You run an R&D lab, a university group, or a research team, often before there is a product at all. Several people share the same parts, and the question is usually simple: what do we have, and what is on order? PartsBox shares one inventory across the team and answers both.
Parts live in drawers, and stock is whatever someone remembers. Two people order the same thing because neither could see what was on hand. Leftover parts from a finished project disappear into a box and get bought again. A prototype BOM is priced by hand, one project at a time.
Keep one shared inventory, with stock, storage locations, and search across everything, so anyone on the team can see what is on hand before they buy. Import a prototype BOM from KiCad, Altium, EAGLE, or CSV, and price it from live distributor offers to know what a build will cost. Track what is on order, and receive it by scanning. Add custom fields for the data your work needs, and attach datasheets, notes, and measurements to any part.
When a research project turns into a product, you keep the same inventory and BOMs, and nothing has to be rebuilt.
Start on Essentials. It shares inventory across a team and covers BOM pricing and purchasing, which is what most labs need. Move to a higher plan only when you start building in volume or need stock tracked by lot.