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Stock Levels

Keeping accurate stock levels ensures customers can buy what you have in stock and prevents overselling.

Understanding Stock Levels​

What is Stock Level?​

The quantity field on each inventory item represents how many copies you have available for sale.

Example:

  • Quantity: 5 = You have 5 copies in stock
  • Quantity: 0 = Out of stock

Why Stock Levels Matter​

For Customers:

  • See what's available
  • Trust your inventory is accurate
  • Know if they should buy now

For You:

  • Prevent overselling
  • Track bestsellers
  • Know when to restock
  • Analyze sales velocity

Viewing Stock Levels​

On Inventory Page​

Each item shows current quantity:

  • Book cover and title
  • "5 in stock" or "Out of stock"
  • Price and condition

On Item Detail Page​

Tap any item to see:

  • Current quantity (large number)
  • Quick adjust buttons (-5, -1, +1, +5)
  • Edit form for precise changes
  • Sales history (if available)

In Analytics​

View stock metrics:

  • Total items in inventory
  • Low stock items count
  • Out of stock items count
  • Average stock per item

Adjusting Stock Levels​

Quick Adjust (Fastest Method)​

For small changes, use quick adjust buttons:

To Access:

  1. Tap an inventory item
  2. View the item detail page
  3. Find the Quick Adjust card

Buttons Available:

  • -5 - Decrease by 5
  • -1 - Decrease by 1
  • Current quantity (center)
  • +1 - Increase by 1
  • +5 - Increase by 5

How to Use:

  1. Tap the appropriate button
  2. Change applies immediately
  3. Confirmation message appears
  4. No need to tap "Save"

Best For:

  • Just sold a copy
  • Received a small shipment
  • Found extra stock
  • Quick corrections

Manual Edit​

For precise quantity changes:

To Edit Manually:

  1. Tap an inventory item
  2. Tap the Edit (pencil) icon
  3. Change the quantity field
  4. Tap Save Changes

When to Use:

  • Setting exact quantity after count
  • Large quantity changes
  • Initial setup
  • Correcting errors

Automatic Adjustments​

Stock adjusts automatically when:

  • Customer orders - Quantity decreases
  • Order cancellations - Quantity increases
  • Refunds - Quantity increases back
  • POS sales - Quantity decreases
  • Square sync - Matches Square quantity
tip

Automatic adjustments are the most accurate method since they happen at the time of transaction.

Stock Status​

In Stock​

Any quantity > 0 is considered "in stock."

Customer Experience:

  • Item appears in search results
  • "In Stock" badge displayed
  • Available for purchase
  • Shows exact quantity

Your View:

  • Green indicator
  • Current quantity shown
  • Normal priority

Low Stock​

When quantity falls below your threshold (typically 1-3).

Why It Matters:

  • Time to reorder
  • Prevents stockouts
  • Maintains availability

Indicators:

  • Yellow/amber badge
  • "Low Stock" label
  • Highlighted in inventory list

Set Your Threshold: Different books have different reorder points:

  • Bestsellers: Reorder at 5 copies
  • Average sellers: Reorder at 2 copies
  • Slow movers: Reorder at 1 copy

Out of Stock​

Quantity is 0.

Customer Experience:

  • May still appear in search
  • "Out of Stock" badge shown
  • Cannot be purchased
  • Option to add to wishlist

Your View:

  • Red indicator
  • "Out of Stock" label
  • High priority for restocking

Don't Delete: Keep out-of-stock items in your inventory:

  • Shows customers you carry the book
  • They can wishlist it
  • You see demand for restocking
  • Easy to update when you get more

Managing Low Stock​

Identifying Low Stock Items​

In Inventory List:

  • Filter by stock level
  • Look for yellow badges
  • Sort by quantity (low to high)

In Dashboard:

  • "Low Stock Items" widget
  • Shows count of items below threshold
  • Tap to see list

Prioritizing Restocking​

Not all low-stock items need immediate attention.

High Priority:

  • Bestsellers running low
  • Popular titles
  • High wishlist demand
  • New releases

Medium Priority:

  • Steady sellers
  • Some wishlist demand
  • Seasonal titles

Low Priority:

  • Slow movers
  • Low demand
  • Easily reorderable

Reordering Strategy​

Check Wishlist Demand: See which books customers actually want before ordering more.

