Data analytics can make or break a retailer’s holiday season’s revenues.
You likely associate the holidays with the busiest time of year for toy retailers. Yet, predicting the most popular toys, colors, and video games for the holidays, in addition to ordering and managing stock is started months in advance. Manufacturer orders are completed by March with distribution centers full in the summer. Starting September, toy retailers ensure inventory levels stay replenished, demand is properly forecasted, sales volumes are managed, and all stores are keeping an eye on the hottest toy of the year.
Intertoys B.V., the largest chain of toy stores in the Netherlands turns to data to run their business. The retailer is integrating data across its 200+ retail locations, online channel, sister companies, and even external sources, to create a complete view of inventory, sales, and stock positions at any given time. A cloud data analytics modernization effort has repositioned this established retailer into a modern enterprise where data (and the intelligence that comes from that data) is becoming the central focus of their business.
As the largest retail toy store chain in the Netherlands, Intertoys seeks to stay ahead of the competition. To do so, they need to not only leverage data they own and create but also external, third-party data to help uncover insights into demand, trends, and seasonality.