PowerSupporter
A grocery business can run wholesale and retail sales in two separate systems, in one system with separate price lists, or in one system with merged customer and product data and clearly labelled invoice types. The third approach removes duplicate records and gives one stock count, at the cost of a one-off data merge.
A grocery business that sells to wholesale buyers and to retail customers often ends up with two systems, one for each side. The same product is then entered twice, sometimes under two different names, and a customer who buys both ways has two records. Stock for one product is counted in two places, so someone has to reconcile the totals, and reporting across both sides means combining exports by hand.
3 approaches
- Two separate systems — each side keeps its own products, customers and stock. Each system stays focused on its own sales, but nothing is shared.
- One system with separate price lists — products and stock are shared, and wholesale and retail buyers see different prices. Customer and product records still need to be checked for duplicates when the systems are combined.
- One system with merged customer and product data and labelled invoice types — duplicates are removed (products by barcode, customers by phone number) and each invoice carries a type, for example a prefix on retail invoice numbers, so the two kinds of sale stay distinguishable.
| Factor | Two systems | One system, price lists | One system, merged data |
|---|---|---|---|
| Product records | Entered in each system | One list | One list, duplicates removed by barcode |
| Customer records | One per system | One list, may contain duplicates | One list, duplicates removed by phone number |
| Telling invoices apart | By which system holds them | By price list or customer type | By invoice type, such as an RT- prefix |
Big8, a wholesale-focused grocery and food warehouse that also serves retail customers, took the third approach. Data from a separate wholesale system and a separate retail system was merged into one system, with duplicates removed by barcode and phone number and retail invoices kept distinguishable with an RT- prefix. The Big8 case study describes the full scope. For the cost side of a phased build, see how much a warehouse management system costs in Australia, or contact us.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can wholesale and retail customers share one product list?
Yes, if products from both sides are matched into one list. In the Big8 merge, products from the wholesale and retail systems were de-duplicated by barcode, and customers were de-duplicated by phone number.
How are retail and wholesale invoices told apart in one system?
By labelling the invoice type. In the Big8 system, retail invoices carry an RT- prefix so they stay distinguishable from wholesale invoices.
PowerSupporter Editorial Team
Based in Melbourne, PowerSupporter builds custom software for Australian businesses — from warehouse management and inventory systems to web apps, mobile apps and internal business tools.