Demand Offer. Sectoral market equilibrium

As you know, the market, in the economic sense of the word, works according to certain rules and laws that regulate the price, shortage of goods or its surplus. These concepts are key and affect all other processes. What is a commodity deficit and surplus, as well as the mechanisms for their appearance and elimination are discussed below.

Basic concepts

The ideal situation in the market is the same amount of goods offered for sale and buyers who are ready to purchase it for set price. Such a correspondence of supply and demand is called the Price, which is established under such conditions, is also called the equilibrium price. However, such a situation can occur only at a single point in time, but is not capable of persisting for a long period. The constant change in supply and demand, due to many variable factors, causes either an increase in demand or an increase in supply. This is how the phenomena called commodity shortages and commodity surpluses arise. The first concept defines the excess of demand over supply, and the second - just the opposite.

Emergence and elimination of deficiencies on a market scale

The main reason why a trade deficit occurs at a certain point in time is a sharp increase in demand, to which supply does not have time to respond. However, with non-interference in the process of the state or insurmountable specific factors (wars, natural disasters, natural disasters, etc.), the market is able to independently regulate this process. It looks like this:

Demand increases and there is a shortage of goods.
The equilibrium price rises, which pushes the producer to increase output.
The number of goods on the market is increasing.
There is a marketable
The equilibrium price falls, which initiates a reduction in output.
The state of supply and demand is stabilizing.

Such processes occur in the market continuously and are part of economic system countries. However, if there is a deviation from the scheme outlined above, then regulation does not occur, the consequences can be very complex: constant and one group and an excess of another, growing discontent among the population, the emergence of shadow schemes for production, supply and sale, etc.

An example from the recent past

Commodity shortages can also arise for reasons of excessive intervention in market processes, which often takes place in a planned or command economy. A striking example of this is the lack of food and food products in the 80s in the USSR. Too extensive, busy and completely inflexible system of production and procurement planning at the same time as the growth in the welfare of the population and the availability of free Money led to the fact that the shelves of stores were empty, and huge queues lined up for any product, if available. Manufacturers did not have time to meet the needs of the consumer, as they were not able to quickly respond to demand - all processes were strictly subordinated to bureaucratic procedures that lasted too long and could not meet market requirements. Thus, for a sufficiently long period of time, a constant commodity deficit was established on the scale of the market of the whole country. It is difficult for a command economy to cope with this phenomenon due to the factors listed above, so the problem can be solved either by a complete restructuring of the system, or by changing it.

Phenomenon in microeconomics

A commodity deficit can occur not only on the scale of the economy of the whole country, but also at individual enterprises. It can also be both temporary and permanent, characterized by a lack finished products to meet the demand for it. But unlike macroeconomic processes in the enterprise, the balance of stocks and demand, on the contrary, depends on the quality of planning. True, the speed of production response to market changes is also important. At the microeconomic level, a shortage of goods has a number of consequences: loss of profit, the likelihood of losing both regular and potential customers, and deterioration of reputation.

Causes and consequences of a surplus

The excess of the supply of any product or of an entire group over demand causes a surplus. This phenomenon is also called a surplus. The appearance of excess market economy is a natural process - a consequence of imbalance - and is independently regulated in the following way:

Decrease in demand or excess supply.
The emergence of a surplus.
Decrease in the market price.
Reducing the volume of production and supply.
Rising market price.
Stabilization of the state of supply and demand.

In a planned economy, commodity surpluses are the result of incorrect forecasting. Since such a system is unable to self-regulate due to excessive intervention, the surplus can last long enough without the possibility of its settlement.

Enterprise-wide surplus

Surplus within a single enterprise also exists. Commodity deficit and surplus in microeconomics are not regulated by the market, but “manually”, i.e. primarily through planning and forecasting. If errors are made in these processes, then products not sold on time form surpluses that can lead to monetary losses. This is especially acute for food enterprises and others, the period of sale of goods of which is short. Also, a surplus can cause significant harm to the financial stability of industries whose products are seasonally dependent.

It is impossible to solve the problem of the balance of supply and demand once and for all, neither on a national scale, nor within a separate enterprise. In addition, such a decision is not required, since shortages and surpluses are important processes that, among other things, stimulate the development of the economy and production, as well as interstate trade and relations in the context of exports and imports.

According to statistics, the shortage of goods is one of the most acute problems for both the seller and the buyer and is often estimated at about 8% of the total turnover. According to another, no less sad statistics, in big stores surplus goods (often called "non-liquid") is up to 20% of the entire range!

