Cloud-Based Inventory Management Solution Allows Orbring.com to Expand Sales Channels

When gymnasts attempt a new tumbling move, having a high-quality mat beneath their feet gives them the confidence to soar higher. So when Orbring.com, a seller of professional-quality gymnastic mats used in schools, gyms, martial arts studios and more, wanted to expand sales into multiple new channels, it knew it needed a way to proactively and confidently manage its inventory.

With just four employees and 5,000 square feet of warehouse space in Houston, Orbring.com President Sean Peng wanted to expand product offerings and offer more SKUs without running into out-of-stock issues that could impact customer satisfaction. Managing inventory was additionally complicated by the fact that restocking requires a one-and-a-half month lead time to allow for shipping from China — not to mention significant costs.

Peng wanted an inventory management system would help him stay on top of his current and forecasted inventory needs, as well as avoid the potential pitfalls of selling across existing and new sales channels. He chose a cloud-based solution from Stitch Labs, a company which helps entrepreneurs like Peng easily track and manage every step of the inventory process.

"Before implementing the software, we didn't have the courage to try the more aggressive business practice of selling on multiple channels, including Amazon.com and eBay, because we were afraid we wouldn't be able to manage it with our limited staff," said Peng.

Stitch Labs’ solution allowed Peng and his team to add new products to its lineup, stock more inventory and keep costs to customers competitive.

Before using the cloud-based solution, Obring's inventory was monitored manually via an Excel file. Now, when an order is placed for products on Amazon, Peng can automatically see how much inventory is available for that and other channels.

"The efficiency gained from using this type of solution is tremendous," said Peng. "The biggest benefit is that we can now sell across more channels, knowing that our inventory is very well managed, which saves us a ton of time. That time saved allows us to spend more time focusing on our business strategy and growth plan."

Cloud-based inventory management solutions like Stitch Labs’ aggregate selling data from all sales channels, assisting business owners like Peng with inventory planning and preventing out-of-stock item headaches. Because the cloud-based inventory data is refreshed every few minutes, real-time reports allow Peng to stay on top of what's available and when he needs to plan a reorder. "We're never out of stock of our best-selling items," according to Peng.

Another benefit of implementing the software has been the multiwarehouse management capability afforded to Orbring, which enables Peng to track inventory levels in each of his two warehouses. "It's important for a small business like ours, since we don't want to invest in renting a single large warehouse," he added.

The bottom line has been huge savings in costs, time and efficiency for Orbring.com.

"Tracking inventory manually didn't allow us to scale up and increase our product offerings and sales," said Peng. "With our long lead time needed for shipping, it's important for us to stay on top of current and forecasted product levels. Having a cloud-based inventory management solution now saves us time, money and has eliminated our struggles with inventory management. It's really helping our business grow."

Brandon Levey is the CEO and founder of Stitch Labs, which offers a cloud-based, real-time inventory and business management solution for retailers.