Making decisions solely based on the number of products to order can lead to significant disruptions in the supply chain. To ensure timely delivery, it’s crucial to determine the right amount of each product to order and the best time to reorder. A haphazard approach can cause issues for suppliers, distributors, and customers. The solution? A data-driven method to ascertain your reorder point and monitor inventory levels. In other words, you need inventory management software. 

What Is Inventory Forecasting?

Inventory forecasting, sometimes referred to as inventory planning, demand planning, or inventory management, is a method businesses use to monitor sales trends. This helps them decide the amount of safety stock to maintain, when to reorder specific items, where to store them in the warehouse, and the timing for replenishment orders. Unless you’re a small business with all products on hand, accurate inventory forecasting and management demands intricate formulas, surpassing the capabilities of a basic spreadsheet.

Inventory Forecasting Explained

Companies should make decisions about stock levels and purchasing based on computer models that analyze market patterns and trends. Numerous variables can influence the demand for your products and the time it takes to deliver them to the customer. For example, in certain regions, weather changes can dictate when you need to take safety stock or reorder specific items. The seasonality of products, like mittens being more in demand during winter than summer, also plays a significant role.

How Does Inventory Forecasting Work?

Companies base their inventory forecasts on past sales data. They consider the seasonality of their items and warehouse capacity to decide the amount of materials and units of each item to stock. The component of inventory forecasting that focuses on customer demand is termed demand forecasting. 

Benefits of Inventory Forecasting

Inventory forecasting is not just about preventing stockouts. It also informs you when to send purchase orders to suppliers, ensuring timely deliveries. Production time for each item should also be factored in when deciding on reordering. By understanding the nature of your products lead time demand and the market, you can ensure growth in revenue and an increase in customer satisfaction.

Inventory Forecasting vs. Replenishment

Replenishment is merely a part of inventory forecasting. Solely focusing on restocking can impact your company’s profit margins. A comprehensive analysis report of market forces is essential for effective inventory forecasting, which aids in the sales history maintaining cash flow and mitigating risks like stockouts or unsold goods. While customer demand is crucial, promotions, discounts, and unpredictable events like natural disasters or social media trends can also influence product demand.

What Are the Types of Inventory Forecasting?

There are four primary inventory forecasting methods: trend forecasting, graphical forecasting, qualitative forecasting, and quantitative forecasting. The choice of model depends on the frequency and predictability of demand changes for your products and the size of your business. Each strategy has its place too much inventory too, depending on the things you prioritize in your business, like customers’ wants or market assumptions.

How Do You Calculate Inventory Forecasting?

While small businesses might get by with basic spreadsheets for inventory forecasting, larger enterprises require intricate computer models and inventory forecasting software to process the data. This software can help in predicting future demand trends and making informed decisions.

How to Choose the Right Inventory Forecasting Model

Selecting the ideal inventory forecasting model might require some experimentation. Starting with computer-based data analysis can simplify the process. If you opt for qualitative inventory forecasting helps, increasing the sample size might offer a clearer picture of your product’s journey to the customer. It’s essential to consider the cost and resources needed in each case.

What Model is Right for You?

For small eCommerce businesses, a simple inventory management software or forecasting app might suffice. However, larger companies with offsite warehouses might need a more data-driven approach, possibly involving market research groups. Depending on your strategy, you might also consider the marketing channel, be it through a retailer, wholesaler, or directly from the manufacturer.

Inventory Forecasting Examples

The graphical model is one of the four inventory forecasting methods. In this approach, data is visualized in graph form, making it easier to interpret historical sales data and future consumer demand predictions.

Best Practices for Inventory Forecasting

Regularly revisiting and refining your inventory forecasting strategy can lead to more accurate sales predictions. Leveraging all features of your inventory forecasting software can be beneficial to average daily sales amount. It’s also crucial to monitor sales orders and adjust accordingly.

Automated Inventory Forecasting

Modern inventory forecasting software can process vast amounts of data, offering insights into future sales trends. As technology advances, this software continues to evolve.

Key Takeaways

• Inventory forecasting is essential for all e-commerce businesses.
• It helps avoid issues like stockouts or excess unsold stock.
• The most effective way to forecast is through inventory forecasting software.

Inventory Forecasting FAQs

Embarking on inventory forecasting requires understanding market conditions and your company’s and customers’ needs. Here are some common questions:

How Do You Prepare an Inventory Forecast?

Compile past sales data and visualize it using inventory forecasting software.

What Are the Types of Inventory Forecasting?

Trend, graphical, qualitative, and quantitative forecasting.

What Is the Process of Forecasting?

It involves gathering historical data and analyzing it to make informed decisions about inventory.