A comparative study of multi-algorithm optimization for inventory analytics in supply chains

Effective management of inventory is essential for achieving high service levels, minimizing costs, and maintaining the overall resilience of retail supply chains-particularly in complex, real-world environments. Conventional strategies often prove inadequate because they rely on rigid assumptions or single-technique models that fail to accommodate practical challenges such as fluctuating demand, unpredictable lead times, and disruptions in supply. To bridge this gap, our research undertakes a comprehensive comparison of multiple approaches - including Reinforcement Learning (RL), Genetic Algorithms (GA), Deep Learning (DL), Machine Learning (ML), and heuristic techniques - evaluated within a consistent and realistic testing framework based on the Walmart M5 dataset. This dataset offers a robust benchmark, containing multi-store, multi-item sales data that captures seasonal trends, event-driven demand variations, and price sensitivity. We introduce and evaluate an innovative hybrid methodology that combines a Genetic Algorithm with a Deep Q-Network (GA-DQN). The GA component conducts a broad, global search to optimize static inventory parameters such as reorder points and safety stock, while the DQN module learns adaptive, state-aware ordering strategies that can respond to dynamic, uncertain conditions. Our results show that this hybrid GA-DQN model achieves a significant improvement over a standalone DQN baseline-raising the service level from 61% to 94% and simultaneously lowering overall inventory costs. The framework we propose is modular and includes three key components: demand forecasting using Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks to capture temporal sales patterns; GA-based optimization to fine-tune static policy parameters; and RL-driven adaptive control to support responsive, real-time ordering decisions. This integrated approach delivers a scalable, data-driven solution well-suited to the demands of modern retail supply chains, effectively addressing issues such as supplier unreliability, demand uncertainty, and the management of perishable goods.