When does stock become ‘dead'?

There's no universal threshold, but usually goods with no movement for 6-12 months. Set the threshold per category: seasonal vs non-seasonal have different horizons.

What do I do with dead stock?

Options: liquidate at a discount, bundle with fast movers, return to supplier (if possible), donate (tax benefit) or, last resort, write off. The key is to act fast.

How do I prevent dead stock build-up?

Demand-based purchasing (not intuition), per-SKU rotation monitoring, reasonably negotiated MOQs, and early flagging of products with declining rotation.

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Category: Logistică

Dead stock

Quick answer: Goods unsold for a long period that lock capital and space, with little prospect of selling at normal price.

Key takeaways

Purchasing on intuition, not demand data
Seasonal products left after the season
Assortment errors / products replaced by new versions
Minimum order quantities (MOQ) too large

What dead stock is

Dead stock is merchandise that hasn't moved for a long time (e.g. 6-12 months) and is unlikely to sell at normal price. It locks capital, occupies valuable picking space and risks expiry or obsolescence.

Why it appears

Purchasing on intuition, not demand data

Seasonal products left after the season

Assortment errors / products replaced by new versions

Minimum order quantities (MOQ) too large

The hidden cost

Dead stock costs continuously: locked capital, space, insurance, handling. It often exceeds the loss from a quick liquidation. Rule: better liquidate now than pay storage forever.

How Azuvio helps

Azuvio automatically identifies zero/low-rotation stock per SKU, flags liquidation/promotion candidates, and prevents future build-up through demand-based replenishment, not intuition.

Frequently asked

When does stock become ‘dead'?: There's no universal threshold, but usually goods with no movement for 6-12 months. Set the threshold per category: seasonal vs non-seasonal have different horizons.
What do I do with dead stock?: Options: liquidate at a discount, bundle with fast movers, return to supplier (if possible), donate (tax benefit) or, last resort, write off. The key is to act fast.
How do I prevent dead stock build-up?: Demand-based purchasing (not intuition), per-SKU rotation monitoring, reasonably negotiated MOQs, and early flagging of products with declining rotation.

Where Azuvio fits

Related terms

Inventory turnover — How many times stock is fully sold and replenished in a period — a measure of capital efficiency.
Safety stock — Extra buffer inventory held to prevent stockouts caused by demand or supply variability.
Cash flow — The actual movement of money in and out of a company over a period — a measure of liquidity, not profit.
Stocktaking (physical inventory) — The process of physically verifying inventory and reconciling it with book records to establish the real asset position.

Last updated: 2026-07-06