[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2023\/07\/12\/retail-merchandising-survey-stats-reveal-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2023\/07\/12\/retail-merchandising-survey-stats-reveal-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly\/","headline":"Merchandising survey: The good, bad, and ugly stats of retail","name":"Merchandising survey: The good, bad, and ugly stats of retail","description":"Find out how merchandisers aim to boost margins, profits, and customer loyalty in the digital retail era. ","datePublished":"2023-07-12","dateModified":"2025-10-08","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/contributor\/joerg-koesters\/#Person","name":"Joerg Koesters","url":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/contributor\/joerg-koesters\/","identifier":759,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/4f61e18a96b6562b8fcd86f324de6eecd027b9aa1fbadf0ecc2509304129edd6?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/4f61e18a96b6562b8fcd86f324de6eecd027b9aa1fbadf0ecc2509304129edd6?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"The Future of Commerce","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/logo-foc-schema-app-1.png","url":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/logo-foc-schema-app-1.png","width":172,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/FCEE096_SalesTraining_HB.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/FCEE096_SalesTraining_HB.jpg","height":375,"width":1200},"url":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2023\/07\/12\/retail-merchandising-survey-stats-reveal-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly\/","video":{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"VideoObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=vDIS0gcrA9I#VideoObject","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=vDIS0gcrA9I","name":"How Fast Can Your Retailer Adjust His Inventory to Your Needs? | SAP Retail","description":"\ud83d\udc53 Meet us at or around NRF - learn more about the road to a new world of with SAP at http:\/\/sap.to\/6053Ja6xv\n\nHas your retail business experienced demand and supply disruption or has a change in weather ever screwed up your merchandise plan? See how smart retailers with the help of SAP get ahead of the curve and have the right products and services ready for your customer, right when they need it. \n\nhttp:\/\/sap.to\/6054Ja6xa","thumbnailUrl":["https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/vDIS0gcrA9I\/default.jpg","https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/vDIS0gcrA9I\/mqdefault.jpg","https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/vDIS0gcrA9I\/hqdefault.jpg","https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/vDIS0gcrA9I\/sddefault.jpg"],"uploadDate":"2021-12-20T10:41:53+00:00","duration":"PT42S","embedUrl":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/vDIS0gcrA9I","publisher":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCVnIv2xF2wyMMCSKv1qF3pA#Organization","url":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCVnIv2xF2wyMMCSKv1qF3pA","name":"SAP","description":"At SAP, our vision is to bring out the best in every business. As\u202fa global leader in enterprise applications and business AI, we stand at the\u202fnexus\u202fof business and technology. 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A recent retail merchandising survey shows how brands are pursuing these goals in the digital era.According to the SAP Retail survey, merchandisers prioritize customer experience and are looking to analytics and advanced technology for help.The study also revealed gaps and room for improvement.Survey says: Top retail merchandising goalsMerchandisers today are keenly aware that they must understand customer needs and deliver on those needs across multiple channels. Retail success today hinges on providing shoppers with omnichannel experiences, and retailers are working hard to provide optimal experiences for consumers.What matters most to merchandisers:\u00a072% percent of respondents said they want to deliver consistent assortment, pricing, and promotion across all customer touchpoints.More than half of the retailers surveyed aim to improve collaboration with suppliers and offer more flexible sources of supply.52% of respondents said providing tailored and localized assortments is important.      Forecasting and replenishment: How hypermarket Kaufland nailed it                Learn how a German hypermarket chain uses SAP's Unified Demand Forecasting solution to improve efficiency and accuracy.      Whomp-whomp: Merchandiser goals vs. merchandiser realityAlthough merchandisers recognize the importance of customer experience, the survey showed that many have a lot of catching up to do.More than 40% of survey respondents aren’t confident in their ability to know their customers at the level of detail needed. And only a third have invested in knowing their customers’ needs and preferences.Despite the need to maximize margins and drive profits across all channels, only 28% merchandisers surveyed included understanding the margin and profit of their assortments at any level as an important strategy.This content is hosted by a third party ( youtu.be ).To view the content, either update your cookie preferences or view it in a new browser window.Cookie PreferencesNew WindowThe future of retail & the promise of techMerchandisers are taking steps to bridge the gaps and better align their strategies with business goals, the survey found.Many are moving towards predictive analytics and machine learning to improve their decision making.More than half of retailers surveyed have already invested in ERP\u00a0software, with even more considering such a move.About 33% said they’ve invested in predictive analytics and demand forecasting.\u201cTechnology is emerging as a real differentiator to help retailers optimize profitability while delivering a more engaging customer experience across channels,” says Kristin Howell, Global Vice President, Retail Marketing & Merchandising, SAP.As merchants tailor their assortments and personalize promotions, predictive analytics and a connected platform for execution deliver measurable growth and profits, Howell adds.  Happy customers.Connected experiences.See real-life retail outcomes HERE."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"2023","item":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2023\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"07","item":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2023\/\/07\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"12","item":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2023\/\/07\/\/12\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"Merchandising survey: The good, bad, and ugly stats of retail","item":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2023\/07\/12\/retail-merchandising-survey-stats-reveal-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]