Setting up Shopify Black Friday discounts on the platform is a straightforward process. You can set up multiple types of discounts, such as:
Tiered discounts: The percent off increases the more products a customer buys in one session.Bundle deals: You can group items together and offer them at a lower rate than individually.Limited-time offers: These create a sense of urgency to make a purchase in a specific amount of time.
Personalize Discounts With Order to Discount
Order to Discount is an easy-to-use tool to help you generate automated and personalized loyalty discounts to send to your shoppers and customers via email. You can customize these discount and email templates based on details like order information.
» Check out this Order to Discount review for more info.
3. Optimize Your Site and Use Urgency Tactics
Your website is the tool that customers will use to decide whether to buy from you. That's why it's important to ensure that it's optimized to motivate customers to buy.
Look for an appealing and responsive Black Friday Shopify theme, one that'll catch your customers' eye while making the shopping process as smooth and seamless as possible across all devices. This requires mobile optimization and fast-loading pages.
Additionally, leverage the classic psychological tactic of urgency and scarcity to drive sales by making customers feel a sense of FOMO. You can easily accomplish this with countdown timers for limited-time offers. There are several Shopify apps available to install countdown timers, like Essential Countdown Timer Bar, and Hextom.
4. Strengthen Customer Support and Logistics
Today's customer has high expectations for customer support and even higher expectations for shipping. This is why you simply can't afford to cut corners in these areas. Make sure you have enough staff on hand to promptly handle customer inquiries during the busy Black Friday period.
Make sure that your shipping policies and timelines are clearly stated on your policies, product, and checkout pages. This way, you can be sure you're managing customer expectations right off the bat, avoiding as many customer service queries as possible.
5. Leverage Email Marketing and Social Media Promotion
Email marketing is a powerful tool for reconnecting with your customer base and subscribers, and Black Friday is the time to get creative with attention-grabbing email campaigns and deals.
To do this, use clever, catchy, and clear subject lines, as well as high-quality images and high-contrast text and colors to strategically retain customer attention. Whenever possible, offer personalized product recommendations based on customer preferences and past purchases.
Social media is another powerful Black Friday promotional tool. You can use high-quality product images, storytelling, personality, and humor (where appropriate) to lure in customers. Remember to use engaging educational content as well to keep customers interested and informed about your Black Friday deals.
Use relevant hashtags and, when you have the opportunity, collaborate with influencers in your niche who can broaden your reach and boost your brand's credibility.
Targeted email campaigns are a great way to engage customers, promote products, and drive sales on Black Friday while also nurturing customer relationships for the long term.
Navigating the Black Friday Frenzy
As we approach Black Friday, it's important for e-commerce store owners to prepare as early as possible. Leverage the tools and strategies we've talked about here, including reviewing and optimizing your inventory, creating amazing discounts, optimizing your website and creating urgency, and using marketing strategies like email and social media.
Also, be sure to check out Egnition's apps to make it all faster and easier. Remember: Black Friday success requires a combination of inventory management, strategic marketing, and customer engagement. Taken together, these elements can help you create a seamless shopping experience for your customers and optimize your collections to cater to the high demand.
» Do you have multiple Shopify stores? Learn how to manage them effectively.
Multiple storesMulti-Store Inventory Management Apps: Enhancing E-Commerce SuccessRunning a network of online stores demands efficient inventory management. Unless you're willing to dedicate hours each day to tracking stock levels, order statuses, and shipping data, a reliable multi-store inventory app is indispensable.
Multi-store inventory apps help you streamline your operations across multiple sales sources and locations, such as marketplaces, e-commerce, retail, and wholesale.
These apps sync with shopping carts and backend systems, ensuring real-time insights into stock levels, order statuses, and sales trends. This blog post explores the significance of these apps and presents a selection of top-notch solutions.
Why Opt for a Multi-Store Inventory App?