Review Sales Velocity:

  • How fast does this book sell?
  • How many should you reorder?
  • Is demand increasing or decreasing?

Consider Availability:

  • Is the book still in print?
  • Can you get more from distributors?
  • Lead time for restocking?

Stock Counting​

Why Count Stock​

Regular physical counts ensure:

  • Accuracy between system and reality
  • Catch theft or damage
  • Find misplaced books
  • Maintain customer trust

When to Count​

Full Inventory Counts:

  • Annually (end of year recommended)
  • After major events
  • When preparing financial reports
  • Before/after system migrations

Spot Counts:

  • Weekly for bestsellers
  • Monthly for active inventory
  • When quantities seem off
  • After large sales events

How to Count​

Prepare:

  1. Choose slow business time
  2. Organize staff if needed
  3. Have inventory list ready
  4. Prepare counting sheets

Count Process:

  1. Go section by section
  2. Count physical copies
  3. Record actual count
  4. Compare to system quantity
  5. Investigate discrepancies

Update BookWish:

  1. For each discrepancy
  2. Tap the inventory item
  3. Tap Edit
  4. Enter correct quantity
  5. Add note explaining adjustment
  6. Save changes

Document:

  • Date of count
  • Who counted
  • Any issues found
  • Adjustments made

Stock Discrepancies​

Common Causes​

Quantity Doesn't Match Physical:

  • Sales not recorded (forgotten to ring up)
  • Theft or loss
  • Damage not recorded
  • Books misplaced
  • System error

More in System:

  • Items sold but not recorded
  • Books damaged and removed
  • Gave away or donated

More Physical Than System:

  • Received stock not entered
  • Customer returns not recorded
  • Books found from storage

Resolving Discrepancies​

Investigate First:

  • Check recent sales
  • Review adjustments history
  • Ask staff
  • Search for misplaced books

Then Adjust:

  1. Edit the inventory item
  2. Set correct quantity
  3. Add note: "Corrected after physical count - found extra copy"
  4. Save changes

Document Everything: Keep a log of adjustments for:

  • Financial records
  • Loss prevention
  • Identifying patterns
  • Staff training

Best Practices​

Maintain Accuracy​

Record Sales Immediately:

  • Use POS for every sale
  • Don't delay entering sales
  • Use quick adjust for walk-ins
  • Train staff on importance

Regular Spot Checks:

  • Count a few items daily
  • Focus on bestsellers
  • Verify before big sales
  • Build accuracy habit

Train Staff:

  • How to update quantities
  • When to adjust stock
  • Importance of accuracy
  • Using the POS correctly

Set Up Systems​

Standard Procedures:

  • How to receive new stock
  • Recording damaged items
  • Processing returns
  • Handling donations

Assign Responsibility:

  • Who manages inventory?
  • Who can adjust quantities?
  • Who does counts?
  • Who investigates discrepancies?

Use Locations:

  • Track where books are stored
  • Easier to count
  • Faster to find
  • Reduces errors

Watch For:

  • Items frequently out of stock
  • Books selling faster than expected
  • Seasonal patterns
  • Slow-moving inventory

Adjust Accordingly:

  • Increase stock of bestsellers
  • Reduce orders for slow movers
  • Plan for seasonal demand
  • Clear out dead stock

Integration with Other Features​

POS Sales​

When you make a sale through the POS:

  • Quantity automatically decreases
  • Immediate and accurate
  • No manual adjustment needed
  • Stock stays current

Customer Orders​

When customers order online:

  • Quantity reserved immediately
  • Prevents overselling
  • Automatically decreases upon fulfillment
  • Increases if order cancelled

Square Sync​

If using Square integration:

  • Square is source of truth
  • Quantities sync from Square
  • Changes in Square update BookWish
  • Keep Square quantities accurate

Reporting​

Stock Level Reports​

Access from Dashboard → Reports:

Available Reports:

  • Current stock levels by book
  • Low stock items list
  • Out of stock items
  • Stock value (total inventory worth)
  • Stock turnover rate

Export Options:

  • CSV for spreadsheets
  • PDF for printing
  • Share via email

Use Cases:

  • Financial reporting
  • Inventory audits
  • Purchasing decisions
  • Performance analysis

Next Steps​

Need Help?​

Questions about stock management?