Retailers’ inventory assortments have grown far more complex as retailers seek a differentiated offering to more discerning and careful consumers. Larger and more complex assortments delivered via a far-flung supply chain require that retailers and manufacturers both operate with a greater degree of precision and with greater responsiveness to real time conditions. Our recent studies have shown that winning companies are turning their ability to manage greater complexity more effectively into a strategic differentiator.

RSR’s research findings have shown that transparent processes across the entire supply chain can be a strategic weapon for winning companies in the global ecosystem. Since delays, shortages, quality, and transportation issues can have a devastating effect on a retailer’s bottom line, we wanted to test the extent to which decision makers seek better visibility into their supply chains. We wanted to understand if and how retailers track products from the point of manufacture to the store shelf, and whether they are able to respond more quickly both to supply chain “shocks” and to rapid changes in consumer demand.

“Retail Supply Chain Visibility 2009: The Drive for Strategic Transparency” contains analysis of the business drivers, opportunities, and organizational constraints surrounding retail supply chain visibility, as well as recommendations for creating successful visibility-driven supply chains.