Verity for hardware stores

A hardware store sells a thousand small things on credit. The profit is in knowing which ones pay.

A hardware store carries pipes, wire, paint, tools, fittings, fasteners and sometimes cement, and sells to plumbers, electricians and contractors who run an account. The margin is thin on the bulky lines and fat on the small ones, and the credit book is bigger than anyone says. Verity connects the item, the contractor, the site and the supplier, so you can see what earns, who owes you and what is about to run out.

Verity in one line

One system that knows every item and its rate, every contractor and what they owe, every delivery to a site and every supplier payment, and tells you what needs attention today.

See your hardware store in Verity See the 16 problems we solve

Free: we set up a working demo of your own business, on your own data, within 7 days. You pay only if your team decides to use it.

Built for a counter that is three deep at 9 am with contractors who each want something different. Records come from the bills, deliveries and ledger entries you already make.

Verity / Hardware / Today

Shop: Gandhi Bazaar, godown: Peenya

Live

Sales yesterday

₹2.9 lakh

168 bills

Owed by contractors

₹11.6 lakh

₹3.8 lakh over 45 days

Deliveries out

9

2 not confirmed

Slow movers

212 items

₹6.4 lakh at cost

Gross margin by group, this month

  • Fasteners27%
  • Hand and power tools19%
  • Pipes and fittings13%
  • Cement and bulk6%

Cash and UPI differ from bills by ₹540. 3 cash sales unbilled on the evening shift.

Review
  • CPVC elbows below reorder pointSold 220 a week, 90 on shelfOrder
  • Raza Builders over credit limitBalance ₹2.4 lakh, limit ₹2 lakhApprove?

Illustrative screen with sample figures. Yours is set up with your own item groups, contractors, sites and suppliers.

Watch

Verity in retail and commerce

Shelf counts, billing and stock, shown the way a store lives them.

35 seconds, no sound. An illustrative film, so the scenes are examples, not customer results.

How it runs today

Most hardware stores know every customer and every shelf, and carry the rest in the khata.

The counter is easy to see. A plumber with a list of fittings, an electrician asking for a coil of wire, a contractor who takes ten bags of cement for a site and will pay at the month end. What is hard to see is what sits behind it: which of the thousand items has not sold in a year, which lines actually earn a margin, how much each contractor owes and for how long, and what the supplier raised its price by last month.

That information exists in pieces. The billing screen knows the sale. The credit book is a ledger or a phone app. Supplier rates arrive on a list photographed over WhatsApp. Site deliveries are a phone call to a driver. The owner holds the rest in memory.

The market is described as highly fragmented, led by contractors and technicians rather than do-it-yourself buyers, and a consultancy projects it growing around 7 percent a year over 2026 to 2032. Credit, working capital and price-sensitive customers are the pressures retailers face.

What most hardware stores run on

  • Billing screen at the counter
  • Credit ledger or khata app
  • Supplier price lists and challans
  • WhatsApp for contractors and drivers
  • The owner’s memory of who owes what

Each one does its own job well enough. None of them talk to each other, and nobody has time to join them.

16 problems, one by one

Where a hardware store actually loses money.

These are the situations hardware store owners and managers describe again and again. For each one: what it looks like on an ordinary day, what it costs, and what Verity does about it.

  1. 01Stock

    A customer asks for an item and nobody knows where it is

    What it looks like

    A plumber wants a half-inch CPVC elbow. Staff search two racks and a godown. It is in a box behind the paint tins, or sold out, or you stock it under a different name. The plumber goes next door.

    What it costs you

    Example arithmetic: ten such lost sales a day at an average ₹350 is ₹3,500 a day, over ₹1 lakh a month, and the next time he goes there first.

    How Verity fixes it

    Every item is a record with its size, brand, rack and godown location, and the quantity on hand. Staff search once and see where it is, whether it is in, and if not which supplier can deliver by when.

    See the screen
  2. 02Stock

    Dead stock among a thousand items

    What it looks like

    A brand of switch plates went out of fashion. A bulk buy of a particular tap did not sell. Old-model fittings sit on the top shelf. Nobody has looked at what has not moved in a year.

    What it costs you

    A hardware store carries thousands of items and each slow one holds cash and space that a faster item could use.

    How Verity fixes it

    Verity lists items by days since the last sale and value held, by brand and group. Slow movers show with a suggested action, such as a return to the supplier where terms allow, a bundle or a markdown, and an owner for each.

