Ordering stock in time for seasonal demand

No matter your industry, there are always ebbs and flows that come with each new season. This brings its own brilliant rewards as well as challenges for inventory, marketing and stock planning. And as the markets are ever-changing, it’s about being ahead of the game, anticipating the trends and being well prepared. This isn’t to say you should be over-stocking which can be costly and time-wasting, but to work well in advance to avoid any shortfalls when the season approaches.

As a general rule, Simply Brands tend to work with our stockists on a 6-month lead time basis. This means ordering your stock half a year before the season itself. It can often send retailers into a backwards spin for a while, thinking about winter in summer, and summer in winter for example, but once you’ve got yourself organised and got used to this approach, it becomes simple, stress-free and cost-effective. You can plan ahead, reduce last-minute rushes and ensure you have efficient stock to cope with demand when the time comes.

So, where to start?

In order for you to work out when your stock should be planned and ordered, you need to be clear on what your big seasonal events are. They may be dictated by weather (summer, winter etc), or it could be big celebratory or religious holidays, or maybe even more corporate, financial business calendar events (new tax year for example). Once you know where your big hitters are, or simply the moments in which your stock needs to shift to a new focus, you can look at a key time 6 months prior to that to get planning.

What’s next?

Now you know WHEN to order your products, you need to think about WHAT to order. This means researching the latest market trends or predictions for what’s to come. Understanding your consumer is key here. You need to be clear-cut on what their drivers are for making a purchase. Is it price? Quality? Variety? Fashion?  Value? Whatever is set to be the big driver in your market will dictate what, how much and why you make your orders.

Out of season?

Once you’ve identified your key annual moments for the business, you need to address those quieter times to maximise their value. Ensure you’re on top of any big events due to happen in the next year (sporting events, national holidays, key worldwide events), and consider whether they will affect the consumer and what they’re looking for in store. For example, in a football world cup year retailers can maximise on outdoor living, leisure, technology, food and beverages and so on. These may not be annual events but will certainly have a big impact on consumer trends when the time comes.

Once these have been established, it’s all about making the most of every other moment throughout the year. Diversify your stock, rotate and replenish with new offerings, fresh ideas and unique products not offered elsewhere. At Simply, we work hard to create new ranges and products year on year to ensure our stockists are always supplied with high-quality, great-value products to entice, excite and engage their consumers in store and online. So, even if there isn’t a huge event driving key sales, every sales opportunity is captured and utilized to its full potential.

That being said, ‘quieter’ periods in the business aren’t always a bad thing, and should offer you time to get planning for the next sale or big season. Apply this time to full effect, talk with our team about your plans and discuss what you can do to grow with each season.

But remember, the more time you give, the more you can capitalise on those key moments. 6 months is the golden lead time! So give us a call or send us an email today to let us know your plans for 2023 and we can get to work.