Forstock
The Forstock journal

Field notes from the floor to your forecast.

Hands-on inventory and operations writing for ecommerce brands, from the operators who run them.

Featured

Why We Built Forstock

A note from Rami, founder of Forstock.

Founder noteJune 19, 20265 min read
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51 articles
PlanningNovember 5, 202613 min read

Seasonal Inventory Management: How to Plan Orders and Sell Through a Peak

Plan seasonal inventory before, during and after a peak. Follow a Black Friday example to size safety stock and find the last day you can order each SKU.

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PlanningNovember 5, 202610 min read

Holiday Inventory Management: How to Plan Stock From October to January

Plan holiday inventory from October gifting to January returns. Set reorder dates from lead times and work around carrier cutoffs and Chinese New Year.

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InventoryNovember 5, 20269 min read

What to Do With Excess Inventory (and How to Order Less Next Time)

How to get rid of excess inventory: discount, bundle, return, liquidate, donate or write off. See when each fits and how to order less next time.

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ForecastingNovember 5, 202610 min read

AI Inventory Forecasting for Shopify in 6 Steps: From Setup to Purchase Order

AI inventory forecasting reads your order history and out-of-stock days. Follow 6 steps to set it up for Shopify and review the forecast before you order.

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ComparisonsNovember 5, 202614 min read

The 8 Best Inventory Management Software for Small Businesses in 2026

Compare 8 inventory management tools for small businesses. See prices, pros, cons and who each one suits, including Forstock, Zoho Inventory and Sortly.

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ComparisonsOctober 12, 202615 min read

5 Best Sumtracker Alternatives for Shopify Brands in 2026

Looking for a Sumtracker alternative? We compare five Shopify inventory tools on forecasting, purchase orders, stock sync, and pricing, starting with Forstock.

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ComparisonsOctober 12, 202615 min read

The 8 Best Inventory Planning Tools for Growing Ecommerce Brands in 2026

Compare 8 inventory planning tools for growing ecommerce brands on forecasting, reorder dates, purchase orders, channels, and verified pricing.

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PlanningOctober 12, 202611 min read

Inventory Demand Planning: How to Forecast Demand and Order the Right Stock

Learn how inventory demand planning works, the data you need, which forecasting method fits each product, and how to turn a forecast into on-time orders.

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ComparisonsOctober 12, 202615 min read

8 Best Netstock Alternatives for Shopify Brands in 2026

Compare 8 Netstock alternatives for Shopify brands on pricing, forecasting, replenishment, and how each one connects to your store.

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ComparisonsOctober 12, 202611 min read

Cin7 Pricing in 2026: Plans, Add-Ons, and What You'll Pay

Cin7 Core costs $349 to $1,199 a month, and Omni is quote-only. See what each plan includes, what costs extra, and when a lighter tool fits better.

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PlanningNovember 5, 20269 min read

Black Friday Checklist for Shopify Brands: BFCM 2026 Dates & Inventory Plan

Black Friday is November 27. Here is the dated inventory plan for Shopify brands: what to forecast, what to order, how to ship it, and the cutoffs that decide all three.

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ComparisonsSeptember 24, 202612 min read

8 Best Inventory Management Software for Shopify After Stocky's Shutdown

Shopify retired Stocky in 2026. See the 8 best inventory management tools for Shopify stores now, including Forstock, Cin7, Katana, and Zoho Inventory.

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ComparisonsSeptember 24, 202612 min read

9 Best Cin7 Alternatives for Shopify Sellers in 2026

Looking for Cin7 alternatives? Compare 9 inventory and forecasting tools on pricing, Shopify fit, and setup complexity.

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Head-to-HeadSeptember 7, 20269 min read

Forstock vs Moselle: Which Shopify Inventory Planning Tool Fits Your Store?

Two Shopify inventory planners with AI assistants, compared honestly — Moselle's Mo chat layer vs Forstock's Alfred agent, forecasting depth, multi-location replenishment, and PO execution.

