In a clothing shop, “we have 40 pieces of that shirt” means very little. A customer wants a medium in maroon, and if all 40 are small and extra large, you have nothing to sell. Managing clothing inventory by size and colour is what turns your stock count into stock you can actually sell.
Why is clothing stock harder than other stock?
Most shops sell one item as one item. Clothing multiplies every design:
- one design × 5 sizes × 4 colours = 20 different items on the shelf;
- each size and colour sells at a different speed;
- customers try, return and exchange more than in most trades;
- seasons end, and leftover sizes must be cleared at a discount.
If you count only by design, you cannot see which of those 20 pieces is running out and which will be left at the end of the season.
What is a variant, and how should you set it up?
A variant is one size and colour of a design. Set up your stock in two levels:
- The design: name, brand, category, fabric, season, purchase price and sale price.
- Its variants: every size and colour combination, each with its own code, barcode, price and stock.
Most variants share the design’s price, but some do not. Larger sizes or special colours may cost more, so your system should allow a different price per variant.
How should you name and code variants?
A clear code saves time at the counter and during counts. A common pattern is design code + colour + size:
| Code | Means |
|---|---|
| SHT-114-MRN-M | Shirt design 114, maroon, medium |
| SHT-114-MRN-L | Shirt design 114, maroon, large |
| SHT-114-BLK-M | Shirt design 114, black, medium |
Agree on short colour codes (MRN, BLK, WHT, NVY) and one size list per category: S/M/L/XL for shirts, waist sizes for trousers, ages for kids’ wear. Write the list down and stick to it.
Should every piece carry a barcode?
Yes, if you can. A barcode label on each piece, showing the design, colour, size and price, has three benefits:
- the cashier scans the exact variant, so stock is correct;
- price tags match the system;
- a full stock count becomes “scan everything on the shelf”.
Print labels when goods arrive, before they go to the shelf. A small label printer and 50 × 30 mm labels are enough for most shops.
How do you receive new stock?
When a delivery comes in:
- Check the supplier’s bill against what actually arrived, size by size and colour by colour.
- Enter the purchase against each variant, not just the design total.
- Print labels for the exact quantity of each variant.
- Tag and shelve.
If the supplier sent 12 mediums instead of 10, catch it now, not when the count is wrong a month later.
How should you handle exchanges and returns?
Exchanges are normal in clothing. Handle them through the system every time:
- Same design, different size: the returned piece goes back into stock, the new piece goes out.
- Different item: the value of the returned piece becomes credit on the new bill. If the new item costs more, the customer pays the difference; if less, give the rest in cash or as store credit.
- Print a credit note for goods brought back, so there is a record if questions come later.
- Set a returns policy (for example, exchange within a set number of days with the bill) and print it on the receipt.
An exchange done “outside the system” leaves you with one piece too many of one size and one too few of another.
How do you count clothing stock?
Count by variant, not by design:
- Count one section or brand at a time, not the whole shop at once.
- Scan each piece or count by size and colour on a printed list.
- Compare with the system and investigate differences larger than one or two pieces.
- Count fast movers monthly and everything before and after each season.
How do you spot slow sizes before the season ends?
A few weeks into a season, look at sales by size and colour for each design:
- Which sizes sold out in the first weeks? Reorder these early.
- Which colours have barely moved? Move them to the front or plan a discount.
- Which sizes are always left over? Buy fewer of them next season.
Over two or three seasons, this tells you your own size curve, which is more useful than any supplier’s assortment.
How do you set up a new season’s designs quickly?
New stock arrives in bulk before the holidays, back-to-school, wedding season and winter, exactly when you are busiest. Prepare before the delivery:
- Make a list of the new designs from the supplier’s catalogue or bill, with the sizes and colours you ordered.
- Create the designs and their variants in advance, so receiving is only a matter of entering quantities.
- Keep the size list fixed per category. If one supplier calls it “38” and another “M”, decide which your shop uses and stick to it.
- Print labels in batches by design, and tag before anything goes on display.
An hour of preparation saves a day of confusion when the cartons are open on the floor.
How should you price and clear end-of-season stock?
Leftover sizes are where clothing margins disappear. Plan the clearance instead of reacting to it:
- Set a review date about four to six weeks before the season ends.
- List the variants still in stock for each design, with their purchase cost.
- Discount by variant, not by design. If only XL and XXL are left, there is no need to cut the price of mediums that are still selling.
- Bundle odd pieces into “two for” offers, or move them to a clearance rack with clear labels.
- Record the discount in the system, not just on a handwritten tag, so your profit report stays honest.
Whatever is still left after the sale, count and record it before the new season’s stock arrives, so the two seasons do not mix.
What should you look for in clothing stock software?
- Variants by size and colour, each with its own barcode, price and stock
- Quick way to create all variants of a new design
- Barcode label printing
- Exchanges with credit notes and store credit
- Returns policy (days) built into the counter
- Sales report by size and colour
- Discounts and coupons for sale season
- Works offline during internet outages and power cuts (with a UPS)
How does RMS handle sizes and colours?
In RMS, you type the sizes and colours in the product form and press Make the variants; each one gets its own code, barcode, price and stock, and shows as its own row. RMS prints 50 × 30 mm barcode labels, handles exchanges with a credit note, and has a returns policy in days. Reports include sales by size and colour. See inventory and purchasing and the clothing store page.
Try RMS free for 14 days
Every installation of RMS starts with a free 14-day trial with all Pro features. No card is needed. Download RMS, set up one design with its sizes and colours, and print its labels in a few minutes.