In other words, getting rid of these two misfortunes is extremely difficult. Both are often the result of poor planning and insufficient control for consumer requests. The healing process can drag on for months, and as a result, getting rid of the global shortage syndrome, the store often ends up with excess inventory.

What is more dangerous for the company? Deficiency or surplus? By far the most dangerous situation is to have a deficit in one good and a surplus in another. Conversely, it is best to have neither. However, let's not close our eyes to the obvious - there were, are, and may still be deficits and surpluses. It is necessary to know the enemy by sight, so let's take a closer look at these two common phenomena.

Deficit. Its causes and consequences

deficit- excess of demand over supply. A shortage indicates a mismatch between supply and demand and the absence of a balancing price.

Deficiency can be temporary or permanent. But in any case, its consequences are quite obvious - the company receives less profit. However, not all so simple. If the deficit is permanently protracted, then the consequences can be sadder than it seems at first glance:

Loss of profit due to too low a price;
Direct losses due to lack of sales;
Deterioration of the store's image in the eyes of customers: "There are never the right products here";
Loss of potential and real customers;
Emptiness on the shelves of stores, empty counters;
Growth in sales from competitors who have such a product;
Costs due to actions aimed at eliminating the shortage - moving goods on the shelves, urgent search for a substitute product;
Wasted money on advertising campaign or tasting;
Stress among employees and, as a result, their demotivation.

The consequences of deficiency are more concerned external environment store and are especially dangerous for a company that is in the stage of growth and development, when winning customers and their loyalty is a strategic goal.

Let's consider the possible factors why we have dissatisfied buyers, nervous sellers and the lack of goods in stock:

1. Unbalanced price (demand outstrips supply). A shortage usually indicates low supply caused by a low price. “They are snapping up like hot cakes,” we say, implying that the goods are leaving quickly. Too fast. So fast that we can't keep up with the increased demand. A striking example is a product during sales. A discount of up to 50% has been announced, and as a result, people are pouring into the store, buying up everything that has yellow price tags. Who doesn't want to buy candy for half the price? However, not always only the price is the cause of the shortage.

What to do? To raise the price.

2. Errors in procurement planning and sales analysis. As a rule, this reason lies in people who, for some reason, do their job poorly. Perhaps they are not trained, perhaps they do not see the connection between the purchased and sold goods. Either way, without serious sales analysis and precise planning, a company quickly ends up with an unbalanced inventory. The manager of the production company says: “When we first started producing these dumplings, no one knew how they would be sold. We made a batch for testing and, surprisingly, it went very well. Then we launched another batch into production. Our sales department was enthusiastic set about "promoting" the goods. A week later, the wholesalers almost smashed the plant - so great was the demand for this product. And everyone wanted it immediately, but our production could only satisfy half of the total demand ... And a month later, customers began to refuse purchases, motivating this by a too long waiting period... People in the stores tasted dumplings, but the lack of goods on the shelf led to the fact that all efforts to promote were in vain. The lack of accurate forecasts and planned purchases leads to a direct loss of customers. They tend to forget about a new product if they don't see it on sale for a long time.

What to do? Teach buyers how to plan, understand why the analysis does not show the whole picture. Maybe the point is in the incorrect accounting of positions - when "there is in the computer", but not in the warehouse?

3. Changing the current situation on the market (the emergence of a new fashion, trend, law). A familiar picture, isn't it? Just yesterday, a hole in jeans seemed like a disaster. And today, young shoppers roam stores looking for the most tattered and frayed items. The new healthy lifestyle trend has shoppers asking and sellers rushing to fill warehouses with products labeled "0 calories" or "low fat" or "no soy." If yesterday was accepted new law that all children under the age of 12 must be transported only in a child car seat, it is possible that such car seats will suddenly become in increased demand.

What to do? Respond to customer requests and new laws in a timely manner, keep abreast, make market research your direct responsibility. Or wait until the end of the law ...

4. Active advertising or PR campaign. A case from life: "We have an ordinary store that sells many products from different manufacturers. Suddenly, buyers begin to actively ask "that yogurt that is in the advertisement." We have never sold it so actively! We start to figure it out, and we see that the manufacturer has launched an active advertising on television and in family magazines. He wanted to make a surprise for us. If we had known about this action in advance, of course, we would have prepared and increased the inventory of this yogurt ... ". In our country, people trust advertising and actively buy the advertised product. Therefore, such a "sudden" attack on the consumer does not lead to anything but problems and shortages.

