Retail inventory management is the process of ensuring you carry merchandise that shoppers want, with neither too little nor too much on hand. By managing inventory, retailers meet customer demand without running out of stock or carrying excess supply. In practice, effective retail inventory management results in lower costs and a better understanding of sales patterns. Retail inventory management tools and methods give retailers more information with which to run their businesses, including:

• Product locations
• Quantities of each product type
• Which stock sells well and which doesn’t, by location and sales channel.
• Profit margin by style, model, product line or item
• Ideal amount of inventory to have in back stock and storage
• How many products to reorder and how often
• When to discontinue a product
• How changing seasons affect sales