Bootstrapped
Retail SMEs
2015
Lean forecasting
Inventory planning
Co-founders Paul Simpson and Dominic Sutton launched StockTrim in 2017 to help small businesses improve inventory planning.
Their cloud-based forecasting tool gained early traction with SMEs through integrations with Shopify, Xero, Unleashed, and Vend, helping importers and wholesalers reduce stock-outs and overstock.
Startup Rollercoaster
The Spark
Software engineer Paul Simpson noticed small businesses lacked good inventory planning tools. His friend Dominic Sutton, who imported and wholesaled toys, had lost substantial capital due to poor inventory control. They founded StockTrim to solve this problem.
The Peak
After launching the cloud-based forecasting tool in 2017, SMEs adopted it to predict demand and optimise stock. StockTrim acquired customers in multiple countries via integrations with platforms like Shopify, Xero, Unleashed, Vend and others.
The Drop
Convincing businesses to pay for forecasting software when spreadsheets (or manual systems) were customary proved difficult. Cash flow was tight in early years.
The Reset
The team emphasised return on investment (ROI) by showing customers how StockTrim reduced stock-outs and over-stock costs. They focused on flexible pricing, targeting niche verticals like toy importers.
The Discipline
StockTrim invested in machine-learning algorithms for demand forecasting. They built integrations with popular inventory and accounting platforms. They also offered personal onboarding to help customers get value quickly.
The Climb
By 2020–2021, StockTrim had a growing global customer base—with many customers overseas as well as in New Zealand. Recurring revenue improved stability, helping the business scale.
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