Featuring Ryan Carbone (Director of Support & Product Implementation at Inventory Optimizer) and Craig Barnell (Director of Customer Insights at Inventory Optimizer; COO at Fishers Finery).

Q4 is in full swing, and for most eCommerce brands, it’s the ultimate test of planning, agility, and inventory accuracy. In this episode of If You Don’t Have It, You Can’t Sell It, Ryan and Craig talk about what this season is revealing and how smarter forecasting helps sellers stay profitable and better prepared for the year ahead.

In this episode, Ryan and Craig share how Inventory Optimizer helps brands plan ahead, respond to shifting demand, and turn this Q4’s lessons into next year’s advantage.

The challenge

Staying in stock through Q4 means planning far in advance.

“We have to secure raw materials in March,” Craig explains. “Our forecasting horizon stretches nearly a year ahead.”

At Fishers Finery, that level of preparation, powered by Inventory Optimizer, has resulted in:

  • 93%+ in-stock accuracy across 4,000 SKUs
  • Consistent growth across Amazon and Shopify
  • Lower carrying costs while maintaining availability

The solution

Spreadsheets could not keep up with shifting supply chains. Inventory Optimizer’s AI-driven models now help the team:

  • Predict when to reorder and how much to buy
  • Account for port delays, AWD bottlenecks, and FBA check-ins
  • Automatically adjust forecasts as trends shift

“We call it the horizon,” Ryan says. “Our AI looks at the full journey from issuing a PO to fulfillment and keeps sellers ahead of bottlenecks.”

The results

Inventory Optimizer filters out bad data, adjusts in real time, and applies smart safety buffers so teams can make decisions faster and more confidently.

“We have less money tied up in inventory today than when we were smaller,” Craig notes. “That freed-up capital lets us grow faster.”

Using Restock AMZ, a feature within Inventory Optimizer, Fishers Finery balances inventory across FBA, AWD, and MCF, keeping listings live through high-traffic events like Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

What’s next

The next phase of Inventory Optimizer links site traffic, conversion rates, and ad performance directly to demand forecasts. By combining sales data with marketing data, the platform will soon be able to spot potential stock risks earlier and recommend actions such as reducing ad spend or adjusting pricing to balance demand.

“That’s where forecasting meets action and preparation meets opportunity,” Ryan says.

Takeaway

Q4 is already in motion, and the best-performing brands are using this season to learn what works. With Inventory Optimizer, teams can analyze demand patterns in real time, stay in stock through the holidays, and apply those insights to plan even smarter next year.

Watch the episode or schedule a demo to see how smarter forecasting drives profit.