Running out of stock on Amazon is one of those nightmares every seller wants to avoid. Trust me, I’ve been there, and it’s not fun. But it’s preventable if you’re proactive and have a solid system. First off, knowing your numbers is non-negotiable. Keep a close eye on your sales velocity—how many units you sell daily—and how it fluctuates during peak seasons, promotions, or unexpected trends. A tool like Amazon’s inventory dashboard can give you a lot of insight, but you don’t need to overcomplicate things; even a simple spreadsheet can do wonders if you update it regularly.
Always order stock earlier than you think you need to. If your supplier says it’ll take 30 days, assume it’s 45. Shipping delays and production hiccups happen more often than anyone likes to admit. Building in that buffer time can save you a ton of stress.
Another tip? Have a reorder threshold, not just a safety stock. Your threshold should account for lead times and your sales velocity. For example, if it takes 40 days to restock and you sell 10 units a day, reorder when you hit 400 units—not when you’re already low. And finally, don’t forget about Amazon’s restock limits. You might have to play around with removing excess inventory from slow-moving products to make room for your top sellers. Bottom line: Stay ahead of the curve, plan for delays, and always have a backup plan. Running out of stock can feel like the end of the world, but with a bit of preparation, you’ll rarely have to face it.
Running out of stock on Amazon is one of those nightmares every seller wants to avoid. Trust me, I’ve been there, and it’s not fun. But it’s preventable if you’re proactive and have a solid system.
First off, knowing your numbers is non-negotiable. Keep a close eye on your sales velocity—how many units you sell daily—and how it fluctuates during peak seasons, promotions, or unexpected trends. A tool like Amazon’s inventory dashboard can give you a lot of insight, but you don’t need to overcomplicate things; even a simple spreadsheet can do wonders if you update it regularly.
Always order stock earlier than you think you need to. If your supplier says it’ll take 30 days, assume it’s 45. Shipping delays and production hiccups happen more often than anyone likes to admit. Building in that buffer time can save you a ton of stress.
Another tip? Have a reorder threshold, not just a safety stock. Your threshold should account for lead times and your sales velocity. For example, if it takes 40 days to restock and you sell 10 units a day, reorder when you hit 400 units—not when you’re already low.
And finally, don’t forget about Amazon’s restock limits. You might have to play around with removing excess inventory from slow-moving products to make room for your top sellers.
Bottom line: Stay ahead of the curve, plan for delays, and always have a backup plan. Running out of stock can feel like the end of the world, but with a bit of preparation, you’ll rarely have to face it.