Ferry Lane · A fair comparison

Keep score. Including the misses.

Save the suggestion and your own planned buy before either sees the outcome. Then compare both with the same units needed by Thursday. Lower units off is better. Ties stay in.

9 July to 3 September 2026Nine fictional weekly checks

Inside the software

See the actual product

Open the real software exactly as an owner sees it each morning, with invented figures.

The worked examples on this demo site and the product pages use separate invented snapshots, so their dates and totals differ.

Ferry Lane

Millfield Parade

Station Corner

This explains the measure, not proven performance. Each week checks one 25-product comparison of a Monday basket over three days to Thursday. It is not a full week of buying. All choices and units needed by Thursday are invented.

Stock engine · units off

242

Sum of absolute gaps across all 225 products compared

You · units off

296

Same 225 products compared against units needed by Thursday

Weeks won by stock engine

6 / 9

You won 2 weeks · 1 week tied

What does “units off” mean?

The size of the gap between units proposed and units later needed, ignoring whether it is over or under. Add every line’s gap. A 2-unit overbuy and a 3-unit underbuy add up to 5 units off.

“Needed” is the made-up extra stock required after usable opening stock, in sellable units. It is not a sales total. In a real shop, lost sales and stock-count errors would make it an estimate.

One honest bias in this yardstick: units off counts deliberate buffer as error. A shopkeeper who over-buys on purpose ahead of a sunny weekend scores worse here even when the call was right, and the engine is tuned to this exact yardstick. Read the gap as directional, not as a precise measure of better buying.

What does “lines closer” mean?

Give one point to the smaller gap on each product. Equal gaps are ties, including where both buy nothing. Do not turn this into a claim about accuracy or money saved.

44 closer for the stock engine + 37 closer for you + 144 ties = 225 products compared. Whole cases can leave both choices above the units needed by Thursday.

The weekly record

Units off decides the weekly winner

Week ending Thursday	Stock engine units off	You units off	Lines closer Stock engine / you	Tied lines	Week winner
9 Jul	26Running 26	38Running 38	6 / 4	15	Stock engine
16 Jul	24Running 50	34Running 72	5 / 4	16	Stock engine
23 Jul	27Running 77	23Running 95	3 / 4	18	You
30 Jul	25Running 102	37Running 132	6 / 4	15	Stock engine
6 Aug	36Running 138	30Running 162	4 / 5	16	You
13 Aug	24Running 162	34Running 196	5 / 4	16	Stock engine
20 Aug	28Running 190	28Running 224	4 / 4	17	Tie
27 Aug	25Running 215	33Running 257	5 / 4	16	Stock engine
3 Sep	27Running 242	39Running 296	6 / 4	15	Stock engine
Nine-week total	242	296	44 / 37	144	6 / 2 / 1 weeks

Final column in the total row: stock engine wins / your wins / tied weeks. Click a date, then expand the matching basket below to check every line.

You won two of the nine weeks, ending 23 July and 6 August. Both results stay in the total. On 20 August the two choices finished level at 28 units off each, with wins on both sides inside the basket.

Check the numbers yourself

25 products checked in every sample

To make the arithmetic easy to follow, the suggested basket repeats across all nine samples. Your planned buys and the units needed by Thursday change. This is a teaching example, not a trading history.

9 Jul · 26 vs 38 units off

All figures below are sellable units. Gap = absolute difference from “needed”.

