Toy store and baby store inventory: count every box by barcode, from the shop floor to the stockroom
By mise · Updated October 15, 2026
Quick answer: a toy store (toy shop in the UK) or baby store controls inventory by the barcode on the box: every toy, every diaper (nappy) size and every formula tin is its own item. Count by zone before and after the season, record expiry dates on formula, write off damaged boxes with a reason and compare two counts to see what sold, what walked out and what is dead stock.
Scan the barcode on the box or snap a photo: mise's AI finds the toy or baby product and brings it back categorized, with name, brand and photo. In a toy store that means counting a wall of boxes in an afternoon with your team, and knowing in January exactly what is left from December, in money.
A toy store or baby store lives two lives: nine quiet months and a season where 40 percent of the year sells in six weeks. Stock arrives in cases in October, and whatever is left in January is dead stock at full cost. This guide covers how to count fast, what is specific to toys and baby products, and what mise does.
What a toy store and a baby store count
| Category | How to count | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Boxed toys (building sets, dolls, games, puzzles) | Barcode on the box | Same line in three sizes; damaged boxes |
| Collectibles, trading cards, blind bags | Barcode on the pack or the case | Small, high value, theft |
| Ride-on, outdoor, baby gear (strollers or pushchairs, car seats) | Barcode; one box, one unit | High value, few units; display unit |
| Diapers (nappies), wipes, formula, baby food | Barcode of each size; cases x units | Volume; expiry on formula and food |
| Kids' clothing, books, party supplies | Barcode per size; the ISBN on books | Low value, many lines |
The stroller assembled on the floor is still a unit of stock: count it and mark it as the display. A toy with no barcode (wooden toys from a small maker) is added by hand once, with a name and a photo; you can also photograph the label and mise's AI tries to identify it, without any promise that it will.
The season: before, during and after
- September: count the carry-over. What is left from last year goes on the floor first. Do not order what you already have.
- October and November: receive against the invoice. Scan one unit per case and multiply. The invoice imports as XML, Excel or CSV.
- December: count the small stuff weekly. Cards, blind bags and collectibles near the door are where the season's shrink happens.
- January: full count. Whatever is left is dead stock at full cost. Markdown now, or box it in a "seasonal" location for next year.
See dead stock and ABC analysis.
Do it in mise
- Scan the barcode on the box or snap a photo: mise's AI finds the toy or baby product and brings it back categorized (name, brand, photo, group and category).
- Count by zone with your team before and after the season, each person on their own phone with their own permissions.
- Expiry date on formula and baby food; damaged boxes and display units as stock-outs with a reason.
- Minimum stock on diapers by size, wipes and formula, and a reorder list in PDF, Excel, WhatsApp or email, split by supplier.
- Invoices in XML, Excel or CSV; what is left after the season in money; export to Excel and PDF.
7 days free, no card needed.
Where stock leaves without being sold
- Theft of small, expensive items: card packs, blind bags, small sets. Only a weekly count of that shelf shows the pattern.
- Damaged and opened boxes. Write them off as a stock-out with a reason (damaged) so they do not look like theft.
- Wrong size at the till (register). Size 4 diapers sold, size 5 rung up. Cash balances; the size stock and the reorder are wrong.
- Display units later sold as new, or given away, without a record.
See inventory shrinkage.
The counting routine outside the season
| Section | Frequency | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Collectibles, cards, small high-value toys | Weekly | Theft |
| Formula, baby food, diapers, wipes | Every two weeks | Expiry on food; volume lines |
| Boxed toys by aisle; stockroom | Monthly | Open boxes, receiving errors |
| Whole store | September and January | Before and after the season |
With the team counting in parallel, each on their own phone with their own permissions, a 3,000-line store is counted in a morning before opening. See cycle counting and physical inventory count.
Minimum stock on what must never run out
A parent who finds no size 3 diapers does not wait: they buy elsewhere. Set a minimum stock (par level) on diapers by size, wipes, formula, batteries and, in season, the ten hottest lines. Below it, the item turns red and goes onto the reorder list with the quantity short. The list exports as PDF or Excel, or opens in WhatsApp or email ready to send, split by supplier from the last invoice. See par level and reorder point formula.
What mise does in a toy or baby store, and what it does not
In short, everything in the "Do it in mise" box above, with no limit on items, counts or scans.
Scan each box and it comes up complete; in January you see what is left, in money. 7-day free trial, no card.
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Frequently asked questions
How do I count a toy store before the holiday season?
In September, scan what is left from last year, then receive the season's cases against the invoice. In January, count again: the difference is what sold, what went missing and what is dead stock.
Do toys without a barcode work?
Yes: add the item by hand once, with a name and a photo. You can also photograph the label and mise's AI tries to identify it.
How do I handle diapers in several sizes?
Each size has its own barcode, so each size is its own item with its own minimum stock. Below the minimum it goes onto the reorder list.
What about the display stroller?
Count it as a unit of stock and mark it as the display. When it is sold or written off, record it, so it does not show up as missing.
How much does mise cost?
7 days free, no card needed, to try it in your store.