PartSmart - Visual Inventory for Trade Shops
8/10
Demand Score
Missing a $5 part on a job site costs 2 hours of unbillable time ($150-200 lost revenue) for the trip back to supplier. Happens 3-4 times per month for most shops. Stock-outs delay jobs and anger customers.
9/10
Blue Ocean
Competition Level
$99-199
Price/Month
Predicted customer spend
30 days
Time to MVP
Difficulty: Easy
The Problem
"Parts inventory: we use a whiteboard in the shop. Usually wrong, often missing critical items when we need them."
🔗 Validated by Real User Complaints
This problem has been verified through 1 real user complaints:
Competitor Landscape
- Sortly - Generic inventory app, not trade-focused, lacks supplier integration
- inFlow - Desktop-heavy, too complex for trade workers
- Fishbowl - Enterprise focus, $300+/month, requires training
- Excel/Whiteboard - Current solution, zero cost but highly error-prone
Must-Have Features for MVP
QR code bin labels
Photo-based reordering
Van inventory tracking
Low stock push notifications
Supplier catalog integration
⚠️ Potential Challenges
- Getting buy-in from non-tech-savvy workers
- Initial inventory setup time
- Supplier API availability
Risk Level: Minimal
🎯 Keys to Success
- Works offline in warehouses
- Big buttons for work gloves
- Voice input option
- Automatic purchase orders to suppliers
Ready to Build This?
This easy-difficulty project could be your next micro-SaaS success.