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Bestselling Products Report Documentation

Menu Location: Reports > Products > Bestselling Results

Access Level: Manager and above

Last Updated: 2026-03-01

Overview

The Bestselling Products Report provides comprehensive analytics on product sales performance, helping you identify top-performing items, understand buying trends, and make data-driven decisions about inventory, promotions, and featured products.

Primary Functions:

  • View products ranked by sales volume
  • Analyze revenue by product
  • Identify seasonal trends
  • Compare product performance across time periods
  • Export bestseller data for further analysis
  • Inform inventory and purchasing decisions

Page Layout

Header Section

  • Report Title: "Bestselling Products"
  • Date Range Selector: Choose time period for analysis
  • Filter Controls: Category, route, customer type filters
  • Export Button: Download report data

Summary Stats

  • Total Products Sold: Count of product units
  • Total Revenue: Dollar value of product sales
  • Average Order Value: Revenue per order
  • Top Product: Highest-selling item name

Bestsellers Table

Displays products ranked by performance with columns:

  • Rank: Position in bestsellers list
  • Product Name: Clickable to product detail
  • Category: Product type/category
  • Quantity Sold: Number of units sold
  • Revenue: Total dollar sales
  • Orders: Number of orders containing this product
  • Avg Price: Average selling price
  • Trend: Sales trend indicator (up/down/stable)

Chart Visualization

  • Bar Chart: Top 20 products by quantity or revenue
  • Trend Lines: Sales over time
  • Category Breakdown: Pie chart of sales by category

Date Range Selection

Predefined Date Ranges

Quick Select Options:

  • Today: Current day sales
  • Yesterday: Previous day
  • This Week: Current week to date
  • Last Week: Previous full week
  • This Month: Current month to date
  • Last Month: Previous full month
  • Last 30 Days: Rolling 30-day period
  • Last 90 Days: Rolling quarter
  • This Year: Year to date
  • Last Year: Previous full year
  • All Time: Complete sales history

Custom Date Range

Steps:

  1. Click "Custom Date Range" button
  2. Select Start Date from calendar
  3. Select End Date from calendar
  4. Click "Apply"
  5. Report refreshes with custom period data

Use Cases:

  • Specific season analysis (June 1 - August 31)
  • Promotional period (Black Friday week)
  • Quarter comparison (Q1 vs Q2)
  • Year-over-year (March 2025 vs March 2024)

Filters and Options

Category Filter

Filter by Product Category:

  • All Categories (default)
  • Produce
  • Meat & Seafood
  • Dairy
  • Pantry Items
  • Specialty Items
  • Custom categories

Purpose: Focus on specific product types

Example: View bestselling produce items only

Route Filter

Filter by Delivery Route:

  • All Routes (default)
  • Route 1, Route 2, Route 3, etc.
  • Pickup customers
  • Shipped orders

Purpose: Compare regional preferences

Example: Compare bestsellers in urban vs. rural routes

Customer Type Filter

Filter by Customer Segment:

  • All Customers (default)
  • Active Subscribers
  • One-time Purchasers
  • Wholesale Customers
  • Gift Recipients

Purpose: Understand different customer segment preferences

Sorting Options

Sort Results By:

  • Quantity Sold (default) - Most units sold
  • Revenue - Highest dollar sales
  • Orders - Appears in most orders
  • Avg Price - Highest average selling price
  • Product Name - Alphabetical
  • Category - Grouped by type

Sort Direction:

  • Descending (highest first) - default
  • Ascending (lowest first)

Understanding the Data

Report Data & Columns

Column Description Calculation/Source
Rank Position in bestseller list Based on selected sort (quantity or revenue)
Product Name Name of product Clickable link to product edit page
Category Product category/type From product classification
Quantity Sold Total units sold Sum of all quantities in orders
Revenue Total dollar sales Quantity × Price for all orders
Orders Number of orders Count of unique orders containing product
Avg Price Average selling price Total Revenue ÷ Quantity Sold
Trend Sales trend indicator Comparison to previous period

