Investing in Solutions As Early as Possible | Bahadir Efeoglu | Fabrikator | Bonus Episode
Honest Ecommerce
· with Bahadir Efeoglu
· November 23, 2023
· 22 min
Summary
To thrive, DTC brands must master inventory management from the outset. This episode emphasizes that inventory is the "fuel of your business," and neglecting it leads to costly out-of-stock or overstock situations. Proactive planning and smart software adoption are crucial for sustained growth and profitability, especially around peak seasons.
Key takeaways
Inventory is your business's fuel; manage it early and proactively to avoid costly out-of-stock or overstock scenarios. Don't wait until you're losing sales from stockouts to invest in solutions.
Utilize pre-orders not just for sales, but as a valuable research tool to gauge demand and refine inventory forecasts, minimizing risk and informing production.
Even if not ready for software, establish solid inventory foundations with spreadsheets. Track lead times, average days of stock, and fast-selling products to anticipate needs.
Don't panic ship everything via air freight; strategic inventory planning allows for cheaper ocean freight by anticipating needs and reducing emergency orders.
Recognize that inventory issues impact marketing effectiveness. Collaborate between marketing and operations to ensure inventory aligns with promotional efforts, maximizing ROI and customer satisfaction.
On this episode of Honest Ecommerce, we have Bahadir Efeoglu. Bahadir is the co-founder and CEO of Fabrikator, a growth-focused inventory planning software, specialized in D2C brands.
We talk about the painful lag between investments and supply, using pre-orders as a research tool, using a unified platform to track all operations, and so much more!
Frequently asked about this episode
What does this episode say about supply chain & operations?
Inventory is your business's fuel; manage it early and proactively to avoid costly out-of-stock or overstock scenarios. Don't wait until you're losing sales from stockouts to invest in solutions.
What does this episode say about dtc strategy?
Utilize pre-orders not just for sales, but as a valuable research tool to gauge demand and refine inventory forecasts, minimizing risk and informing production.
What does this episode say about finance & fundraising?
Even if not ready for software, establish solid inventory foundations with spreadsheets. Track lead times, average days of stock, and fast-selling products to anticipate needs.
What does this episode say about ai & automation?
Don't panic ship everything via air freight; strategic inventory planning allows for cheaper ocean freight by anticipating needs and reducing emergency orders.
What does this episode say about supply chain & operations?
Recognize that inventory issues impact marketing effectiveness. Collaborate between marketing and operations to ensure inventory aligns with promotional efforts, maximizing ROI and customer satisfaction.
