How to connect online store and branch inventory
Selling online and in branches requires a shared definition of available stock. A single number on a screen is not enough: you need to know where items are, what is reserved, when movements become final and how cancellations and returns are handled.
By the Mollkom team ·
Choose the inventory source of truth
Decide which system authorizes a sale and which systems may change stock. If each branch or channel edits its own copy without clear synchronization rules, the last unit can be sold twice. Document the source of each update and its review owner. Manual corrections should remain traceable movements with a reason.
Standardize SKUs and map storage locations
Use a stable identifier for each sellable variant and map it to the correct branch or warehouse. Names alone are insufficient because identically named items may have different sizes. Perform a limited opening stock count and reconcile physical units with the system before importing the remaining locations.
Separate on-hand, reserved and available stock
For an illustrative policy, 12 units on hand minus 3 reserved for orders and 1 safety unit leaves 8 available to sell. This is an example, not a default configuration in every system. Define when reservation starts, when it expires and how unpaid or uncollected orders release stock.
Test one order across two channels
Start with one product, one branch and an online store. Place an authorized test order and inspect the change in the other channel. Test simultaneous attempts to buy the last unit, cancellation, quantity changes and connectivity loss followed by recovery. Measure actual delay before promising real-time synchronization for your setup.
Track returns and transfers separately
A returned item may need inspection before it becomes sellable. Record receipt, inspection and the decision to restock, isolate or dispose of the item under your procedures. Branch transfers need an in-transit state followed by confirmed receipt so that one item is not available in two places.
Assign permissions and exception ownership
Who can adjust stock, review count discrepancies or resolve a failed channel update? Assign an owner and a daily exception queue, and retain movement history. Begin with a narrow scope and expand only after tests pass. Channel support also depends on integration availability and account configuration.
Make expansion a measured decision
Track stock discrepancies, orders that could not be fulfilled, exception resolution time and successful returns and transfers. Compare the pilot with a similar operational baseline rather than counting logins alone. Sign up for Mollkom, create your store and start with one product and one inventory location to validate the workflow before migrating the rest of your business.
Start with one workflow in your business
Choose a small sample and agree on what to measure before expanding the pilot.
Create your account and startRead next
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