Ware/Wares for a domestic warehouse app

Forgive me but I'm Italian and I have difficulty to perceiving the function of the word "ware" in everyday life. I found a similar question here but the responses do not meet my needs. My goal is to create a smartphone app where you can enter an inventory of objects of our daily uses. Through a functional search engine will then can look up the stuff that's been posted. For this the name of the app: "WareApp" The first thing that came to my mind was 'domestic warehouse', hence the word Ware. I hope these two photos can give a good idea:

I'm not so far to publish the App but I'm in time to change name and graphics and now my mind has brought forth these questions: is it the right name? will be misinterpreted? Is there something better like Stuff, Article, Record, Object?

Please help, this is not spamming the App is not in the store and also it will be free for anyone. Thanks a lot.

Solution 1:

As someone who works on warehouse and distribution applications used in industry, I would say that "items" would be a better choice in this context than "wares". It works with all the buttons you've shown above, with the possible exception of "checklist wares". If your app is showing a checklist of items then "items checklist" would work better.

A less formal alternative that might be more appropriate for a personal app is "stuff". This is the terms that amazon uses when they invite you to "sell your stuff". (Link to Amazon sell your stuff example)

Solution 2:

I have difficulty perceiving the function of the word "ware" in everyday life.

Most native speakers would share your difficulty because it is not a word used in everyday life.

Ware or wares (plural) refers to manufactured articles of a specified type. - Oxford.

The definition has the following expanded examples of the usage:

‘When selecting a present for a family, utilitarian kitchen items, including cutlery and crystal ware, are often the best choice.’

‘Crystal ware was the theme of the day with eight prizes provided and presented by Lady Captain Margaret Rothwell at the evening dinner for 108 competitors and non-playing members.’

‘It was once home to a factory for manufacturing plastic ware.’

‘Separate areas were devoted to wares from Arita, Kutani, Seto, Satsuma, and Tokyo.’ etc...

Ware is not an everyday word but actually somewhat dated and used to refer to specific types of manufactured articles of the same type.

Ware is not a great name for your app, because it does not relate to the wide variety of items pictured in your app as the word is used to refer to a specific collection of items that are of the same type. E.g. Crystal ware, leather ware. etc...

(Despite what this ebay user would have you believe):

General ware is a contradiction in terms.

Turning to words you might use to describe the wide variety of items a person may have in their possession, here are three suggestions:

Belongings, possessions, valuables.

I like valuables for your described usage as it has the connotation that the items are in fact valuable to the person that owns them.

Things that are worth a lot of money, especially small personal things such as jewellery, cameras, etc. -- Oxford

Idiomatically the word valuables is used to refer to any possession that is dear to someone not just a possession that is worth a great sum of money.

This would serve well from your app perspective, because people would be reminded how valuable their items are and it may encourage them to download your app to protect them.

However, there is a caveat the use of valuables might lead your potential users to believe the app was only for valuable items, if this a risk you wanted to avoid, you might use:

Gear

(which has quite an edgy connotation to it as it's informal):

2.2 informal Personal possessions and clothes.

‘I told her to come back to my place with all her gear’

-- Oxford

Gear is also shorter than valuables, which for your specific usage would make it the best choice I would say.

In your picture you refer to 'wareapp options':

Valueablesapp options

doesn't have quite the same ring to it as:

Gearapp options

The fact gear is shorter than valuables and easier to pronounce, coupled with the informality of the word make gear the best choice for your usage I would say.