Abstract:

The purpose of this article is to present a comparison of three alternative methods for sales forecasting - trend analysis, time series analysis and regression analysis. Rather than looking at the theoretical differences, the focus is on practical differences that can be easily understood by the marketing executive. Thus this comparison includes a discussion of the assumptions about the sales forecasting situation inherent in each method, a look at the use of each technique in a number of real situations, and perhaps most importantly, the reliability and accuracy of the forecasts produced using each technique.