Inventory Planner by Sage
by Sage (Inventory Planner) · Demand & Supply Planning
Demand forecasting and replenishment for retail and ecommerce inventory.
- Works with
- NetSuite, QuickBooks, Microsoft Dynamics 365, Acumatica, Brightpearl by Sage, Cin7, Unleashed, Linnworks, Zoho, Odoo, Shopify, Other systems
- Deployment
- Cloud
- Company size
- SMB, Mid-market
- Pricing
- Subscription; consultative pricing scaled by GMV and replenishable SKU count
- Founded
- 2012
Overview
Inventory Planner by Sage is a cloud-based demand forecasting and inventory optimization platform aimed at retail, ecommerce, and wholesale businesses. It analyzes historical sales, sales velocity, seasonality, and promotional cycles to predict future demand, then translates those forecasts into specific purchasing recommendations: what to buy, how much, and when. The product positions itself between a merchant's sales channels (such as Shopify, Amazon, and BigCommerce) and its inventory or accounting system of record (such as NetSuite, QuickBooks, Brightpearl, Cin7, or Microsoft Dynamics 365), pulling order and stock data to drive replenishment decisions.
The platform supports SKU-level and supplier-level planning across multiple warehouses and inventory types, including brick-and-mortar stores, Amazon FBA, and third-party logistics (3PL) locations. Beyond core replenishment, it includes open-to-buy budget planning, inventory segmentation, overstock identification, and warehouse transfer recommendations. Reporting and dashboards surface retail-focused metrics, and the Premium tier adds Sage Copilot, an AI assistant for prioritization, alongside advanced product analytics.
Originally launched in 2012 as an independent product, Inventory Planner was acquired by Brightpearl in 2021, which Sage acquired in 2022, bringing the product under the Sage portfolio. It is used by retailers and wholesalers spanning apparel, beauty, sporting goods, furniture, and jewelry, with the vendor citing more than 2,600 brands on the platform. Pricing is consultative and scales with gross merchandise volume (GMV) and replenishable SKU count, though a lower Essentials tier is available to Shopify-only sellers through the Shopify App Store.
Screenshots & demo
Demo video from the vendor's YouTube channel. Screenshots sourced from Sage (Inventory Planner).
Features & capabilities
Demand Forecasting
Predictive demand modeling driven by historical sales and seasonality.
- Configurable forecasting models for seasonal, non-seasonal, retail, and wholesale products
- Automated adjustment of forecasts as new sales trends emerge
- Demand prediction for new products using attributes of similar items (style, size, color, material)
- Forecast alignment with promotional campaigns and marketing events
- Forecasting at SKU and product-variant level
- Note: one forecasting method can be applied per SKU
Purchasing & Replenishment
Turns forecasts into actionable purchase orders.
- Automated purchasing recommendations indicating what and when to buy
- Purchase order creation and management within the platform
- Supplier management with minimum order quantity (MOQ) handling
- Scheduled and automated weekly replenishment reports
- Lead-time-aware reorder timing
Inventory Optimization
Balances stock coverage against capital and stockout risk.
- Adjustable safety stock and stock-coverage days at SKU and supplier levels
- Overstock identification using last-sold date and overstock cost metrics
- Stockout risk management and alerts
- Inventory segmentation by sales performance, turnover, and other factors
- Slow-moving inventory liquidation insights
Open-to-Buy & Budget Planning
Aligns purchasing spend with financial goals.
- Open-to-buy budget planning tool
- Goal-aligned purchasing strategy
- Budget planning across categories and time periods
Multi-Location Management
Plans inventory across warehouses, stores, and channels.
- Purchasing recommendations across multiple warehouse locations
- Warehouse transfer recommendations
- Support for brick-and-mortar, Amazon FBA, and 3PL inventory types
- Centralized inventory view across sales channels
Reporting & AI
Dashboards, analytics, and AI-assisted decision support.
- Customizable dashboards and retail-focused metrics
- Automated executive summary reports
- Sage Copilot AI assistant for prioritization (Premium)
- Advanced product analytics via Option Insights Report (Premium)
- Google Analytics 4 integration for demand signals
Common use cases
- Forecasting demand for seasonal retail and ecommerce assortments
- Generating automated purchase order recommendations to avoid stockouts
- Planning replenishment across multiple warehouses and 3PL locations
- Managing open-to-buy budgets for merchandising teams
- Identifying and liquidating overstock to free up working capital
- Predicting demand for newly launched products from similar-item data
- Coordinating purchasing across suppliers with minimum order quantities
Strengths & considerations
Strengths
- Purpose-built for retail/ecommerce demand planning rather than general ERP inventory
- Broad library of prebuilt connectors across ecommerce, ERP/inventory, and 3PL systems
- Open-to-buy budget planning aimed at merchandising and buying teams
- Sits as a planning layer on top of an existing ERP or accounting system of record
- Lower-cost Essentials tier available to Shopify-only sellers
Considerations
- Only one forecasting method can be applied per SKU; methods cannot be combined
- Initial setup and data syncing can be complex and occasionally error-prone per user reviews
- Pricing scales with GMV and SKU count and can be a significant investment for smaller businesses
- Consultative pricing means most tiers are not publicly listed
- Some users reported support quality concerns following the acquisition
ERP integrations
Advanced CSV Connector for systems without a dedicated integration
Pricing
Most tiers are quote-based via direct sales. An Essentials tier is available to Shopify-only single-warehouse sellers through the Shopify App Store. Standard includes core forecasting and replenishment; Premium adds Sage Copilot and the Option Insights Report. Publicly cited figures vary by source and are not confirmed on the vendor's main pricing page. Get an independent shortlist with pricing guidance below.
Technical & security
- Hosting
- Vendor-hosted SaaS
- Compliance
- GDPR, CCPA
- Mobile app
- No
About the vendor
- Founded
- 2012
- Ownership
- Sage (acquired via Brightpearl, 2022)
Alternatives to Inventory Planner by Sage in Demand & Supply Planning
Inventory Planner by Sage — frequently asked questions
Does Inventory Planner replace my ERP or accounting system?
No. It is a demand planning and replenishment layer that connects to an existing system of record such as NetSuite, QuickBooks, Brightpearl, Cin7, or Microsoft Dynamics 365, pulling sales and stock data to generate forecasts and purchase recommendations.
Which platforms does it integrate with?
It offers prebuilt connectors across ecommerce and marketplaces (Shopify, Amazon, BigCommerce, WooCommerce, eBay, Walmart and others), ERP/inventory systems (NetSuite, QuickBooks, Microsoft Dynamics 365, Acumatica, Cin7, Brightpearl, Linnworks, Zoho, Odoo), and 3PL/fulfillment tools (ShipBob, ShipHero, ShipStation). An Advanced CSV Connector covers systems without a native integration.
How is Inventory Planner priced?
Pricing is consultative and scales with gross merchandise volume and replenishable SKU count. A lower-cost Essentials tier is available to Shopify-only sellers via the Shopify App Store, while Standard and Premium tiers are typically quoted by sales.
Can it forecast demand for brand-new products with no sales history?
Yes. It estimates demand for new items by analyzing comparable existing products based on attributes such as style, size, color, and material.
Does it support multiple warehouses and 3PLs?
Yes. It provides purchasing and warehouse transfer recommendations across multiple locations and supports brick-and-mortar, Amazon FBA, and 3PL inventory types.
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