What to do? Educate suppliers by explaining to them what the consequences of such activities are. Before any promotion, increase orders according to the planned increase in demand.

5. Logistic problems. The item may be correctly ordered. It can be priced right. It is properly advertised. But if for some reason it is not delivered to the warehouse or is late for the store, there is a high probability of being in a state of shortage. This is especially true for perishable goods (meat, fish, dairy products, bread), where one day of delay can reject the entire batch. If the cargo moves to the store for four days instead of the planned two days, then all ideal planning comes to naught - the store gets two days of work with empty shelves. Sometimes it's enough to lose a lot regular customers and earn the image of the store "where there is never anything".

What to do? Work with those suppliers and transport companies who take responsibility for the delay of the shipment. Or not work with those who constantly let you down. After all, it's your money.

6. The goods are ordered without taking into account the complexity. There is a product whose sales affect the sales of another - for example, champagne and sweets, flour and yeast, green peas and mayonnaise. In such a case, the qualifications of the manager who draws up the purchase order can be critical. "In our company, orders for beer are taken by one manager, and another manager is responsible for snacks, chips, crackers and nuts. The trouble is that they operate separately from each other. As a result, we get chips, but the beer has not yet arrived ... ". The shortage of one product leads to the difficulty of selling another.

What to do? Understand the qualifications and motivation of your staff. Or deal with the categories of goods - who is responsible for what. Are buyers motivated enough for such a result as the sale of goods?

7. Social and environmental factors. Weather, ecology, epidemics can provoke an unexpected high demand for a product. If the summer turned out to be very hot, then the demand for ice cream and soft drinks may exceed the supply by several times. An unexpected shutdown of water in the area provokes a demand for bottled water. During the SARS epidemic, the demand for respirators in China jumped tenfold! Such a shortage is in the nature of an outbreak and ends as abruptly as it begins.

What to do? You can wait - such phenomena pass quickly. You can have time to respond to demand, quickly purchase the required product and earn decently on the increased demand.

Surplus goods. Ways to sell surplus

Surplus stock can be:

reversible, but too big. Then it makes sense in the first place to reduce the volume of purchases of this product.
have a slow turnover. In this case, it is more correct to first reduce the price and stimulate sales.
"dead", that is, not for sale at all. If the consumption of the goods for three months 1 was not made, then it falls into the category of "dead". In this case, you can try to perform other actions.

But before the necessary steps are taken, it is necessary to understand the causes of the surplus:

1. Unbalanced price(the price is too high for this market or for this type of product). No one will overpay for a product or service if the price on the market is already set or exceeds reasonable limits.

2. The expiration date or sale has expired. The store sells food products, including perishable goods (for example, fish), or has goods with a limited shelf life in its assortment ( household chemicals, cosmetics). Failure to sell it within the required period leads to the formation of substandard goods. It is practically not subject to further processing and sale.

3. Mistakes in sales forecasts. Says the buyer of one of the major trading companies: "When we first started buying this vegetable juice, no one knew how it would be sold. We brought a batch for testing and, surprisingly, it went very well. Then we ordered three more containers of this juice ... And sat down with a six-month supply - all of a sudden customers who at first actively bought juice stopped taking it at all, they tried it and didn’t like it ... ". Purchase of goods "maybe" and leads to such sad results.

4. Overbuying. For example, we sell 30-32 bottles of wine per month. But the purchased batch is 24 bottles - this is the minimum packaging from the supplier's warehouse. We cannot buy less and have to buy more - 2 batches of 24 bottles - to meet the demand. If we do not stimulate demand for this wine, we will soon find ourselves in a situation of overstocking.

5. Commodity cannibalism(the appearance of one product crowds out the sale of another). In order to expand the assortment, the company introduced cheaper milk into the assortment good quality. As a result, the demand for milk has fallen trademark, and after a short time there was an excess of this product in the warehouse.

6. Changing the fashion or taste of consumers. The emergence of DVD technology on the market has pronounced its verdict on video cassette recorders. Fashion doesn't change as fast in food as it does in manufactured goods markets, but the classic example is the bouillon cube fashion that came and went quickly. At first they were in great demand, then the consumer "ate" ready-made food and turned his gaze to the side healthy lifestyle life. At one time, soy products were very popular, but now there is a lot of information that genetically modified components are often found in soy. As a result, the demand for soy and products containing it has fallen sharply.

