Study: Retailers Need to See Themselves as Consumer Problem-Solvers

Study: Retailers Need to See Themselves as Consumer Problem-Solvers Arthur Zaczkiewicz In the second annual "Voice of the Store Manager" survey conducted by JDA Software Group Inc. researchers concluded that "a retailer's success lies in becoming problem solvers for busy consumers, going beyond just selling products." Moreover, the solutions center on the need for better inventory management. That conclusion was based on responses from 252 U.S.-based retail store managers this past summer that also revealed the need for "speed and convenience of fulfillment to compete in today's unified commerce environment." Authors of the report said that on the store execution level, "store managers are trying to master the combination of order fulfillment, inventory visibility and staffing needs to keep up with customer demands." Jim Prewitt, vice president of retail industry strategy at JDA, said based on the results of the survey, "it's clear that retailers are making progress to better handle operations in today's retail environment, but inventory and staffing needs are often a bottleneck. It's not a question of whether stores will evolve, but rather a question of 'to what?' Successful retailers are looking at how quickly their supply chain and store operations need to react and adapt." When asked to cite the "biggest challenges for retailers at the store level," 29 percent said Follow WWD on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook. Read More... Fashion 3