Inventory how-to

How to plan inventory for a trade show

Treat the trade show as a separate demand spike on top of your normal online sales, not as part of your regular reorder cycle.

Short answer: Treat the trade show as a separate demand spike on top of your normal online sales, not as part of your regular reorder cycle. Work out how much stock you need for the show itself, add it to what your online store needs during the same period, and order early enough that both arrive on time.

Separate show demand from online demand

Your normal reorder point and order quantity are based on your regular daily sales. A trade show adds a one-time bump that this math does not account for. Estimate show sales separately, using past shows, expected foot traffic, or a conservative guess if this is your first one.

Cover both channels at once

During the show, your online store keeps selling too. If you pull stock from the same pool, make sure you have enough for both. Add expected show units to expected online units for the lead time plus the show dates, then compare that total to what you have on hand and on order.

Order early and build in a buffer

Suppliers do not know your show date matters. Work backward from the show date using the supplier's lead time, and add a few extra safety days in case production or shipping slips. For anything with a long lead time, place the order well before you would normally reorder based on daily sales alone.

Plan for leftover stock after the show

Decide in advance what happens to unsold show stock. If it goes back into regular online inventory, mark it as returned stock on hand so your regular reorder math picks it up and you do not order more than you need the following cycle.

Step by step

  1. List every SKU you plan to bring to the show and estimate units needed per SKU based on past shows or a reasonable guess
  2. Check current on hand and on order for each SKU in your store admin
  3. Add expected online sales for the lead time period to the show estimate to get total demand
  4. Calculate order quantity as total demand minus on hand and on order, rounded up to case pack size
  5. Count backward from the show date using the supplier's lead time plus a safety buffer to find your order-by date
  6. Place the order by that date, not by your normal reorder point
  7. After the show, update on hand with any unsold units returned to stock

Worked example

Say you sell 8 units a day online of a product, your supplier lead time is 14 days, and you expect to sell 150 units at a 3-day trade show. Online demand during the 14-day lead time is 8 x 14 = 112 units. Total demand is 112 + 150 = 262 units. If you have 40 on hand and 0 on order, you need to order 262 - 40 = 222 units, rounded up to case packs of 24, so 240 units. If the show is in 20 days and lead time is 14 days, you have until day 6 to place the order, so you add a few safety days and order now rather than waiting.

How SteadyShelf helps

SteadyShelf forecasts and reorder points are based on your regular 28-day online sales window, so it will not automatically add a trade show spike for you. You will need to estimate show demand yourself, add it to the suggested order quantity before approving the purchase order, and manually adjust on hand afterward for any returned stock.

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

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

Related guides

All inventory how-to guides ยท Inventory glossary

FAQ

Should I set up the trade show as a separate sales channel to track it?

SteadyShelf does not do multichannel sync or per-channel forecasting, so it will not split trade show sales from online sales automatically. Track the show numbers separately on paper or a spreadsheet, then enter any resulting stock changes back into Shopify as a single adjustment.

What if I run out of stock at the show itself?

Running out mid-show is a sign the estimate was too low, not a forecasting problem to fix after the fact. Bring a buffer of 10 to 20 percent above your estimate for popular items if your budget and supplier minimums allow it, since underselling leftover stock is usually cheaper than an empty table.

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.

Get early access