Multiple Products with Same SKU - Not Updating Inventory in Sync

[Jon_C33]

Hi all,

I have two different shopify product pages that are both selling the same physical product. This physical product has just one SKU that I have entered on both product pages.

However, when the product is sold on product page A, it only updates the inventory of the physical product for that specific product page, and not the inventory for product B as well (which intuitively it should--because they are utilizing the same SKU).

How can I set it so that no matter where the physical product is sold (no matter which shopify product page it is sold on), the inventory will update across all areas?

The issue here is that product page A might sell 50 of the physical product, but it doesn't update that inventory at all on product page B and then I run into mismatched inventory numbers and fulfillment issues because we ran out of the product when we had no idea.

[axsuul]

Hey @Jon_C33 

Unfortunately Shopify doesn't keep in sync inventory for products that have the same SKU. You will need to use a plugin/app for that.

For example, Trunk can keep inventory in sync in real-time between shared SKUs within your Shopify store: https://www.trunkinventory.com

P.S. I'm the developer of Trunk so please let me know if you have any additional questions/concerns!

[Kaycee_Jones]

Hi there, great to know you are a developer! We have the same issue, but we have used another plug in app and are wanting to find another because there are too many challenges. Can you tell me this has overcome the following challenges? 
1- Does it sync with the Edit feature in Shopify orders?
2- Does it sync with auto return platforms like Loop Returns that we use to manage our returns/exchanges?
3- Does it sync with transfers of inventory?

[bibtq]

Do you have any other recommended apps for this solution? 

[Stephhrev]

Hi Jon,

Did you ever find a solution to this? As I am in the same boat. 

I can see lots of stock syncing apps for multiple warehouse/wesbites to connect via feed updates but I just want to synch my inventory in my shop between products like yourself.

Thanks!

[axsuul]

Hi @Stephhrev 

Sorry to bud in but I just wanted to mention that Trunk will be able to sync stock levels between different products within the same Shopify store. There's two ways Trunk can do this:

1. either by making sure all products that you want to sync together have the same SKU, or

2. if you don't/can't make the SKUs be the same, you can use our bundling/kitting feature to do this: http://bit.ly/trunkhelpbundles

Here is Trunk's Shopify App Store listing if you're interested in checking it out: http://apps.shopify.com/trunk

Please let me know if you have any questions!

[Jon_C33]

No solution unfortunately and don't want to add more apps on top of our setup so we have just tracked inventory manually.

[Leily_a]

hey there - were you able to come to a good solution for this? facing this problem now too and would love to see if you found something that worked for keeping track of inventory of a certain SKU on multiple different product pages. 

[Stephhrev]

Hey!

Yes! we have been using the 'Bundles' app ( just search for that in the apps) which has been great. Super easy to use, and recognises when items are deleted etc ( I don't know how to link the app here otherwise I would!)

kind regards, 

steph

[mynichehome]

Hi, is this bundles app the one that you use?

https://apps.shopify.com/bundles?surface_detail=bundles&surface_inter_position=1&surface_intra_posit...

will it allow me to sync stock levels for 2 different products?

---

@Stephhrev wrote:

Hey!

Yes! we have been using the 'Bundles' app ( just search for that in the apps) which has been great. Super easy to use, and recognises when items are deleted etc ( I don't know how to link the app here otherwise I would!)

kind regards, 

steph

---

[Stephhrev]

hi @mynichehome 

Yes and yes 🙂 its brilliant!

Just bare in mind takes about an hour to update inventory when you add stock to the single items in shopify.

[ryanwanger]

It's really disappointing that this doesn't work out of the box with Shopify. Not only that, but it allowed us to create a page using the duplicate SKU, without any warning that it wouldn't be syncing inventory properly.

We already pay thousands for an external inventory management system (SkuVault), so it's strange that the answer is to add yet another inventory management system into the mix. Or, is this something I need to bring up with SkuVault?

[myfilosophy]

Does anyone know if this is being worked on by shopify?

