How to reorder stock for your duka: never run out of fast movers
ShelfWise ·
Every shop owner knows the feeling: a customer asks for the item you sell most, and the shelf is empty. Meanwhile, money sits in boxes of things that barely move. Reordering well fixes both, and it's simpler than it sounds.
1. Know your fast movers
Look at what sells most, by quantity, over the last few weeks. In most dukas a small group of items (sugar, cooking oil, flour, airtime, soap, bread, milk) brings in most of the sales. These must never run out.
2. Set a reorder level for each item
The reorder level is how much stock you need to last until a new delivery arrives, plus a little extra for busy days. When stock falls to that level, you order.
- Daily sales × days until the supplier delivers = what you'll sell while waiting.
- Add a few days' extra for busy weekends or month-end.
- Example: you sell 10 packets of sugar a day, the supplier delivers in 3 days, plus 2 days extra = reorder at 50 packets.
3. Order enough, but not too much
Order up to a target level that lasts until your next order, not until the shelves overflow. Round to the supplier's pack size (a bale, a carton, a dozen) and their minimum order. Slow movers: order small, more often.
4. Count what's on order
If you've already ordered 20 cartons that haven't arrived, don't order them again. Keep track of what's on the way.
5. Send clear orders
Orders sent by voice or a rushed message come back wrong. Send a written list with product names, quantities and the prices you expect, and ask the supplier to confirm what they can supply.
6. Check the delivery against the order
Count what arrives before the supplier leaves. Record only what you received, and follow up on what's short.
7. Review once a month
Sales change with seasons, school terms and month-end. Each month, adjust reorder levels for items that ran out or piled up.
Common questions
How do I know when to reorder stock?
Set a reorder level for each item: daily sales times the days until delivery, plus a few days' extra. When stock reaches it, order.
How much stock should a small shop keep?
Enough to last until the next delivery plus a small buffer for busy days. More than that ties up cash, especially in slow movers.
Can I send supplier orders on WhatsApp from ShelfWise?
Yes. ShelfWise writes the order from your products and quantities and opens WhatsApp with it ready to send; the supplier confirms from a link, without an app or account.
Read next
- How to stop stock loss and theft in your shop: 8 habits that workPractical ways for Kenyan dukas, minimarts and hardware shops to stop stock loss: counts, records, cash and M-Pesa checks, supplier deliveries and staff habits.Read
- POS system vs a notebook: which is right for your shop?Keeping sales in a notebook vs using a POS system in Kenya: cost, time, stock, M-Pesa, theft and what changes when you switch. An honest comparison.Read