Featuring Craig Barnell (Director of Customer Insights, Inventory Optimizer; COO, Fishers Finery) and Ryan Carbone (Director of Support & Product Implementation, Inventory Optimizer).
In this episode of “If You Don’t Have It, You Can’t Sell It,” Craig and Ryan break down the product decisions and forecasting improvements that shaped how sellers operate today. Every change focused on one goal: building forecasting that reflects how sellers actually operate as they scale.
The Challenge
Most sellers already have the data they need. The problem is turning that data into accurate, actionable forecasts without manual work or channel blind spots.
In 2025, three challenges showed up again and again:
- Demand spread across Amazon, Shopify, Walmart, and wholesale
- Supply chains shifting beyond China, with longer lead times and higher MOQs
- Platform-native forecasts ignoring key demand sources like MCF
“Sellers weren’t short on data,” Ryan explains. “They were missing a system that could unify it and adapt as the business changed.”
Forecasting Through Supply Chain Change
Rising tariffs and longer lead times pushed many brands to diversify production beyond China.
Fishers Finery used Inventory Optimizer to expand sourcing into Vietnam, India, and Pakistan by modeling new supplier lead times, extending planning horizons, and unifying demand across channels—without disrupting in-stock performance.
“Supply chain diversification only works if your forecast changes with it,” Craig explains.
Seeing Demand Beyond Amazon’s Forecasts
Another recurring issue for multi-channel sellers was overreliance on Amazon-native forecasting.
AWD replenishment forecasts don’t include MCF demand, creating blind spots for multi-channel sellers. Fishers Finery uncovered this gap by comparing Amazon’s recommendations with Inventory Optimizer’s independently validated forecast, which consistently exceeded 93% accuracy.
“Fulfillment tools execute orders,” Ryan says. “They don’t forecast total demand.”
Turning Real Order Data into Real Forecasts
One of Inventory Optimizer’s biggest launches as sellers expanded across channels was the ShipStation integration.
ShipStation centralizes order flow, but it isn’t built for forecasting. We fill that gap by transforming daily order data into accurate, SKU-level forecasts that update automatically.
With ShipStation connected, sellers gained:
- A unified view of demand across channels
- Automated replenishment recommendations
- Vendor-ready purchase orders
- Fewer stockouts and less excess inventory
Each SKU is continuously evaluated across 100+ forecasting models, adjusting automatically as velocity and seasonality change.
“When the data updates, the forecast updates,” Craig notes. “That’s what enables proactive planning.”
What This Means Going Forward
Across integrations, case studies, and customer conversations, one truth became clear: forecasting must reflect how real sellers operate.
Inventory Optimizer sits above channels, suppliers, and fulfillment networks—connecting demand, adapting to change, and giving teams confidence in every reorder decision.
What began as a set of improvements has become a forecasting foundation built to scale as sellers grow.
Takeaway
Sellers don’t need more dashboards. They need forecasting that:
- Unifies demand across channels
- Adjusts automatically as conditions change
- Accounts for real purchasing constraints
- Keeps inventory in the right place at the right time
Inventory Optimizer was built to do exactly that.
Watch the episode or schedule a demo to see how smarter forecasting supports growth—without guesswork, spreadsheets, or stockouts.
