What is Dead Stock (Obsolete Inventory)?

An authoritative operational guide, calculation formulas, real-world e-commerce examples, and margin optimization strategies.

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Official Definition

Dead stock refers to unsold merchandise that has remained in storage for an extended period (typically 90–180+ days) with zero sales velocity and little probability of future sale at regular price.

Formula & Calculation

Dead Stock Value = Total Units Unsold (>180 Days) × Unit Cost Price

Real-World E-Commerce Example

A fashion merchant has 2,000 pairs of winter jackets stored in May valued at ₹15,00,000. This inventory is consuming warehouse bin space and racking up monthly storage fees.

How Dead Stock (Obsolete Inventory) Impacts Your Margins

Traps valuable working capital, incurs ongoing warehousing fees, and increases risk of inventory obsolescence, requiring liquidation discounts.

How PointNXT Automates & Solves This

PointNXT aging inventory reports categorize SKUs by days-without-sale, alerting merchandising teams to run clearance campaigns before stock turns dead.

Related Operations & Logistics Concepts

Inventory Turnover Ratio (ITR) → SKU Rationalization → First-Expired, First-Out (FEFO) → Inventory Shrinkage →

Common Questions: Dead Stock (Obsolete Inventory)

What is Dead Stock (Obsolete Inventory) in simple terms?

Dead stock refers to unsold merchandise that has remained in storage for an extended period (typically 90–180+ days) with zero sales velocity and little probability of future sale at regular price.

How does Dead Stock (Obsolete Inventory) affect e-commerce margins?

Traps valuable working capital, incurs ongoing warehousing fees, and increases risk of inventory obsolescence, requiring liquidation discounts.

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