Inventory Management

Gross profit margin is — and will always be — a key metric in retail, as it enables you to make critical decisions around your assortment, inventory orders, pricing and promotions. For this reason, it’s important to not only measure your gross profit margins, but to continuously optimize them. Here are three tips to help…

Walmart is testing the use of storage and retrieval robotics, called Alphabot, to increase the speed of online grocery order pickup, according to a company blog post. The technology, which was developed in collaboration with retail automation company Alert Innovation, is being installed in a section of a Salem, N.H. supercenter, which will also be a dedicated…

Learn how the right e-commerce platform impacts multiple business areas, from supply chain to customer service and more!

Retailers face a series of uphill battles when it comes to staying ahead of emerging trends such as e-commerce and the sharing economy. These trends are fueling consumers’ feverishly high desire for rental or subscription options for products normally only available for purchase. In the last several years we’ve seen several startup rental companies like…

With 3,000 points of sale in over 100 countries around the world, ALDO Group, a designer, manufacturer and retailer of footwear and accessories, sought a solution to help it better optimize its inventory across its online and offline sales channels. After a thorough vetting process, ALDO announced that it was partnering with Celect, a predictive…

While an inventory management process will — and should — evolve over time, you can lay the groundwork for a successful strategy that matures alongside your business. In discussing inventory management challenges with our customers, I’ve learned how consideration and evaluation of the following practices may help your operation avoid common pitfalls while keeping your…

The staying power of buy online, pick up in-store (BOPIS) comes down to two simple facts: consumers are demanding it, and retailers need it. JDA Software’s 2017 Consumer Survey found that 50 percent of consumers had used BOPIS in the previous 12 months, a 43 percent increase over two years ago. But what about retailers? A new study by…

The staying power of buy online, pick up in-store (BOPIS) comes down to two simple facts: consumers are demanding it, and retailers need it. JDA Software’s 2017 Consumer Survey found that 50 percent of consumers had used BOPIS in the previous 12 months, a 43 percent increase over two years ago. But what about retailers? A new study by […]

Target is testing a new product distribution strategy aimed at cutting down its replenishment cycle from days to hours while reducing overall inventory at stores, especially at small-format ones. Preston Mosier, Target's senior vice president of global supply chain and logistics field operations, made the announcement last week during a keynote presentation at the Retail Supply…

While an inventory management process will — and should — evolve over time, you can lay the groundwork for a successful strategy that matures alongside your business. In discussing inventory management challenges with our customers, I’ve learned how consideration and evaluation of the following practices may help your operation avoid common pitfalls while keeping your business on track.