Explains the inventory options available in ShipStation, how to view external inventory counts, and what features are available with ShipStation's internal inventory.
ShipStation provides two options for inventory:
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View external inventory counts in ShipStation.
Use this option if you already have an inventory management solution that integrates with ShipStation, or your selling channel can send inventory counts to ShipStation via their API.
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Use ShipStation's Internal Inventory Solution.
Use this option to upload and track your stock counts directly in ShipStation as you ship orders.
If you use both internal and external options simultaneously, or multiple external inventory sources, you can view the aggregate inventory in ShipStation as well.
For selling channels like Shopify and ChannelAdvisor, ShipStation can display inventory counts directly in a specific order's shipping sidebar and in the Order Details window, so you always know what your available stock is for those items. These counts display next to an order's line items to help you decide if it's okay to ship the order.
ShipStation serves as a window into your external inventory counts.
The Stock count field will show the name of the Inventory source selected for the ShipFrom locations.
How you connect your inventory solution to ShipStation will depend on which platform(s) you use. For some (like ChannelAdvisor), you first connect your marketplaces or store to the inventory management platform, then connect the inventory management platform to ShipStation as a single selling channel. When your orders ship, ShipStation notifies the connected channel of the shipment, and the inventory management platform then notifies the connected store or marketplace that the order has shipped and reduces the stock count accordingly.
However, if you use one of our API partners, like Finale Inventory, the connection process is different. In this case, you connect your marketplaces and selling channels to both the inventory platform and ShipStation. ShipStation imports orders from your selling channels as usual and notifies those channels when the order ships. In this case, the selling channel then notifies the inventory platform of the shipment so the inventory platform can reduce the stock count as needed.
In either situation, ShipStation makes a special API call to the inventory management system to request stock counts only when you view the order in ShipStation.
This table lists which selling channels ShipStation integrations with that also provide inventory capabilities. The table indicates if the store also has the ability to send stock counts to ShipStation.
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Partner's Website |
Connection Instructions |
Displays Stock Counts |
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...ChannelSale |
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... Cin7 |
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... DEAR Inventory |
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... Linnworks |
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... SellerActive |
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... Shopify |
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... Soldsie |
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... Stitch Labs |
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... SureDone |
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... topShelf by Scout |
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This table lists external inventory solutions that you can integrate with ShipStation and indicates whether that integration also sends stock counts to view in ShipStation.
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Partner's Website |
Connection Instructions |
Displays Stock Counts |
|---|---|---|
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... Connect ecomdash |
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... Connect SkuVault |
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This table lists integrated fulfilment partners that have inventory capabilities and whether they send stock counts to view in ShipStation.
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Partner's Website |
Connection Instructions |
Displays Stock Counts |
|---|---|---|
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ShipStation's Internal Inventory Management solution has four main features:
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Track and manage your stock levels
The Inventory section of your Products tab displays your stock levels. Set up your initial stock levels with a CSV import and ShipStation will deduct stock as you ship out your orders. Replenish your stock with a few clicks in the interface or with a CSV update.
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Alert you when your stock levels hit or fall below certain thresholds
Set account-wide or SKU-specific thresholds. When stock levels reach those amounts, the Inventory grid will show alert icons indicating that it's time for you to reorder.
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Apply available stock to higher priority orders first
ShipStation reserves available stock for your Awaiting Shipment orders using a process called Allocation. Adjust how the allocation process works by defining your own Allocation Strategy to include tasks that match your fulfilment priorities.
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Prevent shipping 'out-of-stock' orders
It's frustrating to create shipping labels for orders when you don't have the stock to ship them out. You can set ShipStation to warn or block whenever there’s an attempt to ship an order with insufficient or unknown stock.
If you're looking to solve these problems, then our internal Inventory Management solution is right for you! To learn how to set up inventory in ShipStation, review our inventory set up guide, or check out this short video:
Limitations of ShipStation's Internal Inventory:
ShipStation's Internal Inventory Management does NOT do the following:
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Send stock counts to all selling channels.
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Send purchase orders to vendors
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Split apart kit/bundle SKUs into individual component SKUs.
Several of our Inventory Management partners offer advanced Inventory Management features. If you need inventory management beyond ShipStation's inventory capabilities, please contact one of our partners.