A customer asks for the usual, and it has gone
A regular comes in for the hand cream she buys for her sister every month. The shelf is empty. You check the stockroom: nothing. You look at the supplier's minimum order and realise you need to add other lines to reach it, and delivery takes a couple of weeks.
The same week, the greetings cards you sell most of are running low in a couple of designs, and you only noticed because the spinner looked a bit bare.
Reordering relies on someone noticing
In most independent shops, reordering happens when a shelf looks empty or during a monthly look through the stock. The till knows what is selling and how much is left, but it does not tell anyone when to reorder.
- Low stock warnings on the till, if set, use a fixed number that ignores how fast each line sells.
- Supplier lead times differ, from next day to weeks.
- Minimum orders mean waiting until several lines are needed.
- Seasonal peaks make a normal reorder point too late.
- Stock kept on the shop floor and in the stockroom is counted together, so the shelf empties before the till sees a problem.
What running out costs
Missed sales are the obvious cost, and with best sellers, they are frequent. Regulars who come for a particular thing and find it gone start to wonder whether you are reliable. In a small town, they may go elsewhere and stay there.
Emergency reorders also cost more, whether in delivery charges or in placing an order below the minimum and paying extra.
How we build reorder alerts that suit each line
- We read each line's sales from your till and calculate how quickly it sells, allowing for seasonal patterns where there is enough history.
- Each supplier's lead time and minimum order are recorded once.
- For each line, a reorder point is worked out: enough stock to last until a new delivery would arrive, plus a buffer you choose.
- When a line reaches its reorder point, it goes on a suggested order for that supplier.
- The suggested order also lists other lines from the same supplier that will need reordering soon, to help you reach the minimum order sensibly.
- You review and adjust the suggestion, then place the order as you normally do, or send it by email from the same screen.
| Line | Selling pace | Supplier lead time | Suggestion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hand cream | Steady | A couple of weeks | Reorder now |
| Best-selling cards | Fast | About a week | Reorder now, add other designs |
| Baby picture book | Steady | A few days | Reorder at next wholesaler order |
| Candles | Faster before Christmas | A few weeks | Reorder earlier than usual |
The suggestions are only as accurate as the stock figures on the till. Where counts drift, the alerts drift too, which is why a quick count of best sellers now and then helps.
Best sellers on the shelves
Once a week, or whenever you like, you open the suggested orders. Each supplier's list shows what needs reordering and why. You adjust, place the orders and move on. The regular's hand cream is on the shelf when she comes in.
Before busy periods, the alerts come earlier, because they account for how fast things sold last year at the same time. If a supplier's lead time changes, you update it once and every line from that supplier adjusts.
Your core range stays on the shelves through the year, which is what regulars notice most. The time you used to spend walking the shop looking for gaps goes into buying and serving instead.
Signs your best sellers need this
- You notice best sellers are running low when the shelf looks bare.
- Regulars have found their usual item out of stock.
- Your till's low stock warnings are ignored or not set.
- You struggle to reach minimum orders without overbuying.
- Best sellers run out in the busiest weeks of the year.