Plan a discount calendar separately for each batch of goods. Record the arrival date, choose the items for the promotion, set the discount and schedule a date to review the results. Choose the next stage based on stock, sales and store expenses.
Set the duration of each stage and the discount percentages for your own assortment. The target sell-through level depends on the product category, its life cycle and the assessment period. Before you begin, define the goal—for example, reducing the stock of a specific batch before the next delivery.
Prepare batch records and baseline data
A batch is a group of goods whose arrival you record together. Give each batch a clear name and record its delivery date. To plan your next steps, you need to know what stock is already in the store.
Before drawing up the calendar, compare the actual availability of the selected items with your records. If you find discrepancies, investigate them before doing any calculations. For each batch, prepare:
- the name and arrival date;
- a list of items you are considering for a discount;
- the quantity of those items in stock;
- initial prices and purchase costs;
- sales and revenue for the selected period, if sales have already begun.
If you are selling several deliveries at the same time, keep a separate calendar for each one. This lets you review the terms for an older batch while keeping separate terms for new goods.
Set the stages and review conditions
For each stage, record the start and end dates, the participating items and the chosen discount. Separately schedule a day for the owner or responsible employee to check stock and sales results.
Before approving a discount, calculate the price after it is applied. Assess the margin that price leaves: the margin should cover operating expenses and provide a profit. Simply wanting to reduce stock is not enough to choose a percentage.
On the review date, decide whether to keep the current terms or prepare the next stage. Record the basis for the decision: stock on hand, number of items sold, revenue and expenses. Do not plan the same daily increase in the discount for every batch.
Illustrative example of two calendars
Suppose a store receives two batches of 100 items each. For simplicity, all items in batch A have an initial price of UAH 300, and those in batch B have an initial price of UAH 200. The dates, percentages and results below are hypothetical. This is an example of how to record a calendar, not a recommended promotion plan.
| Batch and arrival | First stage | Second stage | Stock before the second stage | Second-stage result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A, 1 October | 1–7 October, no discount | 8–14 October, 10% discount | 60 items | 20 items sold at UAH 270; revenue UAH 5,400; 40 items left |
| B, 8 October | 8–14 October, no discount | 15–21 October, 5% discount | 80 items | 10 items sold at UAH 190; revenue UAH 1,900; 70 items left |
After the second stage, the owner reviews each batch separately. The hypothetical revenue in the table does not show profit: the decision must account for purchase costs and operating expenses. A new delivery has its own stage dates.
How to set up a promotion and check a batch in Torgsoft
To record deliveries, enter the delivery date and name in the Torgsoft delivery batch window. In the delivery-batch stock movement analysis summary, the program shows the batch balance and the “revenue” indicator. Use the balance to review the calendar, and assess “revenue” separately from net profit after all operating expenses.
You can set a promotion as a percentage discount or a fixed amount. In the product group settings, you can select a specific item from stock to take part in promotions. The “On specified days of the week and time” toggle lets you set the days of the week and the time when the promotion is active. If the “Retail” type of trade is selected, the promotion applies only to retail prices. Before launch, check the participating items, discount and timing against the approved calendar.
To analyze goods that have been in stock for a long time, set the analysis period and choose an accounting center—the store or warehouse. Use this analysis when preparing a list of items to review. Record the batch and select promotion items as separate actions; keep the calendar by arrival dates with assigned owners and review dates.
What to compare after each stage
Record stock at the beginning and end of the stage, the number of units sold and revenue. Calculate the average selling price by dividing revenue by the number of units sold. If there were no sales, do not calculate this indicator.
Compare batches over comparable periods from their arrival dates and take product categories into account. Alongside the results, record the decision for the next stage and the reason for it. This gives the owner concrete data for the next calendar.
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