Look at Localized Market Factors to Mitigate Demand Latency Issues
May 26, 2023
Forbes covered “the dark clouds hang low over multiple retailers threatening profitability” in an article entitled The Demand Latency Hangover. The article highlights the disconnect, due to timing, between shifting consumer purchasing patterns and a retailer’s supply chain. “Using conventional demand processes, the time to translate market demand to replenishment can be weeks, even months. …
Retailers Point to Unfavorable Weather Impacts in Q1 Results
May 25, 2023
A slowing economy, a more cautious customer, and post-pandemic spending shifts were all concerns raised by retailers in the last couple of weeks as earnings were released. These trends have hurt some retailers more than others and another key element of uncertainty and sales volatility – the weather – played into disappointing Q1 results for …
Descriptive, Predictive & Prescriptive: Understand & Optimize Performance
May 19, 2023
How Analytics Around a Core Consumer Demand Variable Help Businesses Understand & Optimize Performance Harvard Business Review (HRB) published a useful overview on how advanced analytics “can help companies solve a host of management problems, including those related to marketing, sales, and supply chain operations, which can lead to a sustainable competitive advantage”. The article …
Integrate this critical consumer demand factor to improve retail planning and replenishment.
May 15, 2023
Retailers and other consumer-focused businesses need to consider many factors when forecasting consumer demand. Everything from broader macroeconomic conditions (like employment levels and inflation) to buying trends (is a product’s sales growth accelerating or turning negative) to the type of product (is it a staple item or discretionary purchase) play a role in determining a …
Going Green: Sustainability Gains Can Boost Bottom Lines
May 3, 2023
In a three-part series, Grocery Dive explored how supermarkets can increase profitability while pursuing sustainability initiatives. “As sustainability work becomes more prominent across the grocery industry, food retailers are faced with the questions of if, how and when to have their eco-friendly measures tie back to their bottom line. In this three-part series, Grocery Dive …
Footwear News: Sales Slowed in Q1; Demand for Boots Weaker.
May 2, 2023
A Footwear News article cited data from Circana (formerly IRI and The NPD Group) that sales “slowed in the first quarter of 2023 as demand softened and warmer weather impacted boot sales,” although Beth Goldstein, Circana’s footwear and accessories analyst said that “steady price increases managed to keep the overall revenue losses in the low …
Weather-Driven Demand Analytics Can Help Restaurants Pursue Growth-Boosting Strategies.
April 21, 2023
In a recent report – Cooking up extraordinary growth for restaurants during a downturn – McKinsey & Company discussed the challenging landscape facing the restaurant industry and opportunities that strategic and innovative companies can pursue to achieve sustainable growth and profitability. The report offers a lot of great information including what McKinsey highlights as “eight …
Waste Reduction a Focus for Progressive Grocer’s 10 Most Sustainable Grocers
April 18, 2023
Progressive Grocer has highlighted ten “companies make it look easy to be green” and minimizing waste is an area retailers believe can help them address sustainability objectives. The article references a “January survey of grocery executives conducted by Incisiv and Wynshop revealed that 71% of grocers regard sustainability as a key priority in 2023, while …
The NRF projects 4% to 6% growth in 2023 as pre-pandemic retail trends re-emerge
April 6, 2023
The National Retail Federation (NRF) released its annual sales forecast was during its third annual State of Retail & the Consumer virtual conversation. “In just the last three years, the retail industry has experienced growth that would normally take almost a decade by pre-pandemic standards,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said. “While we expect …
Omnichannel Retail Leads to the Rise of Data-Driven Chief Merchants
March 17, 2023
A new RetailWire whitepaper, sponsored by SAP, dives into the expanding horizon of the data-driven Chief Merchant. This insightful paper suggests some new KPIs chief merchants may start focusing on and the role of today’s technology in merchandising. In addition to the traditional revenue, margin, and growth KPIs, the paper suggests a list of new …