Overview
Shelflife uses statistical forecasting to predict when each of your product variants will run out of stock. This is what powers the "Enough for X days" column on your inventory dashboard.
How it works
Our forecasting engine analyzes your Shopify order history to understand sales patterns for each variant. It uses a mix of proven statistical and AI powered methods that:
- Weights recent sales more heavily than older sales
- Adapts to trends (increasing or decreasing demand)
- Accounts for variability in daily sales
Based on this analysis, Shelflife calculates the expected number of days until your current inventory reaches zero.
What affects the forecast
- Order history — More history means more accurate forecasts. Shelflife works best with at least a few weeks of sales data.
- Current inventory — Your actual stock levels across all Shopify locations
- Safety stock — If configured, the forecast accounts for your minimum desired stock level
- On-order inventory — Active purchase orders are factored into the calculation
Limitations
- New products with little or no sales history will have less accurate forecasts
- Sudden spikes (e.g., a flash sale or viral moment) may take time to reflect in forecasts
- Seasonal patterns are better captured over longer time periods
Keeping forecasts fresh
Shelflife automatically syncs your data every 12 hours to keep forecasts current. On the Growth plan, you can also trigger manual syncs whenever needed.