When Should You Reorder Vending Stock? Allow for Supplier Lead Time

A refill list tells you what a machine needs. A purchase order must also account for how long replacement stock takes to arrive. Waiting until the storeroom shelf is empty can leave the next route short even when the machine’s current inventory looks reasonable.

Record the supplier’s real ordering timetable

Confirm order cut-off times, delivery days, minimum quantities and any known closures. Measure lead time from placing an accepted order to having checked, usable stock available for the refill team.

Keep the timetable specific to each supplier. An item described as available online may still miss the next delivery slot. Ask for clarification when timing matters rather than planning around an assumed next-day arrival.

Count usable stock and outstanding orders

Separate stock available for use from damaged, disputed or otherwise held items. Include confirmed incoming orders without counting the same delivery twice. Check quantities in individual saleable units, then convert to cases when ordering.

Nayax’s inventory dashboard guidance describes machine stock and picklists. A machine-level record should not be assumed to represent every carton in the storeroom or every purchase order; reconcile the records used by your operation.

Estimate demand during the wait

Use recent suitable sales and the planned route schedule to estimate what will be needed before the order arrives. Adjust for known closures or events and state the assumptions. An average taken during a stockout may understate demand.

For illustration, an expected twenty units per day over a three-day wait means sixty units before adding any chosen buffer. Those numbers are hypothetical. Choose a buffer with shelf life, storage space and demand variability in mind, rather than adding an arbitrary case to every item.

Review misses and excess together

Keep a short record of shortages, late deliveries and stock left too long. Ask whether the cause was a late order, a supplier delay, an inaccurate count or an unusual change in demand.

Adjust the ordering rule using that evidence. A larger order may solve one shortage while creating waste elsewhere. Keep approved substitute products and their information checks separate from the decision about how much to buy.

For help planning a site, contact our team or explore our fully managed vending service. Related reading: checking what each stock case contains.