Product	Stock engine	You	Units needed by Thursday	Stock engine gap	Your gap	Closer
Semi-skimmed milk · 2 litres	18	18	20	2	2	Tie
Whole milk · 2 litres	6	6	6	0	0	Tie
Natural yoghurt · 500 g	12	12	12	0	0	Tie
Cheddar · 250 g	6	12	11	5	1	You
Free-range eggs · box of 6	12	12	12	0	0	Tie
Butter · 250 g	0	6	0	0	6	Stock engine
Orange juice · 1 litre	6	6	6	0	0	Tie
White sliced loaf	18	18	18	0	0	Tie
Wholemeal sliced loaf	12	12	12	0	0	Tie
Soft rolls · pack of 4	6	12	6	0	6	Stock engine
Plain croissants · pack of 2	0	6	4	4	2	You
Still water · 500 ml	24	24	24	0	0	Tie
Cola · 330 ml	24	24	24	0	0	Tie
Lemonade · 330 ml	12	12	12	0	0	Tie
Apple juice · 1 litre	0	0	0	0	0	Tie
Pasta · 500 g	12	6	7	5	1	You
Chopped tomatoes · 400 g	12	18	14	2	4	Stock engine
Baked beans · 400 g	12	12	12	0	0	Tie
Long-grain rice · 1 kg	0	0	0	0	0	Tie
Ready salted crisps · 40 g	24	24	24	0	0	Tie
Milk chocolate · 100 g	12	18	14	2	4	Stock engine
Oat biscuits · 300 g	0	6	1	1	5	Stock engine
Toilet tissue · pack of 4	6	12	11	5	1	You
Washing-up liquid · 500 ml	0	6	0	0	6	Stock engine
Kitchen foil · 10 metres	0	0	0	0	0	Tie
Basket totals	234	282	250	26	38	15 tied lines

16 Jul · 24 vs 34 units off

All figures below are sellable units. Gap = absolute difference from “needed”.

Product	Stock engine	You	Units needed by Thursday	Stock engine gap	Your gap	Closer
Semi-skimmed milk · 2 litres	18	12	12	6	0	You
Whole milk · 2 litres	6	0	2	4	2	You
Natural yoghurt · 500 g	12	12	10	2	2	Tie
Cheddar · 250 g	6	6	6	0	0	Tie
Free-range eggs · box of 6	12	12	12	0	0	Tie
Butter · 250 g	0	6	1	1	5	Stock engine
Orange juice · 1 litre	6	0	5	1	5	Stock engine
White sliced loaf	18	24	22	4	2	You
Wholemeal sliced loaf	12	12	12	0	0	Tie
Soft rolls · pack of 4	6	6	6	0	0	Tie
Plain croissants · pack of 2	0	0	0	0	0	Tie
Still water · 500 ml	24	24	24	0	0	Tie
Cola · 330 ml	24	24	24	0	0	Tie
Lemonade · 330 ml	12	12	12	0	0	Tie
Apple juice · 1 litre	0	0	0	0	0	Tie
Pasta · 500 g	12	12	12	0	0	Tie
Chopped tomatoes · 400 g	12	12	12	0	0	Tie
Baked beans · 400 g	12	12	12	0	0	Tie
Long-grain rice · 1 kg	0	6	1	1	5	Stock engine
Ready salted crisps · 40 g	24	24	24	0	0	Tie
Milk chocolate · 100 g	12	12	12	0	0	Tie
Oat biscuits · 300 g	0	6	0	0	6	Stock engine
Toilet tissue · pack of 4	6	0	6	0	6	Stock engine
Washing-up liquid · 500 ml	0	6	5	5	1	You
Kitchen foil · 10 metres	0	0	0	0	0	Tie
Basket totals	234	240	232	24	34	16 tied lines

23 Jul · 27 vs 23 units off

All figures below are sellable units. Gap = absolute difference from “needed”.

Product	Stock engine	You	Units needed by Thursday	Stock engine gap	Your gap	Closer
Semi-skimmed milk · 2 litres	18	12	13	5	1	You
Whole milk · 2 litres	6	6	8	2	2	Tie
Natural yoghurt · 500 g	12	12	14	2	2	Tie
Cheddar · 250 g	6	6	6	0	0	Tie
Free-range eggs · box of 6	12	18	14	2	4	Stock engine
Butter · 250 g	0	6	0	0	6	Stock engine
Orange juice · 1 litre	6	12	7	1	5	Stock engine
White sliced loaf	18	18	18	0	0	Tie
Wholemeal sliced loaf	12	12	12	0	0	Tie
Soft rolls · pack of 4	6	6	6	0	0	Tie
Plain croissants · pack of 2	0	0	0	0	0	Tie
Still water · 500 ml	24	24	24	0	0	Tie
Cola · 330 ml	24	24	24	0	0	Tie
Lemonade · 330 ml	12	12	12	0	0	Tie
Apple juice · 1 litre	0	0	0	0	0	Tie
Pasta · 500 g	12	12	12	0	0	Tie
Chopped tomatoes · 400 g	12	12	12	0	0	Tie
Baked beans · 400 g	12	12	12	0	0	Tie
Long-grain rice · 1 kg	0	0	0	0	0	Tie
Ready salted crisps · 40 g	24	24	24	0	0	Tie
Milk chocolate · 100 g	12	12	12	0	0	Tie
Oat biscuits · 300 g	0	6	4	4	2	You
Toilet tissue · pack of 4	6	12	11	5	1	You
Washing-up liquid · 500 ml	0	0	0	0	0	Tie
Kitchen foil · 10 metres	0	6	6	6	0	You
Basket totals	234	264	251	27	23	18 tied lines

