Inventory performance is shaped by how fast demand changes, how growth in ecommerce alters stocking needs, and how efficiently goods move between warehouse and shelf. Across the US and globally, retailers use inventory-to-sales ratios to gauge balance, while supply chain pressure and planning practices influence what must be kept in motion. We also look at carrying costs and operational methods, alongside software such as WMS, real-time visibility, and S&OP adoption.
Key Takeaways
- 10.3% of global waste was recycled in 2018
- The global supply chain pressure index declined to 45.6 in 2024 (average)
- Global retail ecommerce sales reached $5.8 trillion in 2023
- In 2022, the average US inventory-to-sales ratio for grocery was 1.26
- US retail inventories were $809.6 billion in February 2024
- US retail inventories grew 2.8% year-over-year in February 2024
- Warehouse management systems (WMS) were used by 58% of enterprises in 2021
- Inventory optimization software is used by 27% of manufacturers
- S&OP adoption reached 56% of companies surveyed by 2020
- $70.8 billion was the 2024 global warehouse management software market size (forecast)
- $11.5 billion was the global supply chain management software market size in 2023
- $5.8 billion was the global inventory management software market size in 2023
- 1.4% of total supply chain cost is attributable to inventory carrying costs (as estimated in supply chain cost breakdown studies)
- 25% improvement in inventory turns was reported after implementing cycle counting programs in warehouse operations (study result)
Inventory tech and better control are boosting efficiency as US inventories rise and supply chain pressure eases.
Related reading
01 · Category
Industry Trends6 stats
01
10.3% of global waste was recycled in 2018
02
The global supply chain pressure index declined to 45.6 in 2024 (average)
03
Global retail ecommerce sales reached $5.8 trillion in 2023
04
Globally, online share of retail sales was 19% in 2023
05
The US online retail share of total retail sales was 14.4% in 2023
06
UK online share of retail sales was 25.0% in 2023
Interpretation
Industry Trends Interpretation
For the Industry Trends angle, the shift toward e commerce is clearly accelerating with global online retail sales reaching 19% in 2023 and the US climbing to 14.4% while the UK leads at 25.0%.
02 · Category
Performance Metrics8 stats
01
In 2022, the average US inventory-to-sales ratio for grocery was 1.26
02
US retail inventories were $809.6 billion in February 2024
03
US retail inventories grew 2.8% year-over-year in February 2024
04
US inventories-to-sales ratio was 1.36 in April 2024
05
A 1 percentage-point improvement in inventory accuracy reduces cycle count errors by about 7%
06
In 2023, the US inventory-to-sales ratio ranged between 1.2 and 1.4 during much of the year
07
US inventories for manufacturing were $832.6 billion in March 2024
08
US inventory (manufacturing and trade) averaged $2.1 trillion in 2023
Interpretation
Performance Metrics Interpretation
From a performance metrics perspective, US inventory appears to be running fairly steady in line with sales, with the inventory to sales ratio hovering around 1.2 to 1.4 through much of 2023 and landing at 1.36 in April 2024 while retail inventories were $809.6 billion in February 2024.
03 · Category
User Adoption11 stats
01
Warehouse management systems (WMS) were used by 58% of enterprises in 2021
02
Inventory optimization software is used by 27% of manufacturers
03
S&OP adoption reached 56% of companies surveyed by 2020
04
Real-time inventory visibility is implemented by 44% of firms
05
AI-enabled forecasting is used by 24% of supply chain organizations
06
65% of companies use safety stock policies derived from historical demand data
07
42% of firms use automated replenishment systems
08
31% of organizations use machine learning for inventory planning
09
54% of companies use cloud-based inventory or supply chain planning tools
10
49% of surveyed firms say they use inventory optimization tools
11
44% of businesses use automated picking systems (e.g., pick-to-light or robotics) affecting inventory handling
Interpretation
User Adoption Interpretation
User adoption for core inventory practices is steadily gaining traction, with real capabilities like WMS at 58% and S&OP at 56% leading the way while more advanced tools such as AI forecasting still lag at 24%.
More related reading
04 · Category
Market Size14 stats
01
$70.8 billion was the 2024 global warehouse management software market size (forecast)
02
$11.5 billion was the global supply chain management software market size in 2023
03
$5.8 billion was the global inventory management software market size in 2023
04
$16.3 billion was the global enterprise resource planning (ERP) market size in 2023
05
$14.8 billion was the global RFID market size in 2022
06
$2.1 billion was the global SCM analytics market size in 2022
07
$9.1 billion was the global transportation management system (TMS) market size in 2023 (forecast)
08
$13.2 billion was the global labor management software market size in 2022 (linked to warehouse operations)
09
The global inventory management software market is projected to reach $9.8 billion by 2032 (forecast)
10
Warehouse management systems market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 13.8% from 2024 to 2030 (forecast)
11
Supply chain management software market is projected to reach $34.3 billion by 2030 (forecast)
12
RFID market is projected to reach $29.2 billion by 2030 (forecast)
13
Inventory optimization software market projected CAGR of 12.3% from 2024 to 2032 (forecast)
14
The global digital supply chain platform market is projected to reach $19.5 billion by 2027 (forecast)
Interpretation
Market Size Interpretation
For the Market Size angle, the ecosystem around inventory and logistics is already substantial, with the 2024 global warehouse management software market forecast at $70.8 billion and the inventory management software market reaching $5.8 billion in 2023, signaling major budget allocation across these tools as the broader software stack expands from supply chain to ERP.
05 · Category
Cost Analysis2 stats
01
1.4% of total supply chain cost is attributable to inventory carrying costs (as estimated in supply chain cost breakdown studies)
02
25% improvement in inventory turns was reported after implementing cycle counting programs in warehouse operations (study result)
Interpretation
Cost Analysis Interpretation
From a cost analysis perspective, inventory carrying costs account for just 1.4% of total supply chain costs, yet a 25% improvement in inventory turns from cycle counting programs shows that reducing inventory friction can deliver meaningful operational value well beyond its small share of overall cost.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Marie Larsen. (2026, February 13). Inventory Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/inventory-statistics
MLA
Marie Larsen. "Inventory Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/inventory-statistics.
Chicago
Marie Larsen. 2026. "Inventory Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/inventory-statistics.
Sources & references
34 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+13 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)