Many entrepreneurs see opportunities in the booming e-commerce industry and therefore start their own webshop. We fully support these entrepreneurs, 100%! The e-commerce sector will continue to grow—why? Simple: consumer behavior is changing. People lead busy lives, and taking time to go shopping is no longer a given. That’s where a webshop offers the perfect solution: order quickly online and, with a bit of luck, your package will be delivered the next day.
To ensure fast deliveries, you need inventory and a storage space. And that’s often a bottleneck for ambitious entrepreneurs. Many know how to sell their products but aren’t specialized in inventory management. If you choose to keep products in stock, you’ll need to ask yourself several important questions. Let’s go through some of them:
Where should I store my inventory?
If you hold inventory, you need to store it somewhere. That means finding a storage space or warehouse. Many new webshop owners start with a limited inventory. Managing stock from your garage is totally feasible—as long as you equip it with shelves and organize it properly.
As your webshop grows and your product range expands, you’ll soon hit the limits of your garage. That’s when you’ll need to look for a proper warehouse. You can either invest in buying one or rent a space. A smart solution is to rent a portion of a warehouse that matches your stock volume.
How should I organize my storage space?
Once you’ve found your ideal warehouse, you need to organize it efficiently. Think carefully about:
- Where will incoming goods be received?
- How will you pick products?
- Where will products be packed?
- Where will completed orders be collected?
Once you’ve figured that out, you can plan your warehouse layout in detail. Be sure to include different storage options like pallet racks, shelving units, or various bin sizes. Also, make sure the aisles are wide enough for trolleys or pallet trucks.
How will I manage my inventory?
Inventory management is crucial for a successful webshop. Once your storage is set up, you need to place your products properly. Think about the method (FIFO, LIFO, etc.). You also need to know where everything is located. Use warehouse locations and assign products accordingly.
You can manage everything on paper or in Excel, but that quickly becomes time-consuming. That’s why we recommend using a smart inventory management system like Webship Online. This system keeps track of all your processes and provides useful statistics. For example, you’ll discover your best-selling products and can store them near the packing station.
Can I optimize my stock?
The success of your webshop isn’t just about your products or marketing—it also relies heavily on stock management. There are several ways to optimize your stock.
As mentioned earlier, using a smart inventory system and warehouse locations is a great start. You can also use reports to find and reduce dead stock. Barcodes are another great tool to lower error rates. A barcode scanner allows you to scan and pick the correct product every time.
Are there any tools to help me?
Absolutely! You can optimize inventory yourself or outsource it to a fulfillment center. A fulfillment center doesn’t just store your stock—it also handles picking, packing, and shipping your orders.
They specialize in inventory and logistics, meaning your webshop gets a major upgrade. Orders are packed better and shipped faster, while errors decrease. On top of that, you benefit from economies of scale, like lower shipping rates and cheaper packaging materials, thanks to the center’s large volumes.
What about the costs? Use our online cost calculator to figure out your all-in fulfillment price. For more information or specific questions about fulfillment, contact Webship at hallo@webship.be.
