by Jon Schreibfeder | Sep 16, 2016 | Order Cycles, Physical Inventory – Cycle Counting
Recently our articles have concentrated on inventory management. That is, the planning process: making sure you have the right quantity, of the right item, in the right location, at the right time. Successful inventory management leads you to reorder products when...
by Jon Schreibfeder | Aug 15, 2016 | Forecasting
Often the best sources of this information are your customers. Indeed, the term “collaborative forecast” refers to a cooperative effort between you and your customers to derive an accurate demand forecast. But, we have found that collaborative information from many...
by Jon Schreibfeder | Jul 15, 2016 | Forecasting, Stocking Decisions
Most computer systems forecast future demand of products based on past usage history. These systems assume that what you sold or used in the past is a good indication of what you will sell or use in the future. But this isn’t always true. For example: ...
by Jon Schreibfeder | Jun 17, 2016 | Purchasing
Often vendors offer a bigger discount or other considerations for placing a larger order. It is tempting to always increase the size of a replenishment order to “get the extra five percent discount” or “qualify for free freight”. Sure, buying at a lower unit cost...
by Jon Schreibfeder | May 15, 2016 | Order Cycles
Last month we discussed calculating the order cycle (also commonly known as the review cycle). That is, how often you should place replenishment orders with a vendor. Another way of defining it is how often you sell or use enough of a particular vendor’s products to...