    See the screen
  3. 03Stock

    Loose items sold by weight or piece that never tally

    What it looks like

    Nails, screws, bolts and washers are sold by weight or by the piece from open bins. The count in the book never matches the bins. Nobody can say if it is spillage, a mistake in weighing or something worse.

    What it costs you

    Fasteners carry some of the best margins in the shop, so small leaks there matter more than they look.

    How Verity fixes it

    Loose items are stocked in a base unit and sold in kilos or pieces. Verity compares what sales say should be left against a periodic count and shows the gap by item, so the pattern can be seen and the count is quick.

    See the screen
  4. 04Contractors

    Contractor credit that nobody can total

    What it looks like

    A contractor takes goods every day for three sites and pays when his client pays him. The ledger shows a running balance in one place, the bills in another, and a different balance in the phone of the staff member who deals with him.

    What it costs you

    Example arithmetic: ₹8 lakh of contractor credit outstanding 45 days on average ties up cash at the same time you pay suppliers on a shorter cycle. Indian retailers report credit cycles and working capital as constant pressures.

    How Verity fixes it

    Each contractor is an account with a credit limit, bills, payments and balance by age. Verity shows what is owed by whom and for how long, stops a bill above the limit until the owner approves it, and gives a task to chase on the schedule you set.

    See the screen
  5. 05Contractors

    Many sites, one contractor, no clear bills

    What it looks like

    A contractor builds on four sites at the same time. The bills have only his name. When his client wants to know what was bought for which site, nobody can say, and he disputes charges at the month end.

    What it costs you

    Disputes delay payment, and the discussion costs the owner an hour each time.

    How Verity fixes it

    Each bill carries a site reference. Verity shows purchases and balances by site as well as by contractor, so a statement for one site is ready in a minute.

    See the screen
  6. 06Orders

    Project quotes built from a photo of a list

    What it looks like

    A contractor sends a photo of a handwritten list for a flat’s plumbing. You build the quote from memory and a few phone calls. He gets a lower quote from another shop that replied faster.

    What it costs you

    Project lists are the largest orders a hardware store sees. They are lost to slow quotes far more often than to price.

    How Verity fixes it

    Each enquiry is a record with an owner, the item list, the rates, the quote and the next step. Verity lists those with no reply and tells the person responsible. Staff still send the quote, and the outcome is recorded.

    See the screen
  7. 07Orders

    Heavy deliveries and short loads

    What it looks like

    Cement, pipes, tiles and paint go out on a small truck to different sites. The driver has a phone call and a challan. A site says three bags were short. The driver says he delivered all.

    What it costs you

    Short or wrong deliveries mean a second trip, a dispute and sometimes a credit note you did not plan for.

    How Verity fixes it

    Each delivery is an order with the items, the site, the vehicle, the driver and the status. The receiver’s confirmation is recorded against it, and the counter sees what has gone out, what has arrived and what is late.

    See the screen
  8. 08Suppliers

    Supplier prices that move and a shelf price that does not

    What it looks like

    The price of PVC pipe, copper wire or a paint brand moves. The distributor’s new list is a photo on WhatsApp. The shelf and the contractor’s rate stay the same for weeks.

    What it costs you

    Selling below the new cost on bulky, price-led lines like pipes and wire, where margins are already thin, quietly turns a sale into a loss.

    How Verity fixes it

    Every purchase records the rate. Verity shows price trends by supplier and item, flags where your selling rate is now below the margin you set, and shows which contractor rates are affected.

    See the screen
  9. 09Suppliers

    Supplier payments and the 45-day rule

    What it looks like

    You buy from distributors and some small manufacturers on credit and pay when cash allows. Your accountant mentions a rule about payments to micro and small suppliers, and you do not know which of your suppliers are in that group.

    What it costs you

    Under section 43B(h), amounts owed to micro and small enterprise suppliers beyond the payment period are deductible only when paid. It is a timing issue, but it can surprise you at year end.

    How Verity fixes it

    Each supplier record holds their category if you know it, terms and the invoices with due dates. Verity lists what is nearing 45 days by supplier, and the accountant sees what is outstanding at year end.

    See the screen
  10. 10Suppliers

    Short deliveries and goods without the ISI mark

    What it looks like

    A distributor’s invoice says forty coils of wire and thirty-six arrive. A batch of switches comes with a different mark than before. The person who signs the challan is busy with a customer.

