Inventory Manager Complete Guide for Garment and Footwear Wholesalers

Inventory Manager is a wholesale inventory management app for garment and footwear businesses. It keeps products, colour-size SKUs, photos, costs, selling prices, stock at each shop or godown, low-stock alerts, barcode labels and public catalogue visibility together.

The app can receive sellable goods from Trade Manager or record stock added manually. When Order Manager or Staff Bill creates an invoice, the same inventory is reduced instead of making the owner maintain a separate stock book.

At a glance

Business need	How Inventory Manager handles it
One design in many colours and sizes	Shows one item in the catalogue with separate SKUs inside it
Different stock or price for each type	Every SKU keeps its own quantity, selling price, cost and image
Goods received through a tracked purchase	Imports a received Trade Manager consignment as new stock or a restock
Stock bought without a recorded trade	Adds it manually with the same product-and-variant structure
More than one shop or godown	Records quantity by location and supports stock transfers
Quick stock overview	Shows stock worth, total units and in-stock SKUs on the dashboard
Slow or sold-out designs creating noise	Shows in-stock items by default; out-of-stock items remain available through a separate filter
Reorder reminders	Shows only low-but-still-in-stock SKUs in the Low Stock section
Fast product lookup	Searches by name, supplier item code or SKU and can scan a printed barcode
Online wholesale catalogue	Lets the owner publish or hide an item on My Local Shops and separately show or hide its price

Product and SKU are not the same thing

This distinction is important in clothing and footwear inventory.

A product is the common item a buyer recognises, such as “Mickey Mouse Printed T-shirt”. Its name, supplier item code, category, HSN code, GST rate, brand and description normally apply to the complete design.

A SKU is one specific sellable type inside that product, such as:

• Red / Small
• Red / Medium
• Red / Large
• Green / Small
• Green / Medium
• Green / Large
• Blue / Small
• Blue / Medium
• Blue / Large

That example has one product and nine SKUs. Inventory Manager shows it once in the main product list with a “9 variants” or “9 types” indication. Opening the item reveals the nine individual stock records.

Each SKU can have its own:

• colour and size;
• system-generated stock code;
• image;
• quantity;
• quantity at each location;
• selling price;
• average landed cost;
• most recent purchase cost; and
• low-stock threshold override.

This avoids two common mistakes: showing nine nearly identical products in the catalogue, or combining all 27 pieces into one quantity and losing the information about which colour and size is actually available.

Complete Inventory Manager workflow

Step 1: Choose how the stock entered the business

There are two starting points.

Import from Trade Manager is used when the purchase and receiving were already recorded in the connected trade workflow. Inventory Manager shows consignments that are ready to import after receiving. The owner reviews the sellable items and chooses whether each one is a new product or a restock of an existing product.

Add Product Manually is used when there is no Trade Manager record behind the stock—for example, a local cash purchase or stock created by the business itself. The owner enters the quantity and cost directly.

Both routes ultimately create the same inventory structure. Products do not become second-class records merely because they were entered manually.

Step 2: Enter the information shared by the whole item

For a new product, the owner records the common information once:

• product name;
• category;
• HSN code;
• GST rate;
• supplier item code, when available;
• brand and description, when useful;
• stock location;
• whether the item should appear on My Local Shops; and
• whether buyers should see its price.

HSN and GST are required for a new inventory product in the current flow. The app can suggest a GST rate or category from the available HSN context, but the owner remains responsible for checking the factual tax classification. A CA should be consulted when the correct HSN or GST treatment is uncertain.

The supplier item code is different from the SKU. A supplier may call the complete design 6120, while Inventory Manager generates a separate SKU for every colour-size type.

Step 3: Add every colour and size as a separate type

The owner adds rows for the types actually received. Every row records:

• colour, when applicable;
• size, when applicable;
• quantity;
• cost for a manual purchase, or the connected trade cost for an imported purchase; and
• selling price.

Inventory Manager creates one shared SKU base for the item and adds the colour and size parts for each type. The SKU field is system controlled, so a user cannot accidentally rename one SKU and break the connection used by search, labels, scanning and stock writes.

Two rows cannot resolve to the same SKU. If Red / Medium is entered twice, the quantity should be combined into one row instead of creating duplicate stock identities.

Step 4: Save the stock at the correct shop or godown

The selected location is not only a note. Quantity is stored by location, which lets the owner answer:

• how much of this SKU exists in total;
• how much is at Shop A;
• how much is at Shop B or the godown; and
• what the stock at one location is worth.

The location-specific product page follows the same product-list behaviour as the main catalogue, but only includes products available at that shop or godown.

Step 5: Add the right images

The complete product can have a representative image, while individual SKUs can retain their own photos. This matters when Red / Medium and Blue / Medium are operationally separate stock even though they belong to the same design.

