How do I know when to reorder a product?

The measure is the reorder point: the quantity at which the on hand stock covers the expected consumption during the days the supplier takes to deliver, plus a buffer for the unexpected. When the on hand quantity drops to that level, you reorder, without waiting for an empty shelf. To work it out you only need the item's average consumption and the supplier's delivery time, data you draw from the sales history and the purchase terms.

Is it better to order a lot for the discount or little and often?

It depends on the product. On a long life, high rotation item a bigger order can make sense; on a perishable or slow mover, ordering too much to reach a discount threshold often leads to products that expire unsold, and the loss exceeds the discount. The rule is to compare the discount saving with the risk of expiry and tied up capital, not to chase the discount regardless.

How do I organise the storeroom to reduce expired goods?

Apply first to expire, first out: when a new intake arrives, place it behind the products already present, so the batches with the nearest expiry are sold first. Record batch and expiry at every intake, check the dates regularly giving priority to perishables, and physically separate any expired goods from saleable stock to avoid sales by mistake.

Are there special obligations for food and veterinary products?

Yes. Feed, food and veterinary products are subject to obligations of traceability, storage, recording and correct disposal set by regulation, which stock management must respect. This guide explains the operational method for keeping stock balanced, but it does not replace the legal obligations: if in doubt, check the applicable rules and the supplier's guidance.

Running a pet shop30 minLevel: IntermediateUpdated on August 6, 2026

Keeping stock levels and reorders under control

How to manage a pet shop's stock: reorder points, batch rotation, handling expired goods and ordering on data rather than on gut feeling.

Audience: Pet shops
Species: All species
Scope: Valid everywhere

What you need before you start

Un elenco aggiornato dei prodotti trattati, con l'indicazione di quali sono a domanda costante e quali stagionali
Lo storico delle vendite degli ultimi mesi, anche in forma semplice, per stimare quanto si consuma di ciascun articolo
I dati dei fornitori: tempi di consegna, lotti minimi di riordino e condizioni per ciascun articolo
Un luogo di stoccaggio ordinato e la possibilità di leggere le date di scadenza e i numeri di lotto sui prodotti

Stock management is one of the places where a pet shop loses money without noticing. If stock is too low, the shelf is empty just when the customer wants the product, and that sale goes to a competitor. If it is too high, capital sits tied up in the storeroom and part of the food and veterinary products reaches its expiry date before it is sold, turning into a dead loss. The balance point is not found by instinct but with a simple method, based on how much you actually sell, how long the supplier takes to deliver, and an orderly rotation of batches. This guide covers how to work out when to reorder, how to organise the storeroom so the oldest products leave first, how to handle expired goods and returns, and how to make it all repeatable, so control does not depend on one person's memory. The rules on food and veterinary products remain those of the law and of the suppliers: here you get the method to respect them without waste.

Why you need a reorder point and safety stock

Reordering when the shelf is already empty is always too late, because the supplier takes time to deliver and the sale is lost during those days. The reorder point is the quantity at which it is worth placing a new order: it is worked out from how much you sell on average per day and how many days the supplier needs to deliver. Above that threshold the shelf is covered, below it you risk a stockout.

Safety stock is the buffer that absorbs the unexpected: a late delivery, an unexpected demand spike, a faulty batch to return. Without a buffer every small variation becomes a lost sale. With too large a buffer you return to the opposite problem of tied up capital. Sizing it to the variability of demand and the reliability of the supplier is what keeps the system balanced.

Classifying products to decide where to focus

Treating every item the same way is inefficient. A shop usually has a few products that sell a great deal, a middle group and a long tail of rarely demanded items. Telling these categories apart lets you give attention where it counts and lighten the control where the economic risk is low.

