Case Study: Automating Inventory Management for Two Furniture Brands

Two of our clients, both growing furniture retailers, rely on a wide network of suppliers, many of whom send inventory updates via email in spreadsheet format. With large and frequently changing catalogs, both brands struggled to keep their online listings accurate and up to date.

Background & Challenge

Both brands were receiving inventory updates from suppliers via email, typically in spreadsheet form. The only way to keep their websites up to date was through manual reviews, line by line, of every inventory file. This process was time-consuming, error-prone, and costly, racking up about $5,000 in monthly labor.

We initially tried to streamline this process using Stock Sync, which can process inventory updates via email. However, Stock Sync requires a unique email address for each supplier. Since all supplier emails were sent to a shared inbox, we implemented a workaround using Google email filters that would forward emails from specific vendors to dedicated addresses. While this solution helped temporarily, it proved unreliable over time and was difficult to scale as more suppliers came on board.

Video Walkthrough

What They Wanted — and How We Got Them There

  • Their Goal

    Install and automated system the would take a standard email attachment and update the online store everyday without human intervention.

  • Our Solution

    We restructured the process entirely for greater reliability and automation. First, we set up a dedicated email address just for receiving inventory files from suppliers. This centralized communication and gave us full control over the intake process.

    Using Zapier, we built a script that monitored the inbox for new messages. When a supplier email arrived with an inventory file, Zapier would rename the file and move it to a designated folder. This movement acted as a reset mechanism, allowing the inventory sync process to run smoothly and consistently.

    We also changed the way Stock Sync was used. Rather than relying on email, we configured it to connect to an FTP server. The script would check daily whether a new file existed. If a file was found, Stock Sync would automatically process the inventory values and update the online catalog accordingly through the script to update the inventory.

Results That Moved the Needle

$4700
per month in labour cost saved.
Time
Countless hours have been returned to the client allowing them to focus on customer service
Refunds
No more inventory errors leading to refunds

The new system dramatically reduced manual workload and costs. Labor expenses dropped from $5,000 to just $300 per month. More importantly, the process became far more reliable. Inventory data is now synced automatically each day with no manual intervention. Errors due to outdated stock are nearly eliminated, leading to fewer returns and a better customer experience.

By designing and implementing a solid inventory automation workflow, we helped these two furniture brands move from a manual, high-cost system to a streamlined, accurate, and scalable solution. This transformation has freed up their teams to focus on core business tasks while ensuring customers always see accurate inventory online.

Results

Zapier flow that uses Gmail attachment, then run through a few filters before uploading it using easyFTP and then labelling the email as processed.

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