The reorder playbook: low-stock flags without buying more software

You do not need another subscription to stop running out of stock. You need three numbers per product (daily sales rate, supplier lead time, safety buffer) written where an AI can read them, and a weekly readout that flags what needs ordering. Here is the whole playbook.

The math, so you can check it.

Reorder point = daily sales rate x lead time days + safety stock. Selling 3/day of a part with an 18-day lead time and a 10-unit buffer means reordering at 64 units, not when the shelf looks empty.

Every inventory tool sells this formula back to you at $300-400/mo; the formula is free, and your sales data already exists.

What to write down.

One supplier file per vendor: real lead times (the observed ones, not the promised ones), order minimums, and how they like to be contacted.
One line per SKU: reorder point, safety stock, case pack. A plain table in a plain file.
The seasonal notes only you know: "riding season starts in March, double the buffer on wear parts in February." This is the knowledge no dashboard has.

The weekly readout.

With those files plus your sales export, the ask is one sentence: "What is below reorder point right now, what is already inbound, and what should I order this week given lead times?" The answer comes back cited, and the flag reaches you before a customer does.

The same files feed cost-of-goods and cash questions: "what can I afford to reorder this month based on cash on hand?"

The honest caveats.

Two things this does not fix. Garbage sales data: if channels are not synced, fix that first; the readout is only as true as the export.

And the readout still needs reading: a flag nobody looks at is a stockout with extra steps. Put the weekly readout in the same review session as your customer-comms drafts and it becomes one habit, not two.

Questions

Asked before reading this far.

How do I calculate a reorder point?

Reorder point = daily sales rate x supplier lead time in days + safety stock. For example, 3 units per day with an 18-day lead time and a 10-unit buffer gives a reorder point of 64 units. Use observed lead times, not promised ones.

Do I need inventory software for low-stock alerts?

Usually not for a solo e-commerce business. Your sales channel already exports the data; what is missing is written reorder points and supplier lead times, plus a weekly readout. An AI system reading those files replaces the $300-400 a month dashboard for this job.

What is safety stock?

The buffer that covers demand spikes and late deliveries: the units you want remaining when the reorder arrives. Size it to the pain of a stockout; bestsellers and long-lead-time parts get bigger buffers.

Or skip the homework

This is what month one builds, done with you.

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