30 Jul · 25 vs 37 units off

All figures below are sellable units. Gap = absolute difference from “needed”.

Product	Stock engine	You	Units needed by Thursday	Stock engine gap	Your gap	Closer
Semi-skimmed milk · 2 litres	18	18	19	1	1	Tie
Whole milk · 2 litres	6	6	6	0	0	Tie
Natural yoghurt · 500 g	12	18	12	0	6	Stock engine
Cheddar · 250 g	6	6	6	0	0	Tie
Free-range eggs · box of 6	12	18	16	4	2	You
Butter · 250 g	0	0	0	0	0	Tie
Orange juice · 1 litre	6	12	11	5	1	You
White sliced loaf	18	18	18	0	0	Tie
Wholemeal sliced loaf	12	18	16	4	2	You
Soft rolls · pack of 4	6	12	8	2	4	Stock engine
Plain croissants · pack of 2	0	0	0	0	0	Tie
Still water · 500 ml	24	24	24	0	0	Tie
Cola · 330 ml	24	24	24	0	0	Tie
Lemonade · 330 ml	12	12	12	0	0	Tie
Apple juice · 1 litre	0	0	0	0	0	Tie
Pasta · 500 g	12	18	13	1	5	Stock engine
Chopped tomatoes · 400 g	12	18	16	4	2	You
Baked beans · 400 g	12	6	11	1	5	Stock engine
Long-grain rice · 1 kg	0	0	0	0	0	Tie
Ready salted crisps · 40 g	24	24	24	0	0	Tie
Milk chocolate · 100 g	12	6	11	1	5	Stock engine
Oat biscuits · 300 g	0	0	0	0	0	Tie
Toilet tissue · pack of 4	6	6	6	0	0	Tie
Washing-up liquid · 500 ml	0	6	2	2	4	Stock engine
Kitchen foil · 10 metres	0	0	0	0	0	Tie
Basket totals	234	270	255	25	37	15 tied lines

6 Aug · 36 vs 30 units off

All figures below are sellable units. Gap = absolute difference from “needed”.

Product	Stock engine	You	Units needed by Thursday	Stock engine gap	Your gap	Closer
Semi-skimmed milk · 2 litres	18	18	16	2	2	Tie
Whole milk · 2 litres	6	6	8	2	2	Tie
Natural yoghurt · 500 g	12	12	10	2	2	Tie
Cheddar · 250 g	6	12	7	1	5	Stock engine
Free-range eggs · box of 6	12	6	11	1	5	Stock engine
Butter · 250 g	0	6	5	5	1	You
Orange juice · 1 litre	6	6	6	0	0	Tie
White sliced loaf	18	18	18	0	0	Tie
Wholemeal sliced loaf	12	6	7	5	1	You
Soft rolls · pack of 4	6	12	11	5	1	You
Plain croissants · pack of 2	0	6	1	1	5	Stock engine
Still water · 500 ml	24	24	24	0	0	Tie
Cola · 330 ml	24	24	24	0	0	Tie
Lemonade · 330 ml	12	12	12	0	0	Tie
Apple juice · 1 litre	0	0	0	0	0	Tie
Pasta · 500 g	12	12	12	0	0	Tie
Chopped tomatoes · 400 g	12	6	7	5	1	You
Baked beans · 400 g	12	12	12	0	0	Tie
Long-grain rice · 1 kg	0	0	0	0	0	Tie
Ready salted crisps · 40 g	24	24	24	0	0	Tie
Milk chocolate · 100 g	12	12	12	0	0	Tie
Oat biscuits · 300 g	0	0	0	0	0	Tie
Toilet tissue · pack of 4	6	12	12	6	0	You
Washing-up liquid · 500 ml	0	6	1	1	5	Stock engine
Kitchen foil · 10 metres	0	0	0	0	0	Tie
Basket totals	234	252	240	36	30	16 tied lines

13 Aug · 24 vs 34 units off

All figures below are sellable units. Gap = absolute difference from “needed”.