Trend Indicators

Icons and Meaning:

  • ↑ Green Arrow: Sales increased vs. previous period
  • ↓ Red Arrow: Sales decreased vs. previous period
  • → Gray Arrow: Sales stable (within 5% variance)
  • ★ Star: New product (no previous period data)

Percentage Change:

  • Hover over arrow to see exact percentage change
  • Example: "↑ 23% vs. last month"

Analyzing Bestsellers

Identifying Top Performers

Top 10 Products:

  • Focus on products ranked 1-10
  • These drive significant revenue
  • Ensure always in stock
  • Feature prominently on website
  • Negotiate better supplier pricing

Top 20% (Pareto Principle):

  • Often 20% of products drive 80% of revenue
  • Identify this critical 20%
  • Prioritize inventory and marketing
  • Protect against stockouts

Category Analysis

Compare Categories:

  1. Sort by Category
  2. Identify top product in each category
  3. Compare category performance
  4. Adjust inventory by category demand

Example Insights:

  • "Produce outsells meat 3:1"
  • "Dairy has highest avg order value"
  • "Specialty items growing fastest"

Compare Time Periods:

  1. Run report for current season
  2. Run report for same season last year
  3. Compare results
  4. Identify seasonal patterns

Example Seasonal Insights:

  • Berries peak in summer (June-Aug)
  • Squashes peak in fall (Sept-Nov)
  • Citrus peak in winter (Dec-Feb)
  • Asparagus peak in spring (April-May)

Price Sensitivity Analysis

Compare Quantity vs. Revenue:

  • High quantity, low revenue = Volume product
  • Low quantity, high revenue = Premium product
  • High quantity, high revenue = Star product
  • Low quantity, low revenue = Underperformer

Strategic Actions:

  • Star Products: Maintain, feature prominently
  • Volume Products: Ensure supply, consider bundling
  • Premium Products: Highlight quality, target high-value customers
  • Underperformers: Consider discontinuing or promoting

Export & Download Options

Export Formats

CSV Export:

  • Purpose: Spreadsheet analysis
  • Contents: All visible data columns
  • Format: Comma-separated values
  • Usage: Excel, Google Sheets analysis

PDF Export:

  • Purpose: Printable report
  • Contents: Summary stats + table + charts
  • Format: Formatted PDF document
  • Usage: Presentations, meetings, archiving

Export Process

Steps:

  1. Apply desired filters and date range
  2. Sort data as desired
  3. Click "Export" button
  4. Select format (CSV or PDF)
  5. Choose "All Results" or "Top 50"
  6. Click "Download"
  7. File downloads to browser

What's Included:

  • All data currently visible in table
  • Applied filters noted in header
  • Date range specified
  • Export timestamp

Common Use Cases

Use Case 1: Identify Products to Feature This Week

Goal: Select products for Featured Products section

Steps:

  1. Set Date Range: Last 30 Days
  2. Sort by: Quantity Sold
  3. Review top 20 products
  4. Cross-reference with current inventory
  5. Identify 5-10 in-stock top sellers
  6. Navigate to Featured Products Sort
  7. Move selected products to top positions
  8. Monitor sales impact

Result: Featured section shows proven bestsellers, driving conversions

Use Case 2: Seasonal Inventory Planning

Goal: Prepare inventory for upcoming summer season

Steps:

  1. Set Date Range: June 1 - August 31 (last year)
  2. Filter Category: Produce
  3. Export top 30 products to CSV
  4. Open in Excel
  5. Compare to current inventory levels
  6. Create purchase orders for summer produce
  7. Plan supplier orders 2-4 weeks in advance

Result: Adequate inventory of summer favorites, reduced waste

Use Case 3: Analyze Promotional Campaign Success

Goal: Measure impact of "Beef Month" promotion

Steps:

  1. Set Custom Date Range: Promotion period (e.g., March 1-31)
  2. Filter Category: Meat & Seafood
  3. Note quantity and revenue for beef products
  4. Change Date Range: Same period last year (March 1-31 previous year)
  5. Compare quantities and revenue
  6. Calculate percentage change
  7. Document results for future promotions

