Quick answer
A revenue forecasting tool for CPG projects sales across a brand's channels (DTC, Amazon, and wholesale) accounting for their different growth rates, seasonality, and gross-to-net deductions. Because each channel behaves differently, a good CPG tool forecasts them separately and rolls them into one net revenue number you can actually bank on.
Why blended revenue forecasts fail in CPG
A single top-line growth rate hides everything that matters in consumer goods. DTC and wholesale grow at different speeds, carry different margins, and follow different seasonality. Forecast them as one blended line and you will miss both the upside in one channel and the risk in another.
What a CPG revenue tool should model
- Channel-level builds. DTC, Amazon, and wholesale forecast separately.
- Seasonality. Q4 surges, promotional calendars, and retail resets.
- Gross-to-net. Net revenue after trade spend, discounts, and returns.
- Demand linkage. Revenue tied to units, so inventory can follow.
Net, not gross, is what you plan on
Gross revenue flatters the forecast. Trade spend, discounts, and returns can take 15 to 30 percent off the top in CPG, so a forecast built on list price overstates the cash you will actually see. A good tool bridges gross to net automatically.
Rule of thumb. Forecast revenue by channel and net of deductions. A blended gross number is the fastest way to plan around cash you will never collect.
Where Drivepoint fits. Drivepoint is the AI finance platform built exclusively for consumer brands. It consolidates Shopify, Amazon, retail partners, and your GL into one live model in Excel, then answers what-if questions in minutes. Customers improve EBITDA margins by 6.7 points on average in their first year, and one exceptional finance person with Drivepoint replaces three without it.