Expired or discontinued stock removal process automation

Purpose

1. Automate the identification and removal of expired, discontinued, or obsolete aeromodel stock to maintain accurate product listings, optimize sellable inventory, reduce waste, and comply with regulatory shelf-life requirements.

2. Initiate notifications, update online/offline catalogs, adjust stock levels, and alert stakeholders instantly, ensuring smooth operations for retail hobby and toy stores specializing in aeromodelling.

Trigger Conditions

1. Product expiry dates reached or exceeded in inventory database.

2. Supplier sends discontinued notice via email or EDI.

3. Stock count flagged as zero with predetermined date inactivity.

4. Manual flag by inventory manager in POS or ERP.

5. API webhook from manufacturer informing discontinuation.

Platform variants

1. Shopify

• Feature: Product Inventory Events API
  
• Sample: Configure webhook for “inventory_quantity_changed” tied to expiry or discontinuation tags.
  

2. WooCommerce

• Setting: REST API 'Product Update' endpoint
  
• Sample: Automate PATCH call for product status deletion when meta field 'expiry_date' is today.
  

3. SAP Business One

• Feature: Inventory Management Service Layer
  
• Sample: Trigger removal workflow based on date-driven batch attributes.
  

4. Microsoft Dynamics 365

• Setting: Power Automate Flow on inventory entity
  
• Sample: Schedule recurring check for expired SKUs and patch state to 'retired'.
  

5. Oracle NetSuite

• Feature: Saved Search + RESTlet
  
• Sample: Action scheduled script on items where "Status = expired" to update inventory.
  

6. Square POS

• API: Catalog API
  
• Sample: Call “DeleteCatalogObject” when 'discontinued' custom attribute matches input list.
  

7. Lightspeed Retail

• Function: Webhooks API
  
• Sample: Setup hook for product custom field “expiry_date” and auto-remove from system.
  

8. Cin7 Core

• Setting: Automation Rule Builder
  
• Sample: If item expiry field = today, trigger removal endpoint via API.
  

9. Fishbowl Inventory

• Feature: Integration Plugin for Product Status
  
• Sample: Map status workflow to archive expired SKUs from all sales channels.
  

10. QuickBooks Commerce

• API: Inventory Adjustment Endpoint
  
• Sample: Auto-create stock adjustment request removing discontinued products.
  

11. Google Sheets

• Setting: Google Apps Script scheduled trigger
  
• Sample: Scan expiry column and send row for removal via custom HTTP request.
  

12. Airtable

• Feature: Automation + Scripting Block
  
• Sample: Script to filter 'expired' records and initiate external removal workflow.
  

13. Zoho Inventory

• API: Items Module
  
• Sample: Use ‘Update Item’ endpoint to mark as inactive if expiry date = today.
  

14. Magento

• Feature: Product Repository API
  
• Sample: Auto-flag 'isSaleable' = false when custom “expiry_date” field is reached.
  

15. PrestaShop

• Setting: Webservice API
  
• Sample: Call DELETE request to product resource when “active” = 0 on date match.
  

16. BigCommerce

• API: Storefront Product Webhook
  
• Sample: When inventory = 0 and “discontinued” custom field true, remove listing.
  

17. Odoo

• Feature: Scheduled Actions
  
• Sample: Run batch job checking lot/expiry fields and set 'archived' if expired.
  

18. Salesforce Commerce Cloud

• Setting: OCAPI Product Update Resource
  
• Sample: Batch PATCH to set availability = 'not_available' on discontinue.
  

19. Trello

• Power-Up: Automation and API
  
• Sample: Cards representing products move to “Remove from Stock” on expiry trigger.
  

20. Slack

• Workflow: Bots/API integration
  
• Sample: Post automatic alert to inventory channel when expired item needs action.
  

21. Freshdesk

• API: Ticket Creation
  
• Sample: Create auto-ticket for stock manager when expired SKU detected.
  

22. Zendesk

• Feature: Scheduled Triggers
  
• Sample: Ticket automation to inform agents of discontinued product.
  

Benefits

1. Minimizes human error and inventory discrepancies in hobby retail operations.

2. Increases accuracy of online/offline listings, preventing sale of expired/discontinued goods.

3. Frees staff for customer-facing tasks by reducing manual stock reviews.

4. Ensures regulatory and supplier contract compliance for product lifecycle.

5. Accelerates removal/clearance process, reducing holding costs and wasted stock.