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Stock indicators: what are the main ones for your iron and steel store?

Indicadores de estoque: quais os principais para sua loja de ferro e aço?

In a fast-moving industry, effective inventory control is essential to your business's success. That's where inventory indicators come in—indispensable tools for accurately managing your store.

After all, these indicators provide valuable insights into your business, enabling you to make informed and strategic decisions. They also help identify sales trends, predict future demand, and prevent both shortages and excess product on shelves.

Want to learn more about inventory control indicators for your iron and steel store? Keep reading!

What are inventory indicators?

They are tools that help monitor and control the products available in your iron and steel store, as they provide important information about inventory, allowing you to make smart decisions related to the sales of these materials.

There are different types of indicators that can be used in this context. Inventory turnover indicators, for example, indicate the speed at which products are sold and replaced.

For example, if iron and steel are selling quickly, this could indicate good demand and well-managed inventory. Conversely, if products are sitting on shelves for a long time, it could be a sign of trouble.

Another important indicator is inventory coverage, which shows how long the current quantity of a given product will be sufficient to meet customer needs. For example, if demand increases and inventory is low, it may be necessary to make new purchases to avoid shortages and loss of supply. sales.

What are they for?

Inventory indicators are used to help control and manage the products available in your iron and steel store. Learn more about your importance and purpose!

Monitor demand

As mentioned, these indicators help identify which iron and steel products are in highest demand, allowing you to adjust your inventory accordingly and avoid shortages of important goods.

Forecast future demand

Based on the information collected by the indicators, it is possible to make estimates about future product demand. This helps with purchasing and replenishment planning, avoiding shortages or excess items.

Avoid financial losses

They also help identify products that are becoming obsolete or experiencing low sales. This allows for measures to avoid financial losses, such as discounts or promotions, and adjust purchases of new materials.

Optimize purchases

With these indicators, you can identify patterns and trends in iron and steel sales, enabling you to plan your purchases more strategically, taking advantage of periods of high demand or seeking better negotiation conditions with suppliers.

Increase operational efficiency

By monitoring inventory turnover and how quickly products are sold and replaced, these indicators allow you to optimize operations. replacement and organization, which consequently improves the store's operational efficiency, reduces costs and minimizes the lack or excess of products.

What are the main inventory indicators?

There are several inventory control indicators related to iron and steel sales, such as:

  • inventory turnover: measures the speed at which products are sold and replaced. The higher the turnover, the more efficient your inventory management;
  • stock coverage: calculates how long the current stock will be sufficient to meet demand, which helps to avoid shortages or excess of products;
  • rupture rate: indicates the percentage of times a specific product is out of stock. The lower the rate, the better the management;
  • obsolescence: assesses the quantity of iron and steel products that have become outdated and are in low demand, allowing measures to be taken to avoid financial losses;
  • replacement point: determines the minimum stock level at which a new purchase is necessary to avoid product shortages;
  • average replenishment time: Measures the time it takes to receive new iron and steel products after placing an order. This indicator helps with purchasing planning;
  • service level: assesses the ability to meet customer demand efficiently, indicating the percentage of orders that are fulfilled promptly.

How to apply inventory indicators in your store?

There are several ways to apply inventory indicators to your store to organize product inflows and outflows. Learn more!

Data collection

Start by gathering relevant information about your sales and inventory. Record data such as quantity sold, sale dates, and inventory levels.

Calculation of indicators

Using the collected data, calculate the indicators. For example, for inventory turnover, divide the total sales in a period by the average inventory. For inventory coverage, divide the current inventory by the average daily sales.

Analysis of results

After calculating the indicators, analyze the results. Identify patterns, trends, and potential problems, as well as top-selling products, those with low demand, or those becoming obsolete.

Decision making

Based on your indicator analysis, make strategic decisions to improve your inventory management. For example, if a product has high turnover, ensure there's an adequate quantity to meet sales. If an item is experiencing low demand, assess whether it's necessary to reduce future purchases.

Adjustments in planning

Use the indicators to adjust your planning Purchasing: Identify periods of high demand and anticipate them, ensuring there is sufficient inventory. Also adjust the replenishment point to avoid shortages or excess products.

Continuous monitoring

Don't forget to regularly monitor your inventory indicators. Stay up-to-date on changes in sales, demand, and trends in the iron and steel market, and adjust your strategy whenever necessary.

Have you figured out how to apply inventory indicators to your iron and steel store? To do so efficiently, it's important to be consistent and pay attention to detail. After all, these indicators provide crucial information to ensure the availability of the most sought-after products.

Want to learn more about how to achieve excellence in inventory management? Download our e-book right now and delve deeper into the subject!

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