Product	Stock engine	You	Units needed by Thursday	Stock engine gap	Your gap	Closer
Semi-skimmed milk · 2 litres	18	24	19	1	5	Stock engine
Whole milk · 2 litres	6	6	4	2	2	Tie
Natural yoghurt · 500 g	12	12	12	0	0	Tie
Cheddar · 250 g	6	6	6	0	0	Tie
Free-range eggs · box of 6	12	12	12	0	0	Tie
Butter · 250 g	0	0	0	0	0	Tie
Orange juice · 1 litre	6	12	12	6	0	You
White sliced loaf	18	12	14	4	2	You
Wholemeal sliced loaf	12	18	16	4	2	You
Soft rolls · pack of 4	6	6	6	0	0	Tie
Plain croissants · pack of 2	0	6	1	1	5	Stock engine
Still water · 500 ml	24	24	24	0	0	Tie
Cola · 330 ml	24	24	24	0	0	Tie
Lemonade · 330 ml	12	12	12	0	0	Tie
Apple juice · 1 litre	0	0	0	0	0	Tie
Pasta · 500 g	12	6	12	0	6	Stock engine
Chopped tomatoes · 400 g	12	12	12	0	0	Tie
Baked beans · 400 g	12	6	11	1	5	Stock engine
Long-grain rice · 1 kg	0	0	0	0	0	Tie
Ready salted crisps · 40 g	24	24	24	0	0	Tie
Milk chocolate · 100 g	12	18	16	4	2	You
Oat biscuits · 300 g	0	6	1	1	5	Stock engine
Toilet tissue · pack of 4	6	6	6	0	0	Tie
Washing-up liquid · 500 ml	0	0	0	0	0	Tie
Kitchen foil · 10 metres	0	0	0	0	0	Tie
Basket totals	234	252	244	24	34	16 tied lines

20 Aug · 28 vs 28 units off

All figures below are sellable units. Gap = absolute difference from “needed”.

Product	Stock engine	You	Units needed by Thursday	Stock engine gap	Your gap	Closer
Semi-skimmed milk · 2 litres	18	18	20	2	2	Tie
Whole milk · 2 litres	6	6	4	2	2	Tie
Natural yoghurt · 500 g	12	12	12	0	0	Tie
Cheddar · 250 g	6	6	6	0	0	Tie
Free-range eggs · box of 6	12	18	17	5	1	You
Butter · 250 g	0	6	1	1	5	Stock engine
Orange juice · 1 litre	6	0	2	4	2	You
White sliced loaf	18	24	23	5	1	You
Wholemeal sliced loaf	12	18	17	5	1	You
Soft rolls · pack of 4	6	6	6	0	0	Tie
Plain croissants · pack of 2	0	0	0	0	0	Tie
Still water · 500 ml	24	24	24	0	0	Tie
Cola · 330 ml	24	24	24	0	0	Tie
Lemonade · 330 ml	12	12	12	0	0	Tie
Apple juice · 1 litre	0	0	0	0	0	Tie
Pasta · 500 g	12	12	12	0	0	Tie
Chopped tomatoes · 400 g	12	12	12	0	0	Tie
Baked beans · 400 g	12	12	12	0	0	Tie
Long-grain rice · 1 kg	0	0	0	0	0	Tie
Ready salted crisps · 40 g	24	24	24	0	0	Tie
Milk chocolate · 100 g	12	18	13	1	5	Stock engine
Oat biscuits · 300 g	0	0	0	0	0	Tie
Toilet tissue · pack of 4	6	6	6	0	0	Tie
Washing-up liquid · 500 ml	0	6	2	2	4	Stock engine
Kitchen foil · 10 metres	0	6	1	1	5	Stock engine
Basket totals	234	270	250	28	28	17 tied lines

27 Aug · 25 vs 33 units off

All figures below are sellable units. Gap = absolute difference from “needed”.