    What it costs you

    You pay for goods that did not come, and selling products without the right certification is a legal risk that falls on the shop. Cheap lookalikes also hurt the reputation of the shop.

    How Verity fixes it

    Deliveries are received against the order by quantity and brand, with a note on the mark or batch where it matters. Verity compares order, receipt and invoice and flags a mismatch before payment, and keeps the supplier and batch on each item.

    See the screen
  11. 11Returns

    The wrong size comes back, and breakages nobody counts

    What it looks like

    A customer buys a fitting, the size is wrong, and he brings it back after the water is turned on. Tiles and sanitaryware crack in the godown. A returned item goes back on the rack in the wrong place.

    What it costs you

    Returns that are not recorded distort stock, and breakage that is not counted never gets claimed from the supplier.

    How Verity fixes it

    Returns and breakage are logged with a reason in two taps, linked to the original bill. Stock goes back to the right location, and Verity totals breakage by supplier and item so a claim has evidence.

    See the screen
  12. 12Returns

    Power tool and electrical warranty claims

    What it looks like

    A drill stops working in month four. The customer has the invoice, or says he lost it. You say you will talk to the brand. The claim sits.

    What it costs you

    A claim that is not filed in time is a direct loss, and a customer who is ignored tells other contractors.

    How Verity fixes it

    Each claim is a record linked to the sale, with the brand, the date, the photos and the status. Verity shows claims awaiting the brand’s reply and flags those near their window, so none is lost.

    See the screen
  13. 13Money

    Margin that hides inside a mix of thin and fat lines

    What it looks like

    Cement and wire are bought on price and sold at a slim margin. Fasteners, adhesives and small tools earn far more. The shop is busy all day and the owner cannot say which lines pay the rent.

    What it costs you

    One vendor’s estimate puts bulk building material margins at 4 to 8 percent against 20 to 30 percent on fasteners. A shop that pushes the wrong lines works hard for little.

    How Verity fixes it

    Every item carries its purchase cost, so margin is known per item and group. Verity shows margin by group, by contractor and by salesperson, flags deals below your floor and shows where the mix is shifting.

    See the screen
  14. 14Money

    Different GST rates on items that sit in one bill

    What it looks like

    Cement moved from 28 to 18 percent from 22 September 2025. PVC pipes are at 5 percent, while fittings, paints, tiles and wires are at 18 percent. A bill with all of them is confusing, and sources disagree on some fittings.

    What it costs you

    A wrong rate on a bill, an argument with a contractor and hours of correction by your accountant. Rates and classifications can change again.

    How Verity fixes it

    Each item carries its tax category and a mixed bill is split by line as it is made. A rate change is one update to an item’s setup, not a re-label of the shelf, and your accountant sees the split already clean.

    See the screen
  15. 15Money

    Day-end takings do not tie to the bills

    What it looks like

    At closing, cash, card, UPI and credit sales are counted against the billing report and are off by a few hundred rupees. A cash sale was not billed, a credit payment was taken without a receipt or a refund was given at the counter.

    What it costs you

    Small daily gaps compound, and the owner stops trusting the numbers on the screen.

    How Verity fixes it

    The day’s sales and payments by mode are compared with what was collected. A mismatch is flagged with the shift and amount, and the person closing records the reason.

    See the screen
  16. 16Owner

    A godown, a second shop and an owner who is the system

    What it looks like

    Stock is split between the shop, a godown behind it and a second outlet. The owner remembers where the 4-inch pipes are and who owes the most. When he is away, the staff cannot answer.

    What it costs you

    Stock sits idle in one place while another runs out, and the business cannot grow past what one person can hold in their head.

    How Verity fixes it

    Each morning Verity shows a short list of what needs a decision, each with an owner. Shops and godowns are locations in one system, with stock, sales and balances side by side, and stock moves between them against a recorded transfer.

    See the screen

The numbers behind it

The numbers that make these problems worth fixing.

From published sources, with the source named under each figure. Your own numbers will differ, and showing you yours is the first thing Verity does.

The margin ranges come from a software vendor and have no stated method, so treat them as indicative. The GST figures come from a finance-company blog and a news site, not an official notification, and sources disagree on some fittings, so confirm each item’s rate with your accountant. The 7.0 percent growth is a consultancy projection.

What you will actually see

The screens you would use every day.

Six views, each built for one job. Names, columns and terms are set up in your store’s own language.

