Retail New Year’s Resolutions
January has a certain energy in retail. Trading teams come back with fresh ideas. Forecasts get revisited. Range and promo plans are refined. And, like every year, we set resolutions – individually and as businesses – about what we want to improve. The problem is not ambition. The problem is execution. In FMCG retail, “We’ll […]
Black Friday in South Africa: A Stress Test of Households, Supply Chains and Retail Strategy
Black Friday has become one of the clearest indicators of our economic pressures – and the resilience of both shoppers and the FMCG sector. What is a festive kick-off in countries like the United States has, here, become a moment of relief. A way for families to make December possible. A Day Built on Necessity, […]
Reassessing Black Friday: Profit Boon or Bottom-Line Bust?
As Black Friday carves its annual spot in retail calendars, its impact resonates within the FMCG sector. Known for its unprecedented sales peaks, Black Friday promises significant turnover rates but often at the cost of compressed profit margins. For suppliers, the day poses a critical question: Does Black Friday genuinely benefit your business’s bottom line, […]
Optimising Inventory for Black Friday
Black Friday presents a unique set of logistical challenges for suppliers in the FMCG space. The surge in consumer demand, while promising in terms of sales, can often lead to significant operational hurdles. Central to overcoming these challenges is optimising inventory management with smart replenishment systems. This is to ensure that businesses are not just […]
Smart Demand Planning in Supply Chain Management
For suppliers in the retail sector, the robustness of a supply chain is fundamentally linked to the precision of demand planning. This process is crucial for aligning production and inventory with the actual market demand, ensuring optimal stock levels across distribution channels, and maintaining competitive advantage. Essentials of Demand Planning for Suppliers Demand planning serves […]
The Critical Importance of Accurate Master Data
The accuracy of master data sits at the core of operational efficiency and effectiveness. Master data encompasses the foundational information necessary for the smooth operation of supply chain activities, including details about products, customers, suppliers, and more. This data acts as the backbone for all transactional processes, from order fulfilment to inventory management, making its […]
How to uphold stock productivity to limit sales decline throughout scarcity
By Franita Bosman, Founder and MD at BD-Nav · The impact of load-shedding on FMCG operations · What it costs to keep operations running · What happens in the dark between electricity supply switchovers? · How we identify where distribution will provide the best turnover. We know that the country is currently in a devastating […]