Retailer Improves Efficiency and Visibility with New Sourcing Application​

The client is the largest branded provider of baby and children’s clothing in the United States, marketing apparel under two highly recognized and enduring brands, as well as private labels for major retailers. The company was negotiating the cost of goods with agents and factories using various Excel spreadsheets, with iterations exchanged via email. Significant manual work was required each season to consolidate the various offers received. Once a final cost was reached with a factory, the sourcing team manually prepared the data to pass to their margin management and purchasing tools.​

The company already owned licenses for a sourcing module within an existing supply chain application and first explored taking advantage of its functionality. However, after assessing the application, numerous gaps were identified, modifications would be costly relative to both time and investment, and the business users were unhappy with the cumbersome workarounds needed.

Leveraging the firm’s extensive retail and sourcing system experience, Parker Avery quickly identified a sourcing application that met the client’s business requirements and allowed users to manage their work logically and efficiently. The new sourcing application was configured and integrated with upstream product development applications. ​

Providing comprehensive solution implementation services, Parker Avery worked closely with the client team in the following activities:​

• Defined and validated future sourcing processes​
• Prepared for and conducted the conference room pilot in conjunction with client resources​
• Designed the new sourcing application, system configuration, reporting requirements, and necessary enhancements to address gaps​
• Refined the project implementation plan​

The new sourcing application was rolled out in three months to the originally planned pilot group of users. The solution implementation was successfully accomplished at a cost lower than what would have been needed for additional licenses and modifications for the client’s current supply chain application.​