Tile shops and flooring suppliers in Canada face specific inventory hurdles. Managing vast numbers of SKUs with variations in colour, size, finish, and dye lot, while also handling different units of measure (piece, box, square foot, pallet), requires specialized tools. Generic inventory software often falls short.

Here are essential inventory management features for Canadian tile shops:

1. Robust Variant and Lot Tracking

This is non-negotiable. Your software must handle product variants seamlessly (e.g., the same tile in different sizes or finishes). Crucially, it needs dye lot tracking. Selling tiles from different lots on the same job can lead to visible colour variations and unhappy customers. The system should track inventory by lot number and ideally prevent mixing lots on a single order or alert staff.

2. Flexible Units of Measure (UoM) Conversion

You buy tiles by the pallet or box, store them as boxes or square feet, and sell them by the piece, box, or square foot. Your inventory software needs to handle these conversions automatically and accurately. When you sell a certain square footage, the system should correctly deduct the equivalent number of boxes or pieces from stock.

3. Kitting and Sample Management

Often, you'll sell installation kits (tile, grout, adhesive) or provide samples to customers. The software should allow you to bundle items into kits, tracking the component inventory. It also needs a way to manage samples – tracking what's out, with which customer, and deducting sample quantities from available stock without marking them as sold.

4. Image Integration and Cataloguing

Visuals are critical in the tile business. Your inventory system should allow attaching multiple high-quality images to each product and variant. A well-organized digital catalogue within the software helps staff quickly identify products and show options to customers.

5. Landed Cost Calculation

For imported tiles, calculating the true cost (including freight, duty, brokerage fees) is vital for accurate pricing and profit analysis. Look for software that supports landed cost calculations, distributing these additional costs across the received inventory items.

Choosing inventory management software with these features, like InterSource, empowers Canadian tile shops to manage their complex inventory effectively, reduce errors, improve customer service, and maintain healthy profit margins.

Interested in the top inventory features for your tile shop? Learn how InterSource can help.