restockrate

Restock rate is the rate at which inventory is replenished to restore stock levels after consumption or sale. It can be expressed as units restocked per time period (for example, items per day) or as a percentage of demand fulfilled within a given interval.

In practice, restock rate is a key parameter in inventory management and supply chain planning. It interacts with the demand rate, lead time, order quantity, and safety stock. A higher restock rate reduces stockouts and improves service levels but increases holding costs; the optimal rate balances cost with customer service.

Factors affecting restock rate include supplier reliability and lead time variability, ordering policies (continuous review vs periodic review), batch sizes, and storage capacity. Data accuracy in demand forecasting also shapes the restock rate.

Measurement and calculation: Restock rate can be measured as R = total units replenished in period T divided by T (units per time). It is often considered alongside stockout rate, service level, and average inventory.

Management and optimization: Common strategies to influence restock rate include reducing lead times, increasing supplier collaboration (vendor-managed inventory), improving forecast accuracy, carrying appropriate safety stock, and using inventory policies such as EOQ, reorder points, or kanban systems.

Applications: Used in retail, manufacturing, and logistics to plan replenishment, assess performance, and set inventory targets. In digital platforms or games, restock rate may refer to the frequency at which items or resources become available again.

See also: replenishment rate, inventory turnover, service level.