Big Lots uitgeroepen tot nummer 1 in Total Retail's 2020 Top Omnichannel Retailers-rapport

Recommendation: Build a unified omnichannel operation that blends online orders with in-store fulfillment and curbside pickup to capitalize on Big Lots’ No. 1 standing in Total Retail’s 2020 Top Omnichannel Retailers Report.

Approach: Implement two core strategies in operation improvement: first, expand technologie-enabled fulfillment to improve accuracy and speed; second, standardize certifications across partners to reduce kosten and risk. Prior results were driven by data-informed decisions and close collaboration across channels.

In januari, forecasts point to growing demand for essentials and snacks, with online orders turning into quick pickups and rapid replenishment across stores.

Hefboom informa data and dumont analytics to sharpen inventory planning, align assortments with shopper momentum, and reduce out-of-stock events that could affect margins.

Maintain momentum by tracking kosten per fulfilled order, speeding up cycles, and enforcing process certifications that guarantee quality across all channels. This approach helps them reduce friction for customers.

That momentum will be supported by a second wave of growth, stronger technologie adoption, improved operation discipline, and smarter forecasts that could sustain omnichannel leadership into the next season.

Practical inventory management techniques that powered Big Lots’ omnichannel leadership

Start with a unified, cloud-based inventory platform that consolidates store, distribution center, and online stock with real-time updates. Install RFID on high-demand items and pair it with wearables for store teams to scan shelves in seconds, boosting accuracy and efficiency across times of peak demand.

Key techniques to implement now:

• Single source of truth: a common platform provides in-transit visibility and live stock levels, enabling same-day allocations and faster delivery decisions.
• In-transit tracking: real-time ETA feeds allow automatic rerouting to the closest fulfillment node, reducing slip times and improving customer promise reliability.
• Store-and-ship optimization: reserve online orders from both DCs and stores, then auto-allocate replenishment to where demand exists; this helps meet online and omnichannel delivery expectations.
• Cross-docking and wave picking: inbound goods are pushed directly to outbound orders, cutting handling times and increasing total throughput.
• Enterprise collaboration: vendor-managed inventory and supplier partnerships launched to align replenishment with forecasted demand; lowers stockouts and total landed costs.
• Analytics-driven replenishment: leverage trends, POS and online signals, and news signals to adjust orders and merchandise mix, ensuring future merchandise aligns with customer expectations.
• Delivery optimization: route optimization and multiple carrier options reduce lead times and improve delivery windows for online orders.
• Experience-driven operations: implement dashboards that show out-of-stocks by store and item, enabling proactive actions by store teams (and even Starbucks-like consistency in execution).

To measure impact, track accuracy, service levels, and productivity. Suggested targets: in-stock rate above 97%, fill rate above 95%, forecast accuracy within 10-15%, inventory turnover improvement of 8-15% year over year, and a 12-20% reduction in days of supply for fast-moving items.

These steps increase efficiency and create a resilient, multi-channel experience. By combining online, store, and delivery operations on multiple platforms, the retailer can maintain momentum as trends shift and customer preferences evolve, keeping merchandise where customers expect it and ensuring timely delivery across times and geographies. This will position the retailer for continued leadership in the future of omnichannel retail.

Real-time cross-channel inventory visibility across stores, distribution centers, and e-commerce

Adopt a unified, real-time inventory platform that streams stock levels across stores, distribution centers, and e-commerce via a single API layer, reducing errors and delivering comparable experiences for customers. This technology backbone clarifies what stock is where, enabling precise allocations instead of gut calls.

Create a single source of truth by integrating WMS, OMS, POS, and e-commerce feeds; enable ship-from-store with automatic allocation; equip stores with wearables to capture shelf data; connect DCs to replenishment cycles in seconds, before exceptions cascade into backorders.

Data from orders, returns, and transfers feeds forecasts, trends, and times of day adjustments; analyze what drives demand and how uncertainty will shift in peak periods. Translate raw data into actionable prompts that guide replenishment and allocation across stores and DCs. what you measure, you improve into clearer decisions that customers will notice.

Realistic outcomes include stock accuracy rises to 98–99% in stores and DCs, fill rates improving 10–20%, backorders dropping 20–35%, and overstock shrinking 5–12% at peak times. The gains come from faster feedback loops and tighter cross-channel coordination. Errors shrink as teams see the impact of each change in real time.