7. Legislative acts(prohibition on the sale of products). The ban on the sale of poultry meat in some countries due to the threat of an epidemic bird flu led to the fact that millions of tons of chicken meat were converted into surplus, and then into substandard goods. The introduction of censorship on advertising beer led to a decline in sales

8. Insufficiency of goods, erroneous proportions when ordering complete goods. As a result, there is a deficit for some goods, and a surplus for others. The director of one vegetable pavilion says: “We sell vegetables. If we make a mistake with the order of potatoes and bring less, then there will certainly be a surplus of beets in the warehouse - this product is usually bought together. Beets are sold less often, but potatoes can be sold and without beets.

9. Reserve in anticipation of an increase in demand or prices(in wholesale companies). Managers can issue additional invoices to protect themselves in the event of a shortage. If the purchasing department is not aware of such "reservation" facts, then the delivery of goods to the warehouse continues. After a short time, it turns out that the goods were in reserve not at the request of customers, but at the will of the sellers and the goods were not provided with real demand.

Of course, there are a thousand reasons to keep in stock. commodity stock ov. But it must be understood that if the product is not for sale, then it does not contribute to the generation of profit for which the business exists. Purchased goods are related funds. You have invested them. And it doesn't matter how much these reserves cost now - there is no money left.

And although it's not the best the best way- to sell goods for a penny, but perhaps this is better than believing that one day the client will come to his senses and buy all the dusty piles of cans in the warehouse. Don't get used to your reserves! The goal of inventory reduction is to get rid of unnecessary items at the best price or at the lowest cost.

This can be done in different ways:

1. Sale with a discount or a global price reduction.

2. Stimulation of the selling personnel. You can assign monetary or in-kind remuneration to sellers for the sale of "illiquid assets". This works especially well if the customer can choose between several types of goods.

3. Selling to competitors at preferential prices. Perhaps you just have an excess of a well-selling product, and your competitor around the corner is in dire need of it. Why not try?

4. Actions to stimulate demand for this product (artificial creation demand). Requires additional investment in advertising, but often brings good result(for example, hold a wine tasting or arrange a gourmet corner, where cheese and grapes will be laid out along with the wine)

5. Creation of artificial scarcity. Sometimes it is enough just to announce that there will be no deliveries of goods for the next two weeks (for example, due to holidays or holidays). This helps to optimize stock if the item has good turnover but is overstocked.

6. Return to supplier or manufacturer. The best time for this type of negotiation is in the lead-up to an agreement to purchase a new product line or a large purchase order. Case study: “We just opened a store and took the advice of a supplier to buy a batch of expensive wines. It didn’t work, and for three months we kept a stock of these wines worth almost $ 4,000 in our warehouses. During this time, our relationship with the supplier developed and We switched to a credit basis. One fine day, we turned to him with a request to take back this product, which was so incorrectly imposed on us. The supplier refused. Then we negotiated that we would be able to repay our loans only if we restructured the debt due to this wine As a result, the supplier bought this batch from us in parts on account of our debt." Naturally, this method is only good for those products that can be stored for a sufficient time under suitable conditions.

7. Creation of "kits"(in socialist times, this was called "loaded"). Stale goods are given as a bonus or as a gift. It is also possible to sell the excess on the principle of "two in one" ("when you buy two cans of peas, you get a third can (or a can of corn) for free!").

8. Sale of goods to own personnel or use for the needs of the company. In some stores, there is a culinary department, where goods are transferred with an approaching expiration date. The main thing here is the strictest quality control of such products, so as not to violate the real terms of implementation in any case - the consequences can be the most sad. One of the most famous Western companies practiced a method of selling to employees goods with an expiring (by no means expired!) Expiration date at symbolic prices. However, soon the abuses (resale in the markets) on this basis became so obvious and large that this practice was discontinued. This way of getting rid of excesses is as effective as it is dangerous. Before you resort to it, make sure that you are able to control the entire chain of movement of goods.

9. Implementation charity events or donations. Give the product to those who may need it. You will not only get rid of excesses, but also do a good deed. The main thing is to report this good deed as soon as possible. more people...

The market is a mechanism of interaction between buyers and sellers realizing their economic interests. The economic interest of buyers is to buy goods cheaper and satisfy their needs, so they offer prices for them, called demand prices. Under demand price is understood as the maximum maximum price at which the buyer still agrees to purchase goods. Sellers are interested in selling goods at a higher price and therefore present offer prices , representing the minimum prices at which they are still willing to sell their goods. The intersection of the economic interests of buyers and sellers, the interaction of supply and demand can be represented by combining the graph of their curves.

