The Merchandise Planning Challenge

Amidst a backdrop of supply chain disruption, evolving market conditions, changing consumer expectations, and an uncertain macro-economic landscape, ensuring products are available in the right place at the right time, all whilst achieving visibility across supply chain and planning, can be a heavy burden for retailers.

These ongoing pressures have forced merchandise planning into the spotlight, with many retailers looking towards the latest intelligent planning technologies to optimise merchandising teams’ efforts and deliver a seamless consumer experience, even when the journey ahead is uncertain. 

Retail Systems and Board surveyed 100 retail decision makers in the UK and EMEA across merchandising, supply chain, finance and IT to assess the role of technology in merchandise planning. The results offer a representative snapshot of the key challenges and drivers for retailers as they look to optimise planning processes, improve supply chain management, and meet ESG compliance targets.