The Ecommerce Workshop

Over the coming weeks, we shall be removing the mystery of stocktaking.

In this part we shall explain what a stock take is and what methods can be used.

What is a stocktake?
A stocktake is the physical counting (as opposed to a system reconcile process) of all the stock that is in a store in your stockroom, warehouse or indeed anywhere your business holds stock at a particular time. These actual stock figures are then compared to the stock records for the period of time covered by the stocktake. This could be monthly, quarterly or annually. Conducting a stocktake allows retailers such as yourself to accurately record what stock is actually held within the business. Stocktakes are can also be required by law at specific taxation time.

There are three main methods that can be used to run a stocktake:

1: A complete stocktake, where every single item in the warehouse is counted. Complete stocktakes are generally undertaken annually or bi-annually (twice yearly).

2: A cyclical (perpetual) stocktake, where only part of the stock is counted at any one time, but these counts are carried out on a regular, scheduled basis, eg the chill department of a supermarket may carry out a stocktake on a weekly basis because it carries a large range of stock with a limited shelf life. This is also referred to as a P.I. or perpetual inventory.

3; Systemic spot checks, where, in a particular area of the store, stock is checked for discrepancies.

For a stocktake to be of benefit, it must be carried out accurately and in a timely manner. Stocktakes can be carried out using stock sheets or tally sheets (where stock numbers are recorded manually), or by using electronic recording equipment. These are generally portable electronic hand held units that can record barcodes, prices and quantities such as RDF’s.

Some large retailers use a system called Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), which links Point of Sale (POS) equipment with computers which record sales as they are made and calculates new stock levels with each sale. When the predetermined minimum stock level is reached for a particular stock item, an order for new stock is automatically generated by the system

Any discrepancies in the stock should be recorded and reported to the relevant person. Totals should be signed and then recorded so that accurate crosschecking of the actual stock counts against the recorded stock records can be conducted.When the actual stock figures do not agree with the recorded stock (or book stock) figures then this can indicate inventory control problems.

Stock holding issues can arise for many reasons including:

a) Stock counting errors
b) Inaccurate stock recording at delivery, eg invoice errors, short deliveries, mistakes in recording, damaged stock, unordered stock and returns
c) Mistakes when reconciling the recorded stock records
d) Mistakes in recording discounts, markdowns or waste
e) Theft by customers, staff or vendors (officially known as ’shrinkage’)

Different compnaies will have different policies concerning stocktaking. In a controlled environment, the stocktaking process should be managed within the organsations Operational Procedures and be compliant with the minimum, external audit requirements.

Our next part of the stocktaking process will cover the initial steps to take when preparing for an annual stocktake.

This collection of articles is presented to The Ecommerce Workshop by D.Jephcote BSc. He has over 20 years experience in logistics and inventory management with companies such as Screwfix Direct and Hays. He has carried out numerous stocktakes and successfully implemented Perpetual Inventory’s that complied with external audit requirements.

He now runs a successful web design company where he assists online retailers not only look professional but also manage the back office effectively.

So you’re thinking of setting up and designing a new website or giving an existing website a facelift, you are aware that a website can wonders do for a company. Such as it will generate revenue online, generate leads & enquiries, strengthen a brand and much more in addition. BUT, you are not sure on how to ensure maximum success with your site…

Our 10 step guide (provided by LOS Design UK who offer web design services for the UK) can help you decide if you can develop one yourself or seek professional assistance from companies such as LOS Design UK.

1. What is the purpose of your website.
Do you want it to solely act as an online brochure (information website) for your products and services? Will you use it to generate leads or to present a showcase your skills and previous work carried out. Or are you looking to sell your products online? In which case an ecommerce solution (shopping cart) would be needed.

2. What is your target market?
How big is it? What is the competition up to and what are the buying patterns used by the customers who use that market? Understanding your market and your competition will allow you to identify your customer needs and build an effective site set to this target.

3. Think WHY. Why would a propect want to use my site and what are MY aims?
You maybe looking to reduce your sales resource and allow your prospects to purchase through an online, automatic system? Are you hoping that your prospects will come to the site to see the breadth of your skills? And how often do you expect prospects/customers to use it? Do you need to think about sufficient infrastructure to support high demand, do you need to ensure your website content is updated daily?

4. Site management. In-house or outsourced?
If your website requires frequent updates and you do not have the resource in-house, it might be worth looking at investing in a system that enables you to update information through an easy-to-use web interface (this is know as a content management system or CMS). This would allow members of your organisation  make basic changes to the site. Or you could enter into an agreement with your web development company to pay a set fee for a web maintenance contract. You could of course do any updates yourself, but if you need your website to be compliant with current UK legislation, unless you have a good understanding of writing accessible code, you could jeopardise its integrity.

