Order-triggering products

SKUs that pull the rest of the basket

By Dark Store editorial · Published 17 September 2026 at 13:00 · Business, E-commerce

Triggers vs heroes

Hero SKUs get the marketing budget. Trigger SKUs get the repeat rhythm — often lower glamour, higher operational importance because they drive frequency.

Stock triggers like stock heroes

A stockout on a trigger SKU silences the whole basket. Prioritise alerts, shelf position, and supplier backup on these lines — not only on campaign SKUs.

Connect to customer scoring

Customers who only buy triggers on promotion behave differently from those who repeat at full margin. Score them separately before you set free-delivery thresholds.