AI Demand Forecasting & Planning solutions are redefining traditional practices. They're improving inventory placement and reducing overall inventory costs, returns, and markdowns. Already prominent retailers such as Walgreens and PACSUN are reaping the benefits of these solutions. But not all solutions are created equally, and people struggle to evaluate them. Many advocate pilots, and while that is a viable option, even free pilots cost your company time and resources. Pilot or not, you need methods to down-select solution providers.
Recent Posts by Mark Schwans
Inflation and Transportation Costs May Have Peaked, but their Impact Remains
on February 9, 2022
| By Mark Schwans
An extensive amount of news today focuses on inflation and supply chain disruptions. The latest Survey of Consumers focused on inflation's impact to consumer sentiment, which fell to its lowest level since November 2011. While the Delta and Omicron variants have pushed the index lower, consumers' primary concern is rising inflation and falling real incomes.1
There will Never be a Better Time for Systemic Promotional Changes
on June 23, 2021
| By Mark Schwans
Any post-crisis (or even mid-crisis) is the best time for new opportunities, offering a clean slate for growth and rebirth. For years, promotional ineptitude has been well documented – with Nielsen publishing that 2/3 of promotions fail. Confirmed by study after study that would show anywhere between 80-90% of them don’t unleash additional revenue or margin. Even with that knowledge, the allure of trade dollars, and the risk of dramatic change, compelled most to stay the course and continue to invest in bad promotions. That’s now changed.
Not an Ideal Predicament
Depleted revenue, compressed margins, a shortage of labor, plus an infrastructure not designed for an online volume consisting of 40-60% of total sales. Not ideal for fashion retailers. And beyond that, retailers experience up to 8 percentage points of margin loss on a digital order.1
Listening to Retail Executives
on May 13, 2021
| By Mark Schwans
In antuit.ai’s inaugural CAB meeting with over 20 executives from 12 retailers, we discussed key retail topics affecting retailers today, including the customer journey, AI/ML emergence, sustainability, and omnichannel. Here are the highlights.
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