Manage Your Tattoo Shop Inventory List to Streamline Efficiency

Do you know everything you own in your tattoo shop?

It’s never easy managing a business, but in the tattooing world, having the right tools can make it a lot easier! But, it’s also vital that you keep track of those tools.

This is where keeping a tattoo shop inventory comes in handy. This full list of everything in your shop will help you stay on top of management, cash flow, and help your store become more efficient.

If you haven’t made yours yet, check out our guide for plenty of tips and tricks.

What is a Tattoo Shop Inventory?

Tattoo shops have inventories for two purposes; to keep track of goods and carry out order fulfillment. On your inventory, you should have everything in your shop listed, from your chairs to the needles you use.

Everything you own has value, and an inventory adds up just how much value. If you make an insurance claim, look to get small business loans, or want to sell your shop, your inventory is essential information. Make sure you have yours written up and ready to go when you need it!

An inventory can also help with your orders. By keeping track of the amount of ink, needles, and any other useable items you have, you’ll have a better idea of when to order more. You definitely don’t want to run out of the essentials when you’re about to start tattooing, so stay on top of what you have.

The Kinds of Things on Your Inventory

If you’re putting together an inventory, you can split it in two. One inventory can have everything that’s permanent, such as tables, chairs, and TVs in your studio. The other list can have items that you use, such as masks, gloves, and needles.

The second one can be used for more efficient order fulfillment. Just make sure you update it regularly!

Here are some examples of what’s commonly on walk-in tattoo shops’ inventories:

• Tattoo machines (including attachments)
• Body jewelry and piercing equipment
• Tattoo aftercare products
• Disinfectant wipes
• Disposable gloves
• Medical waste containers
• Petroleum jelly
• Needle trays
• Bandages or wraps
• Scissors

What’s on your list depends on what you have, but remember to include every little thing, right down to your bottles of rubbing alcohol! This kind of small business administration can make management much easier and more efficient.

How to Create An Inventory

If you’re looking to create an inventory, you can create one yourself. Be warned that this will take time, and automated software is the better option. But if you want to start by testing an inventory out for your business, a DIY one can make do for a small amount of time.

If you’re making your own, use a spreadsheet tool. This will make it much easier to organize your items. Storing your inventory online is also much more efficient than using paper and pen, and keeps it safe and easily accessible.

If you’re putting all of your items into one spreadsheet, color-code different categories of items to make it easier to view. For example, for items that you need to order frequently, highlight them so you can find them quickly.

A basic layout can be created by following these steps:

1. Open your spreadsheet – these instructions follow the setup of Microsoft Excel
2. In cell A1, type ‘Item’ as your first header
3. Move over to B1 and type ‘Amount’
4. In cell C1, type ‘Cost’

That’s it! Starting an inventory is very simple, but you can easily make it a little more advanced with Excel’s various tools. For example, you can create a cell for ‘Total cost’ that adds the figures in the ‘Amount’ and ‘Cost’ category together.

To monitor your yearly costs, you can create one inventory for cash flow, keeping track of every new item you buy and how much it costs. In a second inventory, remove and add items as you use or buy them, helping to track order fulfillment needs.

Use Automated Software

The best way to keep your business management as efficient and simple as possible is by installing automated software, usually from third parties.

Inkbook, for example, have software that’s designed specifically for the tattoo industry. With a range of different tools and features, you can bring your business online and simplify your processes. When it comes to small business ideas, this is definitely something you should invest in!

Here are just some of the features that can transform how you run your tattoo shop:

• An online schedule with all bookings
• Manage appointment requests from clients
• Inventory management, making the process much simpler than with a DIY version
• Credit card processing to make check-out easy
• Keep track of customer shopping patterns
• Automate your payroll
• Create loyalty programs to encourage repeat customers
• Monitor reviews for reputation management
• Automated emails for booking reminders and more

There are tons of features on Inkbook, so be sure to check it out for yourself!

Make Management Easy

When you start running a business, management isn’t a simple task. You’re usually working out the best processes and learning on the job. But, by creating things like a tattoo shop inventory, you can make the whole thing a lot simpler!

If you’re looking to streamlining your management style and make your business as efficient as it can be, be sure to take a look at Inkbook. If you have any questions about the software, get in touch with our team and we’ll be happy to help!