Robin transformed a kit made for her grandmother into a business selling 24 products across 20 states. Here's how Craftybase helps her manage inventory for dozens of multi-component kits.
Meet Robin.
Before launching Messy Play Kits, Robin spent years as a preschool teacher at UC Davis, where she discovered her passion for sensory and science activities. She loved watching kids learn through hands-on play—but she also saw how overwhelming it could be for busy parents to recreate those experiences at home.
In 2014, everything changed when Robin's grandmother asked her to create a simple activity kit for her great-grandson. That first kit sparked an idea: what if she could help other families experience the magic of sensory play without the hassle of sourcing materials and planning activities?
Today, Robin is the "sole entrepreneur, maker, and all the things in between" behind a thriving business. Messy Play Kits now offers 24 different activity kits, monthly subscriptions, 25 sensory bins, color-changing slime kits, stocking stuffers, and activities for kids of all ages. Her products are carried in retail stores across 20 states and several countries—bringing the joy of messy, hands-on learning to families everywhere.
But as her product line expanded, so did the complexity. By 2016, Robin was tracking inventory in spreadsheets—and she quickly realized Excel wasn't up to the job. With dozens of kits, each containing multiple components, she needed a better way to manage her stock and manufacturing.
Most inventory solutions she found were several hundred dollars a month—way out of budget for a small but growing creative business. Then her husband found Craftybase via a Google search, and the rest, as they say, was history.
Robin loved the multi-level component tracking in Craftybase - this feature was incredibly hard to find in other similar software she trialled. This allows Robin to create and track sub-assemblies of her kits that can be made and included across many different products.
Creating recipes for products to see recommended pricing and also to track fractional amounts of materials was another drawcard.
She's now been using Craftybase for just over five years now to help manage her inventory and production process, and she's been thrilled with the results. She can now accurately track and plan her inventory needs, and better see the big picture on her order situation - all in a single location.
Really it's about what I'm making next and what I'm low on; tracking what's in stock right now and what's getting used. I can now figure out how much of everything I'll actually need"
Struggling to track kits with dozens of components? Get your inventory under control like Robin did.
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Craftybase is an invaluable tool for Robin. It has allowed her to keep track of her inventory more effectively and has even helped her to save money on materials by planning her purchases in advance based on her manufacturing activities. She's also been able to use the platform to better plan her production process, which has helped her to be more efficient and productive.
Being able to accurately document the whole inventory management process is magical. It’s super helpful for me to know that it’s all tracking correctly, and I’m selling everything at the price they should be sold at.
If you make kits, subscriptions, or multi-component products like Robin, Craftybase can help you track every piece without losing your mind to spreadsheets. It's affordable, purpose-built for makers, and designed to grow with your business.
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