Unified Commerce – the next phase of Omni-Channel

The difference between Omni-Channel and Unified Commerce Omni-channel retail is typically associated with selling across multiple channels for example in-store, on the web via franchise and wholesale or via Amazon or eBay. However, these channels may not be in anyway connected. A challenge for many retailers with their current systems is that the channels operate…

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Why Assortment Planning Is Important

Why Assortment Planning Is Important

The Assortment Plan Framework Once I’ve finished my financial planning, I know I need to bring in x thousand pounds of stock for a certain period of time, but I need to know how many lines I need to buy, what quantity I should buy of each, which shops need the most lines. As we…

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What is an assortment planning process?

What is an assortment planning process?

The importance of Assortment Planning We know it’s important to create an assortment plan, we merchandisers all love lists and this is really what it is, a shopping list. But how do we get there? Essentially, the basic assortment process is to group your stores to like stores, and to create a plan of the…

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A Simple but effective approach to retail planning

A Simple but effective approach to retail planning

What Matters? There are a lot of buzz words around planning, but at the end of the day, what do we really want to know? How much are we expecting to sell? How much stock do we need to support those sales, across time and therefore how do our deliveries need to be phased? Whether…

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The importance of timely retail planning by all stakeholders

The importance of timely retail planning by all stakeholders

Retail Financial Planning Process The Financial planning process can start with a 5-year high level plan to set a strategy for the longer term. However, most retailers start their detailed planning 18 -24 months ahead of the planning season. The optimum, of course, is to plan as close to the season as possible, as every…

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Assortment Planning, keep it simple & then evolve

Assortment Planning, keep it simple & then evolve

Creative versus Number Crunching A regular theme in retailers globally is the presence of spreadsheets permeating across the whole organization. Assortment planning is an area which involves both the merchandising and buying team. That crucial mix of numbers and the visual / creative aspects have to be equally respected in order to ensure that both…

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