The second sub-component of business investment is Change in Private Inventory. The BEA measures how much businesses order to increase the inventories of the goods they are planning to sell. When orders for inventories increase, it usually means that companies are receiving orders for goods they don't have in stock, and so are ordering more to have enough on hand. It's important for companies to have enough inventory so they don't disappoint and turn away potential customers. These customers may find what they need elsewhere, and never return. Therefore, a business would rather have just a little too much on hand than not enough. Therefore, an increase in private inventories is a contribution to GDP.