The Practicalities of Multi-Channel Retail - Part 3 - Inventory (Stock)

Visibility of stock within distribution centres and fulfilment partners, as well as stock held locally in bricks and mortar stores, provides the customer with clearly defined options on where they can source the items they are looking for in either their preferred or alternative channel. Having the ability to directly purchase through a transactional website/telephone ordering system, or reserve stock at a local branch guarantees the customer is satisfied without them reverting to a competitor. This approach of guiding the customer to alternative channels in order to provide timely fulfilment is one of the key factors identified in retaining customer loyalty. There is not necessarily a right or wrong method for managing stock levels across channels, whether it is a federated or singular view within channels. But the most important feature of this is the speed in which stock can be made available between channels so that demand can be satisfied without the need for drawn out processes in transferring stock, whether it is physical stock, or merely logical partitioning in a warehouse.