Turn the week's received stock into a "new in the shop" post and newsletter

The job

Independent shops win repeat visits with new things on the shelves, but customers only come in if they know. The owner means to post each week and send a newsletter, and it slips because writing takes an evening. The facts are already in the receiving log: what came in, how many, from which maker. The owner's question: "Do our regulars hear about what is new while it is still on the shelf?"

Trigger and outcome

Trigger: every Thursday. Outcome: a short draft of social posts and a newsletter section built from items received this week that are on the floor and in stock, with the shop's photos, item names and prices from the POS; the owner approves before anything is posted or sent.

Tools

• The POS receiving or inventory export for items received this week and stock on hand.
• OpenClaw collects the items, photos from the shared folder, and prices.
• Hermes writes in the shop's voice and remembers what was featured recently, so the same item is not pushed twice.

Steps

Nothing is posted or sent without the owner's yes.

1. List. The agent lists items received in the last seven days with at least a few in stock, skipping items the owner marked as not for promotion.
2. Match photos. It matches staff photos by item name or code and lists items that need a photo.
3. Draft. It writes short posts and a newsletter section with names, makers and prices exactly as in the POS. No claims beyond what the maker says.
4. Approve. The owner edits, picks the items and approves.
5. Send. Staff post, and send the newsletter through the shop's email tool with its unsubscribe link and postal address.

Human checks

• The owner approves every post and email.
• Prices and claims come from the POS and the maker; the agent does not invent features or "limited stock" language.
• Email goes only to customers who signed up; the email tool handles opt-outs, which must be honoured promptly under CAN-SPAM.

Data needed

A receiving export for one week, item photos and two past newsletters for voice. For practice, invent ten items with photos named by item code.

Variations

• Back in stock: a separate note for favourite items that returned.
• Maker spotlight: one maker each month, using their own description with permission.
• In-store sign: a printable "new this week" card for the counter.

Where to find more

Further reading, not the source of this design:

• FTC CAN-SPAM compliance guide (external) for the email rules.
• Square Inventory API (external) for reading received stock.