Inventory Planning for Peak Season Sales (Amazon & Flipkart)

How Smart Inventory Decisions Can Make or Break Your Festive Season Profits

🚨 Why This Matters

Every seller gets excited about peak season.
But excitement without preparation = disaster.

You might get:

2x or 5x more orders…
But also 10x more complaints.
Stockouts.
Missed sales.
Or worse — overstock that eats your cash flow for months.

If you’re serious about Amazon or Flipkart sales during festivals, your inventory strategy needs to be smarter than your competition — not just faster.

This blog breaks down:
✅ How to forecast sales
✅ Avoid overstocking or understocking
✅ Real examples from our clients
✅ Tools, templates, and mindset shifts that win

🧠 First, Understand What “Inventory Planning” Actually Means

Most sellers think inventory is just “how much to send to FBA or keep in stock.”

But true inventory planning involves:

Forecasting demand
Aligning purchase timelines
Managing warehouse and 3PL limits
Cash flow visibility
Reorder strategy post-sale

It’s not just math.
It’s strategy + timing + control.

📅 Step 1: Identify Your Peak Seasons (Don’t Assume)

Start by defining your peak. Every brand is different.

For example:

Niche	Peak Season
Fashion	Diwali, Navratri, Rakhi, New Year
Gifting	Rakhi, Karwa Chauth, Birthdays
Toys	Dussehra, Diwali, Christmas
Kitchen	Dhanteras, Wedding Season, Prime Days

Now, look at:

Last year’s data (same time)
Platform trend tools (Amazon Business Report, Flipkart Insights)
Your own sales patterns

💡Pro Tip: Look 90 days ahead, not 30. Inventory moves slow. Sales move fast.

📊 Step 2: Forecast Your Sales (The Right Way)

Let’s say you sold 100 units/day in October last year.
You’re expecting a 2x bump this year.

Do this:

plaintextCopyEditDaily Sales Last Year x Expected Growth % x No. of Days

Example:
100 units/day × 2 (growth) × 30 days = 6,000 units needed

Now subtract:

Current stock
In-transit stock
Stock already in FBA or warehouse

You get your Purchase Requirement.

👉 This gives you clarity before you even talk to your supplier.

⏳ Step 3: Map Backward from Delivery Date

If Diwali is Nov 10, you don’t need your stock on Nov 9.
You need it on Oct 15 minimum — for ranking, early bird offers, platform algorithm advantage.

Work backward:

Task	Timeline
Launch Inventory on Amazon	Oct 15
Reach Fulfillment Center (FBA/Flipkart)	Oct 10
Receive Inventory from Supplier	Sept 25
Place Purchase Order	Sept 10

So your real purchase deadline is September 10.

💡Most sellers lose money not because of bad forecasting — but because they plan late.

📦 Step 4: Choose Your Inventory Model Wisely

Are you using:

FBA / Smart Fulfillment: Great for delivery speed. Needs advance stock.
FBM / Self-Ship: Flexible, but risky if your operations are weak.
3PLs or Warehouses: Better control, but needs proper visibility and systems.

Many brands mess up peak season because they use multiple models without clear stock flow.

Set up a visual stock movement plan:

plaintextCopyEdit[Supplier] → [Main Warehouse] → [Amazon FBA] & [Flipkart] → Customer

Use tools like:

Zoho Inventory
Google Sheets with reorder triggers
Amazon Restock Report (for FBA)

💸 Step 5: Match Inventory With Cash Flow

You might need 10,000 units.
But can you afford 10,000 units?

Use this equation:

plaintextCopyEditEstimated Sales – Cost of Goods = Required Cash Block

If you don’t match inventory plan with your bank balance, you’ll either:

Take loans under pressure
Delay supplier payment
Run out of cash mid-season

💡Smart move:
Split orders: 70% confirmed + 30% quick reorder buffer.

⚠️ Step 6: Avoid These 5 Inventory Mistakes During Peak Season

❌ 1. Relying Only on Gut Feel

Data wins. Use last year’s sales + growth logic.

❌ 2. Ordering Late

Peak season orders must be placed at least 60–75 days in advance.

❌ 3. Ignoring Dead Stock

Clear dead inventory 30–45 days before peak using discounts or bundles.

❌ 4. Not Having Safety Stock

Add at least 15–20% buffer for your top 5 products.

❌ 5. Overloading Slow Movers

If a product didn’t move in last 6 months, don’t dream big in peak season. Focus on winners.

🔄 Step 7: Plan for Reordering Mid-Peak

Let’s say you launched your Diwali campaign Oct 10.
Sales pick up. You’re 50% sold out by Oct 25.

If you didn’t plan for reordering — you lose momentum.
Buyers search → see “Out of Stock” → you lose ranking.

Reorder Plan Must Include:

Agreement with supplier for fast repeat order
Partial stock held back at your warehouse
Fast courier or trucking options
FBA or Flipkart restocking window

💡In some cases, ordering slightly less but faster is better than ordering everything upfront.

📈 Real Client Example: What ₹50 Lakhs to ₹1.2 Cr in 45 Days Looked Like

Client: Home décor brand
Platform: Amazon + Flipkart
Peak Season: Diwali + Big Billion Days

Last Year:

9,000 units ordered
₹50 Lakhs revenue
35% sold at discount post-season

What We Did:

Analyzed top 10 SKUs (80% revenue)
Ordered 6,000 main units + 2,000 buffer
Fixed delivery window 3 weeks before peak
Cleared old stock 1 month prior
Set reorder trigger at 40% stock sold

Result:

₹1.2 Cr revenue
92% sell-through
28% net profit
0 dead inventory post-season

Growth came not from selling more, but from planning smarter.

📋 Tools & Templates You Can Use

Peak Season Planning Sheet (Google Sheets)
Columns: SKU | Forecast Qty | Current Stock | To Order | Cost | Arrival Date
Supplier Lead Time Tracker
Columns: Product | Vendor | MOQ | Avg. Time | Last Ordered Date
Cash Flow + Inventory Match Sheet
Columns: Expected Revenue | Gross Margin | Inventory Cost | Available Cash | Payment Terms

Would you like me to send you editable versions of these? Just say the word.

💥 Final Thoughts: What Makes a Peak Season “Successful”?

It’s not just sales. It’s:

Inventory ready before time
No stockouts on winners
No excess stock on duds
Good rankings maintained
Stress-free execution

Here’s what peak season should feel like:

✅ Orders flowing
✅ Systems working
✅ Team confident
✅ Profits showing

And most importantly — clarity in your mind.

🎁 Want My Help?

If you’re a seller doing ₹20 Lakhs to ₹10 Cr and want:

Inventory clarity
Peak season planning
Product strategy
Cash-flow-focused guidance

Then don’t leave it to luck this year.

📞 Book a clarity call with me + 91 9650375837.

Because one wrong inventory move during peak season can cost you lakhs.
One right strategy can change your entire year.

Subhash Chakrobortty

Real Solutions for Real Business Struggles

The 5 Smartest Steps to Grow Your Business