Author’s Bio: Matthew Burrows cofounded Plant Material, an ecologically focused Los Angeles nursery selling California-native plants. Matthew has been hands-on in expanding Plant Material to multiple locations across LA to make native plants more accessible to the community.

Operating a business with real, living, breathing inventory takes a careful balancing act. I used to find myself standing in a grower’s yard, phone in one hand, analyzing my inventory in Shopify. I would need to fill a display table for the weekend, but I would have limited capital to work with. Most retail businesses would’ve told me to buy in bulk to get better margins and stock deep. But instead, I’d make a buying decision for four plants at a time, and that single habit would eventually save me six figures.

   

When we started Plant Material, we literally started the company with nothing. No investment capital, no safety net, just a commitment to making California-native plants more accessible. I came from 15 years in corporate retail, working with fashion and footwear brands, and I’d learned plenty about merchandising and operations. I also knew that plants don’t age like fine wine; there’s a finite amount of time you can have them at your shop before they lose their viability at retail.

That constraint forced me to rethink everything about traditional retail inventory management. Instead of treating buying as these big procurement events where you place massive orders to hit volume discounts, I built buying into my weekly rhythm. I started going out to growers with my phone, checking real-time inventory levels right there in their yards, and purchasing exactly what I needed to complete my displays. 

If I only needed four plants, I would just go buy those four plants. I could do that multiple times to fill a table. This approach didn’t just reduce risk—it completely eliminated the traditional capital barrier that keeps people from starting retail businesses. We’ve never taken investment money, only Shopify Capital when we needed it. Now we operate three locations across LA and compete with Home Depot and Lowe’s, and it all started with those precise purchases.

Turning your phone into inventory your management system 

The foundation of this whole strategy is having mobile access to your actual inventory data at the moment you’re making purchasing decisions. With Shopify, I can pull out my phone while I’m with a grower, look at inventory levels, and decide how much to buy while I’m there—all in real time.

The magic happens when you combine physical presence with digital precision. I’m seeing products in person, checking their quality, finding which look really good right now, while also knowing our exact stock levels back at the shops. This combination prevents both overbuying and missed opportunities.

Early on, this was critical because we didn’t have money to waste, but it’s remained valuable as we’ve grown because it keeps us nimble. I can make multiple small trips to growers throughout the week instead of one large order. I’m always going out and buying plants and bringing them into the shops, and really enjoy getting in my truck and heading out to meet growers.

Buying for visual impact, not just volume

Most retailers miss the big difference between being fully stocked and looking fully stocked. Strategic, small purchases can create the appearance of abundant inventory when merchandised correctly. I think in terms of blocks—usually blocks of six plants. From the standpoint of aesthetics, walking into the shop and seeing it full and properly merchandised, we could really dial in on that without overextending financially. 

This is especially important when you’re starting with limited capital. You can’t afford to have cash tied up in inventory that might not move, and you definitely can’t afford the space that excess inventory consumes. Customers don’t need to know you’re operating lean, they just need to see beautiful, complete displays upon arrival.

Mastering the timing of your inventory cycles 

The general trend of seasonality in our business stays the same year to year. Once you understand the patterns, you can really start to forecast what you need for each season. 

I’ve always had my pulse on the inventory because I’m physically handling it. I’m loading my own truck, visiting the same growers regularly, and seeing what’s coming into production. That hands-on approach has been essential.

The rhythm I’ve settled into is checking what’s sold during the week, then visiting growers before the weekend, which is when we see the most traffic. I can respond to actual customer demand rather than projected demand. This real-time responsiveness has saved us from countless mistakes.

The in-person visits matter too. Loading my own truck, spending time walking the yards, talking about what growers are excited about—it all helps to maintain those relationships in a way that pure transactional ordering never would. 

Starting off with nothing 

Conventional wisdom says you need significant upfront investment for inventory, but we literally started the company with nothing. Every time I bought just what I needed instead of bulk ordering, I saved money that would’ve been tied up in excess inventory. Those savings compounded and, by my estimate, this approach has saved us six figures over the years. The psychological freedom this creates can’t be overstated. When you’re not carrying the weight of massive inventory investments, you can take smarter risks in other areas. You can test new products without betting the farm. You can respond to opportunities as they arise.

Now, years later, we’re competing with national chains despite operating with a small team. We appear in search results alongside Home Depot and Lowe’s, and that’s a testament to my wife, Heather, and her focus on SEO and Shopify.

The next time you’re planning a bulk order to “save on margins,” pull out your phone first. Check what you actually need right now, and walk into your supplier with data in hand. Catch my full interview on Shopify Masters to discover other ways I’m competing with the industry giants and creating real change in the community.