Small list cards use thumbnail images. Opening an image uses the full-size version. Versioned image URLs and device caching reduce repeated downloads while still allowing a changed Inventory Manager photo to appear in Order Manager, Staff Bill and the My Local Shops website.

Step 6: Review the product before selling

The item page shows the shared information first and then lists every colour-size type. The owner can review:

• total units in stock;
• quantity at each location;
• selling-price range;
• value of stock;
• average cost per piece;
• latest purchase cost per piece;
• supplier and trade source, when available;
• HSN and GST details; and
• each type's individual stock, price, cost and photo.

Average cost and latest purchase cost are shown separately because a restock may cost more or less than the old batch. A price that was profitable for the earlier stock may no longer protect the margin after a costlier restock.

Step 7: Print and scan stock labels

Each SKU can generate a printable barcode label. The label preview can include the product name, supplier item code, colour-size description, SKU and shop information.

Inventory Manager scans the system SKU barcode for an exact lookup. This is safer than treating every barcode-like value as a product: unrelated QR codes or manufacturer codes do not silently open the wrong stock record.

Scanning is useful when the physical piece or packet is already in hand. Name, item-code and SKU search remain available when the label is missing or the user is browsing the catalogue.

Step 8: Restock without creating a duplicate product

When the same item arrives again, the owner can choose Restock and select the existing product or type. Stock quantity increases while the app keeps the item's identity and history connected.

The detail page can show:

• quantity bought so far;
• total amount spent on that SKU;
• weighted average cost per piece;
• last purchase cost per piece; and
• recent restock activity.

If the new cost has changed, the selling-price advisor can help the owner review a suitable price instead of silently retaining an old amount that may no longer be profitable.

Step 9: Move stock between locations

A transfer reduces stock at the source and increases it at the destination. The complete item page can transfer multiple types, while a SKU detail page can transfer one specific type.

The transfer does not change the business's total units or total stock worth; it changes where those units are held. Location-level figures are updated accordingly.

Stock-changing writes use guarded transactions and revision checks. If another device or connected app changes the same product while a write is in progress, Firestore retries against the latest document rather than allowing an older quantity to overwrite the newer one.

Step 10: Remove stock with a recorded reason

Not every stock reduction is a sale. The owner may need to record damage, loss, correction or another stock-out reason. Removing stock through the product workflow keeps it separate from an invoice sale and updates quantity, stock value, low-stock state and the related location totals together.

What the dashboard numbers mean

Inventory Manager's home dashboard shows three operational totals:

Dashboard card	Meaning	How it is obtained
Stock Worth	Current inventory value based on the cost value of stock still available	Read from the seller's maintained dashboard summary
Total Units	Number of pieces currently held across all products and locations	Read from the same maintained dashboard summary
SKUs	Distinct SKU records that currently have stock above zero	A Firestore count over the seller's in-stock product records

For example, suppose the business has:

• 9 T-shirt SKUs with 3 pieces each;
• 4 shirt SKUs with 10 pieces each; and
• 2 footwear SKUs that are sold out.

The dashboard shows 67 total units and 13 in-stock SKUs. The two sold-out footwear SKUs remain in the catalogue history but do not inflate the current SKU card.

Stock Worth is not the expected sales amount. It is the current inventory's cost value, which helps the owner understand how much business money remains tied up in stock.

The two large totals are maintained incrementally when stock changes, so opening the dashboard does not download every product and add the values again. This keeps Firestore usage predictable as the catalogue grows.

How product browsing and search work

The normal catalogue loads one grouped item per product, not one row for every SKU. It uses server-side cursor pagination rather than downloading the entire catalogue.

The owner can:

• search by product name, SKU or supplier item code;
• filter by category;
• filter by location;
• sort by name or most recently stocked; and
• choose In stock, Out of stock or All.

The default is In stock. This is deliberate for fast-fashion wholesale businesses, where old designs may never be restocked. Sold-out history remains accessible, but it does not take over the daily working list.

Name, item-code and SKU-base searches use the grouped product listing. When a user enters a full variant SKU, the app resolves the matching underlying SKU and opens its parent item. This keeps search useful without turning the catalogue back into hundreds of repetitive colour-size rows.

Low-stock alerts without sold-out noise

The seller has a default low-stock threshold, currently five units until changed in Settings. The owner can override it for a complete group or for one particular SKU.

A SKU is considered low when its quantity is below the applicable threshold. However, the Low Stock section also requires the SKU to remain in stock. A SKU with zero quantity belongs in the Out of stock view, not in a reorder list full of old designs.

The dashboard shows only the five lowest items first. “See All” opens a paginated low-stock screen, ordered from the lowest quantity upward.

Control what buyers see on My Local Shops

Inventory Manager connects the owner's stock to the public My Local Shops digital shop, but publication remains under owner control.

