The aim of the final paper is to analyse the management of retail stocks as a complex economic category encompassing significant resources of a trading company expressed in quantity of materials or goods stored in a warehouse up to the moment of sale. Therefore, emphass is placed on the “Inventories in retail” whole, with special emphasis on stock planning, the management system of selected items and the stockpile management policy. In practical part of the paper the company Paterna d.o.o. is analysed with emphasis on the process of procurement of goods, and with regard to keeping stocks in this company. The paper leads to the conclusion that trading companies must manage their supplies effectively in order to ensure a continuous supply flow to the final customer. This is also necessary in order to reduce the cost of stockpiling to a minimum. This is linked to the ultimate aim of each company to achieve maximum profits at minimum costs. In order to manage stocks effectively, trading companies are developing a number of stockpile management model.