Your e-commerce system includes comprehensive Inventory Management tools that allow you to organize products into categories, create detailed item listings, and manage multiple product offerings. The inventory system provides a hierarchical structure for efficient product organization and streamlined management.
Accessing Inventory Management
To manage your store inventory, navigate to: Administration → Store → Inventory
This centralized interface displays your complete product catalog in a tree structure, showing categories and items with drag-and-drop organization capabilities.
Understanding the Inventory Structure
Your inventory is organized in a three-level hierarchy that provides maximum flexibility for product management.
Hierarchy Levels
Categories
- Top-level organizational containers for grouping related products
- Can contain subcategories for further organization
- Support nested structures for complex product taxonomies
- Examples: Electronics, Books, Clothing, Home & Garden
Items
- Individual products within categories
- Container for one or more offerings of the same basic product
- Include detailed descriptions, specifications, and metadata
- Examples: iPhone 15, "The Great Gatsby" book, Blue T-Shirt
Offerings
- Specific purchasable versions of an item
- Different sizes, colors, formats, or pricing options
- Each offering has its own SKU, price, and inventory levels
- Examples: iPhone 15 128GB Black, Hardcover edition, Size Large Blue T-Shirt
Managing Categories
Categories provide the organizational structure for your product catalog and help customers navigate your store effectively.
Creating Categories
Click Create category to add new product groupings. Categories can be nested within other categories to create detailed taxonomies that match your business structure.
Category Organization
Drag and Drop Reordering
- Categories can be reordered by dragging them to new positions
- Subcategories can be moved between parent categories
- Changes save automatically when items are dropped
Category Actions
- Edit: Modify category name and settings
- Add subcategory: Create nested categories
- Add item: Create new products within the category
- Sort contents: Organize items by title or SKU (ascending/descending)
- Duplicate: Copy categories with all settings
- Delete: Remove categories (items must be moved or deleted first)
Best Practices for Categories
Logical Grouping
- Group products that customers would naturally associate together
- Consider how customers browse and search for products
- Balance depth vs. breadth in category structures
- Avoid overly complex nested hierarchies
SEO Considerations
- Use descriptive category names that include relevant keywords
- Consider how categories will appear in URLs and navigation
- Plan category structure to support search engine optimization
Managing Items
Items represent individual products in your catalog and contain all the descriptive information customers need to make purchasing decisions.
Creating Items
Click Create item to add new products to your inventory. Items serve as containers for detailed product information and one or more purchasable offerings.
Item Details Configuration
Basic Information
- Title: Product name as it appears to customers
- Item Code (SKU): Unique identifier for inventory tracking
- Credits: Point value for loyalty or educational systems
- Release Date: Optional scheduling for product availability
- Category: Organizational placement in your catalog
Content and Media
- Full Description: Complete product information with rich text formatting
- Short Description: Brief summary for category listings (auto-generated if not provided)
- Specifications: Technical details and product specifications
- Featured Image: Primary product photo with caption
- URLs: External links with custom button text
- Media Preview: Associated videos or additional media
Metadata and Organization
- Tags: Keyword labels for search and filtering
- Authors: Associated creators or manufacturers
- Display Status: Control whether item appears in store
- Form Groups: Custom fields for collecting additional information
Form Fields Integration
Custom Data Collection
- Assign form groups to collect specific information during purchase
- Control whether forms repeat for each quantity purchased
- View form submissions for analysis and fulfillment
- Support complex product customization requirements
Managing Offerings
Offerings represent the actual purchasable variations of items, each with specific pricing, inventory, and fulfillment details.
Creating Offerings
Within each item, click Create offering to add purchasable versions. Each offering can have different pricing, inventory levels, and delivery methods.
Offering Configuration
Pricing and Availability
- Price: Sale price in USD
- Handling: Additional handling charges
- Max per order: Purchase quantity limits
- Stock levels: Current inventory quantities
- Release date: Specific availability timing
Product Options
- Tax category: Assign appropriate tax treatment
- Promotions: Control promotional eligibility
- Age verification: Require age confirmation for restricted products
- Approval requirements: Mandate manager approval before sale
- SKU override: Unique identifier for this specific offering
Digital Package Options
File Delivery
- Attach digital files for automatic delivery
- Generate secure download links
- Support various file formats and sizes
Bundle Packages
- Include all offerings from the parent item
- Automatic package creation for complete collections
Combo Packages
- Select specific items from across your catalog
- Create custom product combinations
- Cross-category bundling options
Shipping Configuration
Physical Product Shipping
- Calculate shipping: Enable/disable shipping calculations
- Packing method: Ship together or separately
- Weight specifications: Pounds or ounces with actual weight
- Dimensions: Length, width, height in inches or centimeters
- Shipping integration: Works with your configured shipping services
Digital Product Delivery
- No shipping calculations for digital-only offerings
- Immediate delivery upon payment confirmation
- Secure download link generation
Inventory Organization Tools
The inventory management system includes several tools for maintaining an organized catalog.
Bulk Operations
Sorting Functions
- Sort categories by title (ascending/descending)
- Sort items by title or SKU (ascending/descending)
- Sort offerings by price, description, or SKU
Expand/Collapse Controls
- Expand all categories for complete visibility
- Collapse all for overview navigation
- Individual category expand/collapse with state memory
Data Export Options
HTML Inventory Report
- Web-viewable inventory levels
- Includes stock quantities and basic product information
- Useful for quick reference and sharing
Excel Inventory Export
- Comprehensive inventory data in spreadsheet format
- Suitable for analysis and bulk operations
- Includes all product details and stock levels
Inventory Workflow Best Practices
Product Organization Strategy
Category Planning
- Plan your category structure before adding products
- Consider customer browsing patterns and search behavior
- Balance category depth with navigation simplicity
- Allow for future growth and product expansion
Consistent Data Entry
- Establish naming conventions for products and SKUs
- Use consistent description formats and detail levels
- Standardize image sizes and quality requirements
- Maintain regular data quality reviews
Inventory Management
Stock Level Monitoring
- Regular review of inventory quantities
- Set up processes for low stock alerts
- Plan reorder points and quantities
- Track inventory turnover rates
Product Lifecycle Management
- Schedule new product releases effectively
- Manage discontinued product transitions
- Never delete items referenced in previous orders - this will break order history and customer records
- Use display status controls to hide discontinued items from new customers
- Archive rather than delete products with order history
- Maintain clear product versioning
Performance Optimization
Efficient Navigation
- Use the expand/collapse features to focus on specific areas
- Utilize search and filtering to find products quickly
- Organize work sessions by category or product type
- Save frequently used views and configurations
Bulk Updates
- Plan batch operations for efficiency
- Use sorting tools before making multiple changes
- Export data for analysis before major reorganizations
- Test changes in non-production environments when possible
Integration Considerations
Form Data Collection
The inventory system integrates with your form management system to collect custom information during the purchase process. This enables complex product customization, personalization requests, and specialized order requirements.
Shipping Integration
Physical products automatically integrate with your configured shipping services to provide accurate rates based on weight, dimensions, and destination. Digital products bypass shipping calculations entirely.
Tax Management
Each offering can be assigned to specific tax categories, ensuring proper tax collection based on product type and customer location.
For technical assistance with inventory management or questions about optimizing your product catalog structure, contact our support team through your admin panel.