Inventory glossary

What is Pre-season buy?

A pre-season buy is an order placed well before a selling period starts so stock arrives in time for peak demand, based on a forecast rather than current sales.

Small stores often sell seasonal goods: holiday candles, summer apparel, back-to-school gear. If you wait for sales data before ordering, the season is half over by the time new stock lands. A pre-season buy means committing to a quantity ahead of time, using last year's numbers, trends, or supplier minimums as a guide.

The risk is real on both sides. Buy too little and you miss sales during the only weeks that matter. Buy too much and you are stuck with leftover stock after the season ends, often needing a markdown to clear it. Owners should base the pre-season buy on the best available history, add a margin for growth or uncertainty, and confirm the supplier's lead time leaves room for the goods to arrive before the rush.

Example

A candle store sold 400 units of its pine-scent candle last holiday season. The owner expects 10% growth this year and wants to launch 6 weeks before December. Target buy: 400 x 1.10 = 440 units. The supplier's case pack is 24, so the owner rounds up to 456 units (19 cases) and places the order in early September to allow for a 5-week lead time plus a buffer week.

Common mistakes

  • Ordering based only on last year's sales without adjusting for growth, trends, or stockouts that capped last year's numbers.
  • Placing the pre-season buy too close to the season, leaving no room for shipping delays.
  • Not rounding to supplier case packs, which can leave the store short or with awkward leftover quantities.

Pre-season buy and SteadyShelf

SteadyShelf can use last year's sales patterns to help size a pre-season buy and flag the order-by date needed to beat your supplier's lead time.

SteadyShelf is launching on the Shopify App Store. Join early access to get the install link first.

Related terms

Seasonality · Demand forecasting · Launch inventory · Lead time · Safety stock

Full inventory glossary

FAQ

How far ahead should a pre-season buy be placed?

It depends on the supplier's lead time. Add the time needed to manufacture and ship the goods, plus a buffer week or two, then count backward from the date you want stock on shelf.

What happens if a pre-season buy is too large?

Leftover stock sits past the season and usually needs a markdown or clearance sale to sell through, which cuts into margin.

Let SteadyShelf do this math for every SKU

Order-by dates per supplier, seasonal forecasts and draft POs for your Shopify store. $29/month after a 30-day free trial.

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