R 2 A B

P 1 E

R 3 C D

0 Q1 q

When the interests of producers and consumers coincide, a market equilibrium arises, reflecting the equality of desires and opportunities for sellers and buyers. Point E, at which the supply and demand curves intersect and their interests coincide, is called the market equilibrium point, and the corresponding price P 1 is called the equilibrium price. Equilibrium price is the price at which the quantity of a commodity offered on the market is equal to the quantity of a commodity demanded.

When the market price is set above the equilibrium (P 2 > P 1), then supply exceeds demand, since an increase in price, according to the law of supply, will stimulate an increase in production, and according to the law of demand, it will reduce the desire to purchase goods. As a result, there is excess goods(from A to B), which will lead to overstocking of the market.

In this case, competition begins between the sellers of this type of product, which will help reduce the price and bring it closer to the equilibrium point E.

If the market price is set below the equilibrium price (Р 3<Р 1), то это в соответствии с законом спроса побуждает покупателя наращивать объем покупок, но по закону предложения приводит к снижению деловой активности производителя. В итоге спрос превысит предложение (от С до D), то есть возникнет shortage of goods. This intensifies competition between buyers, which leads to higher prices, expansion of production and the return of prices to its equilibrium value. The market price cannot rise above the equilibrium price, because the buyer simply does not have enough money to purchase the goods.

Thus, thanks to the manifestation of the laws of demand, supply and competition, market equilibrium is restored.

Topic 5. Basics of the behavior of subjects of a market economy

Topic outline

1. The concept of a rational consumer. total and marginal utility. Law of diminishing marginal utility.

2. Organization (firm) as an economic entity.

3. Production function. Total, average and marginal product. Law of diminishing marginal productivity.

4. The concept and classification of costs.

5. Income and profit of the firm. profit maximization rule.

A shortage is an excess of demand over supply. A shortage indicates a mismatch between supply and demand and the absence of a balancing price.

Loss of profit due to too low price;

· Direct losses due to lack of sales;

· Deterioration of the store's image in the eyes of customers: "There are never the right products here";

Loss of potential and real customers;

· Emptiness on store shelves, empty counters;

Growth in sales from competitors who have such a product;

· Costs due to actions aimed at eliminating the deficit - the movement of goods on the shelves, the urgent search for a substitute product;

Stress among employees and, as a result, their demotivation.

The consequences of shortages are more related to the external environment of the store and are especially dangerous for a company that is in a stage of growth and development, when winning customers and their loyalty is a strategic goal.

Let's consider the possible factors why we have dissatisfied buyers, nervous sellers and the lack of goods in stock:

1. Unbalanced price (demand outstrips supply). A shortage usually indicates low supply caused by a low price. “They are snapping up like hot cakes,” we say, implying that the goods are leaving quickly. Too fast. So fast that we can't keep up with the increased demand. A striking example is a product during sales. A discount of up to 50% has been announced, and as a result, people are pouring into the store, buying up everything that has yellow price tags. Who doesn't want to buy candy for half the price? However, not always only the price is the cause of the shortage.

What to do? To raise the price.

2. Errors in procurement planning and sales analysis. As a rule, this reason lies in people who, for some reason, do their job poorly. Perhaps they are not trained, perhaps they do not see the connection between the purchased and sold goods. Either way, without serious sales analysis and precise planning, a company quickly ends up with an unbalanced inventory. The manager of the production company says: “When we first started producing these dumplings, no one knew how they would be sold. We made a batch for testing and, surprisingly, it went very well. Then we launched another batch into production. Our sales department was enthusiastic set about "promoting" the goods. A week later, the wholesalers almost smashed the plant - so great was the demand for this product. And everyone wanted it immediately, but our production could only satisfy half of the total demand ... And a month later, customers began to refuse purchases, motivating this by a too long waiting period... People in the stores tasted dumplings, but the lack of goods on the shelf led to the fact that all efforts to promote were in vain. The lack of accurate forecasts and planned purchases leads to a direct loss of customers. They tend to forget about a new product if they don't see it on sale for a long time.

3. Changing the current situation on the market (the emergence of a new fashion, trend, law). A familiar picture, isn't it? Just yesterday, a hole in jeans seemed like a disaster. And today, young shoppers roam stores looking for the most tattered and frayed items. The new healthy lifestyle trend has shoppers asking and sellers rushing to fill warehouses with products labeled "0 calories" or "low fat" or "no soy." If yesterday a new law was passed that all children under 12 must be transported only in a child car seat, then there is a possibility that such car seats will suddenly begin to be in increased demand.

