Clearing inventory: discounts or bundles? A scenario to calculate before choosing

First, what problem must the campaign solve?

Assume a shop has a slow-selling group of accessories that still meet quality standards. The owner wants fewer of them in stock while considering cash collections and sales performance. The two options are discounting the slow-moving item or bundling it with a complementary one.

If the goal is clearing the slow-moving item, measure its sales separately. If cash within a deadline is the priority, examine actual collection timing after costs and payment conditions. Do not equate revenue recorded on orders with cash received.

Two options using the same assumption of 10 orders

All figures below are hypothetical, use the same calculation basis and exclude fixed costs. Slow-moving item A costs VND 100,000. The discount option sells A for VND 150,000; variable selling and delivery costs are VND 20,000 per order. Contribution per order is 150,000 − 100,000 − 20,000 = VND 30,000.

Complementary item B costs VND 80,000. A bundle containing one A and one B sells for VND 250,000; variable selling and delivery costs are VND 30,000 per order. Contribution is 250,000 − 100,000 − 80,000 − 30,000 = VND 40,000. Subtract any other campaign-specific costs, avoiding double-counting the same expense.

More cash collected, but more assets shipped too

If each option produces 10 valid, fully paid orders, discounts collect VND 1.5 million and generate VND 300,000 in contribution; bundles collect VND 2.5 million and generate VND 400,000 under these assumptions. Both clear 10 A items, while bundles also ship 10 B items.

This result does not prove bundles will sell better in practice. Customers may not want a set, delivery costs may rise or B may sell well individually. Consider whether putting B in the bundle sacrifices other sales opportunities and how much B stock is still needed for normal demand.

Run a small trial with clear comparison conditions

Choose scope, duration and customer group before testing. Track completed orders, A items cleared, net revenue after promotions and returns, additional costs and remaining quantities. Record whole-campaign costs, including outreach that generates no orders.

When comparing two groups, keep conditions similar where feasible and record differences in channel, seasonality or demand. For a small before-and-after comparison, use results to find signals, not to conclude definitively that the option caused the outcome. Expand only when reasons align with the goal and service capacity.

Do not let clearance justify overbuying next time

After the campaign, record why A became surplus, which option worked and what to change in purchasing plans. If discount-driven overbuying caused the problem, revisit quantities; if information was confusing, improve descriptions; if demand shifted, update the assortment.

Continue tracking whether customers are happy with the bundle and whether they return it. A quick sale may resolve immediate inventory pressure, while purchasing processes and demand data reduce recurrence risk. Begin the next review with SKUs tying up the most capital or needing the earliest action.

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