Sellable SKU counts
Each SKU has a sellable count separate from total on-hand. Reservations and pending fulfillment decrement sellable, not on-hand.
Use case
E-commerce Inventory software
Oversold three units of the holiday bundle on Black Friday. Refund, apology email, listing demoted by the algorithm. Ecommerce inventory software is what stops that. Order3 keeps sellable stock, bundles, and fulfillment inventory aligned with what's physically on the shelf.
Definition
What is E-commerce Inventory software?
Ecommerce inventory is the sellable stock behind Shopify, Amazon, eBay, Etsy, or your own checkout. The job is keeping what's available to sell aligned with what physically exists, across every channel and every backroom or warehouse you ship from. Get it wrong and you oversell (selling something you don't have) or stockout, which drops your listing in ranking and costs you organic traffic that's hard to win back. Ecommerce inventory software replaces the channel-specific stock pages and the spreadsheet your operations lead updates twice a day. SMB Shopify sellers, multi-channel sellers, ecommerce-native brands, and 3PLs running ecommerce fulfillment all use it.
Capabilities
What the workflow covers
Bundle and kit support
Bundles know their components. Selling a bundle decrements the components; running out of any component blocks bundle availability.
Backroom and warehouse counts
Hold stock at multiple locations (store backroom, warehouse, 3PL) and roll up to a sellable total or expose them per channel.
Low-stock alerts and reorder drafts
When sellable stock approaches threshold, the purchasing agent drafts a reorder using supplier and lead-time data. A manager approves.
Channel sync direction
Push availability to channels or pull orders from channels. Configurable per channel because not every store wants the same direction.
Photo and barcode workflow
Receive and pick from a phone. Photos ride on item records for warehouse and customer-service contexts.
How it works
From floor action to approved record
- Step 01
Connect channels
Connect Shopify, Amazon, or other channels. Map SKUs and decide sync direction per channel.
- Step 02
Receive and stock
Receive incoming stock at the warehouse or backroom. Sellable count updates; channels see the new availability.
- Step 03
Fulfill orders
Orders flow in from channels. Pick and ship from the mobile app; on-hand and sellable counts decrement automatically.
- Step 04
Reorder before stockout
When sellable stock crosses threshold, the purchasing agent drafts a reorder. A manager approves before sending.
Workflow artifact
The record a team can inspect
A useful e-commerce inventory workflow leaves an item, location, owner, next action, and approval trail behind it.
Order3 record
E-commerce Inventory review
Trigger
Sellable SKU counts
Each SKU has a sellable count separate from total on-hand. Reservations and pending fulfillment decrement sellable, not on-hand.
Evidence
Connect channels
Connect Shopify, Amazon, or other channels. Map SKUs and decide sync direction per channel.
Next action
Receive and stock
Receive incoming stock at the warehouse or backroom. Sellable count updates; channels see the new availability.
Control
Reorder before stockout
When sellable stock crosses threshold, the purchasing agent drafts a reorder. A manager approves before sending.
Who runs this
Who needs ecommerce inventory software?
Shopify and multi-channel sellers running their own warehouse or backroom. DTC brands fulfilling from one location with growing SKU counts. Retail businesses with both store and ecommerce stock that need one inventory record everyone trusts. Brands transitioning from one channel to multiple, adding Amazon to Shopify, or adding a wholesale channel. 3PLs running ecommerce fulfillment for SMB clients. The trigger is usually the first oversell that costs a customer or the first time a listing drops because stock went to zero unnoticed.
Fit checklist
Use Order3 when the workflow needs these controls
-
Sellable SKU counts
Each SKU has a sellable count separate from total on-hand. Reservations and pending fulfillment decrement sellable, not on-hand.
-
Bundle and kit support
Bundles know their components. Selling a bundle decrements the components; running out of any component blocks bundle availability.
-
Backroom and warehouse counts
Hold stock at multiple locations (store backroom, warehouse, 3PL) and roll up to a sellable total or expose them per channel.
-
Low-stock alerts and reorder drafts
When sellable stock approaches threshold, the purchasing agent drafts a reorder using supplier and lead-time data. A manager approves.
How it works in Order3
How ecommerce inventory works in Order3
Order3 holds SKUs with sellable and on-hand counts, plus bundle definitions where they apply. Multi-location separates warehouse, backroom, and 3PL stock. Integrations connect channels. Shopify is in the v1 integration list; Amazon, eBay, and others are being prioritized. Barcode scanning and the mobile app handle receiving and picking. The purchasing agent watches sellable stock against lead times and drafts reorders. The forecasting agent flags items where current sales pace will hit zero before the reorder lands. Operators can ask 'what's running low across all channels' or 'which SKUs haven't sold in 30 days' and get an answer from the records.
