Definition
Demand forecasting predicts units you will sell over future days or weeks. Ecommerce forecasts should handle seasonality, stockout gaps and channel mix. The forecast feeds reorder points, PO sizes and FBA transfers.
Worked example
A SKU averages 20/day but spikes every November. A seasonal method lifts December demand so you place the ocean PO in September, not when ads are already live.
Why it matters for replenishment
Buying from last week’s average alone fails on seasonality and recoveries after stockouts.
How OmniRestock uses this
OmniRestock runs twelve statistical methods with per-SKU backtests, then uses the forecast for stockout dates and replenishment suggestions. The AI assistant explains numbers; it does not silently change stock.