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More options, more sales, right? Not necessarily.
Much of the quilting industry falls into the trap of thinking that more SKUs automatically translate to higher revenue. In reality, too much inventory ties up cash, strains staff and systems, and overwhelms customers — often leaving them walking out empty-handed.
Intentional curation is the real path to profitability and peace of mind. When you focus your energy on choosing the right inventory for the right audience, you can achieve better profit margins, simpler operations, and more loyal customers.
In this blog, you’ll learn how to identify what truly sells in your shop using real data, reduce overwhelm for both your team and your customers, and use the right tools to build a focused, profitable collection for your business.
Why Quilt Shops Are Drowning in SKUs — and How It Hurts
Many modern quilt shops have bolts and precuts stacked high on every shelf and surface of the store. It looks abundant, which sounds appealing — but let’s take a closer look at what’s actually happening when shops take that approach.
That jam-packed wall of fabric represents thousands of dollars sitting still. Some of those bolts have been there for years, tying up cash you could be using to buy what truly sells.
Meanwhile, staff spend hours verifying inventory for products you’re not even sure you should carry anymore. It’s exhausting work that takes time away from helping customers and teaching quilting classes.
A curated approach is far more effective for managing your quilt shop inventory.
When you intentionally curate your collection instead of carrying everything you can get your hands on, you show customers that your store has a point of view. If you find your niche and commit to it, customers start to trust you.
A small, independent shop known for its signature bundles stands a better chance against big-box stores than one that tries to compete on volume alone. Why? Because when you curate your offerings and the experience, your shop has a clear identity — and that identity gives customers a reason to choose you.
How To Spot What Actually Sells in Your Quilt Shop
Before you can curate your collection, you need to ask an important question: Do you actually know what sells in your shop? Gut feelings aren’t enough — you need to look at your numbers.
Start by pulling up your point of sale (POS) system and reviewing your sales reports. Track sell-through rates across different collections, colorways, and product types to see which fabrics your customers gravitate toward most.
Any successful quilt shop owner knows that sales aren’t consistent throughout the year. Run a seasonal analysis to see which fabric types and collections sell best in each season, so you know when to reorder specific products.
Vendor catalogs are another key piece of the puzzle. A POS system with an integrated vendor catalog helps keep your inventory current and makes it easier to identify which vendors align with your shop’s identity. From there, focus on a few core fabric lines that refresh seasonally, rather than trying to invest in every collection available.
Related Read: Fabric Store Vendor Catalogs: 4 Time-Saving Benefits You Need
How To Build a Curated Inventory Strategy
Not all inventory deserves equal attention, and your buying strategy should reflect that. Start by creating a clear product hierarchy that helps you stay focused:
- Core inventory: Year-round staples customers buy consistently, regardless of season
- Seasonal rotations: Collections that refresh with the calendar
- Limited editions: Special releases and one-offs that aren’t added to your permanent rotation
Bundles, kits, and precuts are another powerful opportunity for quilt shops. These categories help simplify inventory while boosting sales. Because they’re premeasured, prepriced, and ready to sell, they’re easier to manage on the operations side. On the customer side, they reduce decision fatigue by offering a signature bundle they can grab and go.
Block-of-the-month (BOM) programs take this concept even further. BOM is a natural fit for curated inventory because you select specific fabrics that align with your shop’s aesthetic and plan them months in advance. A strong BOM program also creates predictable revenue, since customers commit to it several months ahead of time.
Related Read: How To Keep Track of Fabric Inventory: 8 Tips & Tools
The Operational Benefits of Smart Curation
Here’s what fewer SKUs actually mean for your bottom line. When you focus your buying, you’re ordering more of what works and less of what doesn’t. That translates into stronger negotiating power with vendors, less capital tied up in dead stock, and improved inventory turnover.
But the benefits don’t stop there. Stronger inventory curation also makes it easier for you to manage your store operations and plan for the future. Without all the data noise from thousands of unprofitable SKUs, trends become clearer, helping you make smarter ordering decisions.
Your customer service improves as well. When you carry fewer SKUs, employees can really learn the products they’re selling — which fabrics pair well together, which collections just arrived, and which kits are popular. That expertise translates into more confident product recommendations and better service.
Class management becomes more efficient, too. When instructors know your inventory inside and out, they can plan classes around products and collections customers love. They can also upsell or suggest add-on equipment without having to sort through a mountain of fabric options.
How Like Sew Makes Curation Easy for Quilt Shops
Curation sounds great in theory, but how do you get started with this approach to quilt shop management? The key is having the right tools — most importantly, a modern POS solution like Like Sew. Here are some of the features that make mastering quilt shop inventory curation easier:
- Sales reports: Like Sew’s reports give you visibility into which collections customers love and which products are taking up space.
- Vendor catalog integration: Instead of manually tracking prices and availability, this feature provides up-to-date product info at any time.
- Min and max reorder automation: Avoid stockouts with automated reorder alerts. Set thresholds for every product, and the system notifies you when it’s time to restock.
- Kit and precut management: Managing kits and bundles manually can cause unnecessary stress. Create and track signature product bundles and keep everything organized within the platform.
Beyond having the right tools, you also need the right approach. Transitioning from “carry everything” to “carry the right things” doesn’t happen overnight. Use your reporting tools to identify low performers and phase them out gradually.
When you master the art of curation, you give yourself more breathing room to focus on teaching classes, building community, and creating loyal customers.
Like Sew gives you the data, tools, and confidence to curate your inventory the right way. Want to see how much easier — and more profitable — quilt shop ownership can be? Schedule a demo today.