Implementation kicks off with a 90-day pilot in a subset of stores and DCs; define KPIs for order fill, accuracy, and times-to-ship; run a free webinar to train teams; launching a phased rollout with clear milestones and certifications to validate readiness. informa notes that early adopters gain faster time-to-value.

Examples show practical impact: ship-from-store reduces backorder pressure during busy periods; arctic-grade cold-chain controls protect temperature-sensitive SKUs; starbucks-style speed to shelf demonstrates how easy it is to keep the right product in stock, wherever it’s needed. This approach goes beyond theory and helps them act faster.

To sustain momentum, focus on what matters: data quality, governance, and ongoing optimization. What you measure, you improve–and the result is a repeatable, scalable model that will support demand shifts, supply volatility, and evolving shopper expectations.

Unified order management to coordinate online orders, in-store pickup, and curbside services

Adopt a centralized unified order management system (OMS) to coordinate online orders, in-store pickup, and curbside services, reducing wait times and boosting order accuracy. The system provides real-time visibility into inventory, delivery status, and returns, so every channel stays aligned and the customer experience remains smooth.

Retailers that launched an integrated OMS connect their POS, warehouse, and ecommerce platforms into a single workflow. This setup accelerates replenishment, minimizes stockouts, and guides packaging decisions for pickup and delivery, which strengthens brand consistency across their stores.

Trends show that every shopper expects flexible options; after they place orders, within this framework, offering online ordering with curbside pickup expands the shop’s reach and increases demand. The OMS retrieves status updates and informs staff when items are ready or retrieved for pickup, creating a seamless experience.

Key metrics track order accuracy, on-time delivery, and curbside wait times, plus comparable performance across stores. A focus on replenishment timing and returns handling helps the retailer balance demand across channels, enabling elevated customer experiences and stronger sales performance.

For assortments like snacks, the system harmonizes stock across stores and reorders from the most efficient nodes, improving delivery speed and reducing excess packaging waste. From online carts to curbside retrieval, the flow stays intact, with packaging optimized for quick pickup and reduced handling.

Introduced integration with loyalty programs and returns flow within the OMS empowers staff to retrieve items quickly and respond to customer requests. The approach continues to evolve as trends shift toward a unified shopping experience, making the retailer better positioned to boost their sales and maintain brand trust.

Location-level stock thresholds with automated alerts to prevent stockouts and overstocks

Recommendation: Set location-level stock thresholds at the item-store level and enable automated alerts that trigger when on-hand falls below the reorder point or rises above the maximum. Use a data-driven, velocity-based policy that is comparable across stores and aligned with omnichannel goals; this continues to support both curbside and online fulfillment and will reduce stockouts and overstocks.

Organize items into three velocity tiers and tailor thresholds to each tier and store size. Fast movers (speed > 15 units/week) should carry 2–4 weeks of demand as a buffer, mid movers (5–14 units/week) 1–3 weeks, and slow movers (<5 units/week) 0.5–2 weeks, with adjustments for seasonal spikes and lead times. For high-variance categories like wearables and furniture, apply a larger safety stock margin and a wider max stock window to absorb supplier variability.

Compute thresholds with practical formulas: reorder point ROP = lead time (in weeks) × weekly demand + safety stock; safety stock equals z × sigma(during lead time), where z corresponds to your target service level. For example, a product with weekly demand 60 units, a 1.5-week lead time, and a safety stock of 20 units yields ROP ≈ 110 units. Set a max stock around 180 units to cap overages. This approach protects content integrity and ensures continuity before peak periods, reducing elevated risk of stockouts.

Automate execution by linking the POS, warehouse management, and supplier portals. When a threshold breach occurs, automatically generate a replenishment order or a recommended order with vendor lead time, latest certifications, and a confidence score. Use alert channels that fit the workflow–mobile push for store managers, email for planners, and a dashboard for executives. This will shorten the cycle from detection to action and remove the thorn of manual reconciliation.

Navigating omnichannel demands transparency across channels. Align thresholds so in-store inventory supports online orders and same-store pick-ups without creating conflicting signals. For items named in the report as critical, like furniture and wearables, keep higher safety stock if content quality checks (certifications) or supplier reliability (e.g., Schreiner, nyse-listed peers) vary. A well-tuned system reports exceptions in real time and prevents overcommitment on popular items while preserving broad assortments across channels.

