5 Inventory Mistakes in Roofing Supplies That Are Hurting Your Late-Summer Sales

Roofing supply sales do not slow down in the summer – they skyrocket. From July through October, contractors and distributors are racing to complete projects before winter weather sets in, especially in the northern and coastal regions. It is the busiest stretch of the year for roofing and is driven by  new construction, storm repairs, and seasonal upgrades. Yet many suppliers continue to manage inventory the same way year-round. That leads to missed sales, stockouts, and stale inventory when it matters most. 

With roofing product demand fluctuating by region and product type, it is more important than ever to align your inventory strategy with real-world conditions. Below, we will cover five of the most common inventory mistakes made in the roofing category and how you can avoid them before they cost you shelf space, market share, and customer loyalty.

Mistake #1: Treating All Roofing SKUs Equally During Peak Season

Not all roofing materials are created equal. Some SKUs, like asphalt shingles, or waterproof underlayments, surge in demand during later summer, while others move more steadily year-round. Smart suppliers are taking a deeper look into their inventory trends down to the SKU-level to make sure that they optimize high-demand SKUs during the right times of the year. Failing to account for the seasonal demand difference, especially at the SKU level, leads to excess stock in some areas and costly stockouts in others. Both of these outcomes can negatively affect your overall costs, sales, and revenue. It is important to not only pay attention to trends in the types of material used but also the best times of year to replace roofing.  According to many roofing sources, fall tends to be the best time of year for roof replacement or repairs. 

FIX: Use demand reporting tools like Datavations’ Inventory Optimizer to track sales velocity and allocate products dynamically by category, velocity, and retail region. With this tool you are able to view your categories down to the SKU-level avoiding guesswork and missed opportunities to enhance your inventory strategy. 

Mistake #2: Using Last Year’s Forecast to Plan This Year’s Sales

Roofing supply needs shift from year to year due to weather patterns, inflation, tariffs (this year), labor shortages, and regional housing starts. If you are using static historical forecasts, you are planning with outdated assumptions – and missing key opportunities. According to the NOAA, in 2024, extreme weather and climate events reached historic highs across the U.S., disrupting communities and supply chains alike.¹

FIX: Incorporate demand trends and more current sales data to refine forecasts as conditions evolve. This allows you to respond quickly to market signals without overcorrecting. For example, insights such as the NOAA infographic below on probable hurricanes this year could be useful when planning regional inventory for roofing supplies and repair kits. 

Mistake #3: Understocking Emergency Repair Essentials

Summer storms seem to be hitting more often and with stronger force these days. The result is a gust of last-minute purchases for sealants, tarp kits, and patching materials. Based on IBISWorld findings, “a gain in severe weather events, like tornadoes and hurricanes, led to significant roof damage across residential and commercial properties, increasing the need for emergency repairs and replacements”³. Suppliers often focus too much on full roofing systems and forget the high-margin accessories needed during peak periods. 

FIX: Establish alerts for replenishment signals on emergency SKUs and use July-October as a buffer-stock period. 

Mistake #4: Ignoring Regional Demand Differences

Florida’s hurricane season means asphalt shingles and readily available repair supplies. Hailstorms in the Midwest make metal roofing or impact-resistant shingles a more popular choice. In the Northeast, ice and water shields are necessary features and homes are initiating roofing repairs or updates to beat the winter-prep deadlines. These are just a few examples but as you can see, roofing supply trends are highly regional. Inventory that flies off the shelves in one state may be collecting dust in another. According to the Research Committee of the Center for Environmental Innovation in Roofing (CEIR), “in many areas of the country the type of roof surface makes a significant contribution in reducing total building heating and cooling costs.”⁴ 

FIX: Use localized performance data to plan regional assortments. Your Southern strategy should not look like your plan for the Northeast. 

Mistake #5: Failing to Collaborate with Retailers on Inventory Strategy

Even the best inventory planning can fall short if it happens within a silo. Many suppliers focus internally on forecasts and historical trends but overlook a key success factor during the peak roofing season: proactive collaboration with their retail partners. Without shared visibility into what is selling, what is at risk of stocking out, and where demand is shifting, suppliers could send the wrong products to the wrong places or miss critical replenishment windows altogether. 

FIX: Align closely with retail partners during the July - October season to share insights, troubleshoot issues, and adjust stock allocations. When weekly or monthly performance data is translated into retailer-specific dashboards and planning conversations, it opens the door to smarter replenishment and better in-store execution. 

It is not just about seeing the numbers – it’s about using them to strengthen relationships and drive shared success. 

Quick tip: Treat peak season like a joint sprint. Schedule regular check-ins with retail buyers, bring SKU- and region-specific insights to the table, and recommend adjustments based on what the data is telling you. 

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Turn Seasonal Pressure into Strategic Advantage

The upcoming roofing rush does not have to strain your supply chain. With granular insights and flexible planning, suppliers can avoid costly mistakes and instead maximize peak-season performance. Datavations helps distributors and manufacturers turn SKU-level data into actionable insights that allow your teams to stock smarter, raise revenue, and turn errors into earnings. We want you to win this peak season – are you ready? 

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See how our Inventory Optimizer helps roofing suppliers stay ready

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Related Links:

Datavations Inventory Optimizer 

Speak to Sales 

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Sources:

1. Smith, Adam B. “2024: An active year of U.S. billion-dollar weather and climate disasters.” Climate, 10 January 2025, https://www.climate.gov/news-features/blogs/beyond-data/2024-active-year-us-billion-dollar-weather-and-climate-disasters. Accessed 27 June 2025.
2. National Weather Service Public Affairs. “NOAA predicts above-normal 2025 Atlantic hurricane season | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.” NOAA, 22 May 2025, https://www.noaa.gov/news-release/noaa-predicts-above-normal-2025-atlantic-hurricane-season. Accessed 30 June 2025.
3. Ristoff, Jared. “Roofing Contractors in the US - Market Research Report (2015-2030).” IBISWorld, 2025, https://www.ibisworld.com/united-states/industry/roofing-contractors/198/. Accessed 27 June 2025.
4. Hoff, James. “An Outcome-Based, Multi-Variate Approach to Roof Surface Thermal Contribution.” NRCA, 2012, https://nrca.net/roofingguidelines/Library/Detail?id=KJj6myrCQTQ%3D. Accessed 27 June 2025.

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