{"id":1626,"date":"2025-02-07T16:32:21","date_gmt":"2025-02-07T16:32:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/au\/blog\/demand-planning\/"},"modified":"2025-12-04T19:35:49","modified_gmt":"2025-12-04T19:35:49","slug":"demand-planning","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/au\/blog\/demand-planning\/","title":{"rendered":"Demand Planning 101: Importance, Methodology, &amp; Strategies"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-shipbob-blocks-single-toc single-toc\" data-controller=\"blog-toc-controller\" data-action=\"scroll@window-&gt;blog-toc-controller#scrollChanged:passive\" id=\"toc-component\"><div class=\"single-toc-overview\"><p>Table of Contents<\/p><div class=\"single-toc-read-time\"><p>** Minutes<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n<p><a href=\"#h-what-is-demand-planning\">What is demand planning?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"#h-why-demand-planning-is-important-to-ecommerce-retailers\">Why demand planning is important to ecommerce retailers<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"#h-step-by-step-guide-to-demand-planning-strategy\">Step-by-step demand planning strategy for your supply chain<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"#h-demand-planning-process-best-practices\">Best practices for the demand planning process<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"#h-let-shipbob-be-the-difference\">How ShipBob powers smarter demand planning for ecommerce brands<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"#\">Demand planning FAQs<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Imagine this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You\u2019ve landed a feature in a reputable industry publication for one of your new products. It took you six months to get their attention, but you finally have! Once consumers read the feature, they arrive on your website in droves and want to buy your product. The only problem is, you\u2019ve run out of stock for it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By the time you get the inventory for the featured product back in stock, you might lose all the customers who were interested in it in the first place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Demand planning helps you provide for your customers when they want to buy your products and helps you estimate how much inventory you need, when you need it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Learn why demand planning is important and how you can build a demand planning strategy step by step.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-is-demand-planning\">What is demand planning?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Demand planning is a supply chain management process that ecommerce businesses use to predict future customer demand for their products or services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It uses <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/blog\/supply-chain-forecasting\/\">supply chain forecasting<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/blog\/demand-forecasting\/\">demand forecasting<\/a>, operations planning, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/inventory-management\/\">inventory management<\/a> models to accurately predict future demand and how much inventory will be needed to meet it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-here-s-why-demand-planning-is-crucial\">Here\u2019s why demand planning is crucial<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Demand planning isn\u2019t necessary for new ecommerce brands that are just getting started, but it\u2019s absolutely critical for fast-growing retailers that need to keep up with their customers. Here are some ways to ensure you\u2019re accurately planning for demand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-meet-growing-customer-demands\">Meet growing customer demands<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re a high-growth DTC or ecommerce brand, demand planning helps you meet demand as it grows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At ShipBob, we\u2019ve seen examples of retailers that grow at different speeds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In one case, a ShipBob retailer grew from 2,000 orders per month to 20,000+ orders per month in a single year. Another ShipBob merchant grew more slowly, from 2,000 orders per month to 6,000 orders per month in just one year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Both of these retailers use ShipBob\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/inventory-management\/inventory-forecasting\/\">inventory forecasting<\/a> tools in their demand planning process to make sure they\u2019re fulfilling demand as it comes to them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-maintain-healthy-inventory-levels\">Maintain healthy inventory levels<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Demand planning helps you identify exactly how much inventory you should be holding to meet your business\u2019s demand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By combining your safety stock availability with your demand forecasting models, you\u2019ll ensure that none of your in-demand products drop below their required <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/blog\/inventory-levels\/\">inventory levels<\/a> at the wrong time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-boost-customer-satisfaction\">Boost customer satisfaction<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>When retailers use demand planning, they\u2019re able to ensure higher order fulfilment which, in turn, boosts customer satisfaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you don\u2019t execute demand planning consistently, you run the risk of mismatching your inventory with your demand and disappointing your customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Keeping customers happy is a key aspect of returning business. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/inventory-kpis\/stockout-costs\/\">91% of customers<\/a> won\u2019t engage with an online store after they\u2019ve had a bad customer experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By practicing demand planning, you\u2019re making an investment in your customer retention strategy too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-step-by-step-demand-planning-strategy-for-your-supply-chain\">Step-by-step demand planning strategy for your supply chain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Now that you know what demand planning is and why it\u2019s important, here\u2019s how you can implement demand planning for your business:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-step-1-implement-inventory-technology\">Step 1: Implement inventory technology<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Demand planning starts with tracking your inventory\u2019s performance. