As e-commerce grows, inventory management becomes increasingly critical for businesses to maintain their competitive edge. 

With many platforms available, choosing the right one can be tough. 

This blog compares Fabrikatör and Inventory Planner, highlighting key differences in features like forecasting, reports, purchase orders, and pricing.

Let’s see which fits your needs best.

Fabrikatör vs Inventory Planner

In this blog, we will compare two popular Shopify inventory management apps - Fabrikatör and Inventory Planner.

Both apps are designed to help you manage your inventory efficiently, but they differ in their features, functionality, pricing, and user experience.

The table below gives an overview of the features.

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Now, we will analyze the key differences between these two inventory management apps and provide insight into each feature so you can choose the most suitable app for your business.

Features Overview: Fabrikatör vs. Inventory Planner

Demand Forecasting for Shopify Store

Forecasting enables you to predict future demand with greater accuracy.

‍By analyzing historical sales data and market trends, forecasting features allow you to identify potential risks and opportunities, enabling you to make data-driven decisions. This helps you avoid stock-outs and overstocking, optimize your inventory levels, and ensure you have the right products available at the right time.

Both Fabrikatör and Inventory Planner offer forecasting capabilities that help you predict future demand and optimize your inventory levels.

Fabrikatör's forecasting provides actionable insights such as dynamic recommendations: which products to restock, how many quantities to restock, and when to restock. 

Its forecasting algorithm takes into account various factors: 

• Seasonality, 
• Trends, and 
• Historical data.

To provide you with a comprehensive understanding of your demand patterns.

Sales Reports for Shopify

Both Inventory Planner and Fabrikatör offer a “Reports” feature for analyzing sales, inventory, and purchasing data.

While Inventory Planner offers the standard template reports for your business's common needs, with Fabrikatör, you can also create widgets from the reports you will use. In addition, you can compare your store data over different periods to identify trends and patterns.

Create your report with Fabrikatör: Whatever data you need, you can create your report with 100+ business metrics and filters updated in real-time and synced with your store. You can edit the report and regularly send it to your team’s email.

‍Standard Reports: The report on stockouts, Sales at Risk, Revenue Forecast, Selling Fast, and Selling Slow products has already been prepared for you. 

Furthermore, sales performance reports specifically focused on Fantastic Sales, Moderate Sales, Poor Sales, Dead Stocks, out-of-stock, or Inventory Levels are also available with one click.

Purchase Orders on Shopify

For Shopify merchants, both Fabrikatör and Inventory Planner offer robust Purchase Order (PO) functionalities, allowing users to generate, modify, and share POs seamlessly with suppliers and team members.

However, a distinctive advantage of Fabrikatör is its backorder feature. Unlike Inventory Planner, Fabrikatör enables you to monetize incoming inventory by setting arrival times and adding buffers to POs, thus allowing customers to purchase products even when they're out of stock, enhancing revenue opportunities and customer satisfaction.

Shopify Replenishment

With the right replenishment, you can optimize your stock levels, reduce carrying costs, improve customer satisfaction, and optimize your inventory levels for maximum profitability.

Fabrikatör's replenishment feature automates the replenishment process, ensuring you always have the right quantity of products in stock.

Inventory Planner also offers you the ability to automate your replenishment tasks or stock management. If you’re looking for dynamic replenishment recommendations synced with real-time data, Fabrikatör analyzes sales data and inventory levels to generate purchase orders automatically, saving time and minimizing the risk of human error.

Backorder & Preorders for Shopify

When it comes to backorders, Inventory Planner falls short when compared to Fabrikatör.

Fabrikatör provides you with the ability to turn out-of-stock products into instant revenue and keep your customers engaged. The Backorder feature in Fabrikatör allows you to take customer orders for out-of-stock products, enabling them to capitalize on sales opportunities and build customer loyalty.

By leveraging Fabrikatör's Backorder feature, you can turn out-of-stock products into revenue and keep your customers engaged, ultimately boosting your bottom line and gaining a competitive edge.

Here, you can see how Fabrikatör backorders work:

Shopify Analytics

Fabrikatör's analytics feature provides you with insights that unlock the true growth potential of your business. 

The platform offers flexible reports that enable you to analyze their sales data and inventory levels, providing valuable insights into your business operations.

With Fabrikatör's analytics feature, businesses can identify trends, optimize operations, and make data-driven decisions.

As mentioned in the Reports section, Inventory Planner also has reports enabling you to make analytics and merge the two features.

Goal Setting

Fabrikatör's goal-setting feature enables you to turn your growth mindset into a habit by setting and tracking growth goals, such as average order value (AOV), sales revenue, and the number of orders.

Fabrikatör Goal Setting provides real-time visibility into your progress toward your goals, enabling you to adjust your strategies and tactics accordingly.

It's designed for you to focus on achieving your growth objectives and driving long-term success.

After you set your goals, they will appear in your main dashboard, updated with real-time data so you can see where your goals stand in reality.

Inventory Planner does not offer a Goal Setting feature.

Pricing: Fabrikatör vs Inventory Planner

A critical factor for merchants choosing between these tools is pricing. 

Inventory Planner pricing starts at $249.99 per month, catering mainly to larger enterprises with advanced forecasting needs. 

On the other hand, Fabrikatör pricing is more flexible. Starting at $99/month, it offers plans based on usage, making it ideal for small—to mid-sized Shopify stores that need scalability without being locked into high monthly fees. 

Fabrikatör is an attractive option for merchants looking for cost-effective solutions that adapt as their business grows.

