Your first order shows which products attract interest. Your next order turns that information into a stock decision. Reordering a successful style matters, but so do the timing, quantity and sizes you bring back into your store.
When Should a Boutique Restock?
Do not wait until every piece has sold. Estimate demand until replenishment will be ready to sell, compare it with usable stock and confirmed incoming orders, then check the requirement by size before converting it into wholesale packs.
1. Understand How a Product Sold, Not Just How Much Sold
“We sold a lot of this dress” is not enough to justify a reorder. Record how many pieces sold, over how many days, in which sizes and colours, and at what selling price. A style that cleared during a discount campaign may need a different buying decision from one selling steadily at its regular price.
Track product code + colour + size. If your physical boutique and online store share inventory, do not count the same physical units twice. Separate stock committed to paid but unfulfilled customer orders from stock still available to sell.
Sales velocity and sell-through measure different things
Daily sales velocity is the quantity sold divided by the number of days in the observation period. If a product was available throughout 14 days and sold 14 pieces, its observed pace was 1 piece per day. If it was out of stock for part of the period, recorded sales may understate demand: review in-stock days and unmet requests separately.
Sell-through describes how much of the available stock sold. In a simple period with no replenishment, returns or inventory adjustments, selling 14 out of 36 starting pieces gives 14 ÷ 36 × 100 = 38.9%. That percentage alone is not a reorder instruction.
| Size | Starting stock | Sold | Remaining | Sell-through |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S | 12 | 2 | 10 | 16.7% |
| M | 12 | 8 | 4 | 66.7% |
| L | 12 | 4 | 8 | 33.3% |
| Total | 36 | 14 | 22 | 38.9% |
The boutique still has 22 pieces, but M is running down much faster. If the observed pace continues, the remaining 4 M pieces cover approximately 7 days, while 10 S pieces cover approximately 70 days. These are estimates, not forecasts with guaranteed accuracy. Small samples, promotions and changing demand matter. The table explains why replenishing every size equally can create an imbalance.
2. Calculate a Reorder Point Before Stock Runs Out
A reorder point is a threshold for reviewing a replenishment decision when inventory is monitored regularly. Its purpose is to allow time for replacement stock to arrive, rather than waiting for the last piece to sell.
Reorder point = Expected daily sales × Total lead time in days + Safety stock
Total lead time runs from order confirmation until the goods are ready to sell in your store. It includes supplier preparation, transport, customs processing where applicable, and your receiving checks. Do not use the carrier's transit estimate alone. Convert business-day estimates consistently if your calculations use calendar days.
Safety stock is an additional buffer for demand or delivery uncertainty. There is no single correct percentage for all boutiques. Your delivery variations, demand by size, cost of a stockout and available cash determine an appropriate buffer. The 4 pieces below are an illustrative assumption, not a statistically established service-level guarantee.
A reorder threshold for one sale per day
Example B is separate from Example A: Suppose expected demand is 1 piece per day, total lead time is 10 calendar days, and the chosen safety stock is 4 pieces. The reorder point is 1 × 10 + 4 = 14 pieces.
Compare this threshold with your inventory position, not just the shelf count: usable stock on hand + confirmed incoming stock arriving in time − customer commitments not already deducted. If reserved orders are already excluded from usable stock, do not subtract them again.
If you review inventory only once a week, this threshold alone may not be sufficient because sales continue between reviews. The next section includes the review interval in a target-stock calculation.
3. Work Out How Many Pieces and Wholesale Packs to Buy
The reorder threshold helps answer when to act. A target stock level helps answer how much to order. In a simple periodic-review system, the target can cover both the replenishment lead time and the interval until the next stock review.
Target stock = Expected daily sales × (Lead time + Review interval) + Safety stock
Net requirement = Target stock − Inventory position
If the result is negative, treat the net requirement as zero.