Result: Data-driven evaluation of promotional effectiveness

Use Case 4: Regional Preference Analysis

Goal: Understand different route preferences

Steps:

  1. Set Date Range: Last 90 Days
  2. Filter Route: Route 1 (urban)
  3. Note top 10 products
  4. Export to CSV
  5. Change Filter: Route 5 (rural)
  6. Note top 10 products
  7. Compare lists side-by-side
  8. Identify unique preferences
  9. Adjust route-specific offerings

Result: Tailored product offerings by route demographics

Use Case 5: Identify Underperforming Products to Discontinue

Goal: Find products to remove from catalog

Steps:

  1. Set Date Range: Last 90 Days
  2. Sort by: Quantity Sold (Ascending - lowest first)
  3. Review bottom 20 products
  4. Check inventory levels
  5. Calculate carrying costs
  6. Identify products with < 5 sales in 90 days
  7. Review if seasonal (may be off-season)
  8. Create list of products to discontinue
  9. Plan clearance or removal

Result: Streamlined catalog, reduced inventory costs

Troubleshooting

Report Shows No Data

Symptoms:

  • Empty table
  • "No results found" message
  • Zero sales in summary

Check:

  1. Is date range correct? (not future dates)
  2. Are filters too restrictive?
  3. Was there actually sales in this period?
  4. Do you have permission to view this data?

Solutions:

  1. Expand date range
  2. Clear filters (select "All")
  3. Try broader date range
  4. Contact admin about permissions

Numbers Don't Match Expected Sales

Symptoms:

  • Revenue totals seem wrong
  • Quantities don't match manual count
  • Missing products

Check:

  1. Are cancelled orders included/excluded?
  2. Are refunds accounted for?
  3. Is report filtering certain order types?
  4. Check date range boundaries (inclusive/exclusive)

Solutions:

  1. Review report parameters
  2. Compare to Orders report for same period
  3. Check if filters excluding orders
  4. Verify timezone settings

Export Fails or Incomplete

Symptoms:

  • Export button doesn't work
  • Downloaded file empty
  • File download times out

Solutions:

  1. Try smaller date range (less data)
  2. Export "Top 50" instead of "All Results"
  3. Clear browser cache
  4. Try different browser
  5. Contact admin if large dataset

Trend Indicators Not Showing

Symptoms:

  • No arrows or trend icons
  • All showing as "New"
  • Percentages missing

Check:

  1. Is there data for previous period?
  2. Is date range long enough for comparison?
  3. Are you viewing all-time (no comparison period)?

Solutions:

  1. Use defined periods (This Month, Last Month) for auto-comparison
  2. Ensure business has enough history for trends
  3. Wait for more data if newly launched
  • Order Contents Dump - Detailed order-by-order product data
  • Product Quantities Over Time - Trend analysis for specific products
  • Products - Edit products identified as top or underperformers
  • Featured Products Sort - Feature bestselling products
  • Inventory Management - Adjust stock based on bestseller data

Typical Workflow:

  1. Run Bestselling Products Report
  2. Identify top performers
  3. Update Featured Products Sort with top sellers
  4. Adjust inventory levels in Inventory Management
  5. Review underperformers for discontinuation

Permissions & Access

Required Access Level: Manager or higher

Access Level Capabilities:

  • Manager: View report, export data, all filters
  • Administrator: All Manager capabilities + historical comparisons
  • Kiva Admin: All features + raw data access

Restricted Features:

  • Customer Service cannot access this report
  • Some financial metrics may require Administrator access

Best Practices

Regular Analysis

  1. Weekly review: Check top 10 for stock levels
  2. Monthly deep dive: Analyze trends and patterns
  3. Quarterly comparison: Year-over-year performance
  4. Seasonal planning: Pre-season inventory preparation
  5. Document insights: Keep notes on findings

