stockavailability

Stock availability refers to the extent to which requested products are immediately obtainable from inventory. In retail and supply chain contexts, it is a key service level indicator that measures the proportion of demand that can be fulfilled from stock at the time of a customer or business request. It depends on on-hand inventory, pipeline stock in transit, committed production or supplier orders, and replenishment lead times, as well as stock-policy decisions such as safety stock and reorder points.

Common metrics used to assess stock availability include stockout rate, fill rate (the percentage of orders fulfilled from available stock), service level (the probability of meeting demand without a stockout), and on-shelf availability (OSA) in retail. Availability can vary by product, location, channel, and time, and is influenced by demand variability and supply chain reliability.

Stockouts occur when demand cannot be met from current inventory and may lead to lost sales, reduced conversion rates, backorders, and customer dissatisfaction. Causes include inaccurate forecasts, sudden demand spikes, supplier delays, long replenishment cycles, and inefficient allocation policies. Conversely, excess stock ties up capital and can erode profitability.

Strategies to improve stock availability include accurate demand planning, safety-stock optimization, and lead-time reduction; multi-echelon or vendor-managed inventory; real-time inventory visibility; integrated ERP/WMS systems; and collaborative forecasting with suppliers. Product segmentation, dynamic replenishment, and responsive supply chains help maintain higher service levels while balancing carrying costs.