Inventory Management - Brief overview for new startups
Inventory Management - Brief overview for new startups
Inventory is the bread and butter of a wholesale businessman. Inventory management is therefore inevitable for all wholesale entrepreneurs to succeed. There are many things that need to be considered by a wholesaler or supplier who is about to start a new business as a wholesaler. Wholesalers buy in bulk and sell in bulk. Poor inventory management can put them to a road of forever losses. Anyone starting a business as a wholesaler should therefore know the importance of inventory management for long term success.
A wholesaler will always need a warehouse. Warehouse is the best friend or the worst enemy of a wholesale supplier or distributor. Choosing the right kind of warehouse is like winning half the battle. The two key ingredients in selection of a warehouse are its location and space. More the space, costlier it will become to get one. Better location will raise the rent or the price (if you intend to buy). Location's preference will be on the type of transport used to carry the inventory into and out of the warehouse. There are many warehouses in the UK where large Lorries are forbidden to travel. Many UK wholesalers are either shifting to smaller modes of transport or going out of the city. Poor location selection significantly increases the risk of failure as a wholesale distributor. The wholesale business entrepreneur should appropriately estimate the inventory's particular quantity staying at the warehouse at a given time. This saves him additional cost and he can have reasonable sized warehouse at the best suited location.
Use of software is a must for a new start up wholesale business. Often new entrepreneurs who aren't tech-comfortable think technology as a waste of money. A lot of new inventory management software is available in the market. You can purchase any good inventory management software and easily manage your entire inventory with maximum efficiency and minimum losses.
Supply chain management is an important part of effective inventory management system. Buying inventory decision should be based on the demand and supply forces. There are many entrepreneurs who aren't able to minimize their warehouse and transportation. It can be a crucial step in determining the success of a wholesale business. The key here is the proactive approach adopted by the entrepreneur. He should strike a fine balance between just the right kind of inventory and the demand. Good relations with the manufacturers can also help maintain the balance of inventory and wholesale supplier can easily get on demand inventory whenever there are any variations in the level of inventory demanded by his business.
A pre-planned warehouse and inventory management system for a start up wholesale business is the best way to go. This will save the entrepreneur from a lot of problems and minimize the chances of failing a new wholesale business start up.