Richard Widdowson

Dear Retail Friends,   If you’re a wholesaler, access to data from suppliers and retail customers is critical in enabling optimal service levels with minimal inventory. But getting that data, and acting upon it, can be challenging.   While there are many hurdles to this kind of collaboration, it can be done. And the benefits are numerous – not just for wholesalers, but their suppliers and retail customers as well.   https://lnkd.in/dbxub36v   #supplychain #supplychainoptimization #wholesaledistribution The future of wholesale supply chain collaboration | RELEX Solutions Unlock insights on boosting wholesale collaboration for supply chain efficiency and profit in this expert interview.

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Hello Retail Friends,   I cannot stress enough how important fresh products are to grocery retailers. When it comes to inventory planning, “point solutions” that lack end-to-end integration and only address store-level planning simply are not enough!   Retailers need proven, multi-echelon planning solutions that extend beyond the store - unifying, automating, and optimizing planning in stores, DCs, and omnichannel. This is the only way to get crucial visibility and insight across the end-to-end value chain.   https://lnkd.in/ej53RsFV #supplychain #grocery #freshproduce How to improve retail fresh food inventory management | RELEX Solutions Tackle fresh food inventory management challenges head-on with the right strategies and robust planning software. www.relexsolutions.comhas context menuCompose

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This interview with Walmart CEO Doug McMillon is a #retail #masterclass. A bit of context and perspective, combined with a lot of detail about every aspect of their business — #merchandising, #SupplyChain, #stores, #digital / #omnichannel, #international, #technology, #marketplaces, #RMNs, and more. And this will make an excellent base prompt for a retail #AI assistant — one of my #WeekendProjects

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Responsibility shouldn't be a barrier to innovation. At Walmart, we're paving the path for responsible innovation. Our team recently published an ESG brief highlighting: ▶️ The ways in which our Digital Trust Commitments are the foundation for earning and maintaining customer trust ▶️ The excellent work our #cybersecurity programs do to protect customer and business data ▶️ Our pledge to using #AI transparently and responsibly, and in ways that are in line with our values Insights worth reading! https://bit.ly/3wO0PFw

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“Only 58% of customers indicated the [home improvement retail] store was very clean and 52% indicate product information was clear and helpful,” said Michael Taylor, senior managing director of retail intelligence practice at J.D. Power. “These two factors play a vital role in overall customer trust in the retailer and as customers are spending an average of $1,786 a year on home improvement products, these are areas in which the retailer can improve to increase share of wallet and overall customer satisfaction.” ➡️ More key findings from the J.D. Power 2024 U.S. Home Improvement Retailer Satisfaction Study: https://hubs.la/Q02x92fl0 #HomeImprovement #Retail #RetailStore #HomeRenovation #CustomerSatisfaction

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Retailers must manage increasingly customized assortments to better meet local consumer demand while navigating supply chain constraints and store clustering. It is now common for retailers to handle hundreds of planogram configurations for a single product category. How do they manage this challenge? They leverage advanced software solutions like NielsenIQ Spaceman. For a concrete example, see how SPAR International uses NielsenIQ globally for their planogram need : https://lnkd.in/eWbzNBkr Jonas Parmhed Simon Trott

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Hello Retail Friends, convenience retailers face unique challenges. Small footprints and limited storage space require highly accurate and scalable supply chain planning – especially when charged with supporting aggressive growth targets. We’re proud to announce that OXXO, the largest convenience retail chain in the Americas, recently chose RELEX to optimize forecasting and replenishment as they focus on international growth.    https://lnkd.in/ebaedkfH   #supplychainplanning #supplychainoptimization #supplychain OXXO Internacional Enhances Retail Operations with RELEX Solutions for Forecasting and Replenishment | RELEX Solutions Focused on international growth, OXXO adopts RELEX AI-driven forecasting and replenishment solutions for smarter supply chain and inventory management.

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When it comes to retail trends, NRF’s annual list of the Top 100 Retailers shows that the pandemic and pandemic-era spending are starting to ease. That’s what David Marcotte, senior vice president of global retail and technology for Kantar, terms the “big trend” out of the National Retail Federation’s annual ranking of the industry’s 100 largest retailers by domestic retail sales. Kantar compiles the data and explores the Power Players in a variety of categories. #nrf #kantar #top100retailers

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I recently sat down with our ECRM & RangeMe partner Wayne Bennett and discussed how Walmart develops suppliers. We covered everything from recruiting events to resources for onboarding to how we want suppliers to grow alongside us. Check out our conversation below 👇.   #WalmartSourcing #SupplierDevelopment

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What’s new at ASG: Empowered by a dynamic team of 20 ASG consultants, we revolutionized pricing operations for a major retail chain. By transcending manual processes, we elevated efficiency and bolstered profitability across 115 stores in four distinct markets. Our modernization efforts didn’t just streamline operations; they fostered a culture of satisfaction among customers and employees alike, driving a new era of retail excellence. Connect with us to see how we can help transform your operations and ensure your business achieves its strategic objectives #BuildyourteamswithASG #Retailsector #Pricing #Tech #hiring #retailchain #committedtoexcellence #staffingexpertise #Staffingprofessionals

