Inventory - Practical Ecommerce https://www.practicalecommerce.com/category/management/inventory Independent analysis and strategy for online merchants Thu, 11 Dec 2025 14:47:09 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.4 How to Scale a Recommerce Business https://www.practicalecommerce.com/how-to-scale-a-recommerce-business Thu, 11 Dec 2025 12:57:51 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=1558629 Profitable selling of used, refurbished, or overstock items requires repeatable systems.

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]]> Reshoring Is Supply Chain Flexibility https://www.practicalecommerce.com/reshoring-is-supply-chain-flexibility Sun, 19 Oct 2025 12:08:52 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=1557294 Domestic manufacturing is a practical investment in speed, quality, and demand.

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]]> Alibaba.com Exec on Suppliers, Tariffs, IP https://www.practicalecommerce.com/alibaba-exec-on-suppliers-tariffs-ip Fri, 17 Oct 2025 12:44:05 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=1557237 Rah Mahtani, head of U.S. commercial strategy, addresses foreign manufacturers, tariffs, intellectual property protection, and more.

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]]> Recommerce for the Holidays https://www.practicalecommerce.com/recommerce-for-the-holidays Thu, 16 Oct 2025 11:15:06 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=1557207 Testing recommerce during the 2025 holiday allows retailers to gauge performance without a full-scale effort.

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]]> PIM Software Is Now a Growth Tool https://www.practicalecommerce.com/pim-software-is-now-a-growth-tool Tue, 08 Jul 2025 13:42:38 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=1554492 Product information management tools can utilize AI to generate unique descriptions of each item, tailored to the shopper or channel.

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]]> Ecommerce and the Secondhand Boom https://www.practicalecommerce.com/ecommerce-and-the-secondhand-boom Sun, 23 Mar 2025 09:00:42 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=1550956 Culture, marketplaces, and economics contribute to consumer demand for used clothing. Merchants can benefit.

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]]> How to Create Print-on-Demand Products https://www.practicalecommerce.com/how-to-create-print-on-demand-products Thu, 30 Jan 2025 12:14:27 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=1548886 Launching a dropshipping business selling print-on-demand products can be as simple as uploading an image and opening an online shop.

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]]> AI Resets Ecommerce Supply Chains https://www.practicalecommerce.com/ai-resets-ecommerce-supply-chains Tue, 28 Jan 2025 14:39:28 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=1548857 Artificial intelligence is a supply-chain game-changer — optimizing demand forecasts, fulfillment, delivery routes, and more.

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]]> Can Ecommerce Spur On-Demand Manufacturing? https://www.practicalecommerce.com/can-ecommerce-spur-on-demand-manufacturing Wed, 13 Nov 2024 10:53:09 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=1544920 The idea is straightforward: Don't build a product until someone orders it.

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]]> Retail Arbitrage with AliExpress, Shopify, DSers https://www.practicalecommerce.com/retail-arbitrage-with-aliexpress-shopify-dsers Sun, 22 Sep 2024 07:30:31 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=1542811 Selling drop-shipped goods via retail arbitrage has never been easier (and more competitive).

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]]> Top Resale Sites from Consumer Brands https://www.practicalecommerce.com/top-resale-sites-from-consumer-brands Mon, 09 Sep 2024 11:31:15 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=1542302 Recommerce is booming. Here's a rundown of leading brands' sustainability initiatives and in-house resale marketplaces.

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]]> Poor Marketing Kills Ecommerce Dropshipping https://www.practicalecommerce.com/poor-marketing-kills-ecommerce-dropshipping Mon, 08 Jul 2024 08:00:53 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=1539450 The dropshipping model, while tempting, has little barrier to entry and thus many competitors selling the same thing.

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]]> Charts: U.S. Wholesale Trends Q1 2024 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/charts-u-s-wholesale-trends Wed, 08 May 2024 12:27:14 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=1536782 Wholesale inventory levels foretell overall economic activity — growth or decline. Here are the latest numbers.

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]]> Charts: Investment Trends in Operations Q1 2024 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/charts-investment-trends-in-operations Wed, 01 May 2024 13:20:23 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=1536519 PwC surveyed U.S. operations and supply chain executives on tech investments — plans and outcomes.

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]]> 4-5-4 Calendar Aids Retail Planning https://www.practicalecommerce.com/4-5-4-calendar-aids-retail-planning Sun, 24 Mar 2024 13:50:05 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=1534731 Dividing the year into months of four weeks, five weeks, and four weeks facilitates comparisons and decision-making.

