B2B Forecasting Alignment That Keeps Wholesale Inventory in Sync

Forecasting starts to unravel when retailers change timing rather than volume. A buyer pulls a purchase order forward by two weeks, splits one large order into several smaller drops, or accelerates replenishment in one region while holding back in another. Demand still looks reasonable in aggregate, but inventory ends up short in the wrong places and heavy where it is no longer needed.

That behavior exposes whether planning and fulfillment are actually aligned. When forecasts assume steady cadence but retailers buy opportunistically, inventory and replenishment fall out of step with execution. Teams react by expediting, transferring stock, or explaining misses after the fact, because the plan no longer reflects how orders are being placed.

Why forecasting alignment matters for wholesale

Wholesale demand is lumpy, seasonal, retailer-specific, and sometimes unpredictable. Alignment between your forecasting team and your logistics team determines whether inventory arrives when needed or becomes a month-late apology to a frustrated buyer.

Joel Malmquist, VP of Customer Experience at G10, put it simply. "If you do not do it right, you get those massive chargebacks." Forecast misses often turn into operational failures.

Where forecasting alignment usually breaks

Forecasting fails when inventory accuracy fails. If the warehouse cannot confirm what is actually available, forecasts become guesses. Many 3PLs do not track inventory precisely enough to support real forecasting, which means brands are predicting demand based on shaky data.

Connor Perkins, Director of Fulfillment, sees this constantly. "One of the pain points our clients have experienced with previous 3PLs is inventory accuracy. Maybe their previous 3PL was not great at picking the orders accurately. So they were losing money by shipping wrong items or wrong quantities of items." Forecasting becomes impossible without accurate inventory.

Why D2C-first 3PLs throw off wholesale forecasts

D2C demand changes daily. Wholesale demand changes seasonally, promotionally, and by program. D2C-first systems are not built to provide cycle visibility, retailer cadence insights, or pallet-level movement data. They rely on parcel logistics logic, which does not translate to wholesale forecasting needs.

Bryan Wright, CTO and COO, explained the real issue. "A bad WMS will not track inventory 100 percent. A good WMS tracks inventory through the warehouse at every point you touch it." Forecast alignment depends on that traceability.

How slow communication disrupts forecasting

Forecasts change. Retailers adjust their expectations. Buyers shift timelines. Promotions appear early. When a 3PL responds slowly to forecast-related questions, the warehouse continues operating with outdated information, creating shortages or waste.

Joel sees the impact often. "At some 3PLs you get thrown into a ticketed queue, and you get different people replying every time. It can take days, if not weeks, to get a resolution." Forecast alignment dies in slow response environments. At G10, clarity comes quickly. "You call one person. That is it. And things get done," Joel said.

What strong B2B forecasting alignment looks like

Alignment begins with understanding retailer patterns, SKU-level velocity, program expectations, and seasonal cycles. Inventory accuracy feeds the forecast, the forecast feeds the warehouse, and the warehouse communicates back real performance data. The loop stays tight.

Connor described why it starts during onboarding. "When we onboard a client who sells into places like Amazon or Walmart, the process changes depending on where they are selling. We work through all of their routing guide requirements and make sure the warehouse is ready before the first order ever drops." Forecast alignment relies on foundational clarity.

Forecast alignment under pressure at G10

The toughest moments appear during seasonal spikes or when retailers accelerate orders unexpectedly. These moments expose whether the forecast, the inventory, and the warehouse are communicating cleanly.

Joel shared one example from a late inbound Target project. "Our supervisor, warehouse manager, and several employees worked the entire day into the night, then came back at 5 a.m. to make sure we had the routing completed." Forecast alignment kept the operation stable despite timing challenges.

Another pressure moment arrived during a viral D2C surge. "The client asked, Can you help us? And we said, Yeah, we gotcha. Then we sent a truck to the carrier at midnight." Wholesale forecasts held steady even as D2C demand spiked unexpectedly.

The bottom line for wholesale brands

B2B forecasting alignment determines whether you operate calmly or constantly fight fires. When forecasts align with inventory accuracy and warehouse execution, retailers stay stocked, shelves stay full, and your operation stays predictable.

If you want forecasting alignment that gives you stability instead of surprises, reach out to G10. You will get real accuracy, fast communication, and a fulfillment operation that speaks the same language as your forecasts.