Effective inventory management is pivotal for e-commerce businesses seeking strategic growth. By embracing a multi-store inventory app, you gain a competitive edge, effortlessly reaching a broader customer base irrespective of geographical barriers. The advantages are multi-faceted:
Centralized management: Simplify inventory management across all locations with a centralized platform. Uniformity in information reduces complexity and ensures consistency.Real-time insights: Gain real-time visibility into stock levels and sales across your stores. This foresight prevents stockouts and optimizes replenishment.Effortless order fulfillment: Seamlessly fulfill orders with accurate inventory data. This not only boosts customer satisfaction but also reduces shipping times and costs.Informed decision-making: Detailed analytics empower businesses to make informed decisions about stock allocation, pricing, and growth strategies.
Best Multi-Store Inventory Apps for Your E-Commerce Business
1. Multi-Store Sync Power
Multi-Store Sync Power acts as a central hub connecting your multiple Shopify stores. Catering to both B2B and B2C domains, its standout features encompass:
Automatic inventory updates across linked storesSimultaneous creation and update of products and collectionsMaintenance of distinct pricing structuresAlerts for missing or incorrect SKUs and barcodes
With detailed analytics, Multi-Store Sync Power equips you to track sales trends and optimize profits.
» Learn more about this handy app in the following Multi-Store Sync Power review
2. Out-of-Stock Police
Out-of-Stock Police excels in real-time inventory control across multiple stores. Its capabilities include:
Custom rules to handle out-of-stock products in collections.Automatic tagging of out-of-stock items.Improved visibility and SEO for out-of-stock products.Alerts for timely reordering based on stock levels.
» Gain an in-depth understanding of this Shopify app in the following Out-of-Stock Police review
3. Bestsellers reSort
Bestsellers reSort offers advanced inventory organization for multi-store management. With its comprehensive set of sorting rules, you can tailor the order of products within collections across various stores. This capability ensures that each store's inventory is optimized to suit its target demographic, boosting sales potential and overall customer satisfaction. You can finely tune each store's inventory presentation for maximum impact by arranging products based on:
RevenueInventorySalesBestsellersViewsCreation or publish date
» Interested in learning more about this app? Read this Bestsellers reSort review
4. Simple Sample Data
Simple Sample Data can help you fully test your development stores before launching them. This includes:
Populating your store in one click with all or some of the features—products with images, orders, customers, smart and custom collectionsChoosing from 3 fully developed sample data themes
By providing accurate dummy data during store creation, you can create a standardized foundation for inventory management practices across multiple stores. This consistency simplifies the process of later implementing inventory management strategies.
» Discover more in this Simple Sample Data review
Other Inventory Management Techniques
While multi-store inventory management offers a tailored approach to optimizing e-commerce strategies, it's equally valuable to consider the merits and limitations of other inventory management methods.
ABC Analysis
This method identifies the most popular and least popular stocks.Safety Stock
An inventory management philosophy that prioritizes safety stock ensures that there is always spare stock reserved in case the business is unable to restock those items.Minimum Order Quantity
To cut costs, a company that relies on minimum order quantity will order small amounts of merchandise from wholesalers in each purchase.Consignment
When using consignment inventory management, a company withholds paying its supplier until a particular product is sold. Until the inventory is sold, that provider also retains ownership of the inventory.
Elevate Efficiency and Witness Business Flourish
As an e-commerce store owner, managing your inventory is crucial to the success of your business. With the increasing competition in the market, it's important to stay ahead of the game by streamlining your operations and improving efficiency. A multi-store inventory app can help you achieve that and take your business to the next level. Overall, a multi-store inventory app is a powerful tool that can help you optimize your operations and improve your bottom line. Whether you're a small business or a large enterprise, investing in the right inventory management solution can make a world of difference for your e-commerce business.
Multiple storesManaging Multiple Shopify Stores: Challenges, Solutions, and Best PracticesHave you ever wondered how successful e-commerce entrepreneurs effortlessly manage multiple Shopify stores? Curious about the challenges that arise and the ingenious solutions that pave the way for prosperity?