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/inventory-management\/software\/\">Inventory management software<\/a> helps you track your inventory levels, orders sales, and shipments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you don\u2019t already have an inventory management system in place, here are a few options we recommend:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"color: var(--text-color);, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;text-align: var(--bs-body-text-align)\">Inventory Planner<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>ShipBob<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>All three of these options are web-based applications that either are mobile-friendly or have compatible mobile apps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-step-2-collect-data\">Step 2: Collect data<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you\u2019ve implemented your inventory management software, you\u2019ll need to collect relevant internal data about your business\u2019s order history and performance and external data about your business\u2019s industry, market trends, and consumer behaviour patterns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For internal data, speak to your sales and marketing teams about successful promotions or moments when the business had a surge in demand. Map that qualitative information against the quantitative information around your business\u2019s historical order data and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/inventory-kpis\/inventory-analytics\/\">inventory analytics<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For external data, gather industry briefings that document consumer behaviour, news articles that share current market conditions, or celebrity social media mentions of your product. Are there any demand signals like market disruptions or natural disasters that might affect demand for your product lines? You\u2019ll have to record them in this step of the process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-step-3-organize-and-analyze-data\">Step 3: Organise and analyse data<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Now that you\u2019ve collected your internal and external data, it\u2019s time to organise and analyse it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some key metrics you should look out for in your data are sales numbers by channel, inventory turnover ratio, and backorder rate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Is your business seasonal? If so, you should pay special attention to your inventory performance during peak and off-peak sales months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-step-4-select-your-demand-forecasting-method\">Step 4: Select your demand forecasting method<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Demand forecasting can be done through quantitative and qualitative methods. Here are a few different options to help you decide which method might work best for you:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Quantitative methods:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Exponential smoothing: This method leverages historical data to make its forecast, but accounts for seasonal variations as well. It\u2019s useful for smaller companies because it can use smaller datasets to make its predictions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/blog\/supply-chain-forecasting\/\">Regression analysis<\/a>: This method examines the relationship between two or more specific variables to make its forecast.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Econometric forecasting: This method is a more complex way of forecasting demand that combines internal and external data to arrive at a forecast.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Qualitative methods:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/blog\/supply-chain-forecasting\/\">Delphi method<\/a>: This method gathers the opinions and judgments of a small group of industry experts and advisors. These opinions and judgments are summarized by a third party before they\u2019re shared with the business.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Historical analysis: This method uses the sales history of a parallel product to evaluate future demand. For example, if you\u2019re forecasting demand for a new body wash scent, you might look to past demand for existing body wash scents for your forecast.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Panel consensus: This method brings internal stakeholders together to provide guidance on the demand forecast. For example, you can ask your customer service team which products are the highest rated by customers. You can also ask your sales team for insights on what customers are requesting from them.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-step-5-forecast-demand\">Step 5: Forecast demand<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>With a mix of methods described above, you can now create your demand forecast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Demand forecasts are prepared as spreadsheets and represented as trend charts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-step-6-make-decisions-amp-plans-based-on-forecasted-demand\">Step 6: Make decisions &amp; plans based on forecasted demand<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Your demand forecast will help you plan your inventory, which is the last step in your demand planning strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Inventory planning methods like the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/blog\/inventory-planning\/\">economic order quantity (EOQ) model<\/a> use annual demand forecasts to arrive at an optimal inventory mix for your business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Other factors that you should take into account include production lead times and supplier capacities since they will impact your ability to meet your forecasted demand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-best-practices-for-the-demand-planning-process\">Best practices for the demand planning process<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Good demand planning requires the right software, data, models, and more. Here are a few best practices to ensure your demand planning process is on track:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-use-the-right-software\">Use the right software<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Utilising the right software will help you gather data when you need to plan your demand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can either choose an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/inventory-management\/\">inventory management<\/a> system that tracks your product performance, or you can go for an end-to-end fulfilment system like ShipBob, which tracks your orders from creation to delivery. ShipBob\u2019s inventory management system even tracks returns when your customers need to send an order back to you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-ensure-you-have-accurate-inventory-data\">Ensure you have accurate inventory data<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Bad data leads to bad decisions in any organisation, and the same is true of inventory data. Inaccurate inventory data is usually out-of-date, comes from unreliable