Building your Allmoxy Catalog

This guide outlines key practices to help you build catalogs that launch efficiently and meet your business needs!

Management your catalog's complexity:

Focus on bestsellers first:

Implement your top 20 bestselling configurations/colors/finishes/styles, etc. before adding niche options
Use actual order history to prioritize what to include
Create standard configurations with a separate "custom" option or product for special orders

Most customers only regularly order a small subset of what you offer. Excessive options create complexity without adding value.

Did you know Coca-Cola did this? They found that ½ of their products were only generating 2% of their revenue, so in 2020 they cut the low-performing products out of their offering. This allowed them to maximize efficiency, cut down on supply costs, and focus on their top performing product lines. ^{- Business Insider}

Define your project scope:

Define clear outcomes for your catalog implementation:

Document specific business goals for your catalog
Share complete pricing models and formulas upfront
Identify the minimum viable catalog needed to start processing orders

Undefined or changing requirements are the leading cause of implementation delays and budget overruns.

Don't be a Denver Airport disaster. Due to over 2,000 un-scoped design changes to the 26 mile state-of-the-art baggage claim, the airport opening was delayed 16 months and exceeded the original budget by over 120 MILLION dollars. Ultimately the final product didn't meet even the original expectations, let alone all the additional time and money spent. ^-Lucid.co

This disaster highlights how undefined or constantly changing scope can derail a project – budgets explode, timelines slip, and the end product may collapse under the weight of added features.While we know an Allmoxy catalog will always need additions and adjustments, decide on what a completed phase 1 looks like for you and your business, and don't deviate from it until you've seen it through to the finish line.

Be selective about the features you implement:

Focus on essentials:

Separate must-have features from nice-to-have options
Implement in phases—core functionality first, then enhancements
Identify integration requirements early

A simpler catalog that launches sooner provides more value than a complex one that's perpetually "almost ready."

Review your Inventory & Resource Allocation processes:

Take a measured approach:

Document existing inventory systems before attempting integration to determine if Allmoxy is the best solution for your inventory tracking needs
Implement resource allocation after launch when you're familiar with order processing
Pare down what inventory items are automatically allocated at first

Inventory tracking requires consistent maintenance. Without proper systems and processes, this feature creates more problems than it solves.

Designate a Project Manager:

Establish clear ownership:

Designate a single point of contact throughout the entire build
Dedicate appropriate internal resources to the project
Set realistic timelines with phased deliverables

Changes in project contacts often require significant rework and re-education, extending timelines dramatically.

The Sydney Opera House lost their primary architect halfway through the project. Instead of determining a new designated primary architect, they decided to elect a panel of architects. The panel drastically changed the project mid-stream, even tearing down existing structures. The result? A project that ran 10 years over-schedule and cost 14 times the original budget.

Focus on User Experience:

Consider your end users:

Match interface complexity to user technical proficiency
Limit options to prevent overwhelming customers
Use current ordering feedback to improve the new system

Too many choices paralyze decision-making. Streamlined options typically increase conversion rates.

Validate and test your catalog:

Verify before launching:

Assign specific team members to testing responsibilities
Establish clear success metrics
Test with a limited product set before full implementation

Thorough testing with realistic data prevents costly corrections after launch.

🚩 Red Flags to Watch For 🚩

🚩 Excessive options: Hundreds of finishes/colors usually indicate unnecessary complexity

🚩 Inconsistent pricing: Multiple structures across product lines increase implementation time

🚩 Inadequate inventory systems: Complex tracking without supporting processes leads to inaccuracies

🚩 Contact changes: New stakeholders mid-project often reset progress

🚩 Scope expansion: Adding features after initial planning derails timelines

🚩 Unclear pricing: Missing formulas inevitably cause delays and errors

Successful catalogs balance complexity with usability, focusing on a clearly defined and easily managed product offering. By addressing these considerations early, you can create a realistic implementation plan and prevent feature creep that often delays launches.