Physical Inventory Counting Service

Conduct physical inventory counts for businesses

Startup Cost
$25,000-$150,000
Difficulty
Intermediate
Time to Profit
6-12 months
Profit Potential
$17,000-$250,000/month

Overview

Inventory counting services generate $200,000-$3,000,000 annually with 50-70% margins.

In 2025, accurate inventory requires physical counts.

Revenue from annual inventory counts ($2,000-$50,000 per count), cycle counting programs ($1,000-$10,000 monthly), hourly counting rates ($25-$75 per counter hour), wall-to-wall inventory counts, specialty counts (jewelry, pharmacy), and inventory reconciliation.

Successful services recruit and train reliable counters, use barcode scanners and counting technology, follow systematic counting procedures, ensure accuracy through double-counts, provide same-day or next-day results, and reconcile physical to system inventory.

Retailers, warehouses, and manufacturers as clients.

Marketing through accounting firms, business networks, inventory count expertise, accuracy guarantees, and industry specializations.

Required Skills

  • Inventory Counting Procedures
  • Team Management
  • Barcode Scanning
  • Quality Control
  • Data Entry & Reconciliation
  • Project Coordination

Pros and Cons

Pros

  • Recurring annual inventory count work
  • Can scale with part-time counters
  • Critical for financial reporting and audits
  • Multiple industries need inventory counts
  • Predictable seasonal demand

Cons

  • Labor-intensive with low margins
  • Need large team of reliable counters
  • Work often overnight or off-hours
  • Counter recruitment and turnover
  • Accuracy errors damage reputation

How to Get Started

  1. Develop inventory counting procedures
  2. Recruit and train inventory counters
  3. Invest in barcode scanners and technology
  4. Market to retailers and warehouses
  5. Schedule and coordinate inventory counts
  6. Conduct accurate physical inventory counts
  7. Deliver count results and reconciliation

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