Case Study: Staples achieves faster, more accurate multi-channel merchandise planning and 75% shorter re-forecasting with Manhattan Associates' Advanced Planning solutions

Staples moves to the head of the class with Multi-Channel Planning

Staples, the world’s largest office-products retailer with thousands of stores plus catalog and online channels, faced fragmented, manual merchandise planning built on hundreds of Excel and Access spreadsheets. Rapid multi-channel, international growth made forecasting, supplier collaboration and inventory leverage ineffective, and planners had no single reconciled view of demand or finances.

Staples implemented Manhattan Associates’ 100% J2EE Advanced Planning platform via a thin web browser client to provide one integrated planning solution across channels and geographies. The rollout eliminated hundreds of spreadsheets, delivered “one version of the truth,” saved planners about a half-day per week, cut in‑season re‑forecasting from one month to one week (75% faster), improved forecasting accuracy and margins, and increased inventory turns and supplier collaboration.

Staples

Mark Bauer

Director of IS Development