Challenging 2009 Peak Retail Season Pinpoints Top Supply Chain Strategies for 2010
Tompkins Supply Chain Consortium: inventory, forecasting, suppliers are vital to success
RALEIGH, NC, March 16, 2010 -- Peak season sales numbers for 2009 moved in a positive direction overall and are encouraging retailers to continue their proven strategies in the coming year, according to a recent Tompkins Supply Chain Consortium survey report, Lessons Learned from a Tough Market.
“The good news about the promising peak season numbers is welcome,” says Bruce Tompkins, Executive Director of the Consortium and author of the report. “However, retail companies still have some catching up to do to reach pre-recession sales levels. Using the lessons learned from 2009 will help them move forward with recovery.”
To get a snapshot of best practices for the 2009 peak season, the Consortium polled top retail companies on the supply chain strategies they used to get the most out of people, processes and technology.
The top four retail inventory planning strategies used by respondents were:
- Reduced inventory levels
- Increased emphasis on forecasting
- Improved planning processes and tools
- Increased reporting and information
These strategies, which retailers will continue to emphasize in the future, produced strong financial results. (See chart below for more strategies.)
The survey also shows that reducing inventories did not negatively impact sales volume; inventory levels remained high enough to decrease the chance of stock-outs. Nearly one-third of those surveyed did not see any lost sales due to reduced inventory, and two-thirds lost less than 5% of sales due to inventory reductions. Ten percent had improved sales numbers.
Another factor that played into the successful peak season for retail companies was minimal price discounting. In general, survey respondents used less price discounting in 2009 as compared to 2008 and compared to the amount of discounting that was anticipated. (See chart below.)
Looking ahead, retailers surveyed said that they plan to focus on the following strategies for the 2010 peak season:
- Optimizing inventory levels and placement
- Improving forecasting methods
- Continuing to refine SKU base
- Executing initiatives with suppliers more effectively
To learn more about Tompkins’ Supply Chain Consortium, visit the website and choose the "new member" option. The Consortium also has a LinkedIn group for companies that are interested in staying current on the latest in supply chain benchmarking and best practices.
Contact:
Keri McManus
Tompkins Associates
919-855-5516
kmcmanus@tompkinsinc.com
About Tompkins' Supply Chain Consortium
Tompkins Supply Chain Consortium is the premier source for supply chain benchmarking and best practices knowledge. With more than 400 participating retail, manufacturing and wholesale/distribution companies, the Consortium sponsors a comprehensive repository of 17,000-plus benchmarks complemented by search capabilities, online analysis tools, topic forums and peer networking for supply chain executives and practitioners. The Consortium is led by the needs of its membership and an Advisory Board that includes executives from Campbell Soup Company, Hallmark Cards, Hewlett Packard, Ingram Micro, Kraft Foods, Limited Brands, Miller-Coors, The Coca-Cola Company and Target. To learn more about how your company can become a member of the Supply Chain Consortium, contact John Foley, 919-855-5461 or visit www.supplychainconsortium.com.
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