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#1 11-24-2014 16:11:25

dskowron
Member
Registered: 11-26-2008
Posts: 138

Real, meaningful inventory control

So how is it that I have 24 of one item, declining balance inventory control is set to true, and I sell 39 of the item even though I set the inventory level at 24? And it also happened with other items, so it isn't just this one particular item. These are items that sell very fast. I send out an email to my subscriber list of approximately 6000 customers, and I tell them the time I will open the online store. When that time arrives and I open the shop, I sell out almost all my inventory within 10 or 15 minutes. This time around, we oversold 23 units total. These are units we do not have, so I have to interrupt my production schedule to make these items, or issue refunds. People do not want refunds. They want their items.

I guess I simply don't understand inventory control in the context it is presented in CCP8. Can someone please explain to me what I am missing?

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#2 11-25-2014 08:58:04

webmaster
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From: York, PA
Registered: 04-20-2001
Posts: 19798
Website

Re: Real, meaningful inventory control

I'd recommend opening a ticket on this.  It sounds like the current inventory controls are not going to function as precisely as you need them to.

You're running into an issue where a large number of customers are all in checkout at the same exact time submitting payment for orders which have cleared inventory checks.  If you have 50 customers on the payment page entering their card info, etc. and only 25 items left, the customers who click submit first will win, provided they all reached that page while inventory was still available.

Compounding this is the use of slow processors like PayPal Standard and SIM-relay type methods.  Those take a long time (technically speaking) to route the customer back for payment confirm and inventory reduction.  Methods like FirstData API and Authorize.net AIM are much better suited to such environments.

In your case, due to the way you're marketing, I'd recommend opening a support ticket to see if there's something we can do through the custom shop to perform more inventory checks prior to processing the order.  Or possibly to hold inventory for X minutes in carts once they reach checkout.

I've only ever seen issues like this with gun and bullet manufacturers during mad rushes for ammo and parts.  When that happens to those guys, it's usually every related store on the net having the same issues, and some of them don't even respond (not our software).


Nick Hendler

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#3 11-25-2014 09:44:51

dskowron
Member
Registered: 11-26-2008
Posts: 138

Re: Real, meaningful inventory control

Ok, I opened a level one ticket. I didn't provide usernames and passwords yet. I want to discuss this issue first. If we proceed, we'll go from there with the access. Before I give up the shop I need to know what can be done and the cost, if any.

I've dealt with authorize.net and all the headaches and charges involved with that. I'd rather chew on aluminum foil than go back to that payment method.

Thank you

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#4 11-25-2014 12:14:10

webmaster
Administrator
From: York, PA
Registered: 04-20-2001
Posts: 19798
Website

Re: Real, meaningful inventory control

I indicated in a reply to your ticket that your issue is that you're processing exclusively through PayPal Standard.  Switch to PayPal PayFlow Pro and you'll see a world of difference.  Your store is way too busy at times to rely on a payment method that takes the average user 5 minutes to complete.


Nick Hendler

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#5 11-25-2014 13:09:53

dskowron
Member
Registered: 11-26-2008
Posts: 138

Re: Real, meaningful inventory control

I'll give it a look. Thank you. I still think it would be good to simply code things so that when an item gets put into a shopping cart it is subtracted from inventory, and unless it gets specifically removed from the cart, it should stay out of inventory. For us at least, it is far better to undersell than to oversell. As it is now, on any error, the item is put back into inventory even though it may very well have been paid for. Just my input as a person who relies on this software very heavily.

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#6 11-26-2014 08:08:35

webmaster
Administrator
From: York, PA
Registered: 04-20-2001
Posts: 19798
Website

Re: Real, meaningful inventory control

I don't think that's practical.  You could have a non-paying customer tie inventory up for a month doing it that way.


Nick Hendler

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