Alexandra Blake

SKU’d Perspective - How Fewer Items Impact Company Supply Chains

Start by trimming the assortment. A 20–30% cut in non-core SKUs reduces replenishment cycle times and improves forecast reliability. Data from multi-channel retailers show replenishment speed gains of 12–18% and stockouts dropping into the 8–15% range when teams focus on high-demand items and cut low-velocity duplicates. This creates room for faster turns and better service in the fast lane of retail operations. In the boardroom, align on a common set of practices and clear decisions . Merchandising, procurement, and logistics must agree on which items to keep, the service levels for core SKUs, and the supplier commitments that back the plan. The goal is to reduce complexity while