Two separate settings answer two different questions:

1. Publish on MLS: Should buyers be able to see this item at all?
2. Show price to buyers: If the item is visible, should its selling price be shown?

For a product with several colours and sizes, these choices apply consistently to the grouped item. This prevents one SKU from showing a price while another type of the same design unexpectedly hides it.

The owner can also use View on MLS to open the buyer-facing product page directly.

If one type is sold out but other SKUs remain available, the product can still appear because buyers can purchase or inquire about the available types. The sold-out type remains visible with clear out-of-stock information, so a buyer does not mistake it for available quantity. When the complete item is out of stock, browse lists hide it to prevent sold-out designs from becoming noise, while its published detail and inventory history can remain available for inquiry or a later restock.

Real garment-wholesale example

A wholesaler receives one Mickey Mouse T-shirt design in three colours and three sizes:

Colour	Size	Quantity	Sell price	Cost each
Red	S	3	₹250	₹170
Red	M	3	₹255	₹172
Red	L	3	₹260	₹175
Green	S	3	₹250	₹170
Green	M	3	₹255	₹172
Green	L	3	₹260	₹175
Blue	S	3	₹250	₹170
Blue	M	3	₹255	₹172
Blue	L	3	₹260	₹175

The catalogue shows Mickey Mouse T-shirt — 9 types, not nine duplicate product cards. The item detail shows 27 total units and the correct quantity, price, cost and photo for every type.

If Blue / L sells out:

• the other eight types remain available;
• Blue / L shows zero stock;
• the main dashboard reports eight in-stock SKUs for this design, not nine;
• the sold-out type does not fill the Low Stock section; and
• the complete product remains useful because 24 pieces are still available.

If five Red / M pieces are moved from the godown to Shop 1, total business stock stays unchanged while each location's quantity and stock value change.

What changes when Order Manager or Staff Bill makes a sale?

Inventory Manager is not an isolated stock register. Order Manager and Staff Bill use the same seller-owned product records while creating invoices.

Before saving a bill, the invoice flow validates that the required quantity is available at the billing location. On a successful save, stock is deducted from the correct SKUs. If two people try to sell the last pieces at the same time, transaction checks prevent a stale quantity from silently overwriting the latest stock.

The owner can therefore open Inventory Manager after staff billing and see the updated stock without importing or reconciling another file.

Common mistakes to avoid

Creating one product for every size

Use one grouped product with separate SKUs. Otherwise search and public listings become repetitive and the owner loses the shared identity of the design.

Combining every type into one quantity

“48 pieces” is not enough if the business needs to know which colours and sizes can actually be sold. Keep each operational type separate.

Entering the supplier item code as every SKU

The supplier code can be common across the design. Let Inventory Manager generate distinct SKUs for exact stock lookup and barcode labels.

Creating a new product during every purchase

Use Restock when the goods belong to an existing SKU or item. Duplicate products split stock history, average cost and search results.

Treating Stock Worth as expected revenue

Stock Worth represents current cost value. Selling value, revenue and profit answer different questions and belong in the billing and report workflows.

Publishing a product without reviewing its photo and visibility

Before sharing the MLS link, confirm the representative image, available types, publication toggle and price-visibility choice.

Frequently asked questions

Is Inventory Manager only for clothing?

No. Its colour-size grouping is especially useful for garments and footwear, but products without variants can also be stored as a single SKU.

Can every SKU have a different selling price?

Yes. A colour or size type can have its own selling price and cost. The grouped item shows a price range when the values differ.

Can every SKU have a different image?

Yes. Individual types can retain their own photo, while the grouped product uses a representative image in the main catalogue.

Can I add products without using Trade Manager?

Yes. Add Product Manually supports new products and restocking existing products even when no tracked trade exists.

Can I keep stock in two shops and one godown?

Yes, subject to the location limit of the seller's current plan. Each SKU can hold quantities at multiple locations and can be transferred between them. Check current plans and location limits rather than relying on an old quoted price.

Does scanning search the entire catalogue approximately?

No. A barcode scan looks for one exact system SKU. Normal text search handles names, supplier item codes and SKU text.

Will a sold-out product be deleted?

No. It remains available through Out of stock or All filters, preserving its details and restock path without filling the default operational list.

Can staff see the owner's costs and full inventory dashboard?

Staff Bill is designed for authorised billing staff and does not expose the owner's sensitive cost, profit and report information. Inventory Manager is an owner app.

Start using Inventory Manager

Inventory Manager is included in the connected My Local Shops business system. The Android app is free to download, while an active seller subscription is required to use the connected business tools.

• View and download Inventory Manager
• See current plans and location limits
• Set up your My Local Shops business
• Understand how all four apps work together
• Learn how received quantity becomes actual landed cost

The next guide will focus specifically on managing colours, sizes, SKUs, barcode labels and stock across multiple shops.