In this blog post, we'll take you on a guided exploration of the world of multiple Shopify stores, offering insights into managing them effectively, overcoming challenges, and thriving in the competitive e-commerce landscape.
Should You Have Multiple Shopify Stores?
Shopify, a versatile e-commerce platform, empowers business owners to create and manage multiple online stores. This strategic choice can unlock various opportunities, such as:
1. Global Expansion
Breaking into international markets demands a tailored approach. Running multiple Shopify stores enables you to cater to diverse needs, from language and currency preferences to local product offerings.2. Outlet Creation
Offering discounted products can clear warehouse space and get rid of obsolete stock, but it risks brand devaluation. A secondary Shopify store provides an outlet to target new customers without compromising your brand's value.3. Diverse Segmentation
Running distinct stores allows flexible audience targeting and niche establishment. For instance, if you specialize in women's clothing, separate stores for casual and evening wear cater to diverse customer segments.
5 Common Challenges of Managing Multiple Shopify Stores (+ Solutions)
Businesses operating multiple Shopify stores often encounter several challenges. Let's explore these challenges and discover effective solutions:
1. Managing Orders Across Stores
Issue: Fulfilling orders and processing returns from various storefronts can be complex.Solution: Centralize order management through an integrated system. Consolidate order data, including fulfillment, returns, customer support, and dropshipping processes.
2. Keeping Inventory Updated
Issue: Shopify doesn't automatically update inventory across different stores when a product is sold.Solution: Implement a real-time inventory management system. This ensures consistent stock levels and prevents overselling, enhancing customer satisfaction.
Simplify Multi-Store Inventory Management With Egnition
Effortlessly synchronize inventory, products, and collections across multiple Shopify stores with Egnition's Multi-Store Sync Power.
Two-way sync: Changes in one store automatically update others.Automated inventory updates: Orders, refunds, and cancellations trigger inventory changes.Seamless product management: Easily create and update products.Custom product pricing: Implement distinct pricing rules.
» Gain a more in-depth understanding of this Shopify app in the following Multi-Store Sync Power review
3. SEO Complexity
Issue: Running multiple stores requires doubled efforts for domain development and SEO implementation.Solutions: Monitor popular keywords to tailor content for diverse markets. Crafting location-specific SEO strategies boosts your ranking in various locales.
» Discover how to set up multiple domains under one Shopify account
4. Improving Website Speed
Issue: Slow-loading stores hinder user experience and potentially impact sales.Solution: Boost store performance by adhering to best practices. Minimize code, optimize images, reduce redirects, prioritize mobile optimization, and utilize content delivery networks (CDNs) for improved page speed.
5. Choosing the Right Plan
Issue: Selecting the appropriate Shopify plan for multiple stores can be challenging.Solution: Weigh up the pros and cons of each plan:Separate Shopify Plans for Multiple Stores
Shopify merchants are most familiar with the Basic Shopify, Shopify, and Advanced Shopify plans. However, none of them supports multiple Shopify stores on the same account. If you have a Shopify plan, the simplest approach to adding one or two more shops is to keep buying more plans.Multiple Stores on Shopify Plus
If you want to avoid Shopify login issues, opting for a Shopify Plus plan is better. This package is meant for high-volume businesses and starts at $2000/month. With Shopify Plus, you get ten stores. Each extra store costs $250. Once you log in to your Shopify admin, you can navigate between multiple Shopify storefronts associated with the same email address.
Confidently Navigating the World of Multiple Shopify Stores
Managing multiple Shopify stores may seem daunting, but with the right strategies and tools, you can streamline operations and stay ahead. Remember these key points:
Stay organized and focused.Leverage automation tools like Multi‑Store Sync Power.Delegate overwhelming tasks.Maintain open communication and reach out for support when needed.
By adopting these best practices, you'll conquer the challenges of managing multiple Shopify stores and position yourself for sustained success in the e-commerce realm.
