How o9 Will Enhance JD Sports' Assortment Planning
One of the biggest names on the high street, JD Sports, has enlisted the help of o9 Solutions as it looks to transform its assortment planning capabilities.
Assortment planning is the process by which retailers and brands decide which specific products, variations and quantities to offer in particular locations, channels and time periods, with the goal of maximising sales, meeting customer preferences and optimising inventory.
This involves:
- Analysing customer demand, trends and historical sales data
- Segmenting assortments by store, region or channel
- Managing inventory levels to avoid overstock or stockouts
- Coordinating timing and distribution of products
- Aligning product mix with financial and strategic goals
o9, known as a leading enterprise AI software platform provider for transforming, planning and decision-making, is already trusted by companies such as Marks and Spencer, Crocs and J.Crew.
Chakri Gottemukkala, o9's Co-Founder and CEO, said: "As retailers continue to seek ways to build greater resiliency to mitigate potential risks and pursue emerging opportunities, we're pleased to work with JD Sports Fashion to provide planning solutions that further enhance agility as the company continues to expand its global footprint."
Scaling best practices across European stores
JD Sports Fashion is a UK-based global omnichannel retailer that operates more than 970 stores across Europe. With a focus on future expansion, JD Sports Fashion needed to unlock efficiencies in its operations and scale best practices across the business.
The retailer recognised the importance of leveraging technology to ensure its growth is sustainable and profitable and sought a technology partner to transform its assortment planning capabilities.
AI-powered solution aims to maximise store profitability
o9's AI-powered platform was selected because of its technology's flexibility and scalability. This will enhance JD Sports Fashion's Assortment Planning capabilities to become more data-driven, automated and agile.
The o9 platform will be implemented across the JD Sports Fashion, Size? and HIP brands with the goal of optimising inventory assortment, reducing markdowns and maximising store profitability.
"In today’s ever-changing business environment, building an agile customer offering tailored to local needs, that is delivered with speed and efficiency, is critical to keeping a competitive edge," says Wim van Aalst, Chief Supply Chain Officer, JD Sports Fashion.
"As we continue growing our business, we look forward to partnering with o9 as they understand our business model and our unique requirements to enhance our Assortment Planning capabilities."
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