unsold

Unsold is an adjective used to describe goods or products that have not been sold to customers within a given period. It is commonly applied in retail, wholesale, manufacturing, publishing, and real estate to denote inventory or assets that remain on hand after production or distribution cycles. When accumulated, unsold items may be referred to as unsold stock, inventory, dead stock, or slow-moving inventory.

In retail and manufacturing, unsold inventory ties up capital and incurs carrying costs such as storage, insurance, and depreciation, while also carrying the risk of obsolescence. Seasonal or fashion items are frequently unsold if demand shifts or forecasts prove inaccurate. Companies often respond with markdowns, promotions, or price adjustments to clear stock. In accounting, inventory is an asset valued at cost, but many standards require it to be measured at the lower of cost and net realizable value; if NRV falls below cost, a write-down or write-off may be recorded to reflect reduced value.

Management approaches to reducing unsold inventory include improving demand forecasting, implementing promotions or bundling, returning excess stock to suppliers, or liquidating through secondary channels. Some industries also explore repurposing or recycling unsold items or redirecting them to alternative markets. While unsold inventory represents unrecovered capital in the short term, effective inventory management and pricing strategies can minimize losses and improve liquidity.