Abstract

The study examined the influence of sales forecasting on sales performance in the beverage industry in Benin City. The main objective is to evaluate the relationship between time horizon, data source, forecasting accuracy, market dynamics and sales performance. A sample of 153 sales personnel from Coca cola, Guinness Nigeria Plc, 7up bottling company in Edo State were selected for the study. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire to measure participant perception of sales forecasting practices and their corresponding sales performance. The questionnaire included likert scale to facilitate quantitative analysis and the analysis was carried out with the aid of the SPSS 23 software. The findings revealed that sales performance is highly explained by the chosen variables. The study reveals that while time horizon and market dynamic have significant and positive effects on sales performance, data source and forecasting accuracy does not significantly influence sales performance. The study recommended that companies should integrate a strategic forecasting approach as tool to increase sales performance. This includes aligning forecasting efforts with long-term strategic objectives, enhancing responsiveness to market dynamics, investing in data management systems, and improving staff capacity in data interpretation and strategic planning.