What to do? Respond to customer requests and new laws in a timely manner, keep abreast, make market research your direct responsibility. Or wait until the end of the law.

4. Active advertising or PR campaign. A case from life: "We have an ordinary store that sells many products from different manufacturers. Suddenly, buyers begin to actively ask "that yogurt that is in the advertisement." We have never sold it so actively! We start to figure it out, and we see that the manufacturer has launched an active advertising on television and in family magazines. He wanted to make a surprise for us. If we had known about this action in advance, of course, we would have prepared and increased the inventory of this yogurt ... ". In our country, people trust advertising and actively buy the advertised product. Therefore, such a "sudden" attack on the consumer does not lead to anything but problems and shortages.

What to do? Educate suppliers by explaining to them what the consequences of such activities are. Before any promotion, increase orders according to the planned increase in demand.

5. Logistic problems. The item may be correctly ordered. It can be priced right. It is properly advertised. But if for some reason it is not delivered to the warehouse or is late for the store, there is a high probability of being in a state of shortage. This is especially true for perishable goods (meat, fish, dairy products, bread), where one day of delay can reject the entire batch. If the cargo moves to the store for four days instead of the planned two days, then all ideal planning comes to naught - the store gets two days of work with empty shelves. Sometimes this is enough to lose many regular customers and earn the image of the store "where there is never anything."

What to do? Work with those suppliers and transport companies that take responsibility for the delay of the cargo. Or not work with those who constantly let you down. After all, it's your money.

6. The goods are ordered without taking into account the complexity. There is a product whose sales affect the sales of another - for example, champagne and sweets, flour and yeast, green peas and mayonnaise. In such a case, the qualifications of the manager who draws up the purchase order can be critical. "In our company, orders for beer are taken by one manager, and another manager is responsible for snacks, chips, crackers and nuts. The trouble is that they operate separately from each other. As a result, we get chips, but the beer has not yet arrived ... ". The shortage of one product leads to the difficulty of selling another.

7. Social and environmental factors. Weather, ecology, epidemics can provoke an unexpected high demand for a product. If the summer turned out to be very hot, then the demand for ice cream and soft drinks may exceed the supply by several times. An unexpected shutdown of water in the area provokes a demand for bottled water. During the SARS epidemic, the demand for respirators in China jumped tenfold! Such a shortage is in the nature of an outbreak and ends as abruptly as it begins.

What to do? You can wait - such phenomena pass quickly. You can have time to respond to demand, quickly purchase the required product and earn decently on the increased demand.

Surplus stock can be:

Reversible, but too big. Then it makes sense in the first place to reduce the volume of purchases of this product.

Have a slow turnover. In this case, it is more correct to first reduce the price and stimulate sales.

· "Dead", that is, not sold at all. If the consumption of the goods for three months 1 was not made, then it falls into the category of "dead". In this case, you can try to perform other actions.

But before the necessary steps are taken, it is necessary to understand the causes of the surplus:

1. Unbalanced price (the price is too high for this market or for this type of product). No one will overpay for a product or service if the price on the market is already set or exceeds reasonable limits.

2. The expiration date or sale has expired. The store sells food products, including perishable goods (for example, fish), or has in its assortment goods with a limited shelf life (household chemicals, cosmetics). Failure to sell it within the required period leads to the formation of substandard goods. It is practically not subject to further processing and sale.

3. Mistakes in sales forecasts. The buyer of one of the large trading companies says: “When we just started buying this vegetable juice, no one knew how it would be sold. We brought a batch for testing and, surprisingly, it went very well. Then we ordered three more containers of this juice ... And they sat down with a six-month supply - all of a sudden, customers who were actively buying juice at first stopped taking it at all, They tried it and didn’t like it ... ". Purchase of goods "maybe" and leads to such sad results.

4. Overbuying. For example, we sell 30-32 bottles of wine per month. But the purchased batch is 24 bottles - this is the minimum packaging from the supplier's warehouse. We cannot buy less and have to buy more - 2 batches of 24 bottles - to meet the demand. If we do not stimulate demand for this wine, we will soon find ourselves in a situation of overstocking.

5. Commodity cannibalism (the appearance of one product crowds out the sale of another). In order to expand the assortment, the company introduced cheaper milk of good quality into the assortment. As a result, the demand for milk of another brand fell, and after a short time there was an excess of this product in the warehouse.

