Shopify StockSense

Core Functionality

• Real‑time Inventory Dashboard: Pulls current stock data from the store’s products and displays it with heat‑map styling to highlight low‑stock items.
• Demand Forecast Engine: Uses simple moving averages (a beginner‑friendly algorithm) on past sales to predict next‑week demand for each SKU.
• Automated Reorder Suggestions: Generates suggested reorder quantities, taking into account lead time and safety stock rules, and can push a draft order to Shopify’s orders page.
• Bulk Export & CSV Integration: Allows merchants to export the forecast data or import supplier prices to refine calculations.

Problem It Solves

Many small businesses struggle with inventory mismanagement—either overstocking, leading to high holding costs, or under‑stocking, causing missed sales and unhappy customers. Traditional forecasting tools are often complex and expensive. StockSense offers an easy, free-to-use solution that plugs directly into Shopify, giving merchants actionable insights without the need for data science expertise.

Technical Requirements

• Shopify Admin API (to read inventory levels, create draft orders, and write reports)
• Node.js + Express backend hosted on Heroku or Render (free tier sufficient for beginners)
• React frontend using Shopify Polaris components for a native look‑and‑feel
• SQLite local database to store simple analytics data

Monetization Strategy

1. Freemium Model: Basic forecast and dashboard are free; advanced features like multi‑warehouse support, email alerts, and API access are behind a monthly subscription (e.g., $19/month).
2. Affiliate Partnerships: Recommend compatible suppliers or logistics services; earn a small commission on referrals.

Implementation Approach

1. Set up Shopify Partner account and create a new app with Admin API scopes for products, inventory, and orders.
2. Bootstrap backend: Node.js Express server with endpoints to fetch inventory data, run the moving‑average algorithm, and write draft orders.
3. Build frontend: Use Polaris components to display dashboards; integrate React hooks for live updates via polling or Shopify webhooks (inventory updates).
4. Deploy: Push to Heroku free tier; configure environment variables with API keys.
5. Testing: Create a sandbox store, test inventory pulls, forecast accuracy, and draft order creation.
6. Launch: Publish on Shopify App Store, provide simple onboarding guides.

Potential Challenges

• API Rate Limits: Excessive polling can hit limits; solution—use webhooks for inventory changes and cache results.
• Data Accuracy: Small sample sizes may lead to misleading forecasts; mitigate by adding a minimum sales threshold before generating suggestions.

Future Expansion

• Integrate machine‑learning models (ARIMA, Prophet) as optional advanced analytics.
• Add multi‑currency and multi‑warehouse support for larger merchants.
• Offer a mobile‑friendly dashboard via Shopify App Bridge.
• Provide inventory health scorecards that link directly to supplier price lists.