Retailer’s Merchandising Transformation Results in Impressive Improvements​

The client is a $3 billion nationally recognized, multi-channel (catalog, retail store, internet, and B2B) retailer of softline and hardline products with a loyal customer base. The merchandising organization was faced with declining margins, rising inventory, and flat sales. The process was hindered by misalignment of inventory and planning functions with the merchandising counterparts and the company suffered from slow responses to trends and opportunities. The executive team wanted to improve the organization structure and processes to drive sales, margin, and ‘big ideas.’​

Working closely with key stakeholders, Parker Avery designed a merchant-centric organizational model and consolidated the client’s planning and inventory functions. As part of the retailer’s merchandising transformation, Parker Avery also designed new roles and role-based training to drive more efficient and productive merchandising processes.​

The rollout included training more than 300 merchants on performing their new jobs. With Parker Avery’s help, the merchandising organization was completely transformed in ten months.​

The processes designed and trained included:

• ​Category strategy​
• Assortment planning​
• Product development​
• Purchasing​
• Price management​
• Allocation​
• Replenishment​
• Vendor management​