6. Changing the fashion or taste of consumers. The emergence of DVD technology on the market has pronounced its verdict on video cassette recorders. Fashion doesn't change as fast in food as it does in manufactured goods markets, but the classic example is the bouillon cube fashion that came and went quickly. At first they were in great demand, then the consumer "ate" ready-made food and turned his eyes towards a healthy lifestyle. At one time, soy products were very popular, but now there is a lot of information that genetically modified components are often found in soy. As a result, the demand for soy and products containing it has fallen sharply.

7. Legislative acts (prohibition on the sale of products). The ban on the sale of poultry meat in some countries due to the threat of an epidemic of bird flu has led to the fact that millions of tons of chicken meat have been transferred to surplus, and then to substandard goods. The introduction of censorship on advertising beer led to a decline in sales

8. Insufficiency of goods, erroneous proportions when ordering complete goods. As a result, there is a deficit for some goods, and a surplus for others. The director of one vegetable pavilion says: “We sell vegetables. If we make a mistake with the order of potatoes and bring less, then there will certainly be a surplus of beets in the warehouse - this product is usually bought together. Beets are sold less often, but potatoes can be sold and without beets.

9. Reservation in anticipation of an increase in demand or prices (in wholesale companies). Managers can issue additional invoices to protect themselves in the event of a shortage. If the purchasing department is not aware of such "reservation" facts, then the delivery of goods to the warehouse continues. After a short time, it turns out that the goods were in reserve not at the request of customers, but at the will of the sellers and the goods were not provided with real demand.

Of course, there are a thousand reasons to keep inventory in stock. But it must be understood that if the product is not for sale, then it does not contribute to the generation of profit for which the business exists. Purchased goods are related funds. You have invested them. And it doesn't matter how much these reserves cost now - there is no money left.

And although this is not the best option - to sell the product for a penny, but perhaps it is better than believing that one day the client will come to his senses and buy all the dusty piles of cans in the warehouse. Don't get used to your reserves! The goal of inventory reduction is to get rid of unnecessary items at the best price or at the lowest cost.

This can be done in different ways:

1. Sale with a discount or a global price reduction.

2. Stimulation of the selling personnel. You can assign monetary or in-kind remuneration to sellers for the sale of "illiquid assets". This works especially well if the customer can choose between several types of goods.

3. Selling to competitors at preferential prices. Perhaps you just have an excess of a well-selling product, and your competitor around the corner is in dire need of it. Why not try?

4. Actions to stimulate demand for this product (artificial creation of demand). Requires additional investment in advertising, but often brings good results (for example, hold a wine tasting or arrange a gourmet corner, where cheese and grapes will be laid out along with wine)

5. Creation of artificial scarcity. Sometimes it is enough just to announce that there will be no deliveries of goods for the next two weeks (for example, due to holidays or holidays). This helps to optimize stock if the item has good turnover but is overstocked.

6. Return to supplier or manufacturer. The best time for this type of negotiation is in the lead-up to an agreement to purchase a new product line or a large purchase order. Case study: “We just opened a store and took the advice of a supplier to buy a batch of expensive wines. It didn’t work, and for three months we kept a stock of these wines worth almost $ 4,000 in our warehouses. During this time, our relationship with the supplier developed and We switched to a credit basis. One fine day, we turned to him with a request to take back this product, which was so incorrectly imposed on us. The supplier refused. Then we negotiated that we would be able to repay our loans only if we restructured the debt due to this wine As a result, the supplier bought this batch from us in parts on account of our debt." Naturally, this method is only good for those products that can be stored for a sufficient time under suitable conditions.

7. Creation of "sets" (in socialist times, this was called "to load"). Stale goods are given as a bonus or as a gift. It is also possible to sell the excess on the principle of "two in one" ("when you buy two cans of peas, you get a third can (or a can of corn) for free!").

8. Sale of goods to own personnel or use for the needs of the company. In some stores, there is a culinary department, where goods are transferred with an approaching expiration date. The main thing here is the strictest quality control of such products, so as not to violate the real terms of implementation in any case - the consequences can be the most sad. One of the most famous Western companies practiced a method of selling to employees goods with an expiring (by no means expired!) Expiration date at symbolic prices. However, soon the abuses (resale in the markets) on this basis became so obvious and large that this practice was discontinued. This way of getting rid of excesses is as effective as it is dangerous. Before you resort to it, make sure that you are able to control the entire chain of movement of goods.

