This may not be the proper forum for me to ask this question and I guess someone will tell me if it's not. I have two web sites with VH but one of them is under construction and will be for months.

I have a good problem I guess. We use dropshippers for some of our products but have to purchase many of the 500 items we offer. We sell many of the same products on two online sites so keeping inventory records separately from our web sites is also necessary. We are growing so much that a spreadsheet is not working so well anymore.

Any suggestions as to what software would work well and be affordable for a small businesss?

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Barbara
http://www.elizabethbaileyportraits.com
http://www.gpteas.com

Try Quickbooks Pro....it integrates seemlessly into both Soho and OSC, and simplifies not only the accounting end of the transactions, but will allow you to add Quickbooks Store as an upgrade for less than 30% of the separate price of Store alone!

QBStore has the barcode, tagging, inventory tracking, and even different location functions you will find necessary.

> The next best alternative (cost-wise) it the $395 downloadable package available from InteractWeb --- even though it is shown "industry-specific", it is fully configurable for any need.

And....failing these two applications, the next best alternative is a $3000 package built on the Microsoft RMS foundation.

The whole idea is to integrate with the carts seamlessly without sacrificing the accounting interfacing, AND to keep the cost minimal and the system sustainable from a user standpoint, right??

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Thanks so much for the info. We'll be looking into your suggestions. We are going to be using CartManager but "integrates seemlessly" sounds good---as if if would work with CartManager, too.

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Barbara
http://www.elizabethbaileyportraits.com
http://www.gpteas.com

You might want to look into using access database to do this for you as you can migrate back and forth from spreadsheets to the database and make switch boards and filters and display just your inventory if thats what you are wanting to keep track of more efficiently. The database is much more programable, but, you will need to take a class or get a very good book on using it as you wont be able to just click it open and fire away without some practice.

Karen

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Well I'd guess not! You blew me away with that response! I have created and used databases before but "switch boards and filters" ? ? ?
My better half will have to do this and he is a little adverse to learning new ways ! We are going to have to do something as keeping inventory is getting more and more complex. Tks for the info.

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Barbara
http://www.elizabethbaileyportraits.com
http://www.gpteas.com

Well if youve experience with access, then you probably can get by with it..a switch board is just a pretty way to view your database without viewing the raw data... you can also set it up to edit the database in this view. The filters would sort out what you want to display... product, inventory, name, sku etc without all the other fields you may have in there.. like descriptions, cost, retail, profit margins, etc

Karen

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Tks Karen, the mud is becoming a little more clear!

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Barbara
http://www.elizabethbaileyportraits.com
http://www.gpteas.com

Cart Manager is merely a tool to help load product to the shopping cart.

I think there is a confusion of terms....... an "inventory system" with accounting usually refers to something similar to what is required by a brick-and-mortar store (one that prints out receipts, has bar code, does labels, has back office and locations, does realtime inventory ordering, tracks client records, updates product inventory, etc.), and is often commonly implemented as a POS system.....and very few software titles interface with shopping carts or online utilities.

Without overcomplicating things and still being able to get the total job done without popping veins, take another look at Quickbooks Pro, and then "upgrading" to add Quickbooks Store on top of it......it has everything you need, is affordable, interfaces with every cart, and does not require a new learning curve. Accounting, inventory, transactions, management, etc. Then you can spend another $100 to get the Cart Manager to speed up your cart product loads.

>> Having these "tools" becomes rather handy as well, for they not only will be able to solve your online management issues, but can be applied elsewhere as needed, being the business "standard" themselves.

The real key to all of this is really knowing how your shopping cart really works, and how you either can or cannot work with it. Having your "requirements" listed and knowing how to perform them in your cart will immediately point out the features you would do best to automate, streamline, or enhance. Picking out tools before you get to the jobsite is somewhat awkward. The simpler you keep it, the more likely you will be able to sustain your model.

You think?

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Vasili..pfft

Im NOT disagreeing with you, I just used office database management before quickbooks ever existed, and you can do all this with it too! But then I am certified in it, so.. that explains my preferences for it. I was simply giving her options to use what she already has.. knowing that shes not likely wanting to spend more!

Cart Manager is working a way to manage csv uploads and downloads for product inventory etc. Have to check with Beth on the status of it, but its an ADD on Cart similar to Mal's. It generates buttons similar to the system paypal uses as well and its one reason I dont want to use it for large stores!

Karen

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Quickbooks and CM are compatible.

She already HAS CM - so at this point, using something compatible with it makes sense.

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Beth
A Child's Palace - Pinata Palace - Moxie Enterprises

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LOL....See? It's good to call for a clarification of terms!

Whatever.....asking for an "inventory" solution in my mind is completely different than "loading carts" so, if (like I suggested) you use Quickbooks as a usable foundation (which is probably the most versatile accounting tool for eCommerce anyway, since it is compatible with just about everything and is the easiest to learn to use effectively), "upgrading"/adding Quickbooks Pro Store is not only significantly less money, but a complete solution for what I believe the original question was all about.

Geesh!

OK...I'm done!

Ok.. everybody stick fork in Vasili.. He's DONE! :)

Karen

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AFFLAC!!!

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