11/04/2025
🧮 Why Small Businesses Avoid Stocktakes🤔
Let us be honest, stocktaking is not exactly anyone’s favorite task. For many small business owners, it is something that is either postponed, rushed, or ignored until there is a crisis.
Here is a real scenario from a stocktake we recently did for a business owner running a phone spares shop; both wholesale and retail. He reached out through a referral, someone we had successfully done a stocktake for.
His main goal?👉 To know how much stock he had and plan purchases accordingly. But there was a challenge. The previous team he hired didn’t deliver, despite being paid well. So, understandably, he was frustrated and skeptical.
We agreed on terms, carried out the stocktake, and the results?💥 Surprising! The stock was nearly double what he expected and with a lot of damaged items too.
We offered to help him track stock movement going forward, because he didn’t need more surprises especially since he planned to invest more money into the business. That’s when we introduced our "Send My Books" bookkeeping service so he could get updated stock reports whenever needed.
✅💭 It is Not Just About Time. It is About Mindset. From our experience with small businesses especially wholesale shops.
Here is what we have learned about why stocktakes are feared or avoided:
🛶1. “Losses are too small to matter.”
But remember: a small hole can sink a big ship.
🛶2. “I have no system in place.”
Without a system, it is hard to know your opening stock, purchases, returns, or theft. You are stuck with confusion, not control.
🛶3. “We count but never record.”
A stocktake with no proper record is like a dream you forget when you wake up. It is not about counting once. It is about tracking trends and making informed decisions.
🛶4. “External help is too expensive.”
Actually, it is not. Paying for periodic professional support can save you from bigger losses down the road.
🛶5. “I am doing it all myself.”
You can’t grow and do everything alone. Eventually, stock mismanagement will lead to cash flow issues, theft, and stress.
🧠 Shift Your PerspectiveA proper stocktake builds business confidence.
It helps you:
✔ Know what you have
✔ Understand what you’ve lost
✔ Plan what to purchase
✔ Make data-based decisions.
It doesn’t expose your business; it helps you control it.
At Lendass, we believe small businesses deserve clarity, not confusion. Because when you count right, you manage better.
📦 Let us stop guessing and start 🧮 counting.💚