Out-of-Stocks (OOS) continue to beleaguer retailers nationwide with some estimates indicating $82 billion in missed sales in 2021 thanks to Covid-19 and related challenges. Of that number 7.4 percent were unrealized sales thanks to empty shelves.
The causes and numbers will likely change over time, but the trend and its impact on sales will continue.
There is no shortage to innovation that promises to solve the issue. Even before current aggravated supply chain problems, eliminating OOS has been the holy grail of retail. Today’s so-called fixes include in-store drones, robots and camera-mounted artificial intelligence (AI). Each promises real-time information on product availability. Other options include specially loaded iPads walked aisle by aisle by a dedicated team member, turned onsite monitor.
Each of these “solutions” requires significant capital outlay, ongoing upgrades and training. In the end, they can only report what you and your customers already know: You’re missing product.
More isn’t better. Better is better.
Implementing these new solutions requires investing your slim profit margins into increased infrastructure and overhead. Moreover, they do not address the root cause of OOS or reduce the need to continually adjust promotions, increase SKUs, hype seasonal promotions or tweak delivery schedules all against a backdrop of world events beyond your control.
The solution you choose shouldn’t add complexity. A better way is to understand the data you already have and work in partnership and collaboration with your vendors. With clear insight into daily metrics, together you can develop measurable plans of action with immediate and tangible results.
ReposiTrak’s sophisticated, proprietary software analyzes your data to identify gaps in sales and trending missed opportunities. Through real-time dashboards accessible from anywhere, you’ll have insight into your high- and low-performing vendors, routes, locations and even SKUs with the biggest opportunity for growth. You and your DSD vendors, representing more than 200 categories, will see the same information at the same time.
Making sense of it all.
The ReposiTrak team understands it’s not enough to have the raw data. We help make sense of it, translating numbers into next steps to prevent OOS before your customer stands in front of an empty shelf and abandons their cart mid-aisle.
The benefits are many for DSD vendors that invest in ReposiTrak’s OOS solution. Vendors recognize the value and privileges associated with the space inside any retail store. Our expertise protects the vendor’s territory by increasing sales of their products. They know to the minute what needs replenishment before it’s too late. For those who need extra help in prioritizing the next best steps, we’re there to help create an actionable plan, and there’s a companion mobile app as well.
We have more than 20 years of fine-tuning our system, and the results are clear. More than 80 percent of DSD vendors using our solution have reduced stock-outs by an average of 55 percent. Year-over-year sales increased between 4 percent and 8 percent, leading to sales increases from 3 percent to 22 percent. These numbers include declining SKUs during the pandemic.
As the only solution exclusively endorsed by FMI for fixing OOS, our ReposiTrak experts are ready to help you keep your shelves stocked.
We build relationships.
Contact our expert team for more information on ReposiTrak’s OOS Management Solution.
Once implemented, you’ll have clarity on day one. Within a few weeks, you’ll reduce out-of-stocks significantly.
Your customers will see everything they need from a trusted retailer. And you’ll see them on their next shopping trip.
Call today for more information.
A Better Way:
ReposiTrak Out-of-Stock Management
- Free to retailers
- Identifies OOS issues before your shelves are empty.
- Supported by a team of experts – dedicated to you – who turn data into plans of action.