sources within your operations, or is presented in confusing ways. It often has a negative impact on your forecast accuracy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>ShipBob\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/inventory-kpis\/inventory-analytics\/\">inventory analytics<\/a> give you a real-time view of your inventory, including metrics like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Fulfilment performance and SLAs<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Current inventory distribution vs ideal distribution<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Transit times, shipping methods, and destinations<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Historical stock levels<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/blog\/logistics-costs\/\">Logistics costs<\/a> associated with storage, fulfilment, and shipping<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Screen-Shot-2021-11-17-at-2.29.18-PM.png?w=1280px\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2646\" data-responsive-img srcset=\"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Screen-Shot-2021-11-17-at-2.29.18-PM.png?w=700px 650w, https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Screen-Shot-2021-11-17-at-2.29.18-PM.png?w=860px 768w, https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Screen-Shot-2021-11-17-at-2.29.18-PM.png?w=1180px 1080w, https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Screen-Shot-2021-11-17-at-2.29.18-PM.png?w=1400px 1280w, https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Screen-Shot-2021-11-17-at-2.29.18-PM.png?w=1600px 1440w\" fetchpriority=\"low\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-prepare-for-holiday-surges\">Prepare for holiday surges<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/blog\/peak-shipping-season\/\">Holiday season<\/a> brings about a surge in demand, especially around Thanksgiving, Black Friday and Christmas. This year will be especially difficult for retailers with ongoing supply chain delays across the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most major couriers are facing delays in their shipping transit times (as documented here) and cross-border shipments are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/58926842\">stuck at US ports<\/a> due to congestion and labour shortages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What does this mean for you? Place your inventory orders in advance and have enough safety stock to account for last-minute orders placed during the holiday season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Screen-Shot-2021-11-17-at-3.34.22-PM.png?w=1280px\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2647\" data-responsive-img srcset=\"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Screen-Shot-2021-11-17-at-3.34.22-PM.png?w=700px 650w, https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Screen-Shot-2021-11-17-at-3.34.22-PM.png?w=860px 768w, https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Screen-Shot-2021-11-17-at-3.34.22-PM.png?w=1180px 1080w, https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Screen-Shot-2021-11-17-at-3.34.22-PM.png?w=1400px 1280w, https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Screen-Shot-2021-11-17-at-3.34.22-PM.png?w=1600px 1440w\" fetchpriority=\"low\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-create-data-process-models\">Create data process models<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Having a process model for your demand planning strategy helps you create an accurate plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Go through the steps in your demand planning process and identify which steps apply to your business and can be executed at the right time. Some brands also incorporate a <a href=\"https:\/\/brandquarterly.com\/quarterly-clarity-method\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">quarterly clarity method<\/a>, which creates a simple quarterly cadence for reviewing internal data and refreshing forecasts before moving into final planning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, you may want to consider organising your internal data and conducting an initial forecast before you combine it with external data. Similarly, you may want to think about reconciling bottom-up and top-down forecasts together before arriving at a final forecast, depending on how much data your company has access to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-set-demand-planning-goals\">Set demand planning goals<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Goals can help your demand planners organise and streamline your demand planning process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Is your goal with planning demand to reduce your stockouts? Or is it to prevent overstocking? Are there past scenarios in your business you\u2019re looking to avoid with your latest demand planning exercise?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Knowing this beforehand will help you design a plan that best suits your business objectives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-shipbob-powers-smarter-demand-planning-for-ecommerce-brands\">How ShipBob powers smarter demand planning for ecommerce brands<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Whether you\u2019re an experienced ecommerce retailer, or you\u2019re newer to the space, demand planning can take time to execute well. Leveraging a fulfilment partner with advanced analytics and report capabilities like ShipBob can help brands better navigate demand planning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-strategic-inventory-placement-for-faster-fulfillment\">Strategic inventory placement for faster fulfilment<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>ShipBob\u2019s Inventory Placement Program (IPP) automates inventory distribution and placement across ShipBob\u2019s US fulfilment network on behalf of ecommerce brands. Ecommerce brands send inventory to a single ShipBob hub, and inventory is strategically distributed throughout the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>IPP is powered by ShipBob\u2019s Decision Engine, driven by AI (artificial intelligence) and ML (machine learning), and leverages each brand\u2019s historical sales data to meet and exceed customer demands more efficiently and cost-effectively, and save time on planning inventory shipments and doing manual inventory velocity calculations.