What is the meaning of Weekly Sales, Stock and Intake (WSSI)?
Weekly Sales, Stock and Intake (WSSI) is a merchandising and inventory planning tool—typically in the form of a spreadsheet or specialized software—that helps retailers and businesses monitor key metrics on a weekly basis. These metrics include **sales performance**, **current stock levels**, and **incoming stock (intake)** across different product categories or store locations. The WSSI allows businesses to forecast stock levels, manage supply chains efficiently, and ensure that stock availability aligns with consumer demand. It serves as a critical part of merchandising strategy in industries like fashion, home goods, and FMCG (fast-moving consumer goods).
Why is WSSI important in retail and inventory management?
WSSI is crucial because it enables retail teams to stay proactive in managing stock, identifying trends, and making timely replenishment or markdown decisions. Its importance includes:
- Improved forecasting: Helps predict future stock requirements based on historical and current sales data
- Avoiding overstock or stockouts: Ensures inventory is balanced to meet demand without waste
- Budget and intake planning: Guides how much stock should be ordered in upcoming weeks
- Performance tracking: Offers a clear view of how different products, categories, or stores are performing
WSSI is widely used by buyers, planners, and merchandisers to drive profitability and keep stock aligned with business goals.
When is WSSI used in the planning cycle?
WSSI is used throughout the **merchandise planning cycle**, from **seasonal planning** to **in-season trading**:
- Pre-season: Helps set budgets and forecast demand for the season ahead
- In-season: Tracks actual sales and intake against the plan to adjust stock levels weekly
- End-of-season: Assists in evaluating performance, managing end-of-line stock, and planning markdowns
It is updated on a weekly basis and often sits at the heart of weekly trade meetings where teams review trading performance and make agile stock decisions.
How is a WSSI structured and what does it include?
A typical WSSI contains a grid with weeks of the year as columns and key data fields as rows. Some of the standard data points include:
- Opening stock
- Sales (units and/or value)
- Stock intake (new inventory)
- Closing stock
- Sell-through rates
- Markdowns or promotions
- Open-to-buy (budget available for new stock)
Some versions are automated via retail planning software, while others are manually updated in Excel or Google Sheets.
What are the benefits and limitations of using WSSI?
Benefits:
- Provides a clear, week-by-week overview of stock movement
- Supports faster, data-driven merchandising decisions
- Improves alignment between sales, supply chain, and inventory teams
- Helps prevent lost sales due to poor stock planning
Limitations:
- Requires regular manual updates if not automated
- Depends on data accuracy—errors can lead to poor decisions
- May become complex for businesses with many SKUs or multiple regions
Modern retailers often integrate WSSI into their enterprise systems to streamline processes and improve real-time decision-making.
Can you give an example of WSSI in action?
Imagine a fashion retailer preparing for a summer collection. At the start of the season, they forecast selling 1,000 units of a linen dress each week. The WSSI spreadsheet shows weekly sales, stock on hand, and incoming deliveries. Mid-season, sales exceed expectations, and the WSSI indicates potential stockouts in Week 6. Based on this data, the planner fast-tracks additional intake to avoid lost sales. Simultaneously, slower-selling items are flagged for markdown. This ensures the retailer maximizes sales, maintains healthy stock levels, and reacts in real time to customer demand.
