Resources

How to Calculate Weeks of Supply A metric fundamental to managing the retail supply chain is weeks of supply (WOS). Weeks of supply tells the inventory manager how long the current on hand will last based on current sales demand.  By keeping your eye on weeks of supply, you can avoid inventory stock outs and... Read more »

What is EDI 852?   EDI 852 is a standard data format used to transmit product activity data. Files are typically sent daily or weekly and will include sales activity by product, and for some retailers, inventory on-hand.  Activity is typically summarized at a distribution center level, unless store level data is deliberately selected. Some... Read more »

Over the past month or so, we have been rolling out new sales analysis for our Home Depot vendors on market performance.  Vendors to Home Depot using EDI 852 know buyers often want to receive sales analysis at a market level.  What we often find, however, is the analysis conducted does not take into consideration... Read more »

Many vendors use displays at retail customers to drive higher visibility and increased sales. A floor pallet or wing stack with product is a popular display program. These programs are often offered to the retailer at a discounted price and usually require the vendor to absorb both the discount and the cost of preparing the... Read more »

If you have a seasonal product, is it best to run promotions during the core selling season or during the down season? I’ve been analyzing this exact question for a customer this week and the data can make a case for both approaches. On the one hand, it seems like running a promotion like a... Read more »

Retail sales consultant Retail Metrics Inc. predicts that the 30 national retailers it tracks will this week post a 3.4% gain in sales for December at stores open for at least a year. That is atop a 3% gain for December 2009. Overall, the National Retail Federation trade group forecasts that retail sales in November... Read more »

If you are a vendor supplying to Von Maur, you are eligible to receive product sales activity and inventory data via EDI 852. Preparing to setup and receive the EDI 852 files can be confusing, and creating usable reports for your team can be very time consuming. Fortunately, Accelerated Analytics® provides a simple, outsourced service... Read more »

If you are a vendor supplying to Ulta, you are eligible to receive product sales activity and inventory data via EDI 852. Preparing to setup and receive the EDI 852 files can be confusing, and creating usable reports for your team can be very time consuming. Fortunately, Accelerated Analytics® provides a simple, outsourced service for... Read more »

If you are a vendor supplying to Target, you are eligible to receive product sales activity and inventory data via EDI 852. Preparing to setup and receive the EDI 852 files can be confusing, and creating usable reports for your team can be very time consuming. Fortunately, Accelerated Analytics® provides a simple, outsourced service for... Read more »