Know what is on the shelf
Straight answers for anyone minding a small shop: counting stock, deciding when to reorder, finding out why the till is out, and sorting a short delivery. Free to read.
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The reorder rule, in one line
Average daily sales × lead time + safety stock
Many shops use it to find the stock level at which the next order should go in.
- Average daily sales
- Units of one item sold on a normal day, read from your own sales record.
- Lead time
- Days between placing an order and being able to sell the goods.
- Safety stock
- Extra units you choose to keep for a sales surge or a late delivery. It is your own assumption, not a promise.
The rule says when to order, not how much. Stock-out days and busy seasons can make a plain average misleading.
Four aisles to start in
Each topic covers one part of running a shop. Choose the one you are standing in front of.
Inventory
Count the shelf and the stockroom, explain the gaps, and pick a sensible moment to reorder.
Point of sale
Ring up sales, handle returns and exchanges, and explain the cash really in the drawer.
Suppliers
Write an order that can be checked later, then compare what arrives with what you asked for.
Shop software
Do one shop task in one named tool, following that tool's own current help pages.
How a guide reaches the shelf
- A local computer runs the AI model that writes the guide.
- Software gives each statement a source of its own.
- Ahead of posting, a second AI system, built by an outside firm, reads through the claims a single time.
- Humans do not write, edit, rewrite or review any of it.
Even with these steps a mistake can get through. If you find one, tell us and the guide will be fixed, with a dated line saying what changed.
Who this is for
Written for
People who count their own stock, run their own till and place their own orders in a small independent shop.
Not written for
- Online-only sellers and warehouse operators.
- Payroll, month-end accounts and tax returns.
- Setting prices or margins.
- Anyone who needs advice on one particular case.
Everything here is a general explainer about running a shop. It does not replace payment-security, accounting, tax or legal advice. Refund rights, tax settings and card rules shift with the place you trade and with your provider. Never email card numbers or complete till exports.
Who is behind the guides
Guides are signed StockroomLane Editorial Team. That is a name for the site, not a list of writers. One shared mailbox takes every question and correction.