Seasonal Pricing Calculator

The Best Time to Mark Down Was 2 Weeks Ago

"The best time to mark down seasonal inventory was 2 weeks ago. The second best time is now." Every retailer who has sat on end-of-season stock knows the sinking feeling of watching demand evaporate while storage costs pile up.

The math is brutally simple: every week you wait, demand drops AND holding costs increase. It's a double penalty that accelerates as the season ends.

Seasonal Markdown Timing by Product Type

The Holding Cost Illusion

Many retailers think "I'll just hold it until next season." But the real cost of holding includes:

Storage & warehouse fees — physical space costs money every week. Opportunity cost — that shelf space could display next season's inventory. Depreciation — fashion and trends move on; last year's styles sell for less. Capital tied up — cash locked in unsold inventory can't be reinvested.

The 30% Rule of Thumb

If you'll have more than 30% of inventory left at season end, start discounting NOW. A 20% discount that moves product is almost always better than holding at full price and writing off 40-60% of your stock at the end. The calculator above models exactly this trade-off.