Case Study: Retail Inventory System

Background: As a Senior Technical Product Manager at Rothy's, I identified the need for a streamlined and efficient inventory management system for our retail store teams. Prior to this project, the store teams managed inventory processes manually, which led to inefficiencies, errors, and delays in shipment handling and audits. The existing tools lacked the functionality to track shipments effectively, adjust inventory levels, or perform timely audits, negatively impacting the supply chain and customer experience.

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‍Objective: The goal of the project was to design and implement a retail inventory system that enabled store teams to efficiently:

• Accept incoming shipments
• Send out shipments
• Adjust inventory levels
• Request inter-store transfers
• Conduct monthly audits
• This solution needed to be scalable, easy to use, and fully integrated with the existing systems (ERP and 3PL) for real-time updates and accurate inventory visibility.

‍Key Responsibilities:
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• Led cross-functional teams, including engineering, design, and retail operations, to align on project goals and requirements.
• Defined the product roadmap, prioritizing features based on business needs and feedback from store teams.
• Spearheaded the integration of the system with the company’s existing ERP and 3PL platforms to ensure seamless inventory tracking across all channels.
• Collaborated with the retail teams to gather requirements, conduct user testing, and iterate based on feedback.

‍Challenges:
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• Legacy Systems: The existing ERP system was outdated, making integration a complex process that required detailed planning and collaboration between technical and operations teams.
• User Adoption: Many store team members had limited technical experience, so ensuring a user-friendly interface and adequate training were critical to the system’s success.
• Real-Time Accuracy: Achieving real-time inventory updates required optimizing data flow and managing system latencies to avoid discrepancies between physical and virtual inventory.

‍Solution: I collaborated closely with stakeholders to develop a custom-built inventory management system that:

• Allowed store teams to scan barcodes for incoming and outgoing shipments, reducing manual entry errors.
• Provided real-time inventory adjustments, helping teams track stock levels accurately.
• Integrated with the ERP system to sync data on incoming and outgoing shipments, ensuring end-to-end visibility.
• Enabled store managers to perform monthly audits with an easy-to-navigate mobile interface, which improved compliance and reduced audit time by 30%.
• Built a robust notification system that alerted teams to discrepancies, enabling them to act quickly.

‍Results:‍

• Increased Efficiency: Store teams reported a 40% reduction in time spent on inventory-related tasks, including shipment handling and monthly audits.
• Improved Accuracy: The system reduced inventory discrepancies by 25%, leading to fewer stockouts and improved availability of products for customers.
• Better Data Visibility: Real-time integration with ERP and 3PL systems provided enhanced visibility across all stores, improving decision-making for supply chain and retail managers.
• User Satisfaction: Post-launch surveys indicated a 90% satisfaction rate among store teams, citing ease of use and time savings as major benefits.

‍Conclusion: This project significantly improved inventory management across the company’s retail stores, driving operational efficiency and reducing errors. By focusing on user experience, system integration, and real-time data, the new inventory system empowered the retail teams to manage inventory processes more effectively, leading to higher customer satisfaction and smoother operations.