<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-real-time-analytics-for-smarter-supply-chain-decisions\">Real-time analytics for smarter supply chain decisions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>ShipBob\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/inventory-management\/\">inventory management<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/inventory-management\/inventory-forecasting\/\">inventory forecasting<\/a> features reduce your data collection, organisation, and implementation time, so that you can create your demand plan faster and execute on it for your customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/inventory-management\/software\/\">inventory management system<\/a> syncs with your store so that you know which SKUs are in stock across our fulfilment centres. You can also set reorder points to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/inventory-automation\/\">automate inventory procurement<\/a> from your suppliers so that you never face stockouts for any of your products. You can also project how additional orders in the future might impact your existing inventory, which means you can plan ahead for any scenario in your demand planning strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Integrations with apps like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/partners\/inventoryplanner\/\">Inventory Planner<\/a> offer even more assistance for retailers with their inventory management, with features like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/blog\/retail-replenishment\/\">replenishment<\/a> recommendations, purchase budgeting, and custom forecasts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-peak-season-preparedness-with-accurate-labor-forecasting\">Peak season preparedness with accurate labour forecasting<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Effective demand planning is crucial for successful peak season and sales periods. Brands can leverage ShipBob\u2019s demand planning tools to prepare for high-volume periods, ensuring they are never understaffed or understocked. ShipBob\u2019s dashboard has analytics tools that help brands create accurate demand forecasts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Brands that operate fulfilment in-house can use <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/product\/wms\/\">ShipBob WMS<\/a> (warehouse management system) to help them predict the amount of labour needed to meet customer demand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So when you\u2019re planning your demand for next quarter and next year, let ShipBob\u2019s data help you design a better plan to satisfy even more customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Get in touch with ShipBob to learn how our fulfilment services and technology can help your ecommerce business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/quote\/\"><strong>Request A Fulfilment Quote<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-shipbob-blocks-section-container section section-container  max-width-blog\"><div class=\"container section-info section-info-align-none \"><h6 class=\"section-title \"><\/h6><h2 class=\"section-content h2\">Demand planning FAQs<\/h2><p class=\"section-copy\">Here are answers to the most common questions about demand planning.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"container flex-container direction-col justify-none align-none flex-wrap\">\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-shipbob-blocks-single-faq single-faq direction-col  col-8\" data-controller=\"faq-controller\" data-faq-controller-open-value=\"true\"><div class=\"single-faq-title-contianer\"><h4 class=\"single-faq-title\">What is the difference between demand forecasting and demand planning?<\/h4><div class=\"single-faq-expand\" data-faq-controller-target=\"expand\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/wp-content\/themes\/shipbob-2022\/resources\/svg\/plus-solid.svg\" \/><\/div><\/div><div class=\"single-faq-childs\" data-faq-controller-target=\"answer\"><div>\n\n<p>Demand forecasting is one step in the overall demand planning process. Once an accurate forecast has been done, a business has to map that forecast against its inventory needs, which comprises the rest of the demand management and demand planning process.<\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-shipbob-blocks-single-faq single-faq direction-col  col-8\" data-controller=\"faq-controller\" data-faq-controller-open-value=\"true\"><div class=\"single-faq-title-contianer\"><h4 class=\"single-faq-title\">How can 3PLs help with demand planning?<\/h4><div class=\"single-faq-expand\" data-faq-controller-target=\"expand\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/wp-content\/themes\/shipbob-2022\/resources\/svg\/plus-solid.svg\" \/><\/div><\/div><div class=\"single-faq-childs\" data-faq-controller-target=\"answer\"><div>\n\n<p>3PLs like ShipBob help retailers get access to real-time inventory data that they need to execute a demand planning strategy well. They provide granular information around key metrics like SKU velocity, inventory turnover rates, sales by SKU, and more, so that retailers can make better decisions during their demand planning process and meet customer expectations with a higher degree of optimisation.<\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-shipbob-blocks-single-faq single-faq direction-col  col-8\" data-controller=\"faq-controller\" data-faq-controller-open-value=\"true\"><div class=\"single-faq-title-contianer\"><h4 class=\"single-faq-title\">What software is commonly used for demand planning?<\/h4><div class=\"single-faq-expand\" data-faq-controller-target=\"expand\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/wp-content\/themes\/shipbob-2022\/resources\/svg\/plus-solid.svg\" \/><\/div><\/div><div class=\"single-faq-childs\" data-faq-controller-target=\"answer\"><div>\n\n<p>Demand planning software has several elements, including sales and operations planning (S&amp;OP), sales forecasting algorithms, AI\/ML demand forecasting, and historical sales data. ShipBob\u2019s data and analytics tools allow brands to accurately forecast demand.<\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-shipbob-blocks-single-faq single-faq direction-col  col-8\" data-controller=\"faq-controller\" data-faq-controller-open-value=\"true\"><div class=\"single-faq-title-contianer\"><h4 class=\"single-faq-title\">What skills are required for a demand planner?<\/h4><div class=\"single-faq-expand\" data-faq-controller-target=\"expand\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/wp-content\/themes\/shipbob-2022\/resources\/svg\/plus-solid.svg\" \/><\/div><\/div><div class=\"single-faq-childs\" data-faq-controller-target=\"answer\"><div>\n\n<p>A demand planner should have technical and analytical skills in supply chain planning, S&amp;OP, and statistical forecasting. Demand planners should also have an advanced knowledge of Excel.<\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<\/div><div class=\"cta-container u-hidden\"><a class=\"btn btn-primary \" href=\"\"><\/a><\/div><\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Better understand demand planning and how to utilise strategies to predict future demand, fulfil orders, and ensure customer satisfaction.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":193,"featured_media":1627,"parent":0,"template":"","meta":{"content-type":"","inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"blogcategories":[8,11,14],"class_list":["post-1626","blog","type-blog","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","blogcategories-inventory","blogcategories-order-management","blogcategories-supply-chain"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.5 (Yoast SEO v27.5) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>What Is Demand Planning? 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