3 Times Merchandising Connects To POS
Merchandising is an essential part of retail management. POS — Point of Sale — is the goal of merchandising since the purchase of the merchandise is why retail exists. To get to that goal, ChainDrive retail merchandising software integrating the connections between merchandising and point of sale components has to cover three time periods for maximum efficiency.
Past
Reporting and analysis are based on an accurate view of what has happened. When the data on purchases can be integrated with products, suppliers, style performance and other related actions, then a complete picture of the entire operation is available. Ideally, all data should be in a centralized database so that access is available to authorized personnel for future reference.
Present
Automated replenishment can be a useful tool for the retailer. It can be integrated with monitoring life cycles of products, taking seasonality or promotions into account to keep the shelves full of the right products even as they are emptied by shoppers. The ability to monitor and set multiple methods of replenishment is important for maintaining the right merchandising mix.
Future
When ChainDrive Retail Merchandising Software is used to control product allocation, there is control over the replenishment environment and much more. Because it is part of an integrated retail management solution that encompasses all channels from one end of the enterprise to the other, data collected at POS is connected correctly to the operations that utilize the information to effectively plan for a profitable future.
Connecting merchandising to point of sale is only part of the picture. All the connections in retail must cover the past and present in order to make the future bright.