webshop stock organising?

[biscuitlid]

Hello

I'm new to this forum after saying hi in the newbies thread last week.

I make and sell wedding stationery and greetings cards, through fairs etc. I have a website that only displays my wedding stationery and am about to launch a new e-commerce shop selling greetings cards as well as online ordering for wedding stationery.

There's one thing that I can't quite get my head around and that's organising my stock of greetings cards. Normally if I do a 'card party' I take most of my products and set them up. I need to be able to find cards quickly (she says ever hopeful of orders!) as I've got a 9 month old and need to ensure I can get any orders out promptly without diving through boxes and wondering where I've put things! :confused:

Any advice or ideas would be more than welcome. I've had the webshop built for me and it will do all the invoicing etc, I have the admin control and need to start loading things up asap but feel I need to overcome this obstacle first. My head has gone to mush!

Thanks
Victoria

[Kiamyka]

You should be able to set up various caterories then add stock to the catergory ie Wedding, Birthday, Get Well etc Is this what you were asking ?

[biscuitlid]

Hi Chris
No, I think I've said it wrong, my website itself is organised into sections and headings, what I'm not doing so well is organising my products at home in my work room so that when an order comes through, I know exactly where to look for the products.

Do I label my products behind the scenes so that for example if I get an order for x,y & z cards, i got ot the x,y,z shelf?

Sorry If I'm not very clear, I don't know the right terms for what I'm trying to say.
Victoria

[AniccaJewellery]

Organise the categories as Kiamyka says, then give each card a SKU, store them in shoe boxes with a divider for each SKU (in numerical order). Hope that makes sense!

[biscuitlid]

I'm going to show my lack of knowledge now... what's an SKU please? It all makes sense except that one bit!

Thanks
Victoria

[Lilac Moon]

Afraid that one goes over my head too.:D the way I would do it is to store them in the same categories and order you have them on your web. that way you can go straight to it.

[Tip Top]

Why not get some cardboard storage boxes, divide the insides up into 3 sections and then use dividers inside to label them the same as the sections on your website. That is what I do for all my stock!

[AniccaJewellery]

Sorry, a SKU is an individual code number that you give each item.

[biscuitlid]

Thanks so much for all the advice. I'm off to get stocked up on boxes tomorrow and I guess I will be labelling and making dividers too. I feel I can sleep now without lying there wondering how to do store everything!
xx

[Kiamyka]

Oh Lol I am the worst person to ask then = I wrap all my stock up in bundles , then in carrier bags - so have a night mare finding stuff but at least it does all fit in a few baskets :p