Screen 1 of 6

The owner’s morning view

Sales, margin by item group, what contractors owe, deliveries out and anything that does not tie, on one screen, with the items that need a decision listed under it.

Fixes

  • 13 Margin that hides inside a mix of thin and fat lines
  • 14 Different GST rates on items that sit in one bill
  • 15 Day-end takings do not tie to the bills
  • 16 A godown, a second shop and an owner who is the system

Verity / Hardware / Today

Shop: Gandhi Bazaar, godown: Peenya

Sales yesterday

₹2.9 lakh

168 bills

Owed by contractors

₹11.6 lakh

₹3.8 lakh over 45 days

Deliveries out

9

2 not confirmed

Slow movers

212 items

₹6.4 lakh at cost

Gross margin by group, this month

  • Fasteners27%
  • Hand and power tools19%
  • Pipes and fittings13%
  • Cement and bulk6%

Cash and UPI differ from bills by ₹540. 3 cash sales unbilled on the evening shift.

Review
  • CPVC elbows below reorder pointSold 220 a week, 90 on shelfOrder
  • Raza Builders over credit limitBalance ₹2.4 lakh, limit ₹2 lakhApprove?

Screen 2 of 6

Items, racks and what has not moved

Find any item by size, brand or rack, see what is in the shop and the godown, which items are short for the week and which have not sold for months.

Fixes

  • 01 A customer asks for an item and nobody knows where it is
  • 02 Dead stock among a thousand items
  • 03 Loose items sold by weight or piece that never tally

Verity / Stock

Shop and godown

ItemLocationIn stockSold / weekStatus
CPVC elbow 1/2 inRack B490220Short
Copper wire 1.5 sq mm, 90 mRack E134 coils19OK
Cement 50 kgGodown310 bags140OK
Switch plate, old modelRack H21800No sale 14 months

Loose items, count against expected

  • Wood screws 1.5 in (kg)-4.2 kg
  • Nails 3 in (kg)-1.8 kg
  • Anchor bolts (pcs)-12 pcs

Screen 3 of 6

Contractors, sites and what they owe

Each contractor with a credit limit, balance by age, bills by site and the promises to pay. A bill above the limit waits for approval. Chasing is a task with a date, not a note in the ledger.

Fixes

  • 04 Contractor credit that nobody can total
  • 05 Many sites, one contractor, no clear bills

Verity / Contractor credit

Balances by age

ContractorLimitBalanceOldest billStatus
Raza Builders₹2.0 lakh₹2.4 lakh62 daysOver limit
Anand Plumbing₹1.0 lakh₹68,00031 daysOK
Mehta Electricals₹1.5 lakh₹1.3 lakh48 daysChase

Raza Builders

Contractor since 2019. 4 active sites

Balance
₹2.4 lakh
Site 1, Whitefield villa
₹1.1 lakh
Site 2, HSR flats
₹82,000
Site 3, Hebbal
₹48,000
Status
62 days
  1. 14 OctPaid ₹40,000 on account
  2. 2 OctCement, 60 bags, Site 1
  3. NotePays when the client pays on the 28th

Screen 4 of 6

Quotes and deliveries to sites

Each project list with its quote, owner and next step, and each delivery to a site with the vehicle, the driver and the receiver’s confirmation.

Fixes

  • 06 Project quotes built from a photo of a list
  • 07 Heavy deliveries and short loads

Verity / Quotes and deliveries

Today

Quote asked2

  • Flat plumbing list, 62 itemsAnand Plumbing, photo received 9 amNo reply 6 h
  • Bathroom fittings, 3 flatsSharma & SonsDraft quote

Out for delivery2

  • Cement 60 bags, Site 1Truck 2, Ramu, left 8:40Awaiting receiver
  • PVC pipes, 40 lengths, Site 3Truck 1, Suresh3 pipes short

Screen 5 of 6

Rates, deliveries and what you owe

What each distributor last charged, how rates have changed, whether what arrived matched what was ordered and billed, and which invoices are nearing their due date.

Fixes

  • 08 Supplier prices that move and a shelf price that does not
  • 09 Supplier payments and the 45-day rule
  • 10 Short deliveries and goods without the ISI mark

Verity / Suppliers

Last 30 days

SupplierItemLast rateChangeDelivery check
Kaveri PipesPVC pipe 1 in, 3 m₹185+7%Matched
Sri Ram WiresCopper wire 1.5 sq mm, 90 m₹1,640+3%4 coils short
Asian Brush Co.Paint brushes, assorted₹92No changeMatched

PVC pipe rate rose 7%. 6 contractor rates are now below your set margin.

