inventory work

[keziak]

How often do you do inventory work? I haven't in years and I've been running into trouble with missing books.  I started today and already found books that need to be deleted which reinforces the need to finally buckle down and do the job.

[pingpong517]

HOW OFTEN? 

well seems like you have answered your own question...OFTEN! if you haven't and fining missing items , etc....

each of us have our own methods, stuff to track and watch over.... I think when it happens ONCE, then it is absolutly time.... but depending on how much you list and have....but seem important to have the item ready for shipping, when it sells.... having listing that you don't or can't find items...is a lot of waste of time...and if they sell..well ding!...and buyer mad.....

[tunicaslot]

I usually do inventory on variations listings every 30 days. I do overall inventory every few months - or when I get a ghost listing - or have a scare where something sells and I have no idea where it is!

[jklfindings]

At least once a month.  You'll find items that are listed that you don't have, and my personal favorite...  items you have that you thought were listed but aren't =).  Be careful when relisting with the "Sell Similar" method.  Sometimes it lists at the original quantity and disregards any sales you may have had.

[the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth]

I have around 3K items in inventory. All different so doing physical inventory is overwhelming.

Fortunately ever since I switched to real selling software (I rarely sell on Ebay any more) I can keep an accurate count. I haven't had a duplicate sale for years.

[dhbookds]

We just finished the task......  over 125 banana boxes.  Found some not listed, stuff we let expire from on line ebay......but nothing lost as such.....

did put the box numbers on the listings in the custom label box which makes pulling solds alot easier than going thru the master list.  Next task is relisting or ditching what isn't up......  Fortunately, we use TL and 6 bit so shouldn't be too hard. 

[baantiques]

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@keziak wrote:

How often do you do inventory work? I haven't in years and I've been running into trouble with missing books.  I started today and already found books that need to be deleted which reinforces the need to finally buckle down and do the job.

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I do it whenever I start having things I can't find.  I've been paying much closer attention to making sure things are as they are supposed to be, such as when I sell an item I have multiples of, I count the remainder and make sure it matches what Ebay says I have.  My problems have been greatly reduced and I haven't had to cancel because of that in amost a year.

That's good.  Taking inventory sucks.

[lewisburggold]

The gods like me to do it once a week but we all know how that goes.  Best regards

[swenson8781]

Inventory, my favorite thing... NOT!

I've been selling for about 12 years, and would do 'something' when an item was missing, so about once every 4-5 years or so.  Got frustrated with my horrible inventory system at the end of last year, and created a new system, went through every single thing.  Found many items that weren't listed, and 1-2 that had a listing, but no item.  

Horrible, daunting task that I hated with a passion.  Took a full week, working on it about 6 hrs per day.  But so very worth it now.  

If you plan to continue selling online, think through what you want for your inventory (Google is great for ideas!), be sure to create it with expansion in mind, then implement it.  It's 100% a drag to do, but will be well worth your time in the end