{"id":1254,"date":"2019-12-04T19:37:50","date_gmt":"2019-12-05T03:37:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.agiliron.com\/blog\/?p=1254"},"modified":"2025-10-20T04:50:11","modified_gmt":"2025-10-20T11:50:11","slug":"how-to-select-inventory-that-will-sell-through-quickly","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.agiliron.com\/blog\/how-to-select-inventory-that-will-sell-through-quickly\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Select Inventory That Will Sell Through Quickly"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><strong>Your complete guide to sourcing the best mix of products to sell.<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1255\" src=\"https:\/\/www.agiliron.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/men-going-around-a-warehouse-1797428.jpg\" alt=\"Your complete guide to sourcing the best mix of products to sell\" width=\"1280\" height=\"853\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.agiliron.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/men-going-around-a-warehouse-1797428.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/www.agiliron.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/men-going-around-a-warehouse-1797428-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.agiliron.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/men-going-around-a-warehouse-1797428-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.agiliron.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/men-going-around-a-warehouse-1797428-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.agiliron.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/men-going-around-a-warehouse-1797428-600x400.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pexels.com\/photo\/men-going-around-a-warehouse-1797428\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Source<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In many ways, your inventory is the blood that flows through the veins of your business. What you sell shapes the direction as well as the perception of your brand. It also impacts the long-term success of your business.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Selecting the right inventory (and managing it efficiently) is essential.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you choose stock items that don\u2019t align with your brand image or resonate with your target customers, they\u2019re likely to collect dust rather than \u2018fly off the shelves.\u2019 And poor investments can seriously damage an eCommerce business.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To help steer you on the path to success and make your business a scalable and sustainable, we\u2019re going to explore the essential steps you should take when selecting your inventory.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Let&#8217;s start by considering the very foundation of your business\u2014the brand.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><b>Understand your brand<\/b><\/h3>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8220;A brand is the set of expectations, memories, stories and relationships that, taken together, account for a consumer&#8217;s decision to choose one product or service over another.&#8221; &#8211; <\/span><\/i><b><i>Seth Godin<\/i><\/b><\/h4>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the digital age, your brand is far more than a logo and a slogan. Today, consumers invest in eCommerce brands with values that align with their own.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Before you start digging into your inventory, you should take the time to consider your brand and how you want to be perceived in the public domain.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once you\u2019ve picked the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.agiliron.com\/blog\/how-to-pick-the-perfect-ecommerce-business-name\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">perfect eCommerce business name<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, you should take some time to consider the following brand elements:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Your values. <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Think about what you stand for and why you exist. Write down a list of <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">brand values <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(for instance, if you\u2019re dedicated to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.agiliron.com\/blog\/how-to-grow-your-audience-by-making-your-business-greener\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">saving the planet<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, you might sell a range of non-plastic eco products)- this will serve as a blueprint that will guide your marketing communications and key business decisions, including your inventory choices.<\/span><\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>Your voice. <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With your brand values firmly in place, you should decide on your unique tone of voice. <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Is your brand personality fun &amp; lighthearted? Are you going to be funny? Or perhaps urgent and hard-hitting?<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> These decisions will shape your commercial destiny and help to guide your inventory choices.<\/span><\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>Your scope. <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As a brand, do you want to focus on very specific niche or on a wider eCommerce category. For example, do you want to sell novelty vintage shoes or adult footwear in general. The choice is yours but you should make this decision from the get-go (you can remould your business model as you progress) to ensure you make informed, definitive stock selections that will result in profit.<\/span><\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><b>Know your audience<\/b><\/h3>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With your brand blueprint firmly in place, your next logical step will be to <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">know your audience. <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Like your branding, understanding your target consumers on a deeper level is vital to making the perfect inventory selections.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By studying your sector, analysing industry trends, and drilling down into relevant <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.agiliron.com\/blog\/a-guide-to-using-data-to-improve-your-businesss-ecommerce-strategy\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">consumer data<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, you\u2019ll be able to get under the skin of your audience and in turn, decide on the goods that they\u2019re most likely to buy.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Without a doubt, one of the most effective ways of understanding your audience is by creating consumer profiles called buyer personas. <\/span><b>For maximum customer profile success,<\/b> <b>follow our step by step guide to creating <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.agiliron.com\/blog\/a-step-by-step-guide-to-creating-effective-buyer-personas-for-your-business\/\"><b>buyer personas.\u00a0<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><b>Refine your niche and study the competition<\/b><\/h3>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At this point, you\u2019ll know what niche or sector you wish to operate in, but to make successful inventory choices, it\u2019s important to dig a little deeper.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even if you\u2019re looking to sell in a more general niche like clothing for women, streamlining your range and communications slightly will help you stand out while appealing to a slightly more concentrated, slightly more engaged audience. With this in mind, you might opt to sell <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">casual and sportswear for the modern woman.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Upon refining your niche, you should start looking at your competitors under a magnifying glass to see what sells best with their audience while spotting any potential product gaps you can exploit.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Make a definitie list of your potential competitors, following them on social media to see how the sell their inventory and how they engage with their customers. Sign up to their email newsletters and study their communications while examining their store\u2019s product pages.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Armed with these newfound insights, you\u2019ll be able to start making an initial inventory list of products you want to sell, placing them into their respective sub categories in the process.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><b>Examine pricing &amp; logistics<\/b><\/h3>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By now you\u2019ll have a wealth of information regarding your brand, audience, niche, and competitors &#8211; you\u2019ll also have a rough inventory list. Now\u2019s the time to make it official.