Review rates
  • Kaveri Pipes, invoice 38 days oldNearing 45 days, ₹1.1 lakhPay

Screen 6 of 6

Returns, breakage and brand claims

Each return with its reason and the original bill, breakage by supplier, and warranty claims awaiting the brand with their claim dates.

Fixes

  • 11 The wrong size comes back, and breakages nobody counts
  • 12 Power tool and electrical warranty claims

Verity / Returns and claims

Open items

ItemTypeReasonSupplier or brandStatus
CPVC fittings, 1 inCustomer returnWrong sizeLocalRestock
Floor tiles, 12 boxesBreakageCracked in godownMarble HouseClaim
Hammer drillWarrantyStopped in month 4PowerProAwaiting brand

Breakage claims of ₹14,600 are open with two suppliers. 1 is within a week of the supplier’s claim date.

File now

Illustrative screens with sample data. Layouts, fields, names and terms are set up around how your hardware store works.

An ordinary day

The same Monday, before and after.

What changes is not the hardware. It is that the day leaves a record, and the record does the chasing.

WhenTodayWith Verity
8:30 TodayYou open up and walk the racks. You think elbows are low but do not know by how much. With VerityThe Today screen shows CPVC elbows at 90 against a weekly sale of 220, and an order is drafted.
10:00 TodayA contractor asks for a bill above his limit. You decide from memory. With VerityIt lands on your phone as a one-tap approval with his balance and oldest bill shown.
12:00 TodayA site calls to say three pipes are short. The driver says nothing was short. With VerityThe delivery record shows the count loaded and the receiver’s note. The credit is raised in a minute.
3:00 TodayA plumber sends a photo of a list and waits. With VerityIt is on the quote board with an owner and a reminder. The quote goes out before the plumber goes next door.
8:00 TodayYou count the till against the bills. It is ₹540 off. With VerityVerity shows the three cash sales that were not billed. You settle them in a minute.
Month end TodayThe accountant asks for contractor balances and supplier dues by age. With VerityBoth are already listed by age, and every bill carries its tax category.

How we work with you

We set it up with you, in four weeks.

You do not get a login and a manual. We spend time at your counter and godown, build Verity around how your hardware store really runs, bring your data in, then stay to make sure it keeps working.

  1. Week 1

    Discovery and mapping

    What we do
    Spend a morning rush and a godown visit with you. Watch how a bill, a credit sale and a site delivery move through, how stock arrives and how the day is counted, and note which leaks matter most.
    What we need from you
    Two to three hours of yours and your senior counter person’s. Access to your billing reports, the credit ledger and a month of supplier invoices.
    What you have at the end
    A written map of your store: the item groups, the racks and godown, your suppliers, your contractors with their terms and the first leaks we will close.

  2. Weeks 2 to 3

    Configuration

    What we do
    Set up your items by group, size and brand, tax categories, racks and godown locations, reorder points, suppliers, contractor accounts with limits, site references, delivery steps and approval limits, and build the six screens around your own terms.
    What we need from you
    Check the setup with your senior counter person. Tell us where an item, a group or a rule is wrong.
    What you have at the end
    A working Verity with your real items, contractors, suppliers and staff, ready for your data.

  3. Weeks 3 to 4

    Migration and training

    What we do
    Bring in your item list, stock by location, contractor balances by bill, supplier balances and open quotes from the ledgers and sheets you use. Train the counter, godown and delivery teams at their stations during a real shift.
    What we need from you
    Your item list in whatever form it exists, the credit ledger and an opening stock count. One hour with each role.
    What you have at the end
    Your items, contractors and suppliers inside Verity, and a team that has used it through a busy morning.

  4. After go-live

    Operations partnership

    What we do
    Stay on after launch. Review the first weeks with you, tune the reorder points and credit rules, and handle changes when you add a brand, a godown or a second outlet.
    What we need from you
    A short monthly review of what the numbers say.
    What you have at the end
    A system that keeps matching how the store runs, with someone responsible for it.

Bring these on day one

  • Your item list with prices, or a billing report that shows it
  • The credit ledger with balances by contractor
  • A month of supplier invoices and rate lists
  • Your delivery routine and vehicle list
  • Any warranty and breakage claims that are open

Your time

About 8 to 10 hours of your own time across the four weeks, mostly in week 1. Your senior counter person and godown keeper need a few more.

