Inventory management basics

Overview

Inventory is a balancing act — enough to sell, not so much that you're stuck with dead stock. The three things that matter most are accurate counts, right levels, and clean records.

Keep counts accurate

Update stock immediately when you receive new inventory or sell in person.
Check regularly. Weekly stock audits catch discrepancies early.
Match Javern stock to reality. Every SKU on Javern should reflect what you actually have. See How do I manage inventory?.
Set low-stock alerts so you know when to reorder. See How do I mark products as out of stock?.

Understand your levels

Fast movers — high volume, keep well stocked. Reorder before they hit zero.
Slow movers — small stock, don't over-invest.
Seasonal items — plan buying and clearance around the season.
Basics — reorder on a regular cadence; you know they'll sell.

Track what matters

Even a simple spreadsheet can track:

SKU and product name.
Cost per unit.
Retail price.
Current stock.
Reorder level (when to restock).
Sales in the last 30 days.
Days of stock left at current sales pace.

Managing multiple channels

If you sell offline as well as on Javern:

Sync stock at the end of each day.
Or, dedicate specific units to Javern and don't cross-sell.
Prevent overselling — running out mid-order is a Vendor reputation hit.

Sell-through and dead stock

Sell-through rate — % of a batch sold in a given period. Aim for high sell-through on fast movers.
Dead stock — anything unsold for 3+ months. Discount, bundle, or clear it out; the cash is worth more than the SKU.
80/20 rule — usually 20% of your SKUs drive 80% of sales. Know which 20% they are.

Reordering

Time reorders so new stock arrives before you're out.
Order in economical sizes — many suppliers give volume discounts.
Track lead times — some suppliers take days, others weeks.

Common mistakes

Buying too much of new items before you've tested demand.
Not tracking counts, then oversell and cancel orders.
Holding on to dead stock hoping it'll sell — it won't at full price.
Ignoring which SKUs are actually profitable vs which just have volume.

Still need help?

If this didn't fully answer your question, contact our support team and we'll follow up.