The 2 main reasons to face item planning in a more structured and integrated way:

  • Strategic reason: growing opportunities to manage basic items (Permanent, Carry Over and Novelties) to obtain better precision and alignment between commercial opportunities and productive planning (support planning at any level of the item hierarchy).

  • Operative reason: for efficient and accurate planning at the item level and staying in sync with changing customer demands and market forces. An automatic way for Permanent, Carry Over and Novelties as well as FW and SS with better integration between different seasons.

Plan items in an omni-channel world with all of the information, meetings, and insights available to retailers today, it’s critical that they take a more comprehensive approach moving beyond planning just a small portion of their assortments at the item level or planning items with average “store” without considering fulfillment.

This is especially true, given the expanded fulfillment and personalization options that are expected in today’s marketplace. It’s time for retailers to take a modern approach to item planning that’s more than just a series of disconnected spreadsheets.

Powered by machine learning, this solution can ensure that each item contributes to your sales and margin targets without creating inventory hang-overs requiring huge markdowns.

To enable rapid deployments, start with our best practices and make the changes you need:

  • SKU performance, linking sales forecast, coverages (TSL) and production needs (one pipeline to support all processes)

  • Convergence between Sales, Forecast, Inventory and Production (a process that links 4 pillars in one solution)

  • A demand forecasting process to provide item sales forecast based on different levels of forecasts (SKU, Category,…)

  • Ensure core items are in-stock and align inventory growth with sales growth.

  • Align item level tactics with department level sales plans.

  • Reduce markdowns or reactive promotions due to excess inventory.

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