Why Your Product Isn’t Reordering — Fixing Gaps in Supply Chain Communication
You’ve secured the ranging. The product’s on shelf. But now? Nothing’s moving. Or worse — it sold well… and never got reordered.
This is one of the most frustrating scenarios in FMCG. You’ve done the hard work getting into stores, maybe even had a strong launch, but somewhere between the shelf and the warehouse, reorders stall — and sales flatline.
If this sounds familiar, chances are you’re not facing a product issue — you’re facing a communication breakdown in the supply chain.
In this article, we unpack why reorders fail to happen, the most common disconnects between supply, sales, and store teams, and how to build a smarter, more responsive system that protects availability and drives long-term velocity.
First: Let’s Be Clear — Reorder Failures Are Expensive
When your product runs out and doesn’t get reordered:
- Customers switch to competitors
- Retailers lose confidence in your reliability
- You lose shelf presence and sales momentum
- Promotional ROI plummets
- Supply planning goes out the window
What’s worse? You often don’t know there’s a problem until weeks later — when sales data shows a drop and you’re already off shelf.
The 5 Most Common Reasons Reorders Don’t Happen
No Sales = No Trigger
Many NZ stores still operate on manual reorder systems. If your product sells out, there’s no scan to trigger a reorder. No scan = no signal = no stock.
Fix: Your field team needs to check for phantom OOS. If stock is sitting in the backroom but not on shelf, sales stall and reorders stop.
Lack of Back-End Visibility
If your distributor or retailer doesn’t have live stock data (or if your product isn’t coded correctly in the system), stores can’t see it’s available — so they don’t order it.
Fix: Ensure your product is correctly set up in all retailer systems (store codes, barcodes, pricing, promotional flags). Audit often.
Retailer Supply Chains Are Fragmented
In New Zealand, supply can vary significantly between Foodstuffs South Island, Foodstuffs North Island, and Woolworths. What’s available in one region may not be in another. Store teams may assume you’re out of stock — when in fact, you’re not.
Fix: Use centralised demand forecasting and proactive order prompts from your account manager or sales partner. Don’t assume stores will chase stock.
Stores Don’t Know You Exist
Yes, even if you’re ranged. New SKUs often suffer from poor awareness. Staff turnover, shelf changes, and competing priorities mean store teams might not realise your product should be reordered at all.
Fix: Field reps play a key role here. They remind, re-educate, and re-engage. Strong relationships with store managers = stronger in-store support.
No Communication Loop Between Sales and Supply
If sales are rising in-store but that info isn’t passed back to production or supply chain teams, you’re headed for a gap. Equally, if stores aren’t flagging issues, you won’t have time to respond.
Fix: Implement a shared reporting system across sales, supply, and field. Tools like Opmetrix + Power BI dashboards close the loop in real time.
Real-World Example: The Silent Out-of-Stock
A fast-growing frozen brand in our network had excellent promo results — but reorders stalled post-campaign. Why?
➡️ Stock sold out during the promo
➡️ Stores assumed supply was exhausted
➡️ No automated reorders were triggered
➡️ Sales crashed 4 weeks later
➡️ Brand blamed low demand — but it was a pure communication failure
With better in-field feedback and stronger supply alerts, this would have been preventable.
How to Fix Supply Chain Communication Gaps
Align Sales & Supply Forecasts Weekly
Stop working in silos. Your commercial, sales, and supply teams should meet weekly to review:
- Stock on hand
- Sell-through trends
- Promo uplift vs forecast
- Upcoming risks or delays
This keeps everyone informed, accountable, and proactive.
Use Live Field Data to Flag Risks Early
Empower your reps to report on:
- OOS or phantom stock
- Unusual sales drops
- Stores not reordering post-promo
- Back stock that’s not being merchandised
Combine this with digital tools like Opmetrix, and you get real-time visibility — not delayed assumptions.
Work With a Partner Who Can Close the Loop
At Surge SMC, we integrate retail sales, field execution, and supply chain strategy through our joint venture with Hansells Masterton. That means:
- Better stock coordination
- Smarter forecasting
- Fewer supply shocks
- A single source of truth
It’s the difference between hoping things reorder — and making sure they do.
Educate Store Teams During Key Sales Windows
When launching a product, running a promotion, or relaunching a line, don’t assume store staff know what to do. Have your reps:
- Confirm ticketing and shelf presence
- Flag promotional volumes
- Discuss replenishment expectations
- Build rapport so staff flag issues early
Retailers love brands that make their jobs easier. Be one of those brands.
Create an Escalation Process for Stock Failures
When stock fails to arrive or reorders don’t trigger, what happens?
If you don’t have a clear, fast, structured escalation path, stock issues will drag on for weeks.
Build a flow like:
Store-level issue → Field rep → Head office sales support → Distributor → Supply resolution within 48–72 hours
Speed matters.
Reordering Isn’t Automatic — It’s Engineered
The best brands don’t leave reorders to chance. They:
- Watch the data
- Stay in constant contact
- Pre-empt problems
- Train and trust their in-field teams
- Maintain tight internal communication between sales, supply, and forecasting
If your product isn’t reordering, don’t assume it’s demand. More often than not, it’s a visibility and communication issue — and it’s fixable.
Need Help Building a Smarter, Connected Sales & Supply System?
Surge SMC partners with FMCG brands to eliminate reorder failures, reduce out-of-stocks, and drive stronger sell-through — all while keeping your internal workload light.
Let’s talk about building a seamless commercial engine for your business.
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Partner with us to grow faster, reach more shelves, and boost performance — backed by expert strategy and deep FMCG know-how.