Separate warehouse stock from free stock
Count usable units, then subtract committed orders and any unavailable items. A COD order can reserve inventory before money is collected. Make the reservation rule and release conditions explicit in the order system.
Check variants separately. Having units of one color does not make another color available. Avoid substituting an item after confirmation without explaining the actual options to the customer.
Worked example: forty units are not forty new sales
Illustrative example: a warehouse has forty usable units, and thirty are already reserved. Only ten remain free under the stated reservation rule. A campaign forecast of twenty additional orders exceeds that availability by ten.
| Inventory state | Illustrative units |
|---|---|
| Usable stock | 40 |
| Existing reservations | 30 |
| Free stock | 10 |
| Proposed new demand | 20 |
| Potential shortage | 10 |
Replenishment may change the decision only when its timing and terms support the customer promise. An uncertain supplier estimate is not confirmed stock.
Update the whole journey
Coordinate advertisements, feed availability, product pages, checkout, confirmation scripts and support. Assign someone to verify that old assets no longer advertise the unavailable variant. Cached or scheduled promotion can continue after a page update.
For existing orders, record the actual resolution and customer agreement. Do not mark an unfulfilled order delivered or quietly change its variant merely to improve the dashboard.
Review the commercial effect
Include wasted advertising, support effort, canceled orders and later delivery outcomes. A stockout-related conversion decline should not automatically trigger new creative or higher bids.
Build an availability check into the campaign readiness process. Use the inventory guide for the data view and the capacity guide when stock is available but handling is constrained.
Ayoub Mouhachtt
Growth & performance marketing. Explore my working background.
An AI-assisted educational guide commissioned for Ayoub’s Growth Notebook. Worked examples are illustrative; they are separate from the portfolio’s client evidence. How these guides are prepared.