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Tompkins Associates' retail consultants focus on end-to-end supply chain solutions in the retail industry, with offices in the US, Canada, Europe and Asia, including Technomic Asia, based in Shanghai, China, and Tompkins International EMEA, based in Germany.
Through this global presence of resources and offices, Tompkins' retail supply chain consultants can assist with solutions that address the key initiatives and trends affecting the retail industry in today's environment.
 Retail Trends That Drive Change -- The retail industry faces many challenges: space leasing and housing issues, tight credit, the overall strength of the economy and the uncertainty and low confidence of the consumer.
Shopping patterns are shifting: consumers are spending less (by delaying or downsizing purchases), visiting fewer stores, shopping closer to home, and moving to more pre-shopping on the web and on-line shopping.
Both retailers and suppliers are stocking less inventory and supply chain disruptions are becoming more of an issue. Retailers are ordering later and consumer behavior is more difficult to predict.
Consolidation is occurring in some cases, and the newly merged brands and chains are driving huge synergy and reducing retail supply chain costs through integration of supply chains. Some retailers are selling off non-core divisions or underperforming units to concentrate on their main focus.
Driving retail supply chain costs down while maintaining or improving service is critical to every retailer's success. The two key factors that retailers are focused on in today's market are:
Reducing Retail Supply Chain Costs -- Many retailers are aggressively working to reduce the cost impact of getting product through the Buy -- Make -- Move -- Store -- Sell process. Labor, facilities, fuel, and physical and IT systems are all part of an intense focus for any retailer driving real impact to the bottom line.
Inventory is an important area with across-the-board reductions and cross channel inventory optimization -- all of which impact costs, cash position and the balance sheet.
Retailers are driving initiatives such as crossdocking, facility relocation, and operations / systems upgrades to enhance the flow of their supply chains.
In some cases, the cost reduction need is so great that sacrifices are made on service levels for low margin products.
Improving Product Availability -- Reduced lead times and lower origin to customer inventory levels are stressing retailers to accurately predict, manage, and position inventory optimally -- the right product, quantity, place, and time -- to meet ever-changing variable customer needs.
Stock-outs equal lost sales and possible customer defections. A customer today will go to another competing store and find what they want if they cannot get it at their first stop.
As recognition of change in expected demand occurs, retailers and suppliers must have seamless visibility, improved communication, and much faster speed of delivery of goods to maximize sales and margins.
High margin products, seasonal goods and upscale brands are especially in need of fast, efficient, and cost-effective supply chains.
Retail Supply Chain Solutions
Managing and executing world-class retail supply chains in the global environment of the 21st century has become one of the most challenging executive tasks in the industry.
The effectiveness of retail supply chains can make or break a company and dictate if the retailer will flounder or flourish. Mistakes along the way will impact shareholder value and company image, and will determine long-term success or failure.
Global supply chains will continue to be complex in this retail environment in which supply chain innovations are required, and near perfect execution is a must.
In order to survive, retailers must excel. Otherwise, market share, ownership, and viability will be changed at the individual company level.
Whatever the need for transformation and optimization of your retail supply chain, Tompkins has the experience and breadth of services to assist you in achieving your goals. From strategy development to full implementation, our team is uniquely qualified to meet your challenges.
Tompkins Associates has experience designing and executing major projects for:
- Strategic sourcing and procurement
- Merger / acquisition assistance -- due diligence to integration
- Supply Chain network optimization -- locations, flows, cost reduction
- Logistics performance excellence -- transportation, distribution, warehousing, delivery
- Demand/supply planning and management
- Trade management with security and threat mitigation
- Supply chain management process optimization
- Supply Chain Execution Systems optimization and implementation
- Customer service and value analysis
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Download the report: Lessons Learned from a Tough Market: 2009 Retail Peak Season Strategies
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Partial Client List - Retail clients and others
Resources
Download the report: Lessons Learned from a Tough Market: 2009 Retail Peak Season Strategies
Download the new white paper: "Sourcing and Selling in Challenging Economic Times: How Retailers Should Re-think Their Operations and Methods."
Williams-Sonoma Wins Green Supply Chain Award
Congratulations to Williams-Sonoma, who was recently awarded the 2009 Green Supply Chain Award by Supply & Demand Chain Executive magazine for outstanding efforts to incorporate sustainability objectives into its supply chain. One of the key ways that the retailer was able to save energy and reduce costs was by implementing smart controls in their warehouse operations through the Tompkins Warehouse Control System.
Benchmarking and Best Practices: How to Join the Supply Chain Consortium
For the latest on this industry and more, subscribe to Supply Chain Edge, Tompkins Associates' monthly e-newsletter.
Case Study: Major computer company works with Tompkins to reduce costs while understanding global shipping and China-based sourcing needs. more (PDF)
How You Can Find Retail Supply Chain Cost Reduction
White
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A Guide to Implementing a World-Class Cycle Counting Program (Acrobat PDF, 168 Kb)
Understanding
RFID:
A practical guide for supply chain professionals
ERP
Vs. SCE
The best choice for supply chain efficiency and savings
Articles
From Supply Chain Brain: Effective Supply Chains Are Critical to Retailers
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