Inventory how-to

How to choose a reorder frequency

Pick a reorder frequency based on how fast your cash and shelf space turn over, not on habit.

Short answer: Pick a reorder frequency based on how fast your cash and shelf space turn over, not on habit. Most small stores do well reviewing stock weekly and placing orders every 1 to 2 weeks, with faster-moving SKUs checked more often than slow ones.

Why frequency matters

Reorder frequency is really a tradeoff. Order too often and you spend time on small purchase orders and may miss case pack minimums. Order too rarely and you tie up cash in stock sitting on the shelf, or you run out between orders.

What drives the right frequency

Three things set your frequency: how fast each SKU sells, your supplier's lead time, and how much safety stock you want to carry. A SKU that sells daily and has a 7-day lead time needs more frequent review than one that sells twice a month with a 3-day lead time. If you have many suppliers with different lead times, it often makes sense to review stock weekly but only place orders with a given supplier when enough SKUs from them hit their reorder point.

Matching frequency to supplier terms

Check if your suppliers have minimum order values or case pack sizes. If a supplier requires a minimum order, ordering too often means you may not hit that minimum and have to pad the order with stock you do not need yet. In that case, a longer frequency, like every 2 to 4 weeks, lets order quantities build up naturally to a sensible size.

Adjusting as you go

Start with a weekly review and see how many SKUs actually need action each week. If it is almost none, move to every two weeks. If you are scrambling between reviews because fast sellers run low, shorten the cycle for those SKUs specifically rather than reviewing everything more often.

Step by step

  1. List your SKUs by how often they sell, fastest to slowest.
  2. Note each supplier's lead time and any minimum order value or case pack size.
  3. Set a default review cycle, weekly is a reasonable starting point for most stores.
  4. For fast sellers with short lead times, check stock more often, every few days if needed.
  5. For slow sellers or suppliers with high minimums, let the cycle run longer, every 2 to 4 weeks.
  6. Track how many SKUs hit their reorder point at each review and adjust the cycle up or down.
  7. Revisit the frequency after a season change, since sales speed shifts and so should your cycle.

Worked example

A store sells a popular mug at 6 units a day, supplier lead time is 5 days, safety stock is 2 days. Reorder point is 6 x (5 + 2) = 42 units. If the store only reviews stock every 2 weeks, it risks dropping well below 42 between checks. Switching that SKU to a weekly review catches it in time, while a slow-moving candle selling 1 unit every 3 days can safely stay on a 3-week review cycle.

How SteadyShelf helps

SteadyShelf sends a weekly reorder email so you get a regular prompt without having to remember to check, and it flags each SKU against its own order-by date based on lead time and safety days, so fast and slow sellers are not treated the same. It does not let you set a custom per-SKU review cadence outside that weekly cycle, so very fast-moving items that need daily attention still need a manual check.

$29/month flat, unlimited products and suppliers, 30-day free trial. Run the numbers now with the free reorder point calculator.

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FAQ

Should every SKU use the same reorder frequency?

No. Fast sellers with short lead times need more frequent checks than slow sellers. Grouping SKUs by sales speed and reviewing fast ones more often avoids both stockouts and wasted review time on slow movers.

What if my supplier has a high minimum order value?

Lengthen the time between orders for that supplier so enough SKUs reach their reorder point to naturally fill the minimum. Ordering too often in that case just means padding orders with stock you do not yet need.

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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