Implement a quarterly review cadence to adjust thresholds based on total sales, seasonality, and market news. Before each season, refresh velocity bands and update ROP/max to reflect new supplier SLAs and price protections. The outcome: faster response to demand shifts, reduced stockouts, and fewer overstocks, with a clear audit trail to inform future decisions and reports for leadership, including any updates that are reported to stakeholders and named in performance reviews.

Forecast-driven replenishment prioritization to optimize shelf availability

Implementeer een prognosegestuurde prioriteitstelling voor het aanvullen die SKU's met de hoogste prioriteit markeert op basis van signaalsterkte van de prognose, verkoopsnelheid en impact op het serviceniveau, en stuur aanvullingsorders met precisie naar de fulfilment. Deze aanpak stemt de aanvulling af op de vraag, vermindert tekorten en verbetert de beschikbaarheid in de schappen tijdens piekperiodes.

Integreer een survey van de intentie van de koper en feedback van winkelmedewerkers om prioriteiten aan te passen, en ervoor te zorgen dat gegevens van klanten en frontlineteams het aanvullingsplan informeren. Gebruik technologie om signalen van retail-systemen om te zetten in bruikbare orders en retrieved inventarisgegevens voor snellere besluitvorming.

Realtime inzicht bieden in onderweg en een beschikbare voorraad, waardoor improved snelheid van aanvulling en increased fulfillmentopties zoals levering op dezelfde dag. Inhoudrijke dashboards bundelen supply data, prognose-updates en winkelomstandigheden om het behalen van service-doelstellingen te ondersteunen.

Rust medewerkers uit met wearables en mobiele apparaten om schapleemtes op te sporen, producten uit de back-stock te halen en de aanvullingscycli te versnellen. Deze tools ondersteunen bij het navigeren door concurrerende prioriteiten in verschillende categorieën en verminderen de rommel in de backoffice, terwijl u de klantervaring verbetert.

Investeringen in same-day fulfillment, cross-docking en geautomatiseerde aanvullingsregels creëren een strakkere feedbackloop met leveranciers, waardoor vertragingen tijdens het transport worden verminderd en de betrouwbaarheid van de levering wordt verbeterd. Zichtbaarheid tijdens transport en samenwerking met leveranciers verkorten de cyclustijden en stellen u in staat om snel te reageren op uitzonderingen.

Stel expliciete meetgegevens en tests vast: increased fill rate, improved schapbeschikbaarheid en hogere klanttevredenheidsscores uit enquêtes na aankoop. Gebruik deze resultaten om het voorspellingsmodel en de regelsets te verfijnen, zodat de inhoud en context afgestemd blijven op de realiteit in de winkel.

With a continuous met een groeimindset, helpen deze praktijken je optimize ervaringen voor shoppers, en biedt tegelijkertijd snellere levering en increased efficiëntie bij concurrerende retailers.

Kanaal- en SKU-prestatieanalyses om inventarisbeslissingen te informeren

Implementeer wekelijkse aanvullingsdrempels per kanaalsnelheid en SKU-prioriteit, gebruikmakend van een 4-weken voortschrijdende prognose en veiligheidsvoorraad per SKU's met hoge vraag.

Bouw een uniform analytisch kader dat de prestaties van vraag en aanbod vergelijkt over globale markten en merklijnen. Volg vergelijkbare SKU's via online, fysieke winkels en mobiele kanalen om te identificeren welke kanalen snellere levering, hogere uitleveringsgraden en betere marges genereren, terwijl de kwaliteit van de content de vraagsignalen en klanttevredenheid beïnvloedt. Data van informa-dashboards en TechTarget-inzichten zullen het model valideren en het kantoor op de hoogte houden van de werkelijke omstandigheden.

Focus op bruikbare meetgegevens: vraag, nauwkeurigheid van voorspellingen, uitleveringspercentage, fouten, uitvoeringssnelheid en tekorten. Deze positieve indicatoren sturen merchandise-beslissingen, informeren prijsstelling en promoties en verminderen fouten in voorraadvoorspellingen. De aanpak ondersteunt NYSE-genoteerde partners en belanghebbenden van het merk door een helder, data-gedreven rapport te bieden dat binnen de organisatie van het bedrijf kan worden gedeeld.

De onderstaande tabel vertaalt de strategie in concrete acties per kanaal en SKU, met doelstellingen die u in de volgende cyclus kunt operationaliseren.