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To transform your inventory list from a rough draft to the beginnings of a long term eCommerce stock guide, you\u2019ll need to look at logistics:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Pricing: <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">First of all, what are the costs of your potential inventory items? Look at cost prices, profit margins, and pricing potential. To give your efforts direction, here are <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.agiliron.com\/blog\/7-unique-pricing-strategies-that-can-increase-your-stores-revenue\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">definitive eCommerce pricing strategies<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that can boost your store\u2019s future revenue.<\/span><\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>Demand: <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once you\u2019ve considered cost and pricing, you should drill down further into demand. Look at the items on your inventory list, you should conduct research on best-selling products in your niche or sector and use <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.junglescout.com\/estimator\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">sales estimators<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/offers.hubspot.com\/sales\/sales-forecasting-template\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">forecasters<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to gain an insight into the specific consumer success of your prospective items in terms of physical sales.<\/span><\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>Access: <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When refining your inventory list, you should also think about your supplier sources and how accessible they will be on an ongoing basis. Your inventory suppliers should be cost-effective, reliable, ethical, and able to help you troubleshoot any potential issues or inefficiencies, should they arise. Also, if you\u2019re importing your products from China, you should read our <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.agiliron.com\/blog\/the-us-business-owners-guide-to-301-china-tariffs\/\">business owner\u2019s guide to 301 tariffs<\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>Shipping: <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The final logistical decision you should make when refining your stock list is how easy your products will be to manage, ship, and fulfil. Bulky items can prove challenging to ship and store, but if there\u2019s demand and a viable solution bigger products may be worth including within your range. Once you\u2019ve shortlisted your prospective inventory, you should prioritize your products in terms of how you\u2019re going to position them on your online store in addition to potential stock quantities.<\/span><\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once you have your definitive list and you\u2019ve set your stock purchasing budgets, you\u2019ll be ready to start building your inventory ready to sell to your customers. This is where you start generating profits, growing your audience, and scaling your brand for success.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cOne of the great responsibilities that I have is to manage my assets wisely, so that they create value.\u201d <\/span><\/i><b><i>&#8211; Alice Walton<\/i><\/b><\/h4>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><b>Select the right inventory management solution<\/b><\/h3>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As essential as it is to select the right inventory for your eCommerce business, your stock is only as effective as how it\u2019s managed.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Presently, the global cost of inventory distortion (including shrinkage, stockouts, and overstocking) comes in at the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ihlservices.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/WeLostAustralia-Outline.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$1.1 trillion<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> mark. Moreover, <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.waspbarcode.com\/small-business-report\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">43%<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of small businesses in the US don\u2019t track their inventory, or do so with a laborious manual system.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By managing your newly acquired inventory effectively and efficiently, not only will you gain an edge on the competition, but you\u2019ll be able to scale your inventory seamlessly as your business grows. And to do so, you need to work with the right inventory management solution.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With your <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.agiliron.com\/blog\/a-guide-to-ecommerce-store-shipping-and-fulfilment\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">shipping and fulfilment processes <\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">firmly in place, it\u2019s important that you choose the right digital inventory management platform for your business based on the following attributes:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Easy to use. <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your inventory management solution should be easy to navigate, with little technical expertise required to take full advantage of the platform\u2019s features and functionality.<\/span><\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>Tailored. <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Any robust inventory management system should be customizable, allowing you to tailor your dashboard, data fields, and reporting tools to meet your specific needs and requirements.<\/span><\/b><\/li>\n<li>Universal. <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Effective inventory management solutions allow you to integrate other applications such as Quickbooks, creating a seamless digital ecosystem for successful and accurate inventory management and fulfilment.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Support. <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Any inventory management software provider worth its salt will have an exemplary track record and offer exceptional end-to-end support, from initial setup to ongoing aftercare.<\/span><\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/a5ZKcpD9CFg\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Our <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.agiliron.com\/solutions\/inventory-management.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">inventory management platform<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is easy to use, offering an accurate overview of all of your core shipping and fulfilment activities.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By integrating the Agiliron inventory management platform with your eCommerce business, you\u2019ll benefit from precise receiving processes, streamlined order management, and seamless integration with your most vital essential business tools.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To find out more about us and our success, check out our selection of glowing customer <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.agiliron.com\/customers\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">testimonial section<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We wish you the best of luck with your inventory selection quest and for more invaluable eCommerce insights, read these <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.agiliron.com\/blog\/7-practical-ways-to-boost-your-online-stores-bottom-line\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">seven practical ways to boost your store\u2019s bottom line<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Your complete guide to sourcing the best mix of products to sell. &nbsp; Source In many ways, your inventory is the blood that flows through the veins of your business. What you sell shapes the direction as well as the perception of your brand. It also impacts the long-term success of your business.\u00a0 Selecting the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":1256,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1254","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.agiliron.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1254","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.agiliron.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.agiliron.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.agiliron.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.agiliron.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1254"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.agiliron.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1254\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.agiliron.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1256"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.agiliron.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1254"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.agiliron.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1254"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.agiliron.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1254"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}