How to Reduce Your Product Count and Save Costs on Your E-commerce Platform
If you’re running an online store, you might have noticed that the number of products in your inventory can quickly balloon, especially when you have multiple variants of each item. This can lead to unexpected costs, particularly if your e-commerce platform charges based on the number of products you have. If you’ve found yourself in a situation where you’re being billed for more products than you expected, you’re not alone. Let’s break down why this happens and how you can solve it.
Why Are You Charged for So Many Products?
When you set up your products, each variant (like size or color) is often counted as a separate product. For example, if you sell a t-shirt in three colors and five sizes, that’s 15 different products in your inventory, even though they’re all variations of the same item. This can add up quickly, especially if you have hundreds or thousands of products.
Moreover, some platforms may not automatically filter out products that are out of stock. This means that even items you can’t sell are still contributing to your total product count, leading to higher fees.
The Solution: Exclude Variants and Out-of-Stock Products
To tackle this issue, here are a few practical steps you can take:
Review Your Product Sync Settings
Check how your e-commerce platform syncs your inventory. If it’s including every variant, you might want to adjust these settings to exclude certain variants based on stock status.
Exclude Out-of-Stock Variants
Many platforms offer a way to exclude out-of-stock variants from your product feed. This means only your sellable inventory will be counted, helping to lower your total product count and associated costs.
Consider Upgrading Your Plan
If you find that you consistently exceed the product limits of your current plan, it might be worth considering an upgrade. Some platforms offer plans that allow for a higher number of products without extra fees, which could save you money in the long run.
Communicate with Support
If you’re unsure how to make these changes, reach out to your platform’s support team. They can often guide you through the process of excluding certain products or help you understand your billing better.
A Real-World Example
Let’s say you have a collection of clothing items, and you’ve set a rule to publish only in-stock products. However, you find that the number of products listed is still high. After discussing with support, you discover that your platform counts every variant separately. By excluding out-of-stock variants or even variants altogether, you can significantly reduce your product count and save on unnecessary fees.
In another scenario, if you receive a bill based on a product count that seems too high, it might be because the system is counting every variant of your products, not just the ones you want to sell. By adjusting the settings to prioritize only the in-stock items or by excluding specific variants, you can better manage your inventory and costs.
Conclusion
Managing your online inventory can be tricky, especially when it comes to understanding how product counts affect your bottom line. By taking proactive steps to exclude unnecessary products or variants, you can keep your product count in check and avoid unexpected charges. If you’re ever in doubt, don’t hesitate to reach out for support—they’re there to help you make the most of your e-commerce experience.