» Explore these best practices to help you manage multiple Shopify stores better
Product organizationShopify Product API Guide: Create, Update, & Delete Products Using Shopify APIThe Shopify API, or Application Programming Interface, is a set of tools and protocols connecting Shopify to various other applications, services, and websites.
This allows developers to read, create, update, and delete different data types, including products, orders, customers, and inventory. In this Shopify product API guide, we'll look at:
Creating products with Shopify APIAdding and updating product informationDeleting products via Shopify APIUsing Simple Sample Data for testing and developmentBest practices and tips for using Shopify product API
Laying the Foundation for API Success
Before you get started, it's imperative to set up your access to the Shopify API. Here's how:
Navigate to your Shopify admin panel and click on Apps.Select Manage private apps and create a new private app by specifying a name and email.Define the required permissions, focusing on product-related actions.Once created, Shopify generates essential API keys (API key, password, shared secret) that secure your interactions with the API.
1. Creating Products With Shopify API
Once you're all set up, follow these steps to construct API requests to create new products:
1. Choose the appropriate API endpoint
POST /admin/api/2023-07/products.json
2. Set headers for authentication. Include:
"Content-Type: application/json" and "X-Shopify-Access-Token: {access_token}"
3. Create a JSON payload: Shape a product object with details such as title, description, price, and variants.
4. Send the request. Issue a POST request to the chosen endpoint and attach the payload.
5. Handle the API response. Make sure products were created accurately by checking for things like error messages and confirmations.
2. Adding and Updating Product Information
1. To access product data via the Shopify API, issue a GET request to the product endpoint:
https://{store_name}.myshopify.com/admin/api/2023-07/products.json
Extract details like titles, descriptions, prices, and variants from the response.
2. Use PUT or PATCH requests to specific product endpoints to update product information. Make a request payload containing the changes you want, and include it in your API call.
For attributes (title, description, pricing), modify the respective fields in your payload.To handle variants and options, annotate variant details in the product payload's variants field.For metadata and custom fields, check the metafields endpoint. Employ POST, PUT, or PATCH requests for creation or updates.
3. Now, let's put this into a real-world context. For example, to update a product's title, send a PUT request to:
products/{product_id}.json
Accompany the request with a payload bearing the new title. For price changes, engage a PATCH request to refresh variant prices.
4. Use the Bulk Operations API to modify multiple products simultaneously for bulk updates. To consistently synchronize your data, use proper error handling and retries.
3. Deleting Products via Shopify API
Pro tip:
Before you use the Shopify API to delete products, understand the implications and considerations involved. Removing a product impacts several things, like inventory, orders, and customer experiences.
1. To remove products, send a DELETE request to the specific product endpoint, for example:
https://{store_name}.myshopify.com/admin/api/2023-07/products/{product_id}.json
Confirm by including a query parameter:
?confirm=1
2. You'll want to make sure you're handling associated data appropriately. Prioritize inventory adjustments using the Inventory API. For orders, update linked items or transactions. When you manage these connections, you can better help prevent disruptions in order history and customer records.
4. Here are a few tips to prevent accidental deletions:
Use a sandbox environment: Make a test or development store to practice deletions before changing your live store.Implement confirmation steps: Add extra steps or user authentication layers to reduce risk.Backup data: Regularly back up your store data so you can restore any unintended deletions.Keep audit trails: Maintain comprehensive logs of product deletions, which can help identify and resolve errors.
Using Simple Sample Data for Testing and Development
Simple Sample Data can help you test and develop Shopify product API by generating dummy data. By populating your store with test products, collections, orders, and customers, you can validate API interactions before engaging your real data.
Choose from three full themes to thoroughly test the APIGenerate and delete sample data with a single clickPick and choose which sample data you want to test
This way, dummy data benefits you by helping you avoid potential pitfalls in a live environment while accelerating the development process and enhancing overall product quality.
