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Business Analysis and Decision-Making

Sales forecasting and its reliability

  • 3 things to know
  • A2 Unit 3

Overview

Sales forecasting, three decisions that depend on a sales forecast and how a sales forecast supports workforce planning.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

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Key term

Explain why a forecast made for five years ahead is less reliable than one for six months ahead.

Key term

What is meant by sales forecasting?

Key term

State three decisions that depend on a sales forecast.

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    What is meant by sales forecasting?

    Model answer

    Sales forecasting is predicting the level of sales a business expects to achieve over a future period.

  2. 2

    State three decisions that depend on a sales forecast.

    Model answer

    How much to produce and what stock to hold, how many staff to employ, and how much cash and finance will be needed.

  3. 3

    Explain how a sales forecast supports workforce planning.

    Model answer

    It shows when demand will rise or fall, so the business can recruit, train or reduce hours in good time rather than reacting late.

  4. 4

    Distinguish between quantitative and qualitative sales forecasting.

    Model answer

    Quantitative forecasting uses numerical data such as past sales figures, while qualitative forecasting uses judgement, opinion and experience.

  5. 5

    Explain why a business uses both quantitative and qualitative techniques together.

    Model answer

    Numbers capture established patterns but not new developments, so judgement is needed to allow for events the past data cannot show.

  6. 6

    State three factors that reduce the reliability of a sales forecast.

    Model answer

    A long forecasting period, a fast-changing or fashion-driven market, and poor quality or out-of-date past data.

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