The dress that sold out in week three
Your floral tea dress went live in March and sold out in most sizes within three weeks. You called the factory to reorder. They needed the fabric, which the mill makes to order. By the time the reorder arrived, it was August. The dress sold, but slowly, and the last units went in the autumn sale. The chance you had in April was gone.
Looking back, the signs were there in the first week. The dress was selling well ahead of other styles launched the same day. Nobody was looking at that comparison, because the weekly sales report ranks styles by total units, and after one week, everything is small.
Why reorders are always late
- Bestsellers are spotted when they sell out, not when they start to outsell.
- Nobody knows whether fabric or trims are held at the mill or factory.
- The factory's reorder lead time is not written down anywhere.
- Reorder decisions wait for a monthly buying meeting.
- Weeks of cover per size are not calculated, so the core sizes run out first.
The cost of a late reorder
| What happens | What it means |
|---|---|
| Sold out at the peak | Sales lost while demand is highest |
| Reorder lands late | Stock arrives as the season turns |
| Late stock sold down | Margin given away in markdowns |
| No fabric held | Every reorder starts from the mill |
How we get reorders moving earlier
- Every new style is compared with others launched in the same period and range, on sales per day since launch, not total units. Styles running well ahead are flagged in the first week or two.
- For each flagged style, the tool shows weeks of cover per size at current sales speed, so you see when the 10 and 12 will run out, not just the style.
- A register records fabric and trims held for each style: at the mill, at the factory or on order, with quantities and the minimums for a new batch.
- Each style carries its reorder lead time from the factory, split into fabric and making, so the tool can say whether a reorder placed now will land in time.
- A daily reorder list brings these together: style, cover by size, fabric available, lead time and the date by which a decision is needed.
- The buyer decides and the reorder goes into your critical path tracker if you have one.
Week two of the next launch
On Tuesday of week two, the reorder list shows a new linen shirt selling well ahead of the others. The size 12 has three weeks of cover, and the lead time is eight weeks with fabric held at the factory. The buyer checks the fabric register: enough for a reorder. The call to the factory happens that afternoon. The reorder lands while the shirt is still selling.
Not every early spike lasts. Sometimes it is one creator post. The tool shows the trend so the buyer can wait another week if the signal is unclear. The decision stays human.
Holding fabric deliberately
Some brands agree with the mill or factory to hold fabric for core styles, or to hold greige goods ready to dye. Whether to do that is a commercial decision about risk and cash. What the register does is make the choice visible: you can see which styles could be reordered quickly and which would start from scratch, and decide where holding fabric is worth it.
Signs your reorders are too slow
- Bestsellers are spotted only when they sell out.
- You do not know what fabric is held for each style.
- Reorders land as demand is fading.
- Reorder lead times are not recorded per style.
- Late reorder stock often ends up in the sale.