SCIENCE

Edcon has selected Oracle Retail merchandise planning and supply chain execution applications to better meet the demands of its broad customer base across all its retail brands and nearly 1300 stores in Southern Africa.

Structured under three divisions, Edcon has:

A Department store division including Edgars, Boardmans, Prato, Red Square and Temptations

A Discount store division including Jet, Jet Mart, Legit and Discom

And the CNA brand selling books, magazines, stationery, music and other media.

Edcon decided to purchase Oracle Retail applications to introduce a more integrated approach to merchandise management, bringing pre-season and in-season planning together with execution strategies and better linking product and financial planning activities.

The intention is to increase efficiency and effectiveness of buyers and planners, and inventory which should lead to better customer service, and improved profitability.

The selection of Oracle Retail Merchandise Financial Planning, Oracle Retail Size Profile Optimization, Oracle Retail Item Planning and Oracle Retail Assortment Planning will help Edcon to create a standardised planning platform with embedded process workflow across its multiple brands.

The Oracle Retail applications will also help Edcon to execute planning activities in line with key financial plans and indicators, promoting visibility and reconciliation of budgets with pre-season and in-season plans.

In addition, Edcon expects the selection of Oracle Retail Advanced Inventory Planning and Oracle Retail Replenishment Optimization to enable better management of inventory within the complex supply chain and the numerous variables connected with demand, supply and replenishment across the business.

Achieving an optimum inventory balance is expected to help Edcon improve service level goals and reduce inventory carrying costs.

The decision to select Oracle Retail builds on Edcon’s long history of successfully relying on Oracle Retail merchandising solutions.

Supporting Quotes

“As our business has grown and become more complex, the need to evolve processes and the tools used to support them has become increasingly important,” said Geoff Ayoub, Chief Planning Officer, Edcon. “Using Oracle’s planning solutions, we expect to see a number of benefits, including a better shopping experience for our customers, improved inventory performance, and a more productive work environment for our teams.”

“Edcon understands the importance of leveraging technology and the value that the information it delivers can bring to the business,” said Duncan Angove, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Oracle Retail. “Oracle Retail applications are proven to equip retailers to better understand their customers and develop offerings that are profitable and compelling to the customer.”