Product	Stock engine	You	Units needed by Thursday	Stock engine gap	Your gap	Closer
Semi-skimmed milk · 2 litres	18	12	18	0	6	Stock engine
Whole milk · 2 litres	6	0	2	4	2	You
Natural yoghurt · 500 g	12	12	10	2	2	Tie
Cheddar · 250 g	6	12	11	5	1	You
Free-range eggs · box of 6	12	12	12	0	0	Tie
Butter · 250 g	0	6	5	5	1	You
Orange juice · 1 litre	6	6	6	0	0	Tie
White sliced loaf	18	18	18	0	0	Tie
Wholemeal sliced loaf	12	12	12	0	0	Tie
Soft rolls · pack of 4	6	6	6	0	0	Tie
Plain croissants · pack of 2	0	0	0	0	0	Tie
Still water · 500 ml	24	24	24	0	0	Tie
Cola · 330 ml	24	24	24	0	0	Tie
Lemonade · 330 ml	12	12	12	0	0	Tie
Apple juice · 1 litre	0	6	0	0	6	Stock engine
Pasta · 500 g	12	12	12	0	0	Tie
Chopped tomatoes · 400 g	12	12	12	0	0	Tie
Baked beans · 400 g	12	6	6	6	0	You
Long-grain rice · 1 kg	0	0	0	0	0	Tie
Ready salted crisps · 40 g	24	24	24	0	0	Tie
Milk chocolate · 100 g	12	6	11	1	5	Stock engine
Oat biscuits · 300 g	0	6	0	0	6	Stock engine
Toilet tissue · pack of 4	6	0	4	2	4	Stock engine
Washing-up liquid · 500 ml	0	0	0	0	0	Tie
Kitchen foil · 10 metres	0	0	0	0	0	Tie
Basket totals	234	228	229	25	33	16 tied lines

3 Sep · 27 vs 39 units off · The morning-sheet basket

All figures below are sellable units. Gap = absolute difference from “needed”. Stock engine quantities match the 31 August morning sheet exactly.

Product	Stock engine	You	Units needed by Thursday	Stock engine gap	Your gap	Closer
Semi-skimmed milk · 2 litres	18	12	12	6	0	You
Whole milk · 2 litres	6	6	8	2	2	Tie
Natural yoghurt · 500 g	12	18	12	0	6	Stock engine
Cheddar · 250 g	6	6	7	1	1	Tie
Free-range eggs · box of 6	12	12	12	0	0	Tie
Butter · 250 g	0	0	0	0	0	Tie
Orange juice · 1 litre	6	0	5	1	5	Stock engine
White sliced loaf	18	24	23	5	1	You
Wholemeal sliced loaf	12	12	12	0	0	Tie
Soft rolls · pack of 4	6	6	6	0	0	Tie
Plain croissants · pack of 2	0	6	5	5	1	You
Still water · 500 ml	24	24	24	0	0	Tie
Cola · 330 ml	24	24	24	0	0	Tie
Lemonade · 330 ml	12	12	12	0	0	Tie
Apple juice · 1 litre	0	6	1	1	5	Stock engine
Pasta · 500 g	12	12	12	0	0	Tie
Chopped tomatoes · 400 g	12	12	12	0	0	Tie
Baked beans · 400 g	12	12	12	0	0	Tie
Long-grain rice · 1 kg	0	6	0	0	6	Stock engine
Ready salted crisps · 40 g	24	24	24	0	0	Tie
Milk chocolate · 100 g	12	6	11	1	5	Stock engine
Oat biscuits · 300 g	0	0	0	0	0	Tie
Toilet tissue · pack of 4	6	0	6	0	6	Stock engine
Washing-up liquid · 500 ml	0	6	5	5	1	You
Kitchen foil · 10 metres	0	0	0	0	0	Tie
Basket totals	234	246	245	27	39	15 tied lines

This simple score does not account for cost, margin, shelf life, waste or lost sales. A real trial would measure those separately.