» Learn more about this Shopify app in the following Simple Sample Data review
Best Practices and Tips for Using Shopify Product API
Performance optimization and rate limiting: Balance request frequency to prevent exceeding API call limits. This can help make sure your operations are consistent and efficient.Effective error handling: Interpret status codes to diagnose issues, which will help you debug swiftly and precisely.Rigorously test API calls: This ensures your product management system is resilient while ironing out flaws and fine-tuning functionalities.Be adaptable: Stay vigilant by tracking API changes and version updates. Prioritize proper versioning in your codebase to stay in line with evolving features and safeguard against potential disruptions.
Empowering Product Management With Shopify API
Using the Shopify Product API gives you access to multiple tools and strategies for better, more efficient product management in your Shopify store. You'll have streamlined creation, updates, and deletions, plus robust integration possibilities and unparalleled customization. As a developer or business owner, leverage Shopify API's potential to enhance your product management workflows.
Simple sample dataSample Data Insights: Testing 5 Crucial Aspects of Your Shopify StoreLaunching a successful Shopify store requires meticulous planning and strategic implementation. One powerful tool in an e-commerce merchant's arsenal is sample data.
Sample data allows you to thoroughly test your Shopify store before and after its launch, ensuring optimal performance.
Importance of Testing a Shopify Store Using Sample Data
Sample data mirrors real-world data, enabling you to accurately assess your store's functionality and address potential issues. There are various types of sample data available for testing:
Shopify test productsCustomersOrdersThemes
Pre-Launch Testing
Before your grand opening, pre-launch testing is crucial. In this phase, you can identify and fix critical issues ranging from minor inconveniences for your customers to major performance issues for your entire store. You can simulate user engagement and navigation flows, plus test your ordering process.
Post-Launch Testing
Even when your store is live, your work isn't done. You should continuously test it to ensure no new issues arise after your launch. Post-launch testing will also help you catch any areas where you can improve and capitalize on them as soon as possible. Monitor things like user behavior, order processing, and inventory levels to make better, data-driven choices as you make your daily decisions.
» Learn how to easily create dummy data for your e-commerce store
5 Key Aspects to Test Using Sample Data
1. Website Navigation & User Experience
Smooth and efficient user journeys are vital. Test your store's layout and navigation with sample data to identify and optimize potential bottlenecks. Regular testing, perhaps every quarter, helps you adapt to changing customer preferences.
2. Checkout Process
Ensure a seamless checkout process to reduce cart abandonment. Sample data can help you ensure that the process is smooth and bug-free. For example, you can check if:
Payment gateways are efficient.Order processing works.Shipping options display correctly and appropriately based on the specific customer's options.
Analyzing this testing data allows you to make adjustments to minimize friction during checkout and boost your conversion rates.
3. Inventory Management
Want to avoid out-of-stock situations and backorders, which lead to lost sales and unhappy customers? Sample data can help with that. You can assess:
Inventory levelsStock notificationsProduct availability
When you regularly test your inventory management systems, you'll be better able to anticipate patterns and optimize stock accordingly. This can be especially helpful for seasonal inventory.
» Keep your customers informed by setting up back-in-stock notifications for your Shopify store
4. Shipping & Fulfillment
Issues with shipping and fulfillment can ruin a positive shopping experience in your Shopify store, potentially costing you customers. These aspects are vital to the overall customer journey, extending beyond the purchase. Utilizing sample data allows you to assess:
Shipping cost accuracyEffectiveness of various shipping methodsTimely delivery estimates
Regular evaluations help you maintain shipping competitiveness and ensure prompt order fulfillment.
» Your customers left you with the shipping bill? Here's how to handle return shipping costs
5. Mobile Responsiveness
As mobile devices become integral to daily online shopping, ensuring a seamless mobile experience for your Shopify store is essential. Sample data testing helps evaluate customers' mobile shopping, highlighting potential issues with responsiveness, speed, and usability across devices.