9. Implementation of charitable actions or donations. Give the product to those who may need it. You will not only get rid of excesses, but also do a good deed. The main thing is to inform as many people as possible about this good deed ...

10. Last resort - throw away unwanted products. After all, this is more correct than admiring it for weeks and wasting precious storage space. But observe the conditions of disposal, that the "circle of sausage in nature" did not work out ...

As you can see, there are enough ways to get rid of commodity surpluses. And this must be done - if only because excess inventory requires significant company resources - storage in a warehouse, frozen funds, inventories, accounting and analysis, and so on.

The greatest danger of an excess of goods is for a company if it is at the stage of introduction to the market or at the stage of survival - that is, when resources and funds are most needed. If the external environment is less important for a company than solving problems inside, then the surplus can be deadly for it.

Bibliography

Demand - the desire and ability of consumers to purchase certain goods in given economic conditions. Availability of demand depends on the needs of buyers.

Size (volume) of demand- some number of goods, cat-e consumer, consumer group or population buys by definition. price per unit of time under given conditions.

AT market conditions, demand is effective demand , which is determined by the amount of money that the buyer is willing to spend on the purchase of goods.

The amount of demand for a product depends on various factors, primarily on the price of this product: Qdx = f(Px), where Qdx- quantity demanded for a product X; Rx-the price demanded for the product X.

Ask price – the maximum price that the buyer agrees to offer for a unit of goods at a certain point in time. The higher the price of the goods, the less the ability and desire of the consumer to buy this product (unless, of course, the latter can be replaced by some other). This functional dependence is the content law of demand : Other things being equal, the higher the price of a good, the lower the quantity demanded for it, and vice versa, the lower the price, the greater the quantity demanded.

When demand goes down, on the graph the demand curve shifts to the left and down (from position D 1 to position D 2), not necessarily parallel to the original position.

Decrease in demand means that for the same price (for example, P3) the consumer buys a smaller amount of goods - not Q2, aQ1 (curve shift to the left), or for the same quantity of goods (for example, Q2) he is willing to pay a lower price - not P3, but P1(curve shift down).

Offer - these are specific goods and services that producers are willing and able to produce, as well as sell in given economic conditions. This dependence is reflected in law of supply:When the price rises, the quantity supplied increases; when the price falls, the quantity supplied decreases.

Combine the market curves on one chart. demand and markets. suggestions. At the point E they will intersect, while supply and demand will be equal and reach the equilibrium output Q e at equilibrium price R e. This point of intersection of the supply and demand curves called the point of static market equilibrium.

Demand and supply in the market fluctuate constantly, and the position of the equilibrium point changes accordingly. In equilibrium, neither buyers nor sellers have incentives to change their behavior, i.e. change in supply or demand. Indeed, all consumers who are willing to pay the unit price P e or higher can buy this product, it will remain too expensive for other buyers.

At the same time, sellers who are able to put goods on the market at a price P e or cheaper, will be able to find a buyer, and other less efficient producers will be forced to leave the market.

The question is How is market equilibrium established? , complex. Suppose manufacturers wish to set a price for their product R 1. At this price, they will be able to put on the market a product in quantity Q 2(point 2). However, at such a high price, buyers will only be willing and able to buy a quantity of Q 1 product (according to point 1 on the demand curve). The market will have surplus of goods in quantity Q2 - Q1.

Competition between sellers force them to lower their price in order to sell their product. The market price will start to fall, and those sellers who will be unable to reduce the price to the value R e, will leave the market. If the market price falls to the level R2, then at such a low price, consumers will demand in the amount Q2(dot 4). But the producers will be able to offer only a small amount of goods Q1 (point 3), and the market will shortage of goods, as a result of competition between buyers, prices will rise to the level R e.

Commodity surpluses and shortages

Purchasing planning based on inaccurate data can lead to incorrect determination of the necessary stocks of goods. The management of surplus consumer goods is not particularly difficult and is solved by reducing the volume of purchases and thus bringing the inventory to a normal level. Surpluses of goods that are not in consumer demand increase the costs of the enterprise for their storage and require the development of special measures for their implementation.

Irregularity in the supply of goods leads to a shortage of inventory in the warehouse and creates significant difficulties in meeting the needs of customers. When there is a shortage of goods, the wholesaler either refuses to serve consumers or finds ways to meet their needs by making special purchases that require additional capital investments.

Irregular deliveries of goods require the creation of reserve stocks sufficient to meet the needs of consignees in the period between deliveries.