Use a rule-based workflow for reorder emails
A plain automation checked Shopify stock daily and prepared supplier emails when items crossed fixed reorder levels.
- What they did
- An owner of a supplements brand asked for an AI system to keep an eye on Shopify, figure out when items should be restocked, and email suppliers. After reviewing the catalog, the builder found a long-running pattern: 14 products had been reordered for over a year in the same amounts from the same suppliers. Instead of a more complex agent, they built an n8n workflow that looks at inventory each morning, compares it with set reorder points, and creates a ready-to-send order email for the correct supplier when stock is low.
- How it went
- The build came out to $700, with a running cost of $60 a month, rather than the $5,200 quote. During the first week, the ops person regained about 40 minutes every morning, even though the client first thought the approach was overly simple.
- Tips
- If your reorder rules are stable, a fixed workflow can be cheaper and easier to keep running than an agent. Add approval before any supplier email is actually sent.
Try it yourself with n8n
In n8n, make a workflow for [Shopify store] that checks inventory each morning at [time]. When any product falls below [reorder threshold], find the supplier in [spreadsheet/Airtable], draft the prewritten purchase email for [quantity], and stop for my approval before anything is sent. Use a test item to verify that the draft names the right product and supplier, then waits for confirmation before sending.
Fill in the [brackets]. Agents can make mistakes, so review anything before it is sent, paid or deleted.
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