"Here’s the idea: create a beautiful, easy to use, inventory application for brick and mortar stores: then give it to them for free."
Never would reach critical mass. Stores have legacy systems in place that are integrated and do many things. Keeping on top of inventory requires input and discipline to keep it up to date. So a store with an existing inventory program is not going to switch the best you can hope for is to get a data feed from them. And to be helpful to the end user you'd have to get enough stores to make the app do something worthwhile. (Lest you think some store is going to ditch their legacy system for a startup's free software where the company could fold..)
Bottom line is you can't even begin to think about an idea like this without doing some research into how things are being done now which from the post hasn't been done. The OP had a manic moment where anything seemed possibly. Then
they came down to earth (sugar high wore off?)
The OP seems to realize they need to keep learning, and most importantly, if I might add, to get some real world experience:
"What I’ve come to realize, however, is that I still have so much to learn and so many things to do before I really feel comfortable"
Never would reach critical mass. Stores have legacy systems in place that are integrated and do many things. Keeping on top of inventory requires input and discipline to keep it up to date. So a store with an existing inventory program is not going to switch the best you can hope for is to get a data feed from them. And to be helpful to the end user you'd have to get enough stores to make the app do something worthwhile. (Lest you think some store is going to ditch their legacy system for a startup's free software where the company could fold..)
Bottom line is you can't even begin to think about an idea like this without doing some research into how things are being done now which from the post hasn't been done. The OP had a manic moment where anything seemed possibly. Then they came down to earth (sugar high wore off?)
The OP seems to realize they need to keep learning, and most importantly, if I might add, to get some real world experience:
"What I’ve come to realize, however, is that I still have so much to learn and so many things to do before I really feel comfortable"