A method for preventing shortage at a customer location of consumable ingredient capsules for use in a machine for preparing a beverage, the beverage preparation machine at the customer location being distant from a capsule supplier and in data-exchange connection with a server of the capsule supplier to form a network. The method can comprise: supplying from the capsule supplier a stock of consumable ingredient capsules to the customer location; automatically monitoring via the network consumption of the consumable ingredient capsules in the beverage preparation machine; and whenever the automatic monitoring detects a reaching of a shortage of consumable ingredient capsules at the customer location, the supplier server generating automatically an instruction: a) to invite the customer to make an order for a shipment of a new stock of capsules, or b) to prepare a shipment of a new stock of capsules for supply to said customer.