Stock organization. How to improve logistics at the hardware store

Having a good inventory organization in your business is a fundamental aspect for the smooth running of sales. When the organization is well done, your hardware store becomes much more efficient, and buying and selling operations are more agile and controlled.

Among the different types of commerce, in this segment, care needs to be even greater. Order errors, parts numbers below demand, and damage to materials are just a few losses to be avoided.

To improve logistics and maintain a good organization of your hardware store’s inventory, we have separated 5 important tips for you to consider:

1. Have a good storage location

Inventory needs to be synonymous with cleanliness and organization, not messy. The space where your stock is located therefore needs to be safe, airy, and clean. After all, your store’s inventory is an investment of yours in the form of hardware materials.

Separate products by sectors, labels, and in an aligned manner. In this way, you facilitate your team’s agility in checking and storing products.

It is also important to keep your materials always free of dust and dirt, something common in hardware stores. Also consider investing in good lighting and air cooling system, as this facilitates demand and can increase the longevity of materials.

2. Maintain a control schedule

Your stock is not only used to store products. You need to keep track of the material that you have available, and that is missing. By organizing a control system, you can analyze the details of each product, such as a greater number of sales and number of parts.

With a periodic schedule, you increase communication between all employees and improve control of your hardware store. It is possible to do all of this manually, but some businesses have already started to invest in inventory management software.

The software tool allows for an easier and faster organization. Most of these systems will enable you to control orders, budgets, and even predict what is missing or in excess.

Whether in software or the physical agenda, the general rule is to focus on the best organization of time and the optimization of storage processes.

3. Pay attention to your replacement system

What system do you use to replace your store’s products? Do you expect to run out of stock of some material and only then think about a replacement? Know that this is not the best way to improve your stock organization.

At the risk of delaying your sales, a disorganized replacement compromises your investment. One tip for dealing with this is to bet on a periodic replacement. That way, orders are pre-booked, and you have a delivery forecast.

Another strategy is that of continuous replacement. With this system, your store buys more often and maintains less inventory. It may delay some immediate negotiations, but it prevents losses and wrong orders.

4. Deal quickly with products that don’t sell

Sometimes, your store may be offering a product that doesn’t come off the shelves. This is completely normal and can be fixed by taking certain actions.

First, as we said, you need to know your stock well and check the replacement frequency. Then, pay attention to the products that never seem to be sold, give up on their replacement, and carry out a liquidation or burning of stock.

That way, you get rid of the materials that take up a lot of space on the shelves and in the stock, making it spin.

5. Know your customers

Knowing your customers is essential in any business, but this is very important for a better organization of your hardware store’s inventory.

That is, knowing the frequency of purchase, product preference, most profitable days, and even the age of your customers will impact the products you offer – and when. It is also interesting to know the income of your hardware customers, as you can better plan your promotions.

Through checks and research methods, you gain great control over the demand for hardware parts. Paying attention to the consumer, you can always be one step ahead of the market and offer a higher quality and quantity of products.

These are some tips that help in the control and organization of the stock of your hardware store. Remember that planning carefully is better than acting quickly and end up hurting your business management!