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Introduction
Marketing teams are often responsible for more than just creative—they manage fulfillment. That includes signage, brochures, display kits, promo materials and more. And when you’re supporting hundreds of locations, manual tracking just doesn’t work.
This is where an automated inventory management system makes all the difference.
At IRIS Strategic Marketing Support (IRIS), we’ve helped marketing teams manage not just campaign assets, but their delivery and usage across stores, dealers or franchisees. GearBox® by IRIS tracks what was requested, what was customized, what was sent to vendors and what was fulfilled—all in real time.
What Is an Automated Inventory Management System for Marketing?
In a marketing operations context, this kind of system:
- Tracks campaign kits, signage and print materials from request to delivery
- Logs template edits and asset approvals before routing to vendors
- Provides delivery status by region or store
- Gives teams visibility into what’s been used, delayed or missed
This is not traditional POS or stockroom inventory. It’s marketing logistics—delivered through a structured system built for execution.
Why Manual Campaign Fulfillment Fails at Scale
1. Requests Get Lost in Email
When franchisees or dealers request signage manually, teams scramble to confirm details, attach files and loop in vendors. This creates errors and delays.
2. No Visibility After Handoff
Once a file is sent to print, there’s no way to track what happens next. Teams don’t know when—or if—materials arrived.
3. Fulfillment Happens Outside the System
Print and signage vendors operate on their own timelines. Without centralized tracking, fulfillment is invisible.
4. Historical Data Is Scattered or Missing
When no system logs fulfillment, it’s impossible to compare rollout speed, vendor performance or campaign reach.
What Marketing Teams Should Look for in an Automated Inventory Management System
Centralized Asset Requests by Location
Field teams can request signage or kits by selecting from assigned campaigns—reducing the risk of outdated files or unapproved edits.
Vendor Routing Built Into the Workflow
Once approved, assets should automatically route to pre-approved printers or signage vendors based on geography or store type.
Real-Time Fulfillment Tracking
Teams should see what was shipped, when it was delivered and where delays exist—without waiting for email updates.
Rollout Reporting by Campaign or Region
Track fulfillment by location, monitor adoption and support lagging stores with targeted outreach.
How GearBox® by IRIS Automates Inventory Management for Marketing Fulfillment
GearBox® by IRIS combines asset customization, template control and fulfillment tracking in one platform—purpose-built for brands managing distributed locations.
Features include:
- Assigning signage kits by store format or campaign tier
- Logging customization activity and field-specific edits
- Routing print and signage orders to pre-approved vendors
- Tracking fulfillment progress and delivery confirmations
- Reporting usage and completion rates by store, market or region
This lets marketing teams manage campaign logistics without manual lift—and gives them full visibility into field execution.
Use Case: Ply Gem Needed Inventory Tracking for Dealer Signage Kits
Ply Gem supports a large network of dealers and needed a system to customize signage, route fulfillment and track which stores received which materials.
With GearBox® by IRIS, Ply Gem was able to:
- Assign location-specific kits by dealer type
- Customize within locked templates to protect branding
- Route approved signage to vendors automatically
- Monitor fulfillment by geography and dealer tier
- Track asset use and version control across campaigns
Now, their marketing fulfillment runs on structure—not guesswork.
Conclusion
An automated inventory management system is critical for marketing teams who handle field fulfillment. Without it, you’re stuck in spreadsheets, emails and delays.
With it, you gain speed, visibility and confidence in your execution.
GearBox® by IRIS gives brands the tools to manage signage kits, templates and delivery—so every campaign gets where it needs to go, on time.
Talk to IRIS to see how your team can automate fulfillment and support execution at scale.
