Aptos, a recognized market leader in retail technology solutions, recently announced that The SM Store has deployed Aptos’ Merchandise Financial Planning solution to support its omnichannel sales planning activities. With this technology adoption, the retailer gains world-class merchandise planning capabilities across all its products, stores, and digital channels.
The multi-awarded The SM Store is part of SM Retail, Inc., the leading retailer in the Philippines with a portfolio of department stores, supermarkets, and specialty stores. The SM Store has over 60 stores strategically located in key cities throughout the country and carries a wide range of apparel, accessories, housewares, general merchandise, and lifestyle products.
For over six decades, SM Retail has developed generations of loyal customers and a reputation for offering a one-stop shopping experience. The retailer has also excelled in evolving its business alongside the needs of its customers, which include investments in digital technologies to support consumers’ shopping behaviors.
As part of their commitment to providing customers with the best possible products and services, The SM Store recognized the need to equip the organization with a merchandise financial planning tool that is omnichannel ready. The solution allows the company to standardize planning procedures across businesses and product categories.
Aptos’ Merchandise Financial Planning provides The SM Store with end-to-end support of merchandise planning activities, from strategic planning to planning by channel. The ability of the solution to support detailed planning such as product and location level will enable The SM Store to optimize inventory levels and sales plan allocation across the vast network of SM’s stores.
As the season progresses, the solution helps simulate and allows planners to make course corrections to keep a firm handle on the achievement of sales and inventory investment targets. With their expansive product range, a growing array of services, and digital capabilities, merchandise planning is both complex and a strategic differentiator for The SM Store.
“SM has a deeply rooted presence in retail that centers on innovative approaches to customer service and compelling merchandise offerings,” said Steve Towe, President and COO at Aptos.
“We are proud to support this visionary retailer on its omnichannel transformation,” Towe added. “As shoppers raise the bar to purchase and pick up products in any and every channel, merchandise planning has become a vital process for retailers. Our solution, designed to support the complexity of omnichannel business models, helps retailers make precise merchandise decisions, optimize their inventory, and increase synergies across channels for both profitable and exceptional customer experiences.”