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Purchase OrdersOctober 12, 202612 min read

8 Best Purchase Order Management Software for Shopify Brands (2026)

Compare 8 purchase order tools for Shopify brands on reorder planning, supplier lead times, receiving, and pricing, Including Forstock, Prediko, and Cin7 Core.

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ForecastingSeptember 5, 202610 min read

What Is AI Demand Planning? A Definition Guide for Shopify Brands

A plain-English definition of AI demand planning: how it differs from spreadsheet forecasting, the core mechanics, and the signs your brand has outgrown manual planning.

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ForecastingSeptember 4, 202610 min read

Inventory Forecasting Software for Shopify: How It Works and What to Look For

What inventory forecasting software actually does, the signals a forecasting engine reads, and a five-question checklist for choosing one for your Shopify store.

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ForecastingSeptember 4, 20267 min read

Shopify Inventory Management App: Why Forecasting Accuracy Matters

Most Shopify inventory apps stop at tracking stock. Forstock forecasts demand by SKU, location, and channel, then turns it into reorders and purchase orders.

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ReorderingSeptember 4, 202613 min read

Best Inventory Replenishment Software for Multi-Location Shopify Brands

Compare replenishment software for multi-location Shopify brands — Forstock, Prediko, Inventory Planner, Netstock, and more — by planning depth, pricing, and fit.

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OperationsJune 19, 20269 min read

Shopify Purchase Order Automation: How to Reorder Inventory Without Spreadsheets

Stop reordering from spreadsheets. Clean your SKU and supplier data, set reorder points and safety stock, auto-generate draft POs by supplier, and review them in one quick weekly pass.

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ForecastingMay 26, 20266 min read

How Demand Forecasting Reduces Shopify Inventory Costs

How demand forecasting aligns Shopify stock with sales to cut carrying costs, reduce overstock and stockouts, and free up working capital.

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ForecastingMay 25, 20265 min read

Multi-Channel Demand Forecasting: Shopify Best Practices

Centralize multi-channel sales, track MAPE and lead times, and automate reorder points to reduce stockouts and excess inventory.

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AI & AutomationMay 24, 20265 min read

AI Inventory Optimization: Save on Overstock Costs

Use AI-driven forecasts to cut overstock, automate reorders, and free working capital for Shopify stores.

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InventoryOctober 30, 20264 min read

ABC Analysis Calculator

Classify inventory into A, B, and C groups by annual usage value. See item rankings, cumulative percentages, and class totals instantly.

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InventoryMarch 15, 20255 min read

How to Avoid Stockouts on Shopify: A Complete Guide

Stockouts cost Shopify brands more than just lost sales. Learn proven strategies to prevent them and keep your customers happy.

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PlanningMarch 8, 20256 min read

Demand Forecasting 101 for Shopify Brands

What is demand forecasting, why does it matter, and how can AI make it effortless? Here's everything you need to know.

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OperationsMarch 1, 20255 min read

The Complete Guide to Purchase Order Management

From creating POs to tracking deliveries, here's how to streamline your purchasing process and save hours every week.

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OperationsAugust 3, 202610 min read

5 Features of Effective Inventory Dashboards

The five features an inventory dashboard needs to actually prevent stockouts: live stock levels, multi-location view, KPIs, alerts, and demand forecasts.

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Cash FlowJuly 3, 202613 min read

Carrying Costs vs. Profit Margins

Excess inventory drains e‑commerce profits—cut carrying costs with forecasting, precise reorder points, and liquidation.

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InventoryJune 17, 20268 min read

Forstock vs Fabrikatör: Which Shopify Inventory App Fits Your Store Best?

Fixed-cost automation vs deeper planning: choose the Shopify inventory app that favors simpler reorders or backorder and kit control.

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ForecastingMay 26, 202619 min read

We Reviewed the Best Stocky Alternatives for Shopify in 2026

Compare six Stocky replacements for Shopify on purchase orders, forecasting, supplier management and receiving, now that Stocky has shut down.

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ReorderingMay 25, 202610 min read

Lead Time Variability and Reorder Point Adjustments

Measure lead time variability, adjust safety stock, and use dynamic reorder points to prevent stockouts and overstocking.

