In the Retail Supply Chain, having the product on the floor is critical to sales and brand reputation – especially during peak holiday season. Further, multi-channel retailers face the demands of an effective direct-to-customer operation, often in tandem with a retail store replenishment model.

Delivering on your brand promise is key to growing and maintaining market share. That means having the right quantities in the right colors in the right sizes at the right places when and where you need it.

Successful supply chain improvement projects will work to better manage flow-through opportunities, optimize inventory planning and deployment and maximize product life cycle management. The goals of achieving lower handling costs and improved customer service must be balanced while taking into account:

• Deep inventory tracking functionality (style, color, size) per SKU
• Value-added services (VAS) including price ticketing, GOH, packaging customization, etc.
• A global supply chain
• Stockholder pressure for growth & profitability
• Multi-channel fulfillment – direct to consumer and retail distribution possibly from the same facility with shared inventory
• Individual unit picking and shipping to direct customers
• High inventory seasonality and turnover
• Retail compliance issues
• International sourcing and inbound shipping costs
• Unprecedented pricing competition and squeezed margins
• A high percentage of returns