» Struggling with a slow-loading website? Check out these personally tested methods to increase website speed
Harness the Power of Simple Sample Data
While it may seem like a lot of work, there are tools to help, like Egnition's Simple Sample Data. This app offers several benefits to store owners, including:
Generating realistic sample data for development storesCustomizing sample data to suit any e-commerce storeGenerating orders and customers to test user journeys and flowsOne-click data deletion when you're done
» Read the following Simple Sample Data review and gain an in-depth understanding of the app
Analyzing and Interpreting Sample Data Testing Results
Effective analysis of sample data testing results is pivotal in deriving actionable insights for your Shopify store. Follow these key concepts for a meaningful interpretation:
Set Clear Objectives
Define specific testing objectives and key performance indicators (KPIs) before conducting tests. This clarity helps you focus on relevant data.Identify Patterns and Trends
Look for consistent patterns and trends across different tests or time periods. Identify reliable insights that can guide decision-making.Data-Driven Decisions
Translate your findings into data-driven decisions. Determine how each insight can lead to improvements in your store's performance.Implement Positive Changes
Transform insights into practical changes, whether they involve minor adjustments or substantial shifts in strategy.
By systematically analyzing and interpreting sample data, you can enhance your store's functionality and customer experience.
Seamless Testing With Sample Data
Testing your Shopify store with quality, meaningful, and relevant sample data can benefit your business. We strongly recommend using dummy data because it replaces actual data so that there are barely any repercussions if anything goes wrong while tests are being done. When you regularly test for elements like website navigation, checkout, inventory management, shipping, and mobile responsiveness, you can be sure that your customers have an optimal user experience with your brand. Be sure to test and optimize regularly and enlist the help of a tool like Simple Sample Data.
InventorySelling Alcohol on Shopify: Decrease COGS With Good Inventory ManagementWhen selling alcohol on Shopify, the goal is always maximizing profitability per sale. One effective strategy involves reducing your production and delivery expenses—also known as the cost of goods sold (COGS). COGS encompasses various factors such as packaging, shipping, labor, and more.
The lower your COGS, the higher your profit margin. And the higher your profit margin, the more money you make from each sale. IHL Services found that the cost of inventory distortion amounted to $1.8 trillion in 2020.
In this comprehensive guide, we'll show you how to reduce your COGS with good inventory management.
» Check out these expert tips for managing pipeline inventory
Understanding COGS in the Alcohol Industry
COGS (Cost of Goods Sold) is the direct expenses you incur to produce or purchase goods you sell during a specific period.
COGS can be made up of these expenses:
Wholesale cost: The price you pay to buy alcohol from your suppliers.Packaging and labeling: The cost of materials and labor to package and label your products.Storage and handling: The toll of transporting your products from your warehouse to your customers, either directly or through a third-party service.Licensing and compliance: This is the cost of obtaining and maintaining the necessary permits, licenses, and certifications to sell alcohol online in your target markets.Marketing and advertising: The cost of promoting your products and brand to potential and existing customers using various channels and strategies.
As you can see, COGS can eat up a significant portion of your revenue, so it's crucial to keep it as low as possible. However, how can you do that without sacrificing quality or customer satisfaction? The answer lies in good inventory management. Next, we share four proven inventory management strategies that can help you decrease your COGS and boost your profitability.
1. Monitor Stock Levels
As a savvy alcohol seller, it's crucial to keep an eye on your inventory levels. You don't want to have too much or too little booze in your warehouse, as both scenarios can hurt your bottom line.
Overstocking alcohol can increase your carrying costs, such as storage fees, insurance, and taxes—not to mention the risk of spoilage, theft, and obsolescence.Stockouts can cause customer dissatisfaction and lost sales opportunities.
» Consider these techniques to manage overstock and understock in your Shopify store
Using a Shopify App
With Out-of-Stock Police, you can access real-time statistics on your inventory performance, such as turnover rate, sell-through rate, and days of supply. You can also set up automated stock notifications that alert you when a product is low or out of stock, so you can restock in time. It's like having your own inventory police but without the sirens and handcuffs.
