Types of stock in a warehouse
In-transit stock
Includes goods that are not yet part of the inventory but are in production or on the way to the warehouse and are expected to be received soon.
Pending supplier deliveries or items still in production are considered in-transit stock.
Seasonal stock
Stock reserved to cover expected increases in demand, usually due to seasonal events such as Christmas or Black Friday.
This is the inventory you build up in anticipation of higher sales during specific periods.
Extraordinary stock
Reserved for unusual situations outside normal inflow and outflow levels, such as unexpected demand peaks or supplier delays.
These situations are unpredictable and should not be confused with seasonal stock.
Alert stock
Rather than a stock type, this is an indicator that signals when it’s time to reorder to maintain normal demand coverage.
With inventory management software, alerts can be set to notify you when stock reaches this level.
Inactive stock
Includes obsolete inventory that can no longer be sold or included in customer orders.
This includes damaged, defective, broken, or unusable products.
Speculative stock
Stock accumulated to benefit from special supplier conditions, such as volume discounts or to anticipate possible supply shortages.
This is common when suppliers offer temporary deals or when future supply issues are expected.
Perishable stock
Includes products that deteriorate over time, such as food, beverages, cosmetics, or pharmaceutical products.
Products with expiration dates are also included here.
Non-perishable stock
Products that do not expire and remain sellable over time.
However, they can still become obsolete and then be classified as inactive stock.
Physical stock
Represents all inventory physically stored in the warehouse, regardless of condition.
Net stock
Includes physical stock minus the quantities already allocated to customer orders pending shipment.
Example: if you have 200 units in stock and 25 are reserved, net stock is 175 units.
Available stock
Calculated by adding net stock + in-transit stock.
Using the example above, if 100 more units are on the way, available stock would be 275 units.
Minimum stock
The minimum quantity that must always be available. When this level is reached, replenishment is required.
Maximum stock
The maximum quantity that should not be exceeded to avoid overstocking and unnecessary costs.
Optimal stock
Represents the balance point between expected demand and planned replenishment or production.
At Amphora, we recommend tracking all these stock types to better plan inventory and avoid both stockouts and excess inventory.
