Why Inventory Replenishment Software Pricing Based on Revenue Feels Unfair

If you’ve ever opened your inventory software invoice and thought, “Why am I paying more when nothing actually changed?” you’re not alone.

For many growing eCommerce brands, inventory replenishment software can start to feel expensive, not because the product stops delivering value, but because pricing increases as revenue grows, even as operational complexity stays the same.

This disconnect between what you pay and what you actually use is why revenue-based pricing often feels unfair, especially once your business starts scaling efficiently.

A simple example makes this clear:

A store selling 1,000 orders a month at $40 AOV and another selling 1,000 orders at $120 AOV place the same replenishment demands on inventory software.

Same SKUs.

Same suppliers.

Same reorder logic.

Yet under revenue-based pricing, one store pays significantly more not because inventory is harder to obtain, but because pricing is tied to revenue.

Why Revenue-Based Pricing Breaks Trust for Growing eCommerce Brands

Trust in software pricing comes from one simple expectation: the price should increase only when the value you receive increases.

Revenue-based pricing quietly violates that expectation.

As soon as a brand grows better marketing, higher average order value, and stronger conversion rates, the software bill rises, even though the product is doing the exact same work as before.

Inventory logic doesn’t become more complex because your revenue went up; SKUs, suppliers, lead times, and reorder rules often stay unchanged.

For growing eCommerce brands, this creates a sense of misalignment:

• You pay more without unlocking additional functionality
• Pricing feels detached from day-to-day operations
• Success starts to feel penalized instead of rewarded

Over time, this erodes confidence in the tool.

Instead of viewing the software as a long-term partner in growth, brands begin to question whether their costs are truly justified.

When pricing no longer reflects usage or effort, trust fades even if the product itself is still useful.

How Revenue-Based Pricing Punishes Efficient Scaling

Efficient scaling is about increasing revenue without increasing operational complexity. You sell more, but your processes stay lean. Revenue-based pricing ignores this reality.

When pricing is tied to revenue, a brand that improves conversion rates, raises prices, or runs better campaigns ends up paying more despite managing the same number of SKUs, suppliers, and replenishment workflows.

Inventory planning doesn’t suddenly require more effort, but the software cost still climbs.

This creates a subtle penalty for doing things right:

• Better margins lead to higher software fees
• Strong marketing performance triggers plan upgrades
• Operational efficiency isn’t reflected in pricing

The Hidden Cost of Revenue-Based Inventory Tools

The biggest downside of revenue-based pricing isn’t always the price itself, it’s the uncertainty it introduces into everyday decision-making.

When software costs fluctuate based on revenue, forecasting expenses becomes difficult.

A strong sales month can unexpectedly push a business into a higher pricing tier, even though inventory processes haven’t changed.

This makes budgeting less predictable and long-term planning harder than it needs to be.

Over time, these hidden costs start to surface:

• Sudden pricing jumps after promotions or seasonal spikes
• Extra internal effort spent monitoring revenue thresholds
• Hesitation to scale channels or increase prices
• Software costs that grow faster than operational needs

Instead of focusing on optimizing inventory levels, replenishment cycles, and supplier planning, teams are forced to think about pricing boundaries.

Why Order Volume Is a Better Measure of Replenishment Usage

Inventory replenishment software exists to answer one core question: how fast is inventory moving, and when should it be reordered?

That workload is driven by order activity not by how much revenue each order generates.

What Actually Triggers Replenishment Logic

Every order sets off a chain of inventory events:

• Inventory levels are reduced
• Demand patterns are updated
• Forecasts are recalculated
• Reorder timing and quantities are reassessed

The more often these events occur, the more work the replenishment system performs.

Why Revenue Doesn’t Reflect Replenishment Effort

Revenue changes without changing operational effort:

• A price increase doesn’t increase stock movement
• Higher AOV doesn’t add replenishment complexity
• Better marketing doesn’t alter inventory logic

From a system perspective, a $30 order and a $300 order are identical both represent one unit of demand.

How Order Volume Aligns Pricing With Usage

Order volume directly correlates with:

• How quickly inventory depletes
• How frequently reorders are required
• How dynamic demand forecasting needs to be
• How much processing the system performs

When pricing is based on order volume, cost scales with actual inventory activity, making it fair, predictable, and easier to justify as the business grows.

How Sumtracker Prices Inventory Replenishment Fairly

Sumtracker’s pricing model is designed around one principle: pricing should reflect inventory activity, not business success. Instead of tying costs to revenue, Sumtracker aligns pricing with how the system is actually used.

Pricing Based on Order Volume, Not Revenue

Sumtracker prices inventory replenishment based on order volume because orders are what drive inventory movement.

More orders mean faster stock depletion, more frequent forecasting updates, and tighter replenishment cycles. This keeps pricing directly connected to real operational usage.

Predictable Costs as Your Revenue Scales

Because pricing isn’t linked to revenue, businesses can increase prices, improve conversion rates, or run successful campaigns without worrying about unexpected plan upgrades.

Costs remain stable as long as operational load stays consistent, making budgeting and forecasting far more reliable.

Fair for Lean and Efficient Operations

Brands that scale efficiently without adding unnecessary complexity aren’t penalized. If your SKU count, suppliers, and workflows stay the same, your pricing stays reasonable, even as revenue grows.

Built for Long-Term Operational Growth

Sumtracker’s pricing supports sustainable scaling. As order volume increases, pricing grows gradually and transparently, reflecting actual replenishment effort rather than arbitrary revenue milestones. This ensures the software continues to feel like a growth partner, not a tax on success.

Conclusion

Inventory replenishment software shouldn’t feel more expensive simply because your business is performing well.

When pricing is tied to revenue, costs rise for reasons unrelated to inventory complexity, creating friction, uncertainty, and a sense that success is being penalized.

A pricing model based on order volume aligns with reality. It reflects how often inventory moves, how often replenishment decisions are made, and how much work the system actually does. That alignment makes costs easier to predict, justify, and live with as your business scales.

If you’re exploring inventory replenishment software built for long-term growth, Sumtracker offers a pricing approach designed around real usage not revenue milestones.

Take a closer look at how Sumtracker supports accurate, predictable replenishment planning without penalizing you for scaling efficiently.

FAQs

Why do inventory tools charge based on revenue?

Many inventory tools use revenue-based pricing because it’s easy to segment customers into tiers. However, revenue doesn’t accurately reflect inventory complexity or replenishment workload, which can make pricing feel misaligned as businesses grow.

Does higher revenue mean more inventory replenishment work?

Not necessarily. A business can increase revenue through better pricing, marketing, or higher AOV without adding SKUs, suppliers, or replenishment cycles. Inventory workload is driven by order activity, not revenue.

What is order-volume-based pricing in inventory software?

Order-volume-based pricing ties software cost to the number of orders processed rather than total sales value. Since each order impacts inventory levels, forecasting, and reordering logic, this model aligns pricing with actual system usage.

Is order-volume-based pricing better for scaling businesses?

Yes. It allows businesses to grow revenue without unexpected software cost increases, as long as operational complexity remains stable. This makes budgeting and scaling more predictable.

When should a business avoid revenue-based pricing models?

Revenue-based pricing becomes less suitable as a business scales efficiently, especially when revenue growth outpaces increases in SKUs, order volume, or operational complexity.