Shop + online store with one stock: how to stop overselling

The short answer

Overselling happens when the shop counter and the website keep separate stock counts. The fix is one stock that both take from: a counter sale reduces the same number the website reads, so the website shows a piece sold out as soon as the last one is billed at the counter.

Why two stocks oversell

• A walk-in buys the last piece in the afternoon, and an online order for the same piece arrives that evening.
• Someone has to update the website after counter sales, and on a busy day they don't.
• New stock is entered twice, once in the billing program and once on the website, and the two drift apart.
• Returns at the counter go back on the shelf but not on the website.

What one stock means in practice

Each product, and each size or colour, has one quantity. Billing at the counter, an order on the website and a return in either place all change that same quantity, and each change is recorded so you can see why a number moved.

Some pieces you may want to keep for the shop only, like the last few of a design. One stock still works: hide those from the website while they stay on sale at the counter.

Checklist to move to one stock

• Count your shelf stock once, carefully, before you switch.
• Enter quantities per size and colour, not just per design.
• Give every piece a barcode, or print labels for those without one, so the counter bills the exact piece.
• Decide which pieces are counter-only and hide them from the website.
• Make returns go back into stock in the same system, at the counter and online.
• Do a quick stock count every few weeks to catch mistakes early.

How Slaby keeps one stock

Slaby is both the online store and the counter billing, so they share one stock. When the last piece sells at the counter, the product page and checkout show it sold out within seconds, and checkout refuses it. A Show online switch per product, size or colour keeps pieces for walk-ins.

Enter stock in a spreadsheet-style grid, paste from Excel or import a sheet; print barcode labels; and do a stock count by walking the shop with your phone. Returns, at the counter or from online orders, go back into the same stock.

One honest limit: catalogue feeds you share with Meta or Google update only when those services next fetch them, so a sold-out piece can still appear in an ad for a while. Your own website and checkout are always current.

Counter billing and shop stock come with every paid plan, from Lite at ₹299 a month, after a 14-day free trial.

Common questions

Will the website really update when I bill at the counter?

On Slaby, yes: the product page and checkout see the counter sale within seconds. Catalogue feeds shared with Meta or Google update on their next fetch.

What if my internet is down when I bill?

With offline billing switched on, cash and UPI bills are saved on the device and the stock is taken when they sync. A bill for a piece that sold online meanwhile waits for your review.

Can I keep some pieces only for the shop?

Yes. Switch Show online off for the product, or for one size or colour. It stays on sale at the counter.

Do I need photos for every product?

No. Pieces you only sell at the counter don't need photos. Add photos to the ones you want on the website.

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