Inventory Management

In a struggling retail industry, Ulta Beauty is a bright spot. The cosmetics and beauty products retail chain reported sales increased 21 percent last year, profits were up 24.5 percent and it opened 100 new stores. That positive momentum has continued in 2016, with sales up 23 percent year to date, net income up 29…

Join us for this interactive webinar to learn the steps necessary to become a data-driven organization.

Every area of retail operations is vital to the success of the business. Although it might seem as if there are grand differences between them, the reality is they all share one element: the barcode scanner. From inventory control to shrinkage prevention, the barcode scanner is a central tool in any retail environment. Not surprisingly,…

Check out this session to learn why online marketplaces present an opportunity for both enterprise and SMB retailers alike.

The ability to collect and harness data is a key opportunity for retailers that want to truly enable a consumer-centric supply chain. According to a recent Boston Retail Partners study, 62 percent of retailers named customer identification and personalization of customer experience among their top three customer engagement priorities, more than any other initiative. However,…

It’s no surprise to learn that retailers are in a rapid investment period in terms of IT systems. Historically slow to invest in technology, retailers are now playing catchup in an arena that punishes slow-movers. A retail CIO is faced with the daunting challenge of solving a myriad of complex issues fast, including: delivering the…

We’ve all been there — going online to see if a specific piece of merchandise is currently available at a particular retail store, before taking the time to drive to said store or calling the store directly. If the online site shows that a product isn't currently available at that store (or the store location…

Retailers that manage their inventory using spreadsheets or other antiquated systems are costing themselves a lot of time, which is ultimately money lost. Not having systems in place that automate inventory management is costing retailers money. From the redundancies and productivity losses incurred from paying employees to perform manual tasks that could be automated, to…

Out-of-stock inventory continues to be a huge problem for retailers and suppliers alike. There’s nothing more frustrating for consumers than an empty shelf, and even just one instance of an out-of-stock item can have lasting consequences in terms of customer loyalty and lifetime value. Consider some recent findings from the Trading Partner Alliance consisting of…

Creating a retail assortment is like telling a story. "Every character, location and event in a story needs to be introduced and explained to an audience. Every relevant detail has to be explained, and that explanation is the element of a story which enchants a reader more than any other. It's the essence of storytelling." The…