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Purchase OrdersMay 17, 202612 min read

Replacing Stocky's Purchase Order Workflow in Shopify

Stocky shut down on August 31, 2026. Here is how to rebuild purchase orders in Shopify: supplier data, lead times, draft POs from forecasts, and receiving.

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InventoryMay 15, 202610 min read

How to Export Your Stocky Data Before the August 2026 Shutdown

Export POs, stocktakes, and supplier records as CSVs, validate files, and prep data for migration before Stocky shuts on Aug 31, 2026.

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Cash FlowApril 23, 20262 min read

Inventory Margin Calculator

Need to know your inventory profit margin? Use our free calculator to find out your margin and profit per unit in seconds!

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InventoryApril 16, 202615 min read

How to Manage Inventory Across Teams

Centralize inventory, define team roles, standardize SOPs, and automate POs to cut errors, prevent stockouts, and improve efficiency.

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OperationsApril 10, 202613 min read

Real-Time Inventory Tracking with IoT Sensors

How RFID, weight and GPS IoT sensors enable real-time stock visibility, reduce errors, cut costs, and integrate with Shopify and Forstock.

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InventoryApril 2, 202617 min read

Cycle Counting Basics for Shopify Stores

Cycle counting for Shopify: improve inventory accuracy, prevent stockouts with ABC analysis, and automate counts to reduce errors.

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ForecastingApril 1, 20266 min read

Seasonal Demand Forecasting: AI vs Manual Methods for Shopify

Compare AI and manual seasonal forecasting: real-time SKU-level accuracy, fewer stockouts, faster updates, and lower inventory costs.

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InventoryFebruary 5, 202614 min read

Customer Support vs. Self-Service: SaaS Training Options

Compare live customer support and self-service training for SaaS inventory platforms—costs, availability, scalability, and when to use each.

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Stock HealthJanuary 15, 20262 min read

Stockout Risk Assessment Tool

Evaluate your stockout risk with our free tool! Input stock levels and demand data to get instant risk insights and avoid shortages.

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ForecastingJanuary 13, 20268 min read

Top Tools for Demand Forecasting on Shopify

Shopify demand forecasting tools compared on accuracy, reorder automation, multi-location support, and monthly price, so you can pick one in an afternoon.

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ReorderingJanuary 8, 202615 min read

Manual vs. AI Safety Stock Calculations

AI-driven safety stock beats static spreadsheets—see why Shopify brands should swap manual formulas for real-time, data-driven inventory optimization.

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InventoryDecember 23, 202510 min read

5 Common Problems with Manual Inventory Tracking

Manual inventory tracking leads to errors, wasted labor, outdated stock data, scaling issues, and weak reporting—why automation fixes them.

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Purchase OrdersDecember 5, 202523 min read

Checklist for Faster Purchase Order Approvals

A practical checklist to speed up purchase order approvals: clean SKU data, approval tiers by PO value, supplier templates, and automation that cuts delays.

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Stock HealthDecember 5, 202521 min read

Overstock vs. Stockouts: Key Differences and Fixes

Overstock ties up cash, stockouts lose sales. See what causes each, what they really cost, and the forecasting and reorder fixes that prevent both.

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InventoryNovember 24, 202521 min read

7 Discounting Ideas to Move Unsold Inventory

Explore seven effective discounting strategies to clear unsold inventory while maintaining profitability and enhancing customer engagement.

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Stock HealthNovember 22, 20259 min read

Dead Stock Reduction with AI Analytics

Explore how AI analytics can drastically reduce dead stock for e-commerce brands, optimizing inventory and improving cash flow.

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OperationsNovember 6, 202511 min read

Top 5 Tools for Real-Time Stock Sync on Shopify

Five tools that keep Shopify stock in sync across channels and locations in real time: what each one syncs, which channels it covers, and who it suits.

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Stock HealthOctober 14, 202513 min read

Best Tools for Shopify Stockout Alerts

The best apps for Shopify stockout alerts, compared: low-stock notifications, reorder-point triggers, multi-location coverage, and who each one suits.

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