Every shop owner knows the feeling: a customer asks for a popular item and it is not on the shelf. Stock-outs are rarely bad luck. They usually come from not knowing what is selling. Here are five habits that help.

1. Track every sale against stock

When each bill reduces stock automatically, your system always knows how much is left. This is the foundation for everything else.

2. Set a low-stock level for fast movers

Decide the quantity at which you want to reorder for each important item, and let alerts tell you when you reach it.

3. Review your top sellers every week

A weekly look at your best-selling items shows which products need a bigger buffer, especially before festivals and seasons.

4. Record purchases as soon as goods arrive

If purchases are entered late, your stock numbers drift away from reality. Make recording purchases part of receiving goods.

5. Count stock regularly

Even with software, a regular physical count catches breakage, theft and mistakes early. Fix differences while they are small.

With these habits and a billing system that tracks stock, running out of your best sellers becomes the exception rather than the rule.