Enhanced Retail Solutions Retail Primer

Sales, planning, and supply chain expectations on manufacturers, distributors, licensors, and agents have dramatically increased over the past decade, particularly for those suppliers selling to large retail chains and department stores. To be successful, suppliers must understand and think like a buyer. Without an understanding of how to accomplish this, many suppliers find themselves never able to capture the long term success and ROI of these relationships.

James E. Lewis, a former JC Penney buyer who has managed and bought key categories in mens, children’s and home textiles throughout his 20 year career, founded Enhanced Retail Solutions in 2002 to help improve the retail business acumen of suppliers.

In Enhanced Retail Solutions Retail Primer, James E. Lewis offers specific education and techniques on how to think like a buyer, improve collaboration, and planning to profit. Key topics include:
• Understanding a buyer’s point of view, expectations and openness to vendor involvement
• Looking for opportunities of growth (statistics, retail assortment, demographics)
• Making money in today’s retail environment
• Offering a compelling merchandise statement (why should a retailer buy from me?)
• How to present new ideas to the retailer
• Retail math and measurement standards
• Why tracking the business at store level matters (lost sales, opportunities, inventory productivity)
• Understanding forecasting from a retail perspective
• Fundamentals of replenishment
• Assessing risk on margin guarantees and markdown negotiations – planning to profit