Retail Inventory Management in the Digital Era: A Web-Based Solution for In-Store Retail Operations

This thesis presents the design, implementation, and evaluation of Stock Uniters, a web-based stock management system developed for Poltronesofà. The project was motivated by the limitations of the previous Excel-based workflow, which relied on manual updates, suffered from delays in communication, and lacked accountability and traceability. The developed solution replaces fragmented spreadsheets with a centralized, full-stack application. The system features a Vue.js Single Page Application frontend and a FastAPI backend integrated with the company’s Oracle infrastructure. Core functionalities include real-time stock registration, document scanning and uploads, role-based dashboards, and secure authentication through JWT. By embedding business rules directly into application logic, the system not only supports daily operations but also enforces organizational consistency. A pilot deployment in five stores demonstrated significant improvements in efficiency and data reliability. Key performance indicators (KPIs), such as stock registration delay, document completeness, and inventory accuracy, showed measurable progress compared to the Excel-based process. Moreover, the system contributed to improved managerial visibility and enhanced accountability at the store level. Beyond technical contributions, this work highlights the broader role of digital tools in enabling organizational change. The project illustrates how the introduction of Stock Uniters served as a concrete step in Poltronesofà’s digital transformation, demonstrating that even focused solutions can yield meaningful benefits in efficiency, traceability, and cultural alignment towards data-driven decision-making.