Find Cash Tied Up in Slow-Moving Inventory
Find slow-moving inventory by matching a physical count with item-level sales, purchase dates and costs. Then estimate what each action could actually return in cash, after selling costs. Stock worth $5,000 in the books may produce much less at clearance, and a supplier credit may reduce a future bill without putting money into the bank.
What you’ll get from this guide: For owners with money sitting on shelves: produce a short, costed action list and fix the reorder settings behind it.
Count the stock before pricing the solution
Export the item code, quantity, landed unit cost, receipt date, last sale, recent units sold and any open purchase orders. Check physical quantities, condition and whether stock is already committed to a customer.
The last sale date can mislead: selling one item yesterday doesn't prove that the remaining 300 will sell soon. Compare quantity on hand with recent demand, allowing for seasonality and minimum service stock. Old spare parts needed to support customers may justify a different decision from last season's fashion stock.
Compare cash recovery with carrying value
Assumptions: AUD. Simplified example excludes GST and tax effects. Landed cost is the recorded cost for this illustration. Proposed sales and refunds are estimates until accepted and paid.
| Item | Quantity × cost | Movement | Possible action | Expected cash after direct selling costs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue cases | 100 × $20 = $2,000 | 5 sold in 90 days | Clear at $12 each; $100 selling costs | $1,100 if all sell |
| Filter kits | 40 × $50 = $2,000 | No sales in 180 days | Supplier offers 80% cash refund; $100 return freight | $1,500 if refund paid |
| Service spares | 20 × $30 = $600 | 2 sold in 90 days | Retain for contracted servicing | $0 immediate recovery |
Original ASBG worked example. All businesses, amounts and scenarios are fictional. The table contains the same figures as the visual.
The example contains $4,600 at recorded cost, but the two proposed actions would recover $2,600 in cash. That $2,600 depends on completing every assumed sale and receiving the refund. It isn't cash available today.
If the filter supplier instead offers an account credit, record it against the relevant future supplier bill. Don't forecast a $1,600 bank receipt as well as a reduced bill. Freight still leaves the bank.
Choose an action for each line
Check whether a return is permitted and on what terms. Compare clearance, bundling, transfer to another location, retention and disposal. Include handling, delivery, platform fees and the risk of moving demand away from normally priced items.
For the cases, selling 60 rather than 100 at $12 produces $720. If the $100 selling cost still applies, recovery is only $620 and 40 cases remain. Put a review date beside the clearance plan so a weak result leads to a decision, not another month of waiting.
Use the profit-margin calculator to examine a proposed selling price against a consistent unit cost. Cash recovery and accounting profit answer different questions: a below-cost sale can release some cash while recognising a loss. This worksheet doesn't determine stock valuation or a tax write-down; ask your accountant about those entries.
Profit Margin & Markup Calculator
Try your own figures below. Use the guide's cash schedule separately to check when money arrives.
An example is loaded. Replace it with your figures. All amounts are AUD.
- Selling price
- $100.00
- Gross profit per sale
- $40.00
- Gross margin
- 40%
- Markup on cost
- 66.67%
Margin = (price − cost) ÷ price × 100. Markup = (price − cost) ÷ cost × 100.
Gross profit still has to cover overheads and tax. Use consistent GST-exclusive amounts if you can claim the relevant GST credits.
No sign-up. Your numbers stay in this page and reset on refresh.
Stop the same stock building up again
Check automatic reorder points, minimum order quantities, duplicated item codes and whether open orders are visible to the buyer. Pause to check the settings: an automatic reorder can replace the very stock you've just cleared.
Business Victoria's stock-control guide recommends reviewing slow sellers and updating the purchasing process. Turn your findings into named actions: who contacts the supplier, who changes the order setting and when each result is checked.
Put recoveries into the forecast when they can arrive
Use separate rows for expected clearance receipts, refunds and return costs. Cross-reference the item list so estimates can be replaced with actual results. For your next purchase, run the seasonal stock cash test before accepting a volume discount.
Key takeaways
- Check quantity, demand and condition together.
- Separate book value, cash refunds and supplier credits.
- Cost the recovery action and correct the reorder process.
Where to get help
Your bookkeeper can reconcile the stock report to the balance sheet. Ask your accountant to review valuation and tax consequences separately from the operational recovery plan.
Where to go from here
Seasonal Stock Orders: Check the Cash Gap First
Check the cash dates before ordering replacement stock.
3 min readCash Conversion Cycle: Stock and Payment Terms
Measure the time cash spends in stock and customer balances.
3 min readHow to Read a Balance Sheet (Small Business Edition)
Explore a related question linked in this guide.
9 min read
General information only. This guide doesn't take your personal or business circumstances into account and isn't financial, legal or tax advice. Rates and thresholds change — check the official sources linked in this guide and get qualified advice where your circumstances require it.