Continue Example B with a weekly review. Target stock is 1 × (10 + 7) + 4 = 21 pieces. With 10 usable pieces on hand, no incoming orders and no outstanding commitments to subtract, the net requirement is 21 − 10 = 11 pieces.
| Calculation | Illustrative value |
|---|---|
| Daily sales / lead time / review interval | 1 piece / 10 days / 7 days |
| Safety stock | 4 pieces |
| Target stock | 21 pieces |
| Inventory position | 10 pieces |
| Net requirement | 11 pieces |
| Assumed pack size | 6 pieces |
| Round up to complete packs | 11 ÷ 6 = 1.83 → 2 packs → 12 pieces |
| Inventory position after placing the order | 10 + 12 = 22 pieces, one above the target |
This result is not an automatic instruction to buy. Starting stock of 10 is already below the 14-piece reorder point. If demand remains unchanged and replenishment arrives exactly 10 days later, the stock on hand will be exhausted by arrival; the planned 4-piece safety buffer will not be maintained. Ordering more units does not make them arrive earlier.
Before concluding that two packs are suitable, check which sizes they contain. For the difference between unit price, pack value and SET quantities, use our wholesale size-set, unit-price and minimum-quantity guide.
4. What If Medium Sells Out but Small Remains?
This is a central challenge of buying fixed wholesale size packs: replenishing one size may require purchasing others too. Return to Example A, with 10 S, 4 M and 8 L remaining. Assume the pack you are considering contains 2 S + 2 M + 2 L.
| Decision | S stock | M stock | L stock | New pieces purchased |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No new order | 10 | 4 | 8 | 0 |
| Add 1 pack | 12 | 6 | 10 | 6 |
| Add 2 packs | 14 | 8 | 12 | 12 |
| Add 3 packs | 16 | 10 | 14 | 18 |
If you choose to raise M stock from 4 to 10, you need three packs. That purchase also adds 6 S and 6 L. The 10-piece M target here demonstrates the effect of pack composition; it is not a recommended target calculated for your boutique.
The useful question is not simply “M sells, should I reorder?” It is “Does the additional investment in the other sizes make sense to keep selling M?” Compare a smaller reorder, another suitable style with a more appropriate pack mix, or postponing the purchase.
- Do not mistake a stockout for weak demand: M sales may fall to zero because none are available. Review in-stock days and unfulfilled requests.
- Do not assume packs can be split: Plan single-size or mixed-size purchasing only when that option is explicitly offered and confirmed for the product.
- A size letter is not a measurement: M in an alternative style may have different dimensions or fit.
- Track colours separately: The sales pace of a black style does not prove another colour will sell equally well.
Compare current product, fit and SET information in the wholesale dress collection or women's wholesale suit collection. A similar photograph alone does not establish that two products serve the same customer need.
5. Reorder the Same Style or Test a Replacement?
A repeat order is more than copying a previous basket. Consider whether the original demand will continue and whether the new batch serves the same need. Even when the product code is unchanged, confirm current availability, price, pack composition and any product changes.
| Observation | Decision to consider | Check first |
|---|---|---|
| Steady regular-price sales and balanced size demand | Replenish the calculated requirement | Current availability, cost, timing and repeat availability |
| Only one size sells quickly | Smaller reorder or a suitable alternative | Extra slow-size stock created by the pack |
| Sales rose only during a promotion | Recalculate using a representative sales pace | Realised selling price and whether the promotion will continue |
| Returns or fit complaints increased | Pause automatic repeat buying until the cause is understood | Measurements, descriptions, quality and return reasons |
| Demand remains but the season is ending | Smaller purchase or a transitional product | Realistic selling time after arrival |
| The original style is no longer available | Treat a replacement as a separate, limited test | New code, price, fabric, fit, sizes and pack structure |
The remaining selling season matters more than a long-term average
For weather-dependent or occasion-led demand, do not project recent sales unchanged through the end of the season. If the selling opportunity will have passed by the time stock arrives, a numerical shortage does not justify the purchase. Limit the planning horizon to the realistic selling opportunity remaining after delivery.
When quality or returns make a repeat decision uncertain, use the women's clothing quality-control and receiving guide before increasing the order. Sales volume alone does not justify replenishing a problematic product.
6. Budget for Sellable Stock, Not Just a Lower Unit Price
Buying more packs may improve the unit price or shipping allocation, but surplus sizes can offset that advantage. Compare the cash required to make the goods ready for sale, not just the supplier's per-piece price.