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]]> New FBA Tool Points to Future of Inventory Management https://www.practicalecommerce.com/new-fba-tool-points-to-future-of-inventory-management Sun, 24 Dec 2023 14:31:24 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=1531523 Amazon's new minimum inventory fee and AI tool foretell industry-wide optimization models.

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]]> JoshsFrogs.com Growing Leaps and Bounds https://www.practicalecommerce.com/joshsfrogs-com-growing-by-leaps-and-bounds Fri, 01 Sep 2023 12:00:51 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=1526018 A hobby in 2004 is now a 90-employee, two-facility business — a one-stop shop for pet frogs.

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]]> Mixed Success for Private Label Brands https://www.practicalecommerce.com/mixed-success-for-private-label-brands Mon, 15 May 2023 11:53:04 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=1521588 In-house retail brands are typically less expensive and experience robust sales in inflationary periods. But not every initiative is successful.

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]]> Rising Costs Prompt New Return Policies https://www.practicalecommerce.com/rising-costs-prompt-new-return-policies Mon, 03 Apr 2023 16:59:04 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=1519954 The era of free returns, unlimited returns, and returnless refunds has been enormously expensive to most merchants.

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]]> T-shirt Seller on Licensing, Drop-shipping, More https://www.practicalecommerce.com/t-shirt-seller-on-licensing-drop-shipping-more Fri, 31 Mar 2023 13:00:56 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=1519460 Kevin Stecko launched 80sTees.com in 2000 selling t-shirts imprinted with pop-culture items. Fast forward to 2023, and the site has 120,000 SKUs.

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]]> Can Fast Fashion Ever Be Sustainable? https://www.practicalecommerce.com/can-fast-fashion-ever-be-sustainable Sun, 19 Feb 2023 13:51:36 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=1518153 Inexpensive polyester-based garments are quick to make and quicker to dispose. The environmental impact is devastating.

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]]> Disclosure Rules for Alcohol, Cannabis Sales https://www.practicalecommerce.com/disclosure-rules-for-alcohol-cannabis-sales Wed, 01 Feb 2023 13:16:17 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=1516842 Online sellers of alcohol and marijuana face a slew of disclosure requirements, such as permissible age, allowable products, shipping restrictions, and more.

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]]> The 5 R’s of Merchandising (for Ecommerce) https://www.practicalecommerce.com/the-5-rs-of-merchandising-for-ecommerce Mon, 30 Jan 2023 14:53:06 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=1517071 A 100-year-old merchandising concept applies to modern-day ecommerce retailers — the right people, right product, right quantity, right price, right time.

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]]> 3 Flaws of Cost-plus Pricing https://www.practicalecommerce.com/3-flaws-of-cost-plus-pricing Sun, 22 Jan 2023 15:54:33 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=1516833 Cost-plus pricing on the surface seems straightforward. But then market forces intervene.

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]]> Is Selling Marijuana and Alcohol Online Worth It? https://www.practicalecommerce.com/is-selling-marijuana-and-alcohol-online-worth-it Tue, 06 Dec 2022 15:28:47 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=1515290 Selling alcohol and marijuana online in the U.S. is subject to a slew of state and federal laws, especially when shipping across state borders. We explain.

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]]> Is Online Marijuana the Next Big Thing? https://www.practicalecommerce.com/is-online-marijuana-the-next-big-thing Sun, 13 Nov 2022 11:00:57 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=1513781 Sweeping state-based marijuana legalization has created a booming industry. But limitations remain for ecommerce.

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]]> 5 Tips for after-Christmas Promotions https://www.practicalecommerce.com/5-tips-for-after-christmas-promotions Sun, 06 Nov 2022 14:28:30 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=1513482 The January sales lull can be frightening for merchants. An after-Christmas promotional event can provide a necessary boost.

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]]> Alcohol Selling Online Is Complicated https://www.practicalecommerce.com/alcohol-selling-online-is-complicated Tue, 11 Oct 2022 13:20:38 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=1511861 Selling alcohol online has potential. However, U.S. laws and regulations are stringent around the subject. We explain.

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]]> Stagnant Sales Are Creating an Inventory Glut https://www.practicalecommerce.com/stagnant-sales-are-creating-an-inventory-glut Thu, 01 Sep 2022 12:51:32 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=1509261 Recession fears combined with supply-chain excesses have created a dramatic increase in unsold inventory. We explain.

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]]> Supply Chain Bottlenecks from the Trenches https://www.practicalecommerce.com/supply-chain-bottlenecks-from-the-trenches Mon, 13 Jun 2022 13:40:03 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=1504571 Contributor Christoper Dobroth, a longtime ecommerce manager, purchases inventory for his employer, a seller of lighting and home decor items. He explains his reality of keeping goods in stock in mid-2022.

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