How to treat products by rotation and criticality
Category	How to manage it	Main risk
High rotation and high turnover	Calculated reorder point, frequent checks	Stockout, lost sale
Medium rotation	Periodic check and threshold reorder	Seasonal imbalances
Low rotation	Small, on demand orders, little storage	Tied up capital and expiry
Perishable or short dated	Strict batch rotation, modest orders	Unsold expired product
Regulated veterinary product	Recording and traceability as required	Regulatory non compliance

The procedure for managing stock and reorders

Estimate the average consumption of each item
Look at the sales history and derive how much sells on average per day or week. You do not need absolute precision: a reliable order of magnitude is enough for the items that matter most.
Add the supplier's delivery time
For each item note how many days pass from order to delivery. The reorder point must cover the expected consumption during that wait, so the shelf does not empty while the order is in transit.
Set the reorder point and safety stock
Add the consumption during the wait and a buffer for the unexpected. When the on hand quantity drops to that level, it is time to reorder, without waiting for an empty shelf.
Reorder in sensible batches
Respect the supplier's minimum batches but avoid ordering more than needed just to reach a discount threshold, especially on perishables. A small discount does not offset a product that expires unsold.
Record every intake with batch and expiry
On delivery note quantity, batch number and expiry date, and check the goods match the order. This record is what makes correct rotation and a possible recall possible.
Shelve so the oldest leaves first
Place incoming products behind those already present, so the batches with the nearest expiry are sold first. It is the principle that most reduces expiry waste.
Review the parameters periodically
Consumption and delivery times change over time. Review the reorder point and stock at regular intervals and after any major change, such as a peak season or a change of supplier.

Batch rotation and handling expired goods

Orderly rotation is the main defence against expiry waste, but it must go with a clear handling of what nonetheless approaches or passes its date limit. An expired product is not just an economic loss: if sold by mistake it can be a compliance problem and a matter of customer trust.

Always apply first to expire, first out, placing new batches behind the old ones.
Check expiry dates regularly, giving more attention to perishables and slow moving products.
Identify items near expiry in advance and consider permitted actions to clear them in time.
Physically separate expired products from saleable goods, to avoid sales by mistake.
Dispose of expired goods according to the rules for the category, in particular for food and veterinary products.
Note the causes of recurring expiries, because they often point to a reorder point or an order batch to correct.

Making control repeatable and not dependent on one person

A stock system that lives in one person's head breaks the moment that person is away. The goal is a written, shared procedure, in which anyone in the shop knows how an intake is recorded, how the reorder point is read, and what to do with a product near expiry.

Write down the intake, reorder and expiry check procedure, so it is the same for everyone and not improvised.
Assign clear responsibilities: who checks, how often, and who authorises orders.
Keep supplier data up to date, because delivery times and minimum batches change over time.
Schedule periodic expiry checks and physical counts of the main items.
Review the stock parameters after seasonal peaks and changes of range.
Keep the history of orders and expiries, because it is the basis for improving the estimates over time.

A method built this way costs a little discipline at the start and returns covered shelves, less tied up capital and less expiry waste. It is the difference between enduring the storeroom and running it.

Frequently asked questions

How do I know when to reorder a product?: The measure is the reorder point: the quantity at which the on hand stock covers the expected consumption during the days the supplier takes to deliver, plus a buffer for the unexpected. When the on hand quantity drops to that level, you reorder, without waiting for an empty shelf. To work it out you only need the item's average consumption and the supplier's delivery time, data you draw from the sales history and the purchase terms.
Is it better to order a lot for the discount or little and often?: It depends on the product. On a long life, high rotation item a bigger order can make sense; on a perishable or slow mover, ordering too much to reach a discount threshold often leads to products that expire unsold, and the loss exceeds the discount. The rule is to compare the discount saving with the risk of expiry and tied up capital, not to chase the discount regardless.
How do I organise the storeroom to reduce expired goods?: Apply first to expire, first out: when a new intake arrives, place it behind the products already present, so the batches with the nearest expiry are sold first. Record batch and expiry at every intake, check the dates regularly giving priority to perishables, and physically separate any expired goods from saleable stock to avoid sales by mistake.
Are there special obligations for food and veterinary products?: Yes. Feed, food and veterinary products are subject to obligations of traceability, storage, recording and correct disposal set by regulation, which stock management must respect. This guide explains the operational method for keeping stock balanced, but it does not replace the legal obligations: if in doubt, check the applicable rules and the supplier's guidance.

What to do next

Do not manage stock by instinct: estimate average consumption, add the supplier's delivery time, and set a reorder point with safety stock, focusing effort on the few items that generate most of the turnover. Record every intake with batch and expiry, shelve new goods behind old, and check dates regularly, separating expired items from saleable stock. Put it all in writing so control does not depend on one person, and always respect the legal obligations on food and veterinary products.