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Inventory Management
Managing Frame Inventory: Vendors, Manufacturers, and Collections

Managing Frame Inventory: Vendors, Manufacturers, and Collections

Frame inventory is organized into three distinct but connected parts to give you maximum flexibility and accuracy. It’s crucial you setup Vendors, Manufacturers, and Collections before you add frame inventory.

Frame Organization Classifications

  • Vendors – The company or supplier you actually purchase from (this can be a discount wholesaler, buying group, or the manufacturer itself).
  • Frame Manufacturers – The company that designs and produces the frame line (e.g., Luxottica, Kering, Bevel, etc.).
  • Frame Collections – The specific brand or line within a manufacturer (e.g., Ray-Ban, Oakley, Gucci, Titan , etc.).
This separation is important because the same manufacturer/collection can be purchased from multiple vendors, and vendors can change over time.
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Ever worked somewhere where opticians had 3 different spellings for the same frame lines? This guide will make sure that never happens and keep your inventory looking pretty!

Real-World Example

You can purchase Luxottica-manufactured Ray-Ban frames from:
  • ODs United (a popular discount buying platform with excellent pricing – definitely worth checking out if you haven’t already!)
  • Directly from Luxottica itself
In the first case:
Vendor = ODs United
Manufacturer = Luxottica
Collection = Ray-Ban
In the second case:
Vendor = Luxottica
Manufacturer = Luxottica
Collection = Ray-Ban
 
Tracking the vendor separately ensures your purchasing history and costing are always accurate, even when collections move between distributors or you switch suppliers.

Example: Luxottica Brands from Multiple Vendors

 

Step-by-Step: Setting Up Vendors, Manufacturers, and Collections

Before you can add individual frame styles (models) to inventory, you must first create the vendor, manufacturer, and collection records.

1. Add a Vendor

Vendors are managed in the Manufacturers section (this is where all supplier-type records live).
  1. Go to Manufacturers > Vendors
  1. Click Add New
  1. Enter the vendor name (e.g., “ODs United”, “Luxottica”, “Bevel”, etc.)
  1. Fill in any optional contact details or notes as desired
  1. Make sure Active is ✅ checked
  1. Save
notion image

2. Add a Frame Manufacturer

This is the company that actually produces the physical frame.
  1. Go to Maintenance > Manufacturer
  1. Click Add New
  1. Type the exact manufacturer name (e.g., “Luxottica”, “Marchon”, “Safilo”)
  1. Leave the Deleted checkbox unchecked
  1. Check the Published ✅ checkbox (this makes the manufacturer active and available for use)
  1. Save
notion image

3. Add a Frame Collection (Brand/Line)

Collections live under their respective manufacturer.
  1. Go Maintenance > Collection)
  1. Click Add New
  1. Type the Collection name (e.g., “Ray-Ban”, “Oakley”, “Kate Spade”, “Nike”)
  1. Leave Deleted unchecked
  1. Check the Published ✅ box so the collection is active
  1. Save
notion image

What You’ve Accomplished

Once these three pieces are in place, you’re ready to start adding individual frame models/SKUs to inventory and assign the correct:
  • Vendor (who you bought it from)
  • Manufacturer (who made it)
  • Collection (the brand/line)
This structure keeps your purchasing data accurate, makes reordering simple, and gives you clean reporting even when vendors or distribution channels change over time.
 
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You are ready to add individual frames to inventory now! Let’s go there.
 
 
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