Replenishment

Replenishment is the process of restoring inventories, supplies, or resources that have been depleted, with the aim of maintaining availability for future needs. The term is used across retail, manufacturing, logistics, and natural resource management to describe activities that restore target levels after consumption or use.

In inventory and retail contexts, replenishment seeks to prevent stockouts while minimizing holding costs. It can be continuous (based on real-time or frequent stock checking) or periodic (reviewed at regular intervals). Key concepts include reorder points, safety stock, lead time, and order quantities. Replenishment can be pull-based, driven by actual consumption or point-of-sale data, or push-based, guided by forecasted demand. Methods include Kanban, vendor-managed inventory, and automated replenishment triggered by inventory thresholds. Modern systems integrate forecast data, supplier lead times, and capacity in replenishment planning.

Metrics used to assess replenishment performance include service level, fill rate, stockout rate, and inventory turnover.

Beyond retail and manufacturing, replenishment also appears in digital and service contexts (such as resource allocation) and in environmental terms, where replenishment refers to natural regeneration or sustainable yield to maintain long-term availability of a resource.

Common challenges include demand variability, forecast inaccuracies, lead time variability, seasonality, and product obsolescence. Effective replenishment balances customer service with total cost, supporting steady operations while minimizing waste.