Inventory management solution within system or via addon app

Shopify Discussion

Topic summary

A new Shopify merchant purchases products in bulk quantities (1kg, 3kg, 5kg) but sells them in smaller 50g units, seeking a way to manage this inventory conversion within Shopify’s native system.

Current Challenge:

  • Shopify lacks built-in Product Information Management (PIM) or warehouse features for inventory dispensing, separation, or pooling
  • The platform doesn’t support selling products by arbitrary weight—only specific increments via variant options
  • Attempted workaround using location transfers doesn’t allow splitting bulk quantities into smaller units (only 1:1 transfers)

Suggested Solutions:

  • Manual approach: Use CSV/Excel imports with formulas to calculate and update inventory conversions
  • Automation options: Explore SKU/inventory sync apps or use automation tools like Mechanic to script custom inventory scenarios
  • Third-party tools: Consider dedicated Inventory Management Systems (IMS) and PIM solutions like SyncBase for better product and inventory tracking
  • Implement barcoding for more efficient inventory management

Status: The discussion remains open with no definitive built-in solution, pointing toward external apps or manual workarounds as necessary alternatives.

Summarized with AI on October 23. AI used: claude-sonnet-4-5-20250929.
1

Hi, we’re new to Shopify (a few weeks in) and trying to get a handle on the inventory management.

We currently purchase in bulk (i.e. 1kg,3kg,5kg) and only sell in 50g units.

Is there a way to manage this within standard inventory management?

My first thought was a second location (warehouse) that held the bulk then a transfer to the shop location with a disassembly to the smaller stock unit, but i couldnt find an option to split the larger qty down, only to transfer on a 1 to 1 basis.

Obiously we could just manually update the stock to 20 units at 50g when splitting the 1kg down but I hoped there was a way to manage it within Shopify.

2

Shopify does not have PIM or Warehouse management features like that for inventory dispensing/separation/pooling etc terms.

You could always just manage this through inventory imports using csv/excel with formula’s.

So if you know it’s always 50g units from 1kg,3kg,5kg that’s a pretty easy split and adjustments system to work out. https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/products/inventory/getting-started-with-inventory/inventory-csv

Otherwise to automate you would either need to dig through all the sku/inventory sync apps to see if there’s one that can break apart a sku by weight.

Or use a generalized automation app like usemechanic to script a custom inventory scenario.

The have some scripts to work through but this is a specific scenario you’d have to build

https://tasks.mechanic.dev/?q=sku

If you need process built you can contact me directly for services.
Please provide context: store url, theme name, post url(s) and any further detail. Contact Info in signature.

Also as you have probably realized shopify is not setup for selling products by arbitrary weight.

So currently you will always have to sell in specific increments represented by a variant option (i.e. 50g,100g,etc) and quantity ordered; unless you use apps or workarounds both of which are less than ideal.

Companies in germany or france have access to a price-per-unit display system.

Good Hunting.

3

Using IMS and PIM allow you to track inventory and SKUs across channels in a very easy and effective. Barcoding your products can also be very efficient and effective in managing your inventory.

Feel free reach out if you have any questions.

4

Checkout SyncBase, it’s the best tool we’ve found so far to manage our store. Products and inventory management is indeed quite a pain without a dedicated app.