1. Be consistent. Not only will it make your data look tidier and more professional, it will also make it easier to find your items. Simple changes, such as using the same abbreviations (or none at all), using the same formula for listing item dimensions, and using consistent naming structures for items can all make a big difference. Plus, now is the easiest time to make these changes! Here’s an example.
This:
Glass Candle holder, s, 4in
Glass candle holder, lrg, 7”
Ivory Satin Tablecloth, 90x156
Ivory Satin Tablecloth 90”rd
Blk Satin Tablecloth, Round, 90in
...turns into this:
Glass Candle Holder, Small, 4”
Glass Candle Holder, Large, 7”
Ivory Satin Tablecloth, 90 x 156”
Ivory Satin Tablecloth, Round, 90”
Black Satin Tablecloth, Round, 90”
Much easier to read! Use whatever pattern and formula work best for you, just remember to be clear and be consistent.
2. Run spell check. It’s very easy to transpose letters, so why not make sure your new inventory upload gets started on the right foot? Also, words like “fuchsia” exist (am I the only one who wants to write it “fuschia?”)
3. Review Goodshuffle’s Categories and Sub Categories. This may seem like a no-brainer, but it’s always good practice to review these before adding your items to Goodshuffle Pro to ensure that you are categorizing your items for optimum discoverability. The Categories can get pretty specific, which means less work for you! Check out a list of all inventory categories in Goodshuffle Pro here.
4. Check for duplicates. You may have an item that fits multiple Categories, but by putting this item in all of these various Categories, it can lead to people thinking that you have more items in your inventory than you actually do. Consider using a Tag instead. For instance, a snowflake gobo for a lighting company could fall under both Winter and Holiday. I would Categorize it under Gobos and then Tag it for Winter and Holiday. Or, a golden charger could be considered both Holiday and Glam. I would Tag it as both and Categorize it under Chargers.
5. Do an inventory audit. Okay, this one can be tough if you’re on a tight schedule, we get it. However, we think it’s a great idea to know what you do and do not have, and how many, before getting started so that your inventory will be up-to-date in your shiny new database. If that’s just not possible, you can always go back in and edit items later on.
6. How do you want to use attributes? Have a lot of attributes you want to fill out? We recommend getting started with our 5 Attribute upload and then edit the items in Goodshuffle after uploading. This will save you A LOT of typing time. Attributes are a powerful way to filter your inventory, not only for internal purposes, but also for your clients if you use the Website Integration. Here are some popular attributes used by our customers:
Color
Finish
Brand
Warehouse location
Weight - useful for determining truck weight, or in the case of lighting elements how much support you’ll need to hang an item
Purchase price - what did you pay per item to procure the item (useful for tracking your profitability of items)
Source - where did you purchase the item from
Preferred subrental vendor - Where you subrent when you're short
Replacement cost - a price you can show to your customer if the item goes missing or gets damaged
7. Plan out your tags ahead of time and make sure they’re actually working for you. Sometimes we see redundant tags on items. If you already have a Category or Attribute with your potential tag in it, you don’t need to add it again. For instance, if you have an item named “Rose Gold Lamp,” you do not need to add a tag for “Rose Gold,” as it is already covered in the item name. Sometimes we also see Custom Attributes where Tags would be better utilized, such as in labeling things like the specific season for seasonal items (i.e. Halloween), noting motifs, and marking promotional items.
Tags are especially useful for describing Wishlist integration items, whereas Custom Attributes are great for sorting how your items appear on the Wishlist. For best results, use consistent casing for Custom Attributes and tags. We also recommend keeping tags to single words as much as possible, but remember that you can also use multiple tags to describe your items.
8. Attend a webinar. Our team hosts regular webinars to guide you through making the most out of Goodshuffle Pro. If you’re feeling unsure about how to structure/tag your items or feel like you may not be using the software to its fullest potential, attend one of our webinars.
9. Schedule a 1:1 training. We offer unlimited training and support so that Goodshuffle Pro works best for you and your business. Our massive resource library full of articles and webinars as well as the chat feature on our website are two great tools for learning. If you need further support, don't hesitate to contact us!
10. Get creative! Photos can help be great selling tools to show the manner/care in which you keep your items. Standalone photos are great, but adding additional photos of your items in use or your packages is a great way to sell the experience you’re providing for your client...you’re likely not “just” renting tables and chairs to them after all!