Target EntitiesInventory Optimization, Pricing Optimization, Dead Stock, Sell-Through, Demand Forecasting, Distribution Analytics
Core ValueCatch slow movers earlier, recover margin before write-off, double-digit dead-stock reduction, payback under a quarter
Tech StackERP integration, Forecasting models, Pricing engine, BI Dashboard
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Distribution

How a distributor cut dead stock by catching slow movers 60 to 90 days earlier

A distribution company priced too late, so slow-moving inventory sat for months tying up cash, and by the time products were flagged the margin was already gone. We built a demand forecasting and pricing layer on the existing ERP that flags slowing products 60 to 90 days earlier and recommends price moves while margin is still recoverable.

Double digit

reduction in dead stock

+3 to 5 pts

sell-through rate improvement

Under 1 quarter

payback on repriced and cleared items

Challenge

Slow stock was flagged at 90 to 120 days, too late to do anything but discount or write it off.

What we built

A forecasting and pricing layer on the ERP that flags slowing products early.

Result

Double-digit dead-stock reduction with margin preserved, payback under a quarter.

The challenge

Mid-market distributors typically carry 10 to 18% of inventory as slow-moving or dead stock; for a $50 to $80M company that is $1M to $2.5M in capital sitting on shelves. Products were usually flagged at 90 to 120 days, when the only option left was deep discounting or a write-off. Buyers and pricing managers worked from separate spreadsheets and met once a month, so seasonal patterns repeated the same mistakes.

What we built

  • Built a demand forecasting and pricing layer on the existing ERP that flags slowing products 60 to 90 days earlier than manual tracking.
  • Recommended price moves while margin was still recoverable, with goals (margin, sell-through, cash recovery) configurable by category, no code changes.
  • Connected demand signals to pricing in one place, so buying and pricing stopped working in silos.

How the data flows

Source systems

ERP
Demand signals
Inventory age
Forecasting & pricing layer

Reporting

Early slow-mover alerts
Price recommendations
Sell-through tracking

The outcome

Dead stock dropped by double digits and sell-through improved by 3 to 5 points with no margin loss, and the work paid back in under a quarter. Write-offs stopped being treated as a normal cost of doing business.

Systems & technologies

ERP integrationForecasting modelsPricing engineBI Dashboard

Before vs after

Before
BeforeSlow movers flagged at 90 to 120 days, too late
AfterSlowing products flagged 60 to 90 days earlier
BeforeBuying and pricing in separate spreadsheets
AfterDemand signals connected to pricing in one place
BeforeDead stock written off and called normal
AfterDouble-digit dead-stock reduction, margin preserved

Get in touch

How much capital is stuck in slow-moving stock?

We can run a diagnostic on your inventory and pricing data in 2 to 3 weeks and show where margin is leaking, before you commit to anything.

Email us directly

sales@3alica.com