Inventory status
Genstore provides a comprehensive inventory status management system to help merchants and customers track stock levels in real time, ensuring a smooth shopping experience and preventing overselling. Inventory applies to both physical and digital products. Inventory status varies based on product type and business scenario, categorized as follows:
| Inventory type | Physical products | Digital products |
|---|---|---|
| Available inventory | ✓ | ✓ |
| On-hand inventory | ✓ | ✗ |
| Committed inventory | ✓ | ✓ |
| Unavailable inventory | ✓ | ✗ |
| Incoming inventory | ✓ | ✗ |
Below are detailed explanations of each inventory type and its business applications.
Available inventory
Available inventory refers to the real-time stock quantity that is ready for customer orders (excluding committed inventory). This applies to both physical and digital products.
For example, if a merchant has 100 classic white T-shirts in stock, with 10 reserved and 5 ordered but not yet shipped, the available inventory is calculated as:
100 - 10 - 5 = 85
| Item | Quantity (units) | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Total inventory | 100 | Total number of products in stock |
| Reserved inventory | 10 | Inventory reserved but not yet paid for or shipped |
| Ordered but not shipped | 5 | Items that have been ordered but not yet shipped |
| Available inventory | 85 | Inventory ready for purchase |
On-hand inventory
On-hand inventory refers to the number of products that have arrived at the warehouse and are ready for immediate shipment. This applies only to physical products and offers several key benefits:
- Warehouse management – Helps warehouses manage stock levels and restocking decisions.
- Pre-orders – If available inventory reaches zero, merchants can enable pre-orders if an incoming shipment is scheduled.
- Returns processing – Returned products enter on-hand inventory before being restocked for sale.
| Product name | On-hand inventory | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Wireless Bluetooth earbuds | 100 | Stock that has arrived and is ready for shipment |
Committed inventory
Committed inventory refers to stock that has been ordered but not yet shipped. It applies to both physical and digital products.
For example, if a merchant has 200 remote control cars, with 50 ordered but not yet shipped and 30 reserved, the committed inventory is:
50 + 30 = 80
| Item | Quantity (units) | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Total inventory | 200 | Total number of products in stock |
| Ordered but not shipped | 50 | Inventory that has been ordered but not yet shipped |
| Reserved inventory | 30 | Pre-reserved inventory that has not yet been paid for or shipped |
| Committed inventory | 80 | Inventory that is locked and temporarily unavailable for sale |
| Available inventory | 120 | Stock available for customer orders |
Once the order is shipped, the system updates the committed inventory accordingly.
Unavailable inventory
Unavailable inventory refers to stock that cannot be sold, usually because it has been set aside for special cases. This applies only to physical products and ensures that the normal sales inventory remains unaffected.
For example, if a merchant has 500 products, with 20 reserved for customers, 10 held in draft orders, and 15 damaged or expired, the unavailable inventory is:
20 + 10 + 15 = 45
| Item | Quantity (units) | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Total inventory | 500 | Total number of products in stock |
| Customer-reserved inventory | 20 | Inventory reserved for specific customers |
| Draft order inventory | 10 | Stock held in draft orders, not yet finalized |
| Damaged/expired inventory | 15 | Inventory that cannot be sold |
| Unavailable inventory | 45 | Temporarily unsellable inventory |
| Available inventory | 455 | Stock available for customer orders |
Incoming inventory
Incoming inventory refers to stock that has not yet been received, as it is still in transit or processing. This applies only to physical products and is used for managing purchase orders and inventory transfers.
For example, if a merchant has 50 running shoes in stock and an additional 100 in transit, the total estimated inventory is:
50 + 100 = 150
| Item | Quantity (units) | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Current inventory | 50 | Stock currently available |
| Incoming inventory | 100 | Inventory in transit or being processed |
| Estimated total inventory | 150 | Current stock + incoming stock |