In the fashion retail business, inventory plays a very important role. The apparel industry replaces outdated clothing pieces with new ones all the time. Adding new options and managing inventory every season means that you need a modern inventory management system to keep everything on track.
Managing inventory can be challenging. It includes tracking your items, preparing orders, and creating space for new pieces. Doing it all manually is extremely time-consuming, but it doesn’t have to be that way. If you’re looking to improve your inventory management system so that your business can thrive, here are four tips to follow.
Apparel management tool
Apparel software offers some really useful features often used in the apparel business. Like any other business, apparel manufacturing and retailing companies have to synchronize operations and collect insight.
Using apparel management software can prove to be beneficial for your business. It makes your job easier and combines all the tools you need in one platform.
Apparel management software has all the tools you need. Some other tools can be pretty expensive, but this way everything you need is in one place. As a result, the learning process will be easier with everything fitted properly, and instantly ready to use.
When you implement apparel software, it enables your business to handle all the challenges and it consolidates all of your valuable information into one platform that is easily accessible. Also, it allows you to control the information your employees have access to and give permission to the right team members.
Employees from any department can use the same system, including data entry and editing, so the information can be transferred easily. This helps your team members to communicate better and your daily processes can go uninterrupted. The order and return processing is simplified this way, with a practical tracking system handling processes easily.
Good old spreadsheets
Spreadsheets are a good option for improving your management. This method, although done manually, offers you more functionality than doing it on paper. This is because all your data can be in one document only, and it’s more accessible than searching through countless papers.
Using spreadsheets makes it easier to add rows and columns, it offers you math tools for your calculations, and everything is more organized. Putting your spreadsheets in the cloud enables you to access your information from anywhere you want. In inventory management, Excel spreadsheets record and organize your inventory, storing goods, and selling processes.
All documentation can be updated throughout the process at any time, and you have a better idea of what needs to be improved and what works well for you. If you’re a small business owner who is just entering the apparel business, this can be a good fit for you.
Before implementing it, you’ll need to learn to use the program well and get accustomed to organizing your inventory using columns and rows. If your team members are not Excel experts, the best solution is on site Excel training which will help them to master this program effortlessly.
Mobile-based tools
Introducing more technology into your daily processes is always a good idea. The next option for improving your management is implementing mobile-based tools. They are a more tech-based solution and different from the previous methods.
Mobile-based inventory management tools eliminate the need for manual counting, which saves you a lot of time. They allow you to keep track of every operation by barcodes or RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tags. Taking pictures of your items and manually entering data is also an option if you are not ready for going automatically just yet.
It enables you to easily access your information, just like a spreadsheet. Also, the inventory and counting are more accurate because without manual count involved, you avoid human mistakes and the process goes much faster.
Warehouse management tools for resource planning
Exploring resource planning options with warehouse management tools will help you in managing your inventory and supplying your storage across multiple locations and channels (in-store and online).
It will simplify the process of tracking the number of items you have. Also, it will help you ensure that everything is shipped correctly and that customers will get their items faster.
There are many advantages to this kind of system because it eliminates mistakes and keeps the numbers accurate. By tracking your products that move from receiving to shipping, you will always be able to access the information about where each item in your inventory is stored, packed, and shipped.
However, keep in mind that a typical warehouse management software is a system that requires other support systems, such as accounting and customer service.
Final words
Having your apparel inventory management in order is very important for your business. Doing it with the right tools can improve your operations very effectively, saving you time and money. The apparel industry has its challenges and obstacles, and you should welcome any tool that can help you improve your operations.
Whether you are a small business owner or you own a huge company with multiple locations, using the inventory management right will make your job easier and communication between the employees more efficient. Consider investing in these tools and don’t miss out on the opportunity to implement technology in your business.