Data-Driven Decisions

  1. Feature proof: Use data to select featured products
  2. Inventory optimization: Order based on actual demand
  3. Pricing strategy: Analyze price sensitivity
  4. Promotion planning: Focus on high-potential products
  5. Product development: Identify gaps in bestsellers

Reporting Hygiene

  1. Consistent time periods: Use same periods for comparisons
  2. Account for seasonality: Compare to same season prior year
  3. Filter awareness: Know what filters are applied
  4. Export backup: Save monthly reports for historical reference
  5. Share insights: Communicate findings with team

Strategic Applications

  1. Supplier negotiations: Use volume data for better pricing
  2. Marketing focus: Promote proven winners
  3. Category expansion: Invest in high-performing categories
  4. Customer segmentation: Understand preference by segment
  5. Profit optimization: Focus on high-margin bestsellers

Things to Avoid

  • Don't compare mismatched time periods (30 days vs 90 days)
  • Don't ignore seasonal patterns (berries low in winter is normal)
  • Don't discontinue products without checking seasonality
  • Don't over-order based on one-time spike (verify trend)
  • Don't forget to account for cancelled/refunded orders

Quick Reference Card

Task Action/Location
View last 30 days bestsellers Date Range > Last 30 Days
Find top product overall Sort by Quantity Sold, view rank #1
See revenue by product Sort by Revenue column
Compare this month vs last Run report twice with different ranges
Identify underperformers Sort by Quantity Sold (Ascending)
Export to Excel Export button > CSV format
View produce bestsellers only Category Filter > Produce
Check regional preferences Route Filter > Select route
See seasonal trends Custom Date Range > Same period last year
Find products to feature Top 10 by Quantity Sold, in stock

FAQs

What's the difference between sorting by Quantity vs. Revenue?

  • Quantity Sold: Shows most popular products (volume)
  • Revenue: Shows highest-earning products (dollar value)
  • Example: 100 $5 apples = $500 (high quantity), 10 $60 steaks = $600 (high revenue)

Why would a product show high quantity but low revenue?

This indicates a volume product - high sales but low price point. Examples: potatoes, carrots, onions. These are important for customer satisfaction even if low margin.

How often should I run this report?

Recommended frequency:

  • Weekly: Quick check of top 10, ensure stock
  • Monthly: Full analysis, identify trends
  • Quarterly: Strategic review, year-over-year comparison
  • Before major decisions: Product discontinuation, large inventory orders

Can I see which customers bought specific bestsellers?

This report shows aggregate data. For customer-specific purchase history, use the Order Contents Dump report or individual Customer Detail pages.

Why do my bestsellers change so much week to week?

Common reasons:

  • Seasonality: Different products in season
  • Promotions: Sale items spike temporarily
  • Weather: Temperature affects produce demand
  • Inventory: Out-of-stock products can't sell
  • Small sample: Weekly data more volatile than monthly

Should I only stock bestselling products?

No! While bestsellers are important:

  • Long tail: Many customers want variety
  • Complementary products: Support products pair with bestsellers
  • Premium options: High-margin even if lower volume
  • Seasonal rotation: Some products sell in bursts

How do I compare this year to last year?

Run report twice:

  1. First run: This year's date range (e.g., Jan 1 - Mar 31, 2026)
  2. Second run: Same period last year (Jan 1 - Mar 31, 2025)
  3. Export both to CSV
  4. Compare side-by-side in Excel

Do cancelled orders count in bestsellers?

Typically no - most systems exclude cancelled and refunded orders from sales reports. Check your system settings or ask administrator.

What if my top product is out of stock?

Immediate actions:

  1. Order more immediately (expedite if possible)
  2. Feature substitute product in meantime
  3. Notify customers if extended delay
  4. Adjust inventory min/max levels to prevent future stockouts

Can I schedule this report to run automatically?

Some systems allow scheduled reports. Check Reports menu for "Scheduled Reports" or "Report Subscriptions." If available, you can receive weekly/monthly bestseller reports via email.

Change Log

2026-03-01

  • Initial documentation created
  • All sections completed following template structure

End of Documentation

For additional help, contact your system administrator or Kiva Logic support.