Mastering stock & demand planning to drive growth

Stockouts can stifle growth, while overstocks tie up valuable cash. Striking the right balance is essential – and that was the focus of our recent Stock & Demand Planning Masterclass.

Stock and demand planning is a topic at the heart of any inventory-based business. That is why our value creation team recently hosted our partners and guests for an afternoon to deep-dive into this topic.

With expert-led sessions from White Stuff, Boohoo and New Look (among others!), we reached some key takeaways from the day:

 

Obsess over your core range:

Focus on growing the core that your customers love – this forms the foundation as you continually test newness.

Process before systems:

Define the processes that work for you business, and then use technology to enhance them. Don’t let a technology vendor dictate how you operate.

Define the metrics that matter:

Whether its sell-through rates, full price mix or intake/exit margins – clearly outline and track the KPIs that will define success for you.

Be strategic with promotions:

Align discount activity with broader business goals, whether that’s driving volume, attracting new customers, or clearing stock.

Treat wholesale as partnerships:

Collaborate closely with partners, sharing insights and forecasts to help drive mutual growth.