At Luminous, we can increase how often we push inventory updates to Shopify—but surprisingly, more frequent updates don't always mean better accuracy. In fact, pushing inventory too often can lead to significant problems, including overselling and customer frustration.
Here's a clear example of why:
Imagine you have 1,000 units of a product in stock:
At 12:00 PM, Luminous pushes inventory to Shopify, displaying 1,000 units available.
Between 12:00 PM and 12:15 PM, customers buy 800 units. Shopify accurately reduces inventory to show 200 units remaining.
However, ShipStation only syncs these orders with Luminous every 15-20 minutes. During this delay, if Luminous pushes inventory to Shopify every minute, it keeps overwriting Shopify's accurate stock level (200 units) with outdated information (1,000 units).
Customers then see inflated inventory levels, causing overselling. This is especially problematic for kits or bundles, where inventory tracking is already complex.
Why Increasing Push Frequency Makes Things Worse:
When Luminous pushes inventory updates too frequently, accurate data from Shopify is repeatedly overwritten. This results in customers seeing more inventory than actually exists, increasing the likelihood of overselling and causing order cancellations and customer dissatisfaction.
The Best Practice for Inventory Push Frequency:
To maintain accuracy and avoid overselling, inventory pushes should align closely with your actual order data sync frequency:
Match Inventory Push to Order Sync Timing:
Since ShipStation updates every 15-20 minutes, configure Luminous to push inventory updates to Shopify every 20 minutes or slightly longer.
Use Buffers to Prevent Overselling:
Implement inventory buffers, such as reserving 10% of your stock or a fixed number of units. This accounts for sales that happen between updates, ensuring customers never order more than what’s truly available.
By following these guidelines, you'll provide your customers with accurate inventory information and reduce the risks associated with overselling.