Product costs take up a large chunk of the resources of merchandising and manufacturing resources of merchandising and manufacturing businesses. Learning how to manage your inventory and control your total product costs can help free up a lot of precious cash. In addition, as you develop solid relationships with your vendors, you can get them to let you make your purchases on account, which also improves your cash flow. Here you'll find ways to optimize your inventory (to keep ways to optimize your inventory (to keep your customers happy) as well as your cash flow (which keeps you and your vendors happy).