5. Will your site fit into your marketing strategy?
Will it act as your sole form of communication with prospects or will it support other mediums and sales channels?

6. Do you plan to take payments online?
Have you considered online security and how to show to your customers that their personal details are safe?

7. What budget do you have in mind?
Allocating a sufficient budget to the project is vital. Don’t expect to get a high quality professional website design that meets your exacting needs for pennies. Whilst is it impossible to scope out an accurate payscale for every concept a good rule of thumb is:

Brochure websites: Expect to pay between £500 and £2,000 depending on content requirements
Ecommerce solutions: Expect to pay between £1,500 and £5,000 for SMB’s. Larger corporations can expect to pay upwards of £25k

Remember, if you pay pennies, your results will, in time, reflect this investment. Your website represents your company!

8. Content.
Ensure your content matches your business model and represents your aspirations as a company.

9. Website accessibility.
Making a website accessible involves considering the needs of all the different users who may wish to use your site, regardless of disabilities and of the differences between various Internet browsers.

10. OK, you know what you need, but how do you get it?
Speak to an expert. Web developers are human, you will be able to tap into many years qualified experience, this will ensure that you get the most out of the project. Considering things like search engine optimisation and how business in conducted in the online environment will give an insight that is more likely to result in a successful site. Additionally, experience of making successful websites in such a competitive environment could make the difference for your website.

Thanks to LOS Design UK for supplying this article.

Each day, a new threat to your computers data and your personal information store on the PC’s hard drive comes under threat. These malicious programs have developed into several forms and can infect your computer through a variety of ways. These methods can include opening an email attachment, opening a spam email or by visiting corrupt, trojan virus ridden websites.

But it is not all bad news. As the malware developers construct viruses that have grown in strength and complexity, so have the antivirus software developers built tools that can be used to combat these threats. With these modern generation, antivirus software, you can now give your persosnal computer a constant level of protection that was never before in days gone by.

Modern antivirus software comes feature packed with multiple virus scans, allowing you to scan when you want and (thanks to location specific antivirus scanning) where you want. You can now relax too, with the advent of real-time antivirus software scanning. Giving you the peace of mind, that your virus database is protecting you with the most up to date information whilst you work, surf or play!

Since new virus threats are being created each and everyday, the most effective antivirus software programs offers real time virus updates. Most antivirus software offer this feature as an automatic update service. This means your antivirus software will check regularly (and automatically) with the manufacturer for details on new viruses, providing you with state of the art, high level protection constantly. Now doesn’t that give you the peace of mind you deserve?

Which Anti-Virus Software Is Right For Me?

The most desirable anti-virus software should be easy to use, even for a computer novice. This means both installation and day to day management of the software (if any is needed at all). The antivirus software should search and identify all potential virus threats, as well as clean and quarantine infected files that are indentified. There should be a reporting service that is easy for all to understand that is available for each scan and accessible help and support available should you need it. This will help you become informed of the antivirus software’s performance and capabilities.

I have set out some guidelines that I use, when selecting the appropriate antivirus software for clients;

Is the antivirus software easy to use – The best antivirus software is easy to use, regardless of a person’s computer skills or their knowledge of viruses.

Is the software effective at spotting viruses and worms? – The best performing antivirus software products identify problems quickly using real-time scanning and by searching for viruses in a multitude of sources. These will include email, instant message applications, web browsing and other running applications.

Once spotted, will it clean the issues quickly – Capable antivirus software will thoroughly clean, delete or quarantine the infected files. This will keep them from damaging or infecting your hard drive or network.

Activity Reporting – Antivirus software programs should give instant notifice of viruses found by the real-time scanners and should provide an easy to read report of the scan results, including what it found (if anything) and what it did with the identified infected files.

Features – A well balanced set of features allows antivirus software to provide total protection. The best antivirus programs are those that offer a wide range of tools, from real-time scanning to more advanced, heuristic scanning and script blocking. When it comes to virus protection, the more options your antivirus sofware can offer you, the better.
 
Easy Installation and Setup – Anti-virus software programs should be simple to install, making it quick and painless to go from installation to your first scan in just a couple clicks.

Help Information and Documents – The best antivirus software come shipped with plenty of help, including support via email, website chat or in some instances, telephone support. There should also be online resources including a knowledge base and common FAQs available for quick and convenient help.

Thanks to the antivirus software developers, there is no excuse today for your computer to get infected.

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