Adding Products One by One

Learn how to add individual products to your SmartSell inventory. Perfect when starting your business, adding new items, or when you need careful control over each product's details.

What You'll Learn

When to add products individually vs. bulk upload
Required vs. optional product information
Setting up product categories and organization
Pricing strategies and tax considerations

Adding product images and descriptions
Setting up barcodes and SKUs
Managing stock levels and alerts
Testing products in the POS system

When to Add Products Individually

Individual product creation is perfect when you:

✅ Good for Individual Addition:

• Starting with less than 20 products
• Adding unique items with specific details
• Need to upload product images
• Want to carefully verify each product
• Adding products with variations (sizes, colors)
• Need detailed descriptions for each item

💡 Consider Bulk Upload When:

• You have 50+ products to add
• Products have similar information format
• Migrating from another system
• All products have consistent pricing

Learn about bulk upload →

Step 1: Navigate to Add Product

Here's how to access the product creation form:

Getting to the Product Form:

1
Log in as manager or owner
Make sure you have permissions to add products
2
Go to Products section
Click 'Products' in the main navigation menu
3
Click 'Add New Product'
Look for the green 'Add Product' or '+' button

Step 2: Fill in Basic Information

Start with the essential product details that customers and staff need to know:

Required Fields

Must Fill These Fields:

Product Name

The name customers will see and search for. Be clear and specific.

Examples: Coca-Cola 500ml, Samsung Galaxy A15, Men's Cotton T-shirt (Large)

Category

Choose existing category or create new one. Helps organize your products.

Examples: Beverages, Electronics, Clothing, Food & Grocery

Cost Price

What you paid for the product (your wholesale cost).

Tip: Include any shipping or import costs for accurate profit calculation

Selling Price

What customers pay. Should be higher than cost price to make profit.

Tip: Consider local market rates and competition

Optional but Recommended Fields

Additional Information:

Product Description

Detailed information about the product features, benefits, or specifications.

Short Description

Brief summary that appears in product lists and receipts.

SKU (Stock Keeping Unit)

Your internal product code for inventory tracking.

Barcode

Product barcode number for faster checkout scanning.

Unit of Measure

How you sell this item: pieces, kg, liters, meters, etc.

Weight

Product weight - useful for shipping calculations.

Step 3: Set Up Pricing and Taxes

Proper pricing setup ensures accurate profit calculations and tax compliance:

Pricing Strategy Tips

Cost Price Considerations:

• Include purchase price from supplier
• Add transportation/shipping costs
• Factor in import duties if applicable
• Include storage and handling costs

Selling Price Guidelines:

• Research competitor prices in your area
• Consider your target profit margin (20-50%)
• Think about customer price sensitivity
• Round to convenient amounts (₦95, ₦100)

Tax Setup

Tax Configuration:

Tax Rate:

Enter the VAT or tax percentage for this product (e.g., 7.5% for VAT in Nigeria)

Tax Type:

• Inclusive: Tax is already included in your selling price
• Exclusive: Tax will be added to the selling price at checkout

Step 4: Add Product Image

A good product image helps staff identify items and can improve customer experience:

Image Guidelines:

✅ Good Images:

• Clear, well-lit photos
• Show the actual product
• Clean, simple background
• Square format works best
• File size under 2MB
• JPG or PNG format

❌ Avoid:

• Blurry or dark photos
• Images with watermarks
• Multiple products in one image
• Text or logos covering the product
• Very large files (over 5MB)

How to Upload Images

Click 'Choose File' or 'Browse' in the Image section
Select your product image from your device
Wait for the image to upload and preview
You can replace it later if needed

No Image Available?

You can add the product without an image and upload one later. SmartSell will work fine with text-only products.

Step 5: Set Up Inventory Tracking

Configure how SmartSell tracks this product's stock levels:

Inventory Options

Track Inventory

Enable this to automatically track stock levels when items are sold.

✅ Turn ON for: Physical products you need to reorder
❌ Turn OFF for: Services, digital products, or unlimited items

Initial Stock Quantity

How many units you currently have in stock. Count carefully!

Low Stock Threshold

SmartSell will alert you when stock drops below this number.

Example: Set to 5 if you want to reorder when you have 5 or fewer left

Step 6: Save and Test Your Product

Once all information is entered, it's time to save and verify everything works:

Final Steps:

1
Review all information
Double-check prices, spelling, and quantities before saving
2
Click 'Save Product'
This creates the product in your inventory
3
Test in POS system
Go to POS and search for your new product to make sure it appears correctly
4
Test barcode scanning
If you added a barcode, test scanning to ensure it finds the right product

Verification Checklist

After Saving, Check:

☐ Product appears in product list with correct name
☐ Prices display correctly (cost and selling price)
☐ Product shows up in POS search
☐ Category assignment is correct
☐ Stock quantity matches what you entered
☐ Image displays properly (if uploaded)
☐ Barcode scanning works (if applicable)

Managing Product Categories

Good organization makes it easier to find products and understand your business:

Creating New Categories

Category Best Practices:

✅ Good Categories:

• Beverages (drinks, juices, water)
• Electronics (phones, accessories)
• Clothing (shirts, dresses, shoes)
• Food & Grocery (packaged foods)
• Beauty & Personal Care

❌ Avoid:

• Too many categories (over 20)
• Very specific categories with 1-2 items
• Confusing or overlapping names
• Categories like 'Miscellaneous'

How to Create Categories

In the product form, type a new category name
SmartSell will ask if you want to create it
Confirm creation
The category is now available for future products

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

❌ Mistake: Wrong Pricing

Setting selling price lower than cost price, or prices that don't match local market

Solution:

• Always ensure selling price > cost price
• Research competitor prices before setting yours
• Consider your desired profit margin (usually 20-50%)

❌ Mistake: Poor Product Names

Vague names like 'Phone' or 'Drink' that don't help identify the specific product

Solution:

• Be specific: 'Samsung Galaxy A15 128GB Blue' not 'Phone'
• Include brand, size, model where relevant
• Think about how staff will search for this item

⚠️ Mistake: Incorrect Stock Counts

Entering wrong initial stock quantity leads to inventory confusion later

Solution:

• Physically count items before entering quantity
• Don't guess - accuracy is crucial
• You can adjust quantities later if needed

Advanced Features

Product Variations

If you sell the same product in different sizes, colors, or styles:

Option 1: Separate Products

• Create individual product for each variation
• Example: 'T-shirt Red (M)', 'T-shirt Red (L)'
• Easier for staff to understand

Option 2: Product Variants

• Use SmartSell's variant feature (if available)
• One main product with size/color options
• More complex but cleaner organization

Barcode Generation

If your products don't have barcodes, SmartSell can generate them:

Leave barcode field empty when creating product
After saving, go to product details
Click 'Generate Barcode'
Print barcode labels if needed

Success! Your Product is Ready

Once you've followed these steps, your product will be:

✅ Available for sale in the POS system
✅ Searchable by name, barcode, or category
✅ Automatically tracked in inventory (if enabled)
✅ Included in sales reports and analytics
✅ Ready for barcode scanning (if barcode added)

Need More Help?

If you run into issues adding products, our support team is here to help:

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