[axsuul]

@ryanwanger 

Trunk is also an inventory management system like SkuVault so an alternative is to use Trunk which supports duplicate SKU syncing. If you don't want to sync duplicate SKUs, Trunk will also notify you if you have any duplicate SKUs.

https://apps.shopify.com/trunk

[myfilosophy]

The app is too much money.  $29/month to update a few skus is not worth it.

[Stephhrev]

I Use 'Bundles'... Costs me $14 a month and works a treat!

[Tejas_Sangoi]

You can use Duplicate SKU Sync app - its costs just $5 and gets the job done.

[MeganSonk]

YES! This is exactly what I was looking for!! Just a super simple way to link common SKUs! Giving it a try and feeling excited!

[Martialartintel]

Using duplicate SKU but I cannot tell i the second SKU product is synched to my print on demand provider the same way? Do you know if my order Will still be fulfill automatically with my POD provider ?

[kingzav]

I dont understand why they would even give the option to duplicate a product if you cant sync the inventory.

[stiltwalker]

Exactly.  They didn't use to allow you to duplicate a SKU.  The system would give you an error.  But now, I'm noticing that Shopify allows it.  This is fairly new. 

[myfilosophy]

Do you know if this is working properly?

[ProfitLabs]

Hi Merchants / Store Owners,

We faced a similar issue with our stores and found the the current solution either too clunky or very expensive, this lead us to take charge and create a simple solution that should simply work like flipping a switch.

Here is App ink: https://apps.shopify.com/sync-master-gogo

Here are few key points before you decide to invest your next 5 minutes on the app page

• If your Product Sku are in order on Shopify, then it's actually just setting you need to activate, app will automatically sync inventory changes for similar sku products.
• You can Manually create Product groups which are same base physical sku and they will be synced.
• Real time Syncing works across multiple locations in a same shopify store eg pick up location and a warehouse location and across multiple shopify stores also for example wholesale store and retail store selling same products
• Lastly App has "Pay as you grow" plan, i.e there is no fixed cost per month, you only pay as per your syncing requirements.

Hope that helps.

Cheers!

[Kaycee_Jones]

Hi there, great to know you are providing a solution! We have the same issue, but we have used another plug in app and are wanting to find another because there are too many challenges. Can you tell me this has overcome the following challenges? 
1- Does it sync with the Edit feature in Shopify orders?
2- Does it sync with auto return platforms like Loop Returns that we use to manage our returns/exchanges?
3- Does it sync with transfers of inventory?

[ProfitLabs]

Yes our app is compatible with all 3 requirements mentioned by you.

[Tobias5]

How about the Bundles app of Shopify itself? https://apps.shopify.com/shopify-bundles

If I understand it well, with that app you can have 1 SKU in your inventory and create multiple bundles (where you add 1 product) and give all the same SKU + barcode. Then multiple products in your front end will be supplied by 1 SKU, with 1 barcode and one product in your backend (Shopify inventory).

[Smeden]

Did you figure out if this did the trick? I'm having the same problem and can't seem to figure out if this app does this or is designed for something else?

[ProfitLabs]

Bundles app is designed to set up multi sku fixed product bundles. It is not an ideal solution for 1:1 inventory syncing i.e 1 physical sku for multiple shopify products like unisex clothing.

[stitch-able]

I know your post is from years ago, but curious is there has been any new information on Shopify adding this option or I still need to add an additional app in order to do this. Thanks!

[Smeden]

Funny - I'm here at this exact moment with the same question! My free version app just expired.

- Guy above mentioned "Shopify Bundles" - it's a free app from shopify. My IT guy is on vacation so I can't test it myself (and this app didnt exist when we created my website) but it might do the trick? If you try it, please let me know!

[pauldrecksler]

I outlined a solution we came up with using Zapier: https://community.shopify.com/c/technical-q-a/how-to-auto-sync-inventory-counts-between-multiple-sho...

[pauldrecksler]

We came up with a solution for this issue using Zapier. Here's a post where I outlined out process: https://community.shopify.com/c/technical-q-a/how-to-auto-sync-inventory-counts-between-multiple-sho...