Inventory management is one of those things most Shopify merchants don’t think deeply about—until something goes wrong.You run out of your best-selling SKU.You overstock a slow mover.Cash flow gets tight because inventory is sitting in the warehouse.If you’re using Shopify POS Pro, you probably already have access to Stocky, Shopify’s built-in inventory management tool. While it’s not as flashy as some third-party apps, it’s surprisingly powerful once you understand how to use it properly.Here’s how I approach inventory tracking and replenishment planning with Stocky in a practical way.

Start with Accurate Inventory (Stocktakes Matter More Than You Think)

Before talking about forecasting or replenishment, there’s one non-negotiable rule:If your inventory data is wrong, everything else is wrong.Stocky makes stocktakes relatively straightforward. I usually:

  • Run regular physical counts (monthly for A products, quarterly for B/C products)
  • Use barcode scanning when possible
  • Adjust discrepancies directly inside Stocky

The key here isn’t just counting stock. It’s building a habit of correcting inventory data consistently. Once your on-hand numbers are reliable, everything else—reorder points, demand forecasting—becomes meaningful.

Use Low Stock Reports as a Daily Control Panel

One feature I rely on heavily is the Low Stock report.Instead of manually checking product pages, I treat this report like a dashboard:

  • Which SKUs are approaching reorder point?
  • Which ones are selling faster than usual?
  • Where could I potentially lose revenue if I don’t restock soon?

Stocky calculates reorder points based on:

  • Average daily sales
  • Supplier lead time
  • Current stock on hand

For example:If you sell 4 units per day and your supplier needs 14 days to deliver, you should reorder when stock drops near 56 units.This removes guesswork. You're not reordering “based on feeling,” you're reordering based on math.

Let Stocky Suggest Purchase Quantities (But Don’t Blindly Trust It)

When creating a purchase order, Stocky can recommend quantities based on historical sales.I use this as a starting point—not a final decision.What I always review manually:

  • Seasonality (Is this product trending or slowing down?)
  • Promotions coming up
  • Marketing campaigns that may increase demand
  • Cash flow situation

Stocky’s forecasting logic works best when your sales patterns are stable. If you're running aggressive ads or launching new channels, you’ll need to layer in business judgment.Think of Stocky as your analyst, not your boss.

Managing Multi-Location Inventory

If you operate both online and retail (or multiple stores), transfers become important.Stocky helps you:

  • Transfer stock between locations
  • Keep historical records
  • Maintain visibility across warehouses

This is especially useful when one store is overstocked and another is running low. Instead of placing a new supplier order, sometimes internal reallocation solves the problem faster and cheaper.

ABC Analysis: A Simple Way to Reduce Inventory Risk

One underrated feature in Stocky is inventory reporting that helps you see:

  • Which products drive most of your revenue
  • Which ones are slow movers
  • Which SKUs tie up capital without meaningful return

I personally classify products like this:

  • A products: Top 20% generating 60–80% revenue → Tight monitoring, frequent restocking
  • B products: Stable but not critical → Moderate stock levels
  • C products: Low turnover → Conservative purchasing

This prevents over-investing in low-impact SKUs and protects cash flow.

A Reality Check: Stocky Is Being Phased Out

If you're planning long-term, there’s something important to know:Shopify has announced that Stocky will be sunset in 2026.That means if you’re heavily dependent on it, you should:

  • Start transitioning workflows to Shopify’s native inventory tools
  • Export historical purchase order data
  • Evaluate third-party inventory systems if you need advanced forecasting

The good news is that many of Stocky’s core features (transfers, purchase orders, basic inventory reporting) are already being integrated directly into Shopify Admin.The principles stay the same—even if the interface changes.

Final Thoughts

Stocky isn’t a magic tool.It won’t fix poor demand planning.It won’t solve bad supplier relationships.It won’t replace business judgment.