Feature
Inventory integrations
The first connectors prioritize ecommerce, accounting, and supplier workflows, with the v1 list still being finalized. The shape is consistent: event-driven sync over a documented API, with a mapping layer that surfaces exceptions instead of overwriting silently.
Feature
Purchasing Agent
Eight items are below reorder point. Two purchase orders are already inbound. The agent prepares a draft with quantities, supplier context, and the calculation behind each line. Nothing goes to a supplier until a person approves it.
Feature
Barcode scanning
Scan an item, confirm a quantity, and update the record from the floor. Order3 reads UPC, EAN, Code 128, Code 39, QR, and GS1 DataMatrix from an iOS or Android camera, plus Bluetooth handheld scanners that act as keyboards.
Feature
Low-stock alerts
Most low-stock alerts are noise. This one shows up with the lead time factored in, the right owner attached, and a next action one click away. Hand off to the purchasing agent for a draft, request a transfer from another location, or dismiss with a documented reason. Dashboards that nobody opens twice were not the goal.
How to choose
How to choose ecommerce inventory software
Confirm channel coverage before anything else. If your primary channel isn't supported, the rest of the comparison is irrelevant. Test the bundle workflow if you sell bundles. Many tools handle simple SKUs but stumble on bundle edge cases. Check that multi-location holds independent counts per location instead of tags on a global count. Look at reorder logic: static threshold versus lead-time-aware. Don't pick Order3 if you need full omnichannel order management with returns, replacements, and complex routing across many channels. ShipBob's tooling, Cin7, or Linnworks are built for that. Order3 is built for SMB sellers; complex routing across 10+ channels is outside the current focus.
Related guides
Read before you switch
-
Guide
Inventory management for small business: the practical guide
Inventory management for a small business comes down to four things: knowing what you have, where it is, what changed, and what to reorder next. Most small teams do not need an ERP. They need clean item records, named locations, reorder rules where shortages hurt, and a weekly rhythm that survives a busy quarter.
-
Guide
The multi-location inventory playbook
Multi-location inventory has three layers: bin, location, region. Track stock at every physical place it rests, with separate quantities, separate reorder rules, and a clear record of every movement between locations. Get the location hierarchy and transfer accountability right and the rest of the system follows. Get them wrong and every report lies.
E-commerce Inventory software FAQ
Which ecommerce channels does Order3 support?
Shopify is in the v1 integration list. Amazon, eBay, Etsy, and WooCommerce are being prioritized; the v1 ship list is still being finalized. The API supports custom integration if your channel isn't on the list. If a specific channel is required, ask before committing. We'd rather flag a gap than overpromise.
How does it prevent oversells?
Sellable count decrements as orders arrive, before fulfillment. Channels see the updated count and the listing drops to zero before another customer can buy. Inventory at multiple locations rolls up into a single sellable count by default; you can also reserve stock per channel if you want to protect a specific channel's allocation. Sync delays between Order3 and channels can introduce a small window. If your volume is high enough that this matters, plan for safety stock buffers per channel.
Can I sell bundles or kits?
Yes. A bundle SKU defines its components. Selling the bundle decrements each component's sellable count. If any component goes to zero, the bundle becomes unavailable until restocked. Useful for gift sets, starter kits, and any catalog where you sell pre-packed combinations of items you also sell individually.
Does it handle returns and restocking?
Basic returns work: receiving the item back, restocking to a location, capturing condition. Full RMA workflows with refund processing, replacements, and customer communication aren't part of v1. Pair with your channel's RMA tools or a returns platform like Loop or Returnly. The inventory side stays accurate; the customer-facing returns experience lives elsewhere for now.
What if I use a 3PL? Can they use Order3 too?
Yes if your 3PL is willing to operate in your system. Multi-location can hold the 3PL as a location, and you can give 3PL staff scoped access to receive and ship from there. Most 3PLs run their own WMS and won't operate in a client's system. In that case, integrate via API or accept periodic syncs. Talk to your 3PL before assuming either pattern works.
How long does setup take for an ecommerce seller?
A single-channel Shopify seller with under a thousand SKUs can be live in a day or two. Multi-channel sellers with bundles and multiple locations take a week or two. The slow steps are SKU mapping across channels and labeling locations physically. Plan to run Order3 in parallel with your current inventory system for a week before flipping channels over.
Adjacent use cases
Try E-commerce Inventory in Order3.
Start with the SKUs, locations, and counts behind the problem. Bring in expert help when the workflow needs integrations, approvals, or agent policy.