After go-live

Nobody is hired to run Verity. Bills, deliveries and returns are recorded as part of work the team already does, and the reports come from those records.

Verity AI

Ask your store a question. Get an answer, not a report to build.

Verity AI reads your own sales, stock, contractor and supplier records. Ask in plain language, then turn the answer into tasks for the right people.

  • Your records only Answers come from your own hardware stores data, not from generic knowledge.
  • Right person, right view It only shows what the person asking is allowed to see.
  • Turns into action An answer can become a task assigned to a named person.

Verity / Ask

Which contractors owe us more than 45 days?

Six contractors owe ₹3.8 lakh past 45 days. Raza Builders is the largest at ₹2.4 lakh and over its limit.

  • Raza Builders₹2.4 lakh
  • Mehta Electricals₹1.3 lakh
  • Others₹12,000

Create a chase task for each account

Verity / Ask

Which items have not sold in a year and what do they cost us?

212 items have not sold in 12 months and hold ₹6.4 lakh at cost. Old-model switch plates and fittings are the largest groups.

  • Switch plates and sockets₹1.8 lakh
  • Old-model fittings₹1.4 lakh
  • Brass taps₹96,000
  • Other₹2.2 lakh

Verity / Ask

Which selling rates are now below our margin after supplier increases?

Six contractor rates on PVC pipes and wire fall below your floor after this month’s supplier changes.

Review and update the six rates

Sample questions and answers with illustrative figures.

Without chasing

The follow-ups nobody has time to make.

Set once, then they run from your records. Staff still talk to contractors and suppliers; Verity makes sure the right person knows what to do.

When

An item falls below its reorder point

  • Checked against its weekly sale
  • Order drafted for the next delivery
  • Stock updated when the delivery is received

When

A contractor’s bill goes above their credit limit

  • Held for approval
  • Routed to the owner with the balance and oldest bill
  • Decision recorded against the bill

When

A contractor balance passes your age limit

  • Added to the owed list by age
  • Task to the person who deals with them
  • Promise to pay recorded

When

A delivery arrives short or at a different rate

  • Mismatch marked against the supplier
  • Credit or correction task to the manager
  • Held from payment until settled

When

A project list has no quote in a few hours

  • Flagged on the quotes board
  • Reminder to the owner of that enquiry
  • Quote and outcome recorded

When

A supplier invoice nears 45 days

  • Listed with amount and supplier
  • Task to the owner to pay or agree terms
  • Payment recorded

Rules and paperwork

The rules a hardware store has to keep up with.

Verity does not give legal or tax advice and does not file anything for you. It keeps the records these rules depend on in order, so your accountant is not rebuilding them from a ledger.

  • GST rates across item groups

    What is expected

    From 22 September 2025, cement generally moved from 28 to 18 percent, PVC pipes are generally at 5 percent, and paints, tiles, wires and metal pipe fittings are generally at 18 percent. Sources disagree on some fittings, so check the tariff line for each.

    How Verity helps

    Each item carries its tax category and a mixed bill is split by line, so the split your accountant needs is already clean.

    Bajaj Finserv, 2025

  • Payments to micro and small suppliers, section 43B(h)

    What is expected

    Amounts owed to micro and small enterprise suppliers beyond the payment period, generally 45 days, are deductible only in the year they are paid. Traders are generally outside the rule, and the supplier’s Udyam registration decides the category.

    How Verity helps

    Each supplier record holds their category if known and the invoices with due dates, so what is nearing the limit is listed before year end.

    TaxGuru, 2026

  • BIS certification of regulated products

    What is expected

    Some products sold in a hardware store, such as certain electrical goods and safety items, are covered by BIS Quality Control Orders that require the ISI mark, and shops found selling uncertified products can face action. Which products are covered changes often, so check the current list.

    How Verity helps

    Each item records its brand, supplier and batch, with a field for the mark where it matters, so you can show where a product came from.

  • Weights, measures and selling at or below MRP

    What is expected

    Instruments used to weigh loose items such as nails and screws generally have to be verified under the Legal Metrology rules, and packed goods generally cannot be sold above the printed retail price.

    How Verity helps

    Verification dates for scales are records with a renewal task, and each packed item records its MRP and the price charged.

