Effective inventory management is one of the key challenges for any small business running an online store — and getting it wrong can lead to overselling, stockouts, cash flow problems, and unhappy customers. The good news is that Shopify has strong built-in inventory tools, and its app store offers a wide range of specialist inventory management apps to suit businesses of all sizes.
Shopify’s Built-In Inventory Features
Before exploring third-party apps, it’s worth knowing what Shopify provides out of the box:
- Stock tracking per product and variant – Set inventory quantities at the product and variant level (e.g., different sizes or colours)
- Low stock alerts – Get notified when inventory drops below a defined threshold
- Inventory adjustments – Manually update stock levels and record reasons for adjustments
- Multi-location inventory – Assign stock to multiple locations (physical shop, warehouse, etc.)
- Purchase orders – Create and track supplier purchase orders directly in Shopify
- Inventory CSV imports/exports – Bulk update inventory via spreadsheet
For many small Irish businesses, these built-in tools are sufficient to start with.
Stocky (Free — by Shopify)
Stocky is Shopify’s own free inventory management app. It provides demand forecasting, purchase order management, and supplier management tools. It’s a great starting point for small businesses that need more than the basic Shopify admin offers.
Inventory Planner
Inventory Planner is a popular choice for growing eCommerce businesses. It analyses your sales history to forecast future demand and recommends when and how much to reorder from suppliers — ideal if you’re managing products with seasonal demand, something many Irish businesses experience.
Cin7 and Cin7 Omni
Cin7 is a comprehensive inventory and order management system that integrates with Shopify. It’s well-suited to businesses that also sell through wholesale channels or marketplaces alongside their Shopify store.
Linnworks
Linnworks is a multi-channel inventory platform that syncs stock across Shopify, Amazon, eBay, and other channels. If you sell across multiple platforms, this is an excellent option.
Choosing the Right Inventory App
When selecting an inventory app, consider how many products and variants you manage, whether you sell on multiple channels, whether you have a physical store alongside your online shop, and your budget for monthly app fees.
At Grange Web Design, we help Irish Shopify stores select and configure the right inventory tools for their specific needs. Get in touch to discuss what setup would work best for your business.
