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Inventory Management

7 Types of Inventory Risk

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Inventory risk is the potential for a loss due to inventory planning and control failures. Inventory risk is managed with a standard risk management process of identifying, analyzing, treating and monitoring risk. The following are common types of inventory risk.

Input Shortage

A lack of inputs such as materials and parts that causes downtime for operational processes such as a production line.

Shrinkage

Inventory that disappears or expires.

Excess Inventory

Excess inventory can result from marketing issues, poor sales forecasts and inventory planning failures. It often needs to be heavily discounted to sell. For example, a fashion brand produces a model of shoe in 3 colors. A month into the season, one color has barely sold at all and needs to be discounted to clear shelves for the next line.

Supply Shortfall

A product generates more demand than expected and is quickly sold out. This can represent a lost revenue opportunity if the window for sales is limited. For example, a popular toy at Christmas may generate intense demand that collapses in January.

Value Loss

Each day a product, part or material sits on the shelf it may loose value. Value can fall quickly due to a new product launch by a competitor or volatile commodity prices.

Inherent Risk

A control failure that results in an incorrect inventory count. For example, a firm finds that it has millions of dollars in missing inventory when it performs a year-end audit.

Channel Inventory

Inventory that is shipped to distribution partners represents a special class of inventory risk. In some cases, partners have the right to return unsold inventory, resulting in a flood of returns when something doesn't sell. Excess inventory in a channel can also damage future sales as partners stop ordering.
Overview: Inventory Risk
Type
Definition
The potential for a loss due to inventory planning and control failures.
Related Concepts

Inventory Management

This is the complete list of articles we have written about inventory management.
Carrying Costs
Cash Conversion
Goods In Transit
Inventory
Inventory Examples
Inventory Risk
Inventory Shrinkage
Service Inventory
Shrinkage
Stock Keeping Unit
Store Operations
More ...
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Inventory Management

An overview of inventory management with examples

Shrinkage

The loss of merchandise between point of manufacturer and point of sale.

Stock Keeping Unit

An overview of stock keeping unit (SKU).

Carrying Costs

An overview of carrying costs.

Inventory

The common types of inventory.

Cash Conversion Cycle

An overview of the cash conversion cycle with calculation examples.

Softlines

The definition of softlines with examples.

Inventory Examples

An overview of inventory with types and examples.

Store Operations

An overview of store operations with examples.

Business Risks

A list of common business risks.

Risk Treatment

The five things that can be done about risk.

Risk Mitigation

A list of techniques for reducing risk.

Positive Risk

The potential that you'll achieve too much of a good thing.

Dread Risk

Any risk that people have a strong aversion too.

Risk vs Opportunity

The surprising similarities between risk and opportunity.

Risk Management vs Contingency Planning

The difference between risk management and contingency planning.

Uncertainty

The common types of uncertainty in decision making and strategy.

Business Risk Management

An overview of common business risk management techniques.
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