Case Study: Lonely Planet achieves 60% forecast accuracy and doubles reprint run size with Demand Solutions

The robust forecasting provided by Demand Solutions has given Lonely Planet Publications efficiency and flexibility

Lonely Planet, the world’s largest independent travel guidebook publisher, faced limited planning tools and low forecast accuracy for short-shelf-life titles. After struggling with quarterly spreadsheet forecasts, global logistics manager Andrew Leggatt selected Demand Solutions’ forecasting/forecast management system to centralize demand planning in real time and replace inadequate ERP-based forecasts.

Demand Solutions was implemented in three months and gave Lonely Planet lifecycle-based forecasting, easy scenario planning, and POS/scan-data comparison. As a result forecast accuracy at the line-item level rose from 10% to 60%, reprint run sizes more than doubled, print and freight costs were reduced, and inventory utilization and budgeting improved—delivering measurable supply-chain and cost benefits for Lonely Planet.

Lonely Planet

Andrew Leggatt

Global Logistics Manager