Hardware store: managing thousands of items, units and prices
Screws, cables, paint, cement, pipes: a hardware store sells hundreds of items in different units. Organisation makes the difference between finding things fast and losing sales.
One item, one unit
Each item needs a clear selling unit: piece, metre, kilo, carton, bag, roll. Electric cable sells by the metre, nails by the kilo, cement by the bag. Also note the purchase unit if it differs (for example a carton of 100).
Find an item quickly
- Use a clear, consistent name (type, size, brand).
- Sort by family: plumbing, electrical, paint, tools.
- Use product barcodes or your own labels.
- Store by family and label the locations.
Quantity prices and professional customers
Craftsmen and building sites buy in quantity and expect a better price. Decide your tiers and discounts in advance, and keep credit for regular customers, with a ceiling and a deadline.
Stock: watch rotation
A few items make up most of your sales (cement, pipes, common cables). Always keep them in stock with an alert level, and limit slow-moving items that tie up your money.
With Kaislo
Kaislo manages each item’s units, real-time stock, customer credit and search by name or barcode. The Excel reports give sales, margins and stock value.
Sales, stock, customer credit and evening accounts in one place, on phone or computer. 30-day free trial.
Hardware store: managing thousands of items, units and prices
How do you sell the same item in several units?
Create separate items for each selling unit (per metre, per roll) or choose a main unit and record the quantity sold.
How do you track credit for craftsmen?
Record each credit sale under the customer’s name with a ceiling and deadline, and follow the balance owed in a book.