    IndiaLaw, 2025

  • Customer data and consent

    What is expected

    Phone numbers, addresses and credit details about contractors are personal data. India’s data protection rules were notified on 13 November 2025, and most duties start in phases, with the main ones about 18 months later.

    How Verity helps

    Customer data sits in one permissioned place, with who viewed or changed it recorded, instead of in personal phones and ledgers.

    AZB Partners, 2025

Rules change and differ by state. Confirm current requirements with your accountant or the relevant authority.

Who sees what

Everyone sees the same records, through their own window.

A counter person should not see the margins on every item. The godown keeper should not edit credit limits. Each role opens on what it needs.

  • Owner

    Which lines pay and who owes us?

    Margin by group, contractor balances by age, supplier dues, slow movers and every shop and godown side by side.

  • Store manager

    What needs sorting this week?

    Items short for the week, deliveries to check, approvals waiting, quotes with no reply and claims near their window.

  • Counter salesperson

    Where is this item and can this contractor buy on credit?

    Item search with rack and quantity, the contractor’s limit and balance, and the quote tasks assigned to them.

  • Godown keeper and driver

    What goes out and what came in?

    Deliveries to load and confirm, goods to receive against orders, returns to shelve and breakage to log.

  • Accountant

    What was bought, sold and owed?

    Sales by payment mode and tax category, supplier invoices matched to deliveries, contractor balances and supplier dues by age.

Straight answers

What changes, and what stays the same.

Keep using

  • Your billing screen at the counter. We agree during setup how bills and payments reach Verity.
  • Your distributors’ own order channels. We record what you order and receive.
  • WhatsApp for contractors, drivers and suppliers. Staff reply
  • Verity tracks who owes a reply.
  • Your accountant, who still prepares your returns.

Verity does not

  • Run your billing counter or take online orders.
  • Host an online shop or take payment for orders.
  • Send messages to contractors or suppliers on its own.
  • File your returns or run your payroll.

We bring your item list, stock by location, contractor balances by bill, supplier balances and open quotes across from the ledgers, sheets and phones you use now, in stages, so the shop keeps selling while it happens.

  • Excel
  • Google Sheets
  • Legacy ERP
  • CRM
  • One operating environment

Questions

Questions hardware store owners ask.

I have thousands of items. Will I have to key them all in?

No. We bring in your list from the sheet or billing report you have, and tidy it in stages. Fast-moving items come first, and the slow ones are added as they sell or are counted.

Does Verity replace my billing system?

No. Your billing screen keeps taking bills and payments. We agree during setup how those bills reach Verity, which then does the stock, credit, supplier and delivery work around them.

Can it replace my credit khata?

Yes, for the record keeping. Each contractor becomes an account with a limit, bills, payments and balances by age, and a bill over the limit waits for your approval. Your staff still collect the money; Verity makes sure the chase happens.

Can it handle sites and several bills for one contractor?

Yes. Each bill carries a site reference, so you can see a contractor’s balance as a whole and by site.

Can it take online orders?

No. If customers order by phone or message today, that continues. Verity makes sure every enquiry and quote has an owner and a next step.

I have a shop and a godown. Can I see them together?

Yes. Each is a location in one system, with stock, sales and balances side by side. Stock moves between them against a recorded transfer.

How does it help with price changes from suppliers?

Every purchase records the rate, so you see the trend by item and supplier, and Verity flags where your selling rate has fallen below the margin you set.

Who can see my data?

Only the people you allow. Access is set by role, so counter staff, godown keepers, managers and your accountant each see what they need, and every change is recorded with who made it and when.

What does it cost?

It depends on the number of shops, staff and what you want set up. Message us and we will give you a clear number after a short conversation about how your store runs.

Where the figures come from

Sources

  1. Accountune, Hardware store profit margin in India 2026, a software vendor
  2. Bajaj Finserv, GST on cement, 2025
  3. TaxGuru, Section 43B(h): MSME payment clause, 2026
  4. Nexdigm, India hardware stores retail industry, 2026
  5. IndiaLaw, 2025
  6. AZB Partners, 2025

Last checked 15 October 2026. Published figures vary by region and method, so treat them as indicative, not as a promise of your results.

Start with the contractors who owe you the most.

Tell us how your hardware store runs and we will show you the balances by age, the items that have not moved and the rates that fell below margin, using your own numbers.

Get your free demo Email us

Free: we set up a working demo of your own business, on your own data, within 7 days. You pay only if your team decides to use it.