Just once a year we are permitted to go a little crazy and shop more than we should.
Since this frenzy is an entirely unpredictable amount of volume, retailers can have trouble forecasting.
- Demand
- Time for fulfillment; and, as mentioned previously this week,
- Restocking what is returned for quick resale before the shopping frenzy (and opportunity) ends.
They can do a few things to prevent cancelled orders – on their part. They can use sophisticated inventory software tied to their online store and retail stores alike.
Then, they will be able to turn off online ordering, which is, indeed, disappointing; however, less so than having to cancel an order due to lack of supply.
Yes, it’s expensive to buy all the back end automation, but, in reality, they can use it more than just once a year…which should, in the long run, help them save more time, reducing expenses and improving profitability. Win-win.
~ Dawn aka Hat Girl