» Interested in learning more about this app? Check out the following Out-of-Stock Police review
2. Sort Inventory
Sorting inventory means organizing your products into different categories based on criteria such as profitability, popularity, and expiration dates. This way, you can easily identify which products are slow-moving or close to expiring and take proactive measures to sell them faster. For example, you can create special offers, discounts, or bundles to attract more buyers and clear out your old stock.
Using a Shopify App
Bestsellers reSort lets you create custom sort orders for your products using tags, so you can display them in the most optimal way on your online store. You can also configure the app to sort your products based on various metrics, such as sales, views, ratings, reviews, and more.
» Gain an in-depth understanding of this handy app in this comprehensive Bestsellers reSort review
3. Sync Inventory Across Multiple Stores
For any alcohol seller, overselling across multiple stores is a dreaded scenario. It not only leads to disgruntled customers who want their purchases delivered now, but it can also lead to refunds, restocking fees, and potential penalties from Shopify. The consequences are twofold: increased COGS and reduced profits.
Syncing inventory across multiple Shopify stores addresses these challenges. It streamlines order fulfillment and shipping processes by giving you accurate stock levels for each product across your different stores. As a result, you can efficiently ship products between stores, saving precious time, labor, and transportation costs.
Using a Shopify App
Multi-Store Sync Power lets you sync your inventory in real time with two-way sync functionality. This means any changes made in one store will automatically update across all of your other stores in a snap. You just need to install the app on all your stores, connect them with a few clicks, and choose which products and variants you want to sync. The app will take care of the rest.
» Learn more about this app's features in the following Multi-Store Sync Power review
4. Leverage Data Analytics for Demand Forecasting
Alcohol has a limited shelf life, and improper storage can result in spoilage. Striking the right balance is essential—you want to avoid running out of your products, but you also don't want to overstock them and end up with expired items.
That's why you need to use data analytics to forecast your demand and optimize your inventory levels. Data analytics can help you understand your customer behavior, market trends, and historical sales data. This, in turn, can help you make more accurate predictions about how much alcohol you need to order and when.
Using a Shopify App
Here are some of the benefits of using a Shopify app for inventory forecasting:
Automated data collection: The app can automatically collect data from your Shopify store, including orders, products, customers, and inventory, saving you time and effort.Centralized data storage: The app can store all your data in one place, making it easy to access and analyze.Advanced analytics: The app can use various techniques, such as descriptive, diagnostic, predictive, and prescriptive analytics, to provide you with valuable insights and recommendations.Automated & customizable reports: The app can generate reports that show you key metrics, such as sales trends, inventory turnover, stock levels, and reorder points.Forecasting algorithms: The app can use sophisticated algorithms that take into account various factors, such as seasonality, promotions, holidays, and weather, to forecast your future demand.
» Choose Excel over a Shopify app? Use our tips for more efficient inventory forecasting
Additional Tips to Decrease COGS
Negotiate better wholesale prices with suppliersOptimize shipping and handling feesComply with all applicable taxes and licensing requirementsLeverage seasonal promotionsConduct regular inventory audits
Stock Smart, Sell Smarter: Minimize COGS for Maximum Returns
Selling alcohol on Shopify can be a lucrative business, but achieving success relies on effective inventory management. By optimizing your inventory management, you can reduce COGS and improve profit margins. This involves minimizing carrying costs, preventing waste and stockouts, and enhancing inventory turnover.
However, managing alcohol inventory can be challenging. But by using the right Shopify apps, you can streamline the process. These apps offer automation and improved inventory management capabilities, including real-time stock tracking, product reordering, inventory synchronization across various channels, and generation of reports and insights. By leveraging these tools, you can save time, cut costs, and concentrate on growth and providing exceptional customer experiences, ultimately driving higher profitability.