Despite being more expensive, Inventory Planner's feature set is limited to Forecasting, Purchasing, and Reporting, whereas Fabrikatör offers additional features such as  Backorders and Goal Setting.

This makes Fabrikatör a more attractive option for optimizing your inventory management strategies without breaking the bank.

How to solve inventory issues with Fabrikatör vs Inventory Planner:

• Out of Stock Products: While you can set backorders and turn out-of-stock products into revenue, Inventory Planner does not have a backorders feature. Forecasting is offered for both platforms, with Fabrikatör you can set your lead time and get dynamic restock recommendations. Also with its diverse data rendering, forecasting is observed to be more accurate.
• Inefficient Inventory Management: Both Inventory Planner and Fabrikatör offer reports, in addition to template reports, with Fabrikatör you can create your own reports with 100+ metrics as well.
• Lack of Visibility Into Sales and Inventory Data: Both apps support replenishment, and with Fabrikatör, you can benefit from the replenishment recommendations prepared with real time data and forecasting.
• Inaccurate Purchase Orders: You can create PO’s with both Inventory Planner and Fabrikatör. With Fabrikatör, you can set lead times to your PO’s and activate backorders. Synced with your front-page, enables you to keep selling while your products are on the way.
• Difficulty Setting and Achieving Growth Goals: Setting growth goals is not supported in Inventory Planner. You can use the reports provided and set your goals manually. With Fabrikatör, your goals are placed in your dashboard, showing the progress with real time data.

Shopify-Specific Features

Regarding Shopify integration, both tools are designed to support e-commerce merchants, but there are key differences. 

Fabrikatör integrates deeply with the Shopify platform, offering smart order suggestions, backorder management, and real-time inventory tracking directly within the Shopify dashboard. 

This level of integration helps Shopify merchants keep their store in sync with inventory data and reduce manual errors.

In contrast, the Inventory Planner for Shopify is more tailored to stores with complex forecasting needs. While it offers robust predictive analytics, its higher pricing may be prohibitive for smaller Shopify merchants. 

For businesses seeking more detailed control of their inventory planning and growth without overspending, Fabrikatör provides more flexibility and functionality at a lower cost.

Pricing Comparison: Fabrikatör vs. Inventory Planner

For those looking for mobile solutions, the Inventory Planner App focuses heavily on advanced inventory forecasting and detailed reports but may feel cumbersome for smaller merchants who need more straightforward features. 

In comparison, the Fabrikatör App offers an intuitive interface that works seamlessly with Shopify, providing inventory insights, order recommendations, and easy-to-understand analytics on the go. 

This makes Fabrikatör a better fit for growing Shopify stores that need powerful features and simplicity.

By offering competitive Inventory Planner Pricing alternatives and seamless Shopify inventory planner integration, Fabrikatör stands out as a cost-effective, flexible solution for merchants looking to optimize their inventory management.‍

‍To get a full overview, jump to the comparison table: Fabrikatör vs Inventory Planner

Inventory Planner App vs. Fabrikatör App

For those looking for mobile solutions, the Inventory Planner App focuses heavily on advanced inventory forecasting and detailed reports but may feel cumbersome for smaller merchants who need more straightforward features. In comparison, the Fabrikatör App offers an intuitive interface that works seamlessly with Shopify, providing inventory insights, order recommendations, and easy-to-understand analytics on the go. This makes Fabrikatör a better fit for growing Shopify stores that need both powerful features and simplicity.

By offering competitive Inventory Planner Pricing alternatives and seamless Shopify inventory planner integration, Fabrikatör stands out as a cost-effective, flexible solution for merchants looking to optimize their inventory management.

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‍To get a full overview, jump to the comparison table: Fabrikatör vs Inventory Planner

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FAQs: Common Inventory Challenges for Shopify Stores

What problem may the store face without enough inventory?

Insufficient inventory can lead to lost sales, unhappy customers, and operational issues. Stockouts may drive customers to competitors, damaging your reputation. Fabrikatör helps by using predictive analytics to prevent stockouts and maintain customer satisfaction.

‍How does Fabrikatör prevent stockouts?

Fabrikatör uses real-time data to predict when stock will run low, offering automated reorder suggestions. Integrated with Shopify, it streamlines the reordering process, reducing manual effort and preventing stockouts.

‍What are the consequences of overstocking?‍

Overstocking ties up capital increases storage costs, and often leads to waste. Excess stock can result in markdowns, reducing profitability. Fabrikatör optimizes order quantities based on demand forecasts to minimize overstock.

‍How does Fabrikatör support multi-channel inventory management?‍

‍Fabrikatör centralizes inventory tracking across platforms like Shopify, Amazon, and brick-and-mortar stores. Real-time updates ensure consistent stock levels and prevent overselling or underselling, maintaining a seamless customer experience.

What inventory planning tools are crucial for Shopify stores?‍

Shopify stores need demand forecasting, automatic reordering, and real-time inventory tracking. Fabrikatör offers these, plus sales insights, ensuring a seamless and efficient inventory management process integrated directly with Shopify.

‍How can Fabrikatör help your Shopify store manage seasonal inventory?‍

Fabrikatör analyzes historical sales data to predict seasonal demand and adjust reorder quantities for busy periods like Black Friday or holidays. This ensures optimal stock levels and avoids stockouts or excess inventory during peak seasons.

‍What’s the difference between Fabrikatör and Inventory Planner for forecasting?

Inventory Planner is for long-term forecasts and larger businesses, while Fabrikatör offers a flexible, scalable solution for both small and large Shopify merchants. It provides precise forecasts based on real-time data and user behavior.

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To better understand how Fabrikatör works, you can get a demo right away!