Inventory Management

Want to Achieve True Operational Agility? Start by Asking These 3 Questions
February 28, 2023 at 4:38 pm

Consumers are tightening budgets in preparation for a softer economy, shifting how often they shop and what they shop for in effort to maximize their spending power. Pair this shift with financial market instability, ongoing supply chain pressures, and the continued need for an elevated omnichannel shopping experience, and it’s no wonder retailers are looking…

How Robotic Inventory Scanners Are Easing Retail Pain Points
February 28, 2023 at 1:22 pm

Despite sales performing solidly, the retail industry continues to keep up a heady pace of evolution. Retailers are constantly seeking out new technologies to optimize and future-proof their operations as well as to improve efficiency. One area where technology is making a significant impact is in the realm of inventory management. One such technology that…

Raymour & Flanigan Gains Real-Time, Unified Inventory Data Visibility
February 27, 2023 at 1:35 pm

In episode 390 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Bryan Anastasi, vice president of customer care and business solutions at Raymour & Flanigan, the largest furniture and mattress retailer in the Northeast and seventh largest nationwide. Anastasi provides an overview of the Raymour & Flanigan business (1:00), his role with the organization (1:40), and to what he…

The Application of Appropriate Technology
February 27, 2023 at 12:29 pm

We're increasingly living in a world driven by technology, with new services and new applications appearing almost on a daily basis. It’s new, it’s the latest thing, it must be good, we need it ... right? Wrong. In the rush to be seen to be deploying the latest technology, there's a risk of losing sight…

In 2023, Brands Will Put a Bigger Focus on Ensuring They Don’t Get ‘Kanye’d’
February 16, 2023 at 10:48 am

Ever since Josiah Wedgwood first marketed high-end china in the 18th century by seeking the sheen of associating with royalty, brands have sought celebrity endorsements to elevate their products in the public’s eye. But along with the reward of celebrity association comes risk, a lesson once again delivered in 2022 when major consumer brands found…

Why Fashion Brands Need to Reduce Inventory to Survive the Impending Recession
February 13, 2023 at 8:46 am

The last two years have been a roller coaster for fashion brands. The supply chain disruptions of 2021 led to many merchants struggling to get their hands on enough inventory, and then overbuying to compensate. Now, with an economic downturn looming and the threat of reduced spending increasing, retailers that overstocked during the pandemic are…

How Retailers Can Thrive in a Recession
February 9, 2023 at 12:44 pm

It’s no secret that today’s retail margins are under intense pressure. They’ve been cut dramatically over the past decade, exacerbated by intense competition, higher fulfillment costs, and higher return rates. Furthermore, consumer behaviors and preference are rapidly changing and retailers are trying to adapt. In CommerceNext’s 2022 Digital Trends and Investment Priorities Report, 57 percent…

How Sellers Can Avoid the Holiday Hangover: 4 Steps to Minimize Excess Inventory
January 24, 2023 at 12:37 pm

2022 was a tough year for retailers and e-commerce sellers. With supply chain snarls around the globe, they’ve struggled to get the products they need. Now that those snarls are easing and products are flowing, sellers face diminishing consumer demand, which poses the threat of inventory sitting around unsold. In a survey of retail executives…

4 Key Trends and Technology Impacting Grocery Retail
January 16, 2023 at 12:47 pm

Last year took grocery retailers for a wild ride as the industry worked to please shoppers amid turbulent times. The pandemic refused to go away. Inflation was higher than it has been in 40-plus years. Supply chain snarls continued. So, too, did the labor shortage. All these factors and more took a toll on the…