# How Square Syncs Inventory Between Physical Shops and Online Stores

> A system that lets store owners toggle items between online and physical sales channels using a single dashboard to keep stock counts accurate everywhere.

- **Patent:** US 10192220
- **Original title:** Integrated online and offline inventory management
- **Owner:** Square Inc
- **Granted:** 2019
- **Status:** Active
- **Times cited:** 6
- **Field:** consumer_electronics, software, ecommerce

## What it does

This patent describes a centralized database that tracks inventory for both a physical store and an online shop. It uses 'flags' in a database to mark whether an item is available for in-person purchase, online purchase, or both. Through a graphical user interface, a merchant can select an item and click a button to instantly add it to their online store. The system then automatically updates the online store's product list and ensures the inventory records are synchronized so that a sale in one place reflects correctly in the central system.

## What it does NOT cover

- Does not cover automated inventory restocking from suppliers
- Does not cover physical barcode scanning hardware or RFID tracking
- Does not cover the specific payment processing logic for transactions
- Does not cover logistics or shipping carrier integration

## The clever bit

The system uses a 'flag' system that treats the online and offline availability as dynamic metadata, allowing a merchant to change an item's status in real-time without needing to re-upload product descriptions or images.

## Real-world examples

1. Square for Retail dashboard
2. Shopify POS and online store integration
3. Lightspeed retail management systems

## Why it matters

Before this type of integrated software, small business owners often had to manually update separate spreadsheets for their physical shop and their website. This patent represents the shift toward 'omnichannel' retail, where the distinction between a physical storefront and a digital one is managed by a single software layer, reducing the risk of selling items that are out of stock.

## Frequently asked questions

### What does How Square Syncs Inventory Between Physical Shops and Online Stores cover?

A system that lets store owners toggle items between online and physical sales channels using a single dashboard to keep stock counts accurate everywhere.

### Who owns patent US 10192220?

Square Inc owns this patent, granted in 2019.

### When does this patent expire?

This patent is expected to expire on January 29, 2039, when the invention enters the public domain.

### What is patent US 10192220 cited by?

This patent has been cited by 6 later patents that build on its ideas.

### What problem does this patent solve?

Before this type of integrated software, small business owners often had to manually update separate spreadsheets for their physical shop and their website. This patent represents the shift toward 'omnichannel' retail, where the distinction between a physical storefront and a digital one is managed by a single software layer, reducing the risk of selling items that are out of stock.

### What does this patent NOT cover?

Does not cover automated inventory restocking from suppliers

**Full plain-English explainer:** https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10192220/square-capital

**Original patent:** https://patents.google.com/patent/US10192220

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_Source: PatentBrief — https://patentbrief.org. Patent facts are from public records; the plain-English explanation is PatentBrief's._