Managing inventory is very difficult, just look at all the brick-and-mortar retailers going bankrupt because they'd bungled it.
If a part isn't selling - there are many reasons "management by numbers" can screw up:
Inventory shows part in stock, but actually there's none or trade-size incorrect (reels, tape, bulk, single). You can't sell what you don't have, or packaged wrong for typical production.
A part out of stock looks like a loser, it's not selling better drop it. My grocery store sells out of items fast, then thinks the item is selling poorly
![Face Palm :palm:](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/Smileys/default/facepalm.gif)
and drops it from their lineup.
Inventory shows part in stock, but actually there's an error in specs/category. You can't sell what customers can't find.
Inventory shows part in stock, but it's been replaced by a new part. You wouldn't design-in old parts, so it gets orphaned.
When parts get discontinued, the price gets jacked up to make money from desperate purchasers I guess, until Engineering gives an alternate p/n on the BoM. I don't see any discounted/surplus pricing at all on Digi-Key and assume they then sell the stuff to surplus dealers, probably Marketplace Vendors lol. I get annoyed the items have gone up not down in price.
The New Product intros are nice, but there's nothing highlighting unique, cool parts or the lineup afterwards.