WJEC A-Level Business 601-5238-2
Enterprise and Starting a Business
Markets and Market Research
Marketing
People in Business
Operations Management
Business Finance and Accounts
Business Analysis and Decision-Making
Strategy and Implementation
Managing Change and Risk
The External Environment
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.
What is meant by sales forecasting?
State three decisions that depend on a sales forecast.
Questions from this subtopic
Each one with the model answer underneath.
- 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
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
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
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
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
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A long forecasting period, a fast-changing or fashion-driven market, and poor quality or out-of-date past data.
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