How do I stop selling things online that just sold in the shop?
Link your online shop to your till so counts update both ways, or list a safety buffer and check orders before confirming them.
This is the most common worry for shops going online. There are two good answers, depending on your till.
Option 1: Linked stock
If your point-of-sale system has its own online shop or connects to one, a sale at the till reduces the online count and the reverse is true too. This is the cleanest fix. Ask your till provider what it supports before choosing anything else.
Option 2: Buffers and checks
- List fewer than you hold. If you have six, show four online.
- Only list items you reliably restock.
- Pick each order soon after it arrives, before the shelf empties.
- Do a quick count of listed items at closing time.
When it still goes wrong
Contact the customer quickly, offer a close alternative or a refund, and thank them for their patience. Handled promptly, an out-of-stock message rarely loses a regular.
More on choosing tools in selling online from your shop.
Sell online from the store you already have