As consumers become smarter and more connected,
retailers are rethinking how they approach merchandising.
Rather than today's product-centric, historically-based approach,
retailers must develop the ability to sense and predict customer buying behavior
and make adjustments accordingly.
To do all this means transforming to a system that is integrated and predictive,
driven by unique insights about the consumer.
In short, retailers have to become smarter.
Watch the videoBy compiling information on how and where your customers shop,
you can improve pricing, assortment and promotions.
Now you can allocate resources based on individualized tastes and needs.
This principle applies whether you're talking about sweaters,
canned goods, stereos or house paint.
Retailers can now tailor assortments to meet the needs of their target customers
and place inventory throughout their network to both drive
and meet this demand in the most efficient manner.
Watch the videoA crucial aspect of becoming smarter is for retailers to achieve
tighter integration between merchandise planning and supply chain execution.
This integrated approach will enable them to deliver with foresight and agility
– for example, to flexibly reallocate product throughout the distribution network.
This agility will depend on a much greater level
of visibility across the supply network,
often achieved through the use of sensors, RFID tags,
meters, actuators, or GPS.
In this way, retailers are able to log more events,
capture more information, and more quickly match resources with needs.
For example: Say you're a vertically integrated,
fashion forward apparel retailer.
If a specific store detects an increased demand
in brown leather jackets,
an agile supply network can allocate the raw materials
needed to produce the jackets, get them sewn
and then shipped to that store all within a few weeks time.
Watch the video