IDC PeerScape: Practices to Optimize Inventory Across Omni-Channel Retail

This IDC PeerScape is one of a two-part series that aims to home in on specific practices retailers can enable through improved processes and technology to improve customer experience, profitability, and sustainability outcomes across the end-to-end order life cycle. While inventory, orders, and fulfillment must all come together effectively, using one set of visible data, there are distinct processes and practices that effect each node. In this part 1 of the omni-channel series, we look at inventory-focused practices. Part 2 will take a look at practices that lean more toward the order orchestration and fulfillment side. "Today's customers operate in an anytime-anywhere omni-channel shopping environment, and their expectations are high and have accelerated over recent years," says Jordan Speer, research director, IDC Retail Insights. "Businesses with modern, integrated technology and a digital-first mentality are better prepared with the infrastructure to support the full customer ordering journey from pre- to post-purchase, including intelligent inventory promising and optimized order orchestration, fulfillment, delivery, and returns processes across the supply chain. They are also more resilient, better able to build loyalty by delivering the right product at the right price at the right place at the right time - while ensuring that they themselves can operate sanely, sustainably, and profitably."