A persistent forecast that exceeds actual demand has a positive or overforecast bias . If replenishment and production decisions are based on that forecast, the organization will repeatedly acquire or manufacture more inventory than customers consume. The most likely result is therefore excess inventory and higher holding costs .

The financial consequences can extend beyond storage expense. Excess inventory ties up working capital and increases exposure to obsolescence, deterioration, markdowns, insurance, handling, and shrinkage. For products with short life cycles, an overforecast can create especially serious financial losses because unsold inventory may lose value rapidly.

Forecast bias should therefore be measured separately from random forecast error. A forecasting process can produce errors in both directions, but persistent overestimation signals a systematic problem requiring correction to the forecasting assumptions, data, model, or planning process.

The ACSCP curriculum gives explicit attention to demand forecasting, short-life-cycle supply-chain issues, inventory management, and integration between demand planning and operations.

Consequently, option B is correct: persistent overforecasting normally creates inventory above economically justified levels.

Reference Topic: Inventory, Forecasting and Demand Planning — Forecast Bias, Excess Inventory, and Demand Planning Accuracy.

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