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Hello Retail Friends,   It’s no secret that supply chains have faced unprecedented disruption and volatility in recent years, underscoring the need to address vulnerabilities, improve preparedness, and create innovative strategies.   We surveyed 285 retail, CPG, and wholesale leaders globally in February 2024, exploring the challenges, strategic investment areas, and opportunities for retailers and CPGs over the next 3-5 years.   See how retail and CPG executives are tackling these challenges and planning for the future in our report, State of Supply Chain 2024: Retail and CPG Dynamics.     https://lnkd.in/eQQVdNmN     #supplychain #businesstransformation #supplychainplanning

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Everyone knows product returns are a problem, but now the National Retail Federation (NRF), in research with Appriss, has spelled it out in stark terms: total returns for the retail industry amounted to $743 billion in merchandise in 2023. In addition, the total return rate as a percentage of sales in 2023 was 14.5 percent. Of that figure, the research shows that $101 billion are fraudulent returns, or 13.7 percent of total returns. #returnsmanagement #retail

Want to read a great case study of a well-known brick-and-mortar retailer using better inventory management to win? Check out Dan Berthiaume's piece in Chain Store Age about how Michaels Stores is turning its physical stores into omnichannel supply chain hubs... ... and how better inventory management and more efficient product allocation enable it. It's just one example of how retailers that manage their inventory more effectively can win in today's competitive environment. And if you're a brick-and-mortar retailer who wants to know how to manage inventories and assortments more effectively, let's chat! #BrickAndMortar #Retail #Inventory #Assortment #Management

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We are thrilled to share the latest episode from Retail Cloud Alliance's Retailer Tech Tips series, where our Top Retail Experts delve deep into the crucial role of demand forecasting in retail inventory optimization! In this insightful episode, Guy Courtin is joined by industry experts Philip Barry, Global Industry Executive Advisor at Icertis, and Liza Amlani, Principal and Founder of Retail Strategy Group, to discuss how predictive analytics and customer insights are reshaping inventory management. Tune in below! 👇 🎧 #RETHINKRetail #CloudTech #RetailCloudAlliance

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Shipping and supply chain challenges persist post-pandemic. Retailers facing a 20% price hike from shipper-suppliers are caught between maintaining margins and retaining customers. Balancing costs and customer satisfaction is now a delicate dance for retailers in the current market landscape. #Shipping #SupplyChain #Retailers #BusinessChallenges

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I give Walmart credit for first exploring this benefit for their customers and for adjusting course when needed. The 'failure' is likely more a statement about the overall challenges of the US healthcare model, than Walmart's ability. Note: Pharmacies and Vision Centers will remain open. Excerpts: Dive Brief: Walmart plans to close all 51 of its health centers across five states. The retailer said Tuesday it also will end its virtual healthcare offering. Walmart said it did not have specific closing dates for each center but would share that information once decisions are made. The healthcare industry’s “challenging reimbursement environment and escalating operating costs create a lack of profitability that make the care business unsustainable for us at this time,” the company said. Walmart’s nearly 4,600 pharmacies and more than 3,000 vision centers will stay open. The pharmacies will continue to offer health screenings and testing. Dive Insight: Walmart’s decision is a major reversal of previously announced plans to expand its health center footprint. It originally planned to operate 75 locations this year, but later pushed that goal back to 2025. As recently as this month, the company planned to open 22 health centers in 2024, sister publication Healthcare Dive reported. Several retailers have moved further into the healthcare sector in recent year. Dollar General last year introduced a pilot program that brings mobile health clinics to three stores in Tennessee. The clinics offer basic healthcare services to walk-in customers and by appointment. Amazon also recently expanded its telehealth services nationwide. The e-commerce giant also acquired primary care provider One Medical last year for $3.9 billion, which gives Amazon a physical footprint for delivering healthcare. Best Buy in November entered its third home healthcare product development deal with a regional health system. “Walmart isn’t the first, and it won’t be the last, retailer to stumble in the healthcare market,” Neil Saunders, managing director of GlobalData, told Retail Dive in an email. The main reason is because of how the U.S. healthcare system operates. “Walmart is used to serving consumers directly and having them pay for products and services. Healthcare isn’t like that,” Saunders said. “It’s a complex web of interested parties and Walmart having to deal with insurers for reimbursements has been problematic.” Saunders said Walmart is performing well overall but will likely face more top line pressure. As a result, he said the retailer will need to double down on efficiency to deliver on the bottom line. “The scrapping of this healthcare initiative is part of Walmart becoming more focused on things that make it money rather than spreading itself too thinly into many different areas. In some ways, there are shades of Amazon about this: experimenting and testing things and withdrawing quickly from initiatives that don’t work,” Saunders said. #walmart #healthcare

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Retail is evolving rapidly with new locations, strategic closures, innovative concepts, and powerful joint ventures leading the way. Despite challenges, the sector continues to grow and adapt. Check out Josh Ein’s article to learn more about the resilience and strategic shifts driving retail’s future 🔎 🔗 Read: https://lnkd.in/gtGpJgZ9 #Matthews #CRE #RealEstate #Retail #MarketTrends

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