afzetduur

Afzetduur is a Dutch term used in marketing and retail to describe the duration over which a product or product category achieves sales in a market. In practice, it denotes the length of the selling period from launch until demand declines to a baseline level or until the product is phased out. The concept is used in demand planning, inventory management and product lifecycle analysis.

Measurement of afzetduur is not fixed to one definition. It can be defined as: (a) the time span during which sales stay above a defined threshold, (b) the time from market introduction to the point where cumulative sales reach a target, or (c) the planned selling period for seasonal or promotional products. In forecasting, afzetduur is often estimated with historical sales data, seasonality patterns and the impact of promotions.

Factors influencing the afzetduur include consumer demand, price, competition, product novelty, marketing activity, distribution reach and the stage of the product’s life cycle. Items with a short afzetduur typically require frequent replenishment and tighter inventory control, while items with a long afzetduur allow for more stable stock levels and longer planning horizons.

Relation to other concepts: afzetduur is related to turnover rate, the product lifecycle and obsolescence, but it is distinct from the total lifespan of a product in the market. It is a practical measure for marketing strategy and supply chain planning.

Example: If a product has monthly sales of 1,000 units and an average stock of 5,000 units, this can imply an estimated afzetduur of about five months, assuming demand remains relatively stable.