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Inventory sync frequency affects everything from overselling risk to API costs. Sync too infrequently, and you'll sell products you don't have. Sync too often, and you'll waste resources or hit rate limits.
The right sync frequency depends on your business type, order volume, and integration setup. This guide helps you determine the optimal sync schedule for your Shopify store.
Recommended frequency: Every 15-30 minutes
Why: Fast-moving inventory changes rapidly throughout the day. A repair shop buying brake pads can't wait 2 hours to know if they're in stock.
Example: Auto parts wholesaler with 500 orders per day across 5,000 SKUs. Stock levels change constantly as orders ship and new inventory arrives.
Implementation:
Recommended frequency: Every 2-4 hours
Why: Stock changes less frequently when products have production lead times. Inventory updates happen when production runs complete or shipments arrive.
Example: Industrial equipment manufacturer. Products made to order or in weekly production batches. Inventory updates a few times per day.
Implementation:
Recommended frequency: Once or twice daily
Why: Stock rarely changes. One sync in the morning and one in the evening covers most scenarios.
Example: Custom machinery parts with 10-20 orders per week. Inventory changes when an order ships or new stock arrives.
Implementation:
Recommended frequency: Variable (hourly during peaks, daily otherwise)
Why: Balance accuracy during high-traffic periods with efficiency during slow periods.
Example: Promotional products business. Normal operations have 50 orders per week. During campaign periods, 500 orders per day.
Implementation:
Native connectors typically use job queues or scheduled tasks.
Business Central Shopify Connector:
Acumatica Shopify Connector:
Recommended: Configure based on your business volume (see recommendations above). Enable push-on-change if available.
For more on native connectors, see Business Central Inventory Sync.
Custom integrations offer full control over sync frequency.
Real-time sync (webhooks):
Scheduled sync (polling):
Hybrid approach:
For implementation details, see n8n Inventory Sync.
Most inventory management apps have preset sync frequencies:
Common settings:
Check your app's settings and choose based on your business volume.
Tip: Only sync SKUs that changed since last update. Reduces API calls by 90%+ in most cases.
Shopify API has rate limits based on your plan:
If you hit rate limits, reduce sync frequency or optimize batch size. Use GraphQL for bulk operations instead of REST.
Multiple warehouse locations increase sync complexity.
Scenario: 3 warehouses, 2,000 SKUs each = 6,000 inventory records to sync
Solution:
1. Only sync changed items
Instead of syncing all inventory every time, query for changes:
SELECT sku, quantity, location
FROM inventory
WHERE updated_at > '2026-01-12 14:00:00'
Reduces sync time from 10 minutes to under 1 minute for most syncs.
2. Batch updates
Send 50-100 inventory items per API call instead of individual calls. Use Shopify's GraphQL inventorySetOnHandQuantities mutation for batching.
3. Off-peak scheduling
Schedule large syncs during low-traffic hours (2-6 AM). Reduces impact on storefront performance.
4. Prioritize critical SKUs
Sync best-sellers and low-stock items more frequently than slow-movers.
Example schedule:
Too infrequent:
Too frequent:
How to fix: Adjust frequency in 50% increments. If syncing hourly, try every 30 minutes. Monitor for 1 week and adjust again if needed.
How it works: ERP sends webhook to Shopify when inventory changes
Pros:
Cons:
Best for: High-volume businesses, flash sales, limited inventory products
How it works: Check ERP API every X minutes for inventory changes
Pros:
Cons:
Best for: Low to medium volume businesses, stable inventory
Combine both methods:
Real-time: For critical SKUs, order updates, stock-outs
Scheduled: For regular inventory updates, reconciliation
This balances accuracy with simplicity and cost.
Track these metrics to ensure your sync frequency is working:
Set up alerts when metrics exceed thresholds. Address issues before they impact customers.
For monitoring tools, see n8n vs Shopify Flow.
The right inventory sync frequency balances accuracy, performance, and cost. High-volume businesses need 15-30 minute syncs. Low-volume businesses can sync once or twice daily.
Start with these guidelines:
Optimize by only syncing changed items, batching updates, and segmenting SKUs by sales velocity.
Monitor sync performance weekly. Adjust frequency if you see out-of-stock orders or API errors.
Real-time webhooks provide the best accuracy but require more complex setup. Scheduled polling is simpler but less accurate. Hybrid approaches balance both.
Related resources:
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