Illustrative budget: Suppose 12 pieces cost €20 each, with €36 transport allocated to the order. Goods cost €240; goods plus transport total €276. Across those two cost components, the average is €23 per piece. Other applicable charges are excluded. This is not an EY-TAY quotation.
Add customs-related charges, service fees, payment costs or other expenses where they apply to your order. Distinguish recoverable taxes from final costs while still allowing for their cash-flow effect. See the Turkey wholesale clothing price guide for a broader explanation of pricing and order-cost comparisons.
Balance proven repeat purchases with limited new-product tests according to your own store's needs. There is no universal percentage that suits every boutique. The new arrivals collection can help you identify alternatives, but novelty is not evidence of stronger demand.
7. A Final Checklist Before Confirming a Repeat Order
Complete this check separately for each style and colour. An earlier proforma or previous delivery does not automatically fix the terms of a new order.
- Identity: Are the product code, colour and link correct? Is a replacement being confused with the original?
- Demand: Do recent sales represent the normal selling price and actual in-stock days?
- Inventory: Have usable, reserved, return-pending and incoming quantities been separated?
- Sizes: Have you calculated how many units each pack adds to each size?
- Timing: Have preparation, transport and the expected ready-to-sell date been checked?
- Cost: Are the current unit price, currency, pack value and additional charges understood?
- Terms: Have you checked minimum order conditions, payment and the process for reporting missing or incorrect goods?
- Tracking: Has the confirmed order been recorded as incoming stock to prevent ordering twice for the same requirement?
A Repeat-Order Enquiry You Can Adapt
“We are considering reordering the product code and colour listed below. Please confirm the current SET composition, available packs, unit price and currency. Has the fit or fabric information changed? For our requested number of packs, please confirm preparation time and shipping options to our destination country. We would also like the total quotation and applicable order conditions before confirming.”
Add the product code, colour, requested pack quantity and destination country. This is an information request, not an automatic stock reservation or delivery guarantee. For the overall workflow, read the international boutique ordering guide.
Close the Loop When the New Batch Arrives
Match received quantities and sizes against the order. Add accepted, usable goods to stock and remove the corresponding quantity from incoming orders so it is not counted twice. Use the actual lead time, new-batch sales and any returns to improve the next replenishment decision.
Frequently Asked Questions About Boutique Restocking
Should I reorder before stock sells out?
If demand continues and replenishment is available, review the order before stock runs out. Calculate expected daily sales, total lead time and safety stock together. Also check the remaining season, cash limits and the risk of accumulating slower sizes.
How do I calculate how many wholesale packs to buy?
Subtract inventory position from target stock to find the net requirement. Divide that requirement by the number of pieces per pack and round up to a whole pack. Then calculate the resulting stock for each size; a correct total does not guarantee the right size mix.
Can I order only medium when medium sells out?
That depends on the current conditions for the product. Do not assume fixed packs can be split or their sizes changed. If single-size or alternative-pack purchasing is explicitly offered, confirm it with the supplier; otherwise calculate the effect of complete packs on the other sizes.
Should incoming orders be included in my stock calculation?
Yes, include confirmed incoming quantities in inventory position, but check their arrival dates. Goods arriving after the need date cannot cover an earlier shortage. On receipt, remove the quantity from incoming orders and add it to on-hand stock to prevent double counting.
How do I calculate how many days my stock will last?
Divide usable stock by expected daily sales. For example, 4 pieces at a sales pace of 8/14 pieces per day provide approximately 7 days of cover. This assumes unchanged demand; stockout days, promotions, returns and seasonal changes need separate consideration.
Should a product that sold quickly in the first order always be reordered?
No. Check whether sales came at the regular price or during a promotion, review returns and the size balance, and consider demand at the expected arrival date. One fast-selling period does not guarantee the same result again.
Guides to Support Your Next Buying Decision
Plan Your Next Order Around Sales and Sizes
Identify your usable stock and the sizes you need. Compare current EY-TAY styles, then confirm SET composition, prices and preparation details before placing your next order.
EXPLORE WHOLESALE DRESSESWOMEN'S SUIT COLLECTIONORDERING GUIDE