Why Stock Tracking Matters

If you do not track your stock, you are running blind. You will not know which products are selling fast, which ones are gathering dust, when to reorder, or whether stock is going missing. These are expensive blind spots.

Good stock tracking answers three questions at any time: What do I have? What is selling? What do I need to reorder?

Method 1: The Notebook System

The most basic approach. Keep a notebook where you write down stock received and stock sold each day.

  • Pros: No cost, no technology required.
  • Cons: Slow, error-prone, hard to look up history, does not scale.
  • Works for: Very small shops with fewer than 20 products.

If you use a notebook, create a column for each product and update quantities daily. At the end of the week, reconcile by physically counting what is on the shelves.

Method 2: Spreadsheets

A step up from notebooks. Use Google Sheets or Excel on your phone to create a product list with columns for stock in, stock out, and current balance.

  • Pros: Free, can calculate totals automatically, accessible from your phone.
  • Cons: Manual entry, easy to forget, does not link to sales, no alerts.
  • Works for: Shops with moderate product ranges who want more visibility but are not ready for a full system.

Method 3: A Stock Management App

The most effective method. A stock management app automatically deducts stock when you make a sale, alerts you when items run low, and always shows you the current count for each product.

  • Pros: Automatic, accurate, saves time, provides insights, alerts before stockouts.
  • Cons: Small monthly cost for some systems.
  • Works for: Any shop that wants reliable, real-time stock information.

Duka Digital is a stock management app that comes integrated with a POS system — so every sale automatically updates your stock. No double entry, no forgetting to log something.

Best Practices for Stock Tracking

1. Set Reorder Levels

For every product, decide the minimum quantity you are comfortable with. When stock drops to that level, it is time to reorder. A good inventory system can alert you automatically.

2. Record Every Movement

Not just sales — also record when you receive new stock, when items are damaged, when you give something away, and when you adjust for errors. Every movement that changes your stock count should be logged.

3. Do Physical Counts Regularly

Even with an app, physically count your stock at least once a week. Compare the count to what the system says. Discrepancies usually mean shrinkage, damage, or recording errors — all things you want to catch early.

4. Track Slow-Moving Stock

Products that sit on your shelves for weeks without selling are tying up capital you could use elsewhere. Review your stock regularly and decide if slow movers should be discounted, returned to the supplier, or discontinued.

5. First In, First Out

For perishable goods (common in Kenyan dukas — bread, milk, cooking oils), always sell the oldest stock first. Arrange your shelves so that newer stock goes to the back and older stock goes to the front.

Getting Started

If you are currently not tracking stock at all, start with whatever method you can maintain consistently. A simple notebook that you update every day is better than a complex spreadsheet you stop using after a week.

When you are ready to automate, try Duka Digital. It handles stock tracking as part of your normal selling process — no extra steps needed.