Running a business, especially in the retail sector (grocery store, mini market, supermarket, etc.) or distributor, of course, is closely related to inventory management. Inventory management is crucial, because it is directly related to the sales process. If inventory management is disrupted, the sales process will also be disrupted. Therefore, the stock management process needs to be done carefully.

In carrying out stock management, there are several processes that must be carried out starting from stock taking (stock checking), stock transfers (moving and distributing stock), and stock replenishment (replenishment of stock that has run out). In this article, we will discuss more about the Replenishment Stock process.

Replenishment Stock or inventory management is the process of restocking goods in the warehouse to meet customer demand. This process is usually carried out based on 2 conditions, namely periodic review and continuous review. Periodic review means stock inventory is carried out based on a certain time, or when it reaches a minimum point or temporary fulfillment even though stock is still available. Meanwhile, continuous review means replenishment of stock based on continuous monitoring with stock conditions below the minimum limit.

In the Replenishment Stock process, there are 4 processes carried out, the 4 processes include:

1. Retail Order Trigger

The stock in this phase has reached the minimum limit or is exhausted. Therefore, it needs to be added to ensure the availability of goods against customer requests.

2. Retail Order Entry

Stock orders in this phase are immediately submitted to distributors or principals, and are carried out as quickly as possible. The amount of stock ordered must also be accurate so as not to impact the supply chain.

3. Retail Order Fulfillment

This phase is the same as when the customer places a fulfillment order, only the entity is different. The goal is to minimize costs and timeliness of orders.

4. Retail Order Receiving

This phase is the same as when a customer order is received, the difference is when the shop receives all order data from the principal, all related data (quantity, price, production date, etc.) must be updated immediately.

Not infrequently, in the replenishment stock process there are problems. Problems that may occur are usually in the form of determining the minimum stock, determining the amount of stock to be ordered, determining when is the right time to order, and the speed of stock fulfillment. In dealing with the problems that arise above, there are several things that need to be considered so that the replenishment stock process can run smoothly. Pay attention to the updated stock data in the field, this data can be retrieved by re-doing the stock taking process. The goal is to avoid a difference in the amount of stock. It is also necessary to ensure that the goods are returned before being stored, with the aim that the stock data provided at the distributor is the same as the goods to be received. The next thing that can be done is to ensure that old stock and new stock are stored in different places to optimize the process of entering and leaving goods.

In conclusion, stock replenishment is a stock fulfillment process to meet customer needs. This activity needs to be carried out regularly, so as not to disrupt the flow of the supply chain and maintain customer satisfaction.