JBT Credit Rating Declines
There is a noticeable uptick in declining JBT credit ratings that I believe is foreshadowing cash flow issues that will become more apparent by the end of this year.
The Plan is My Jam!
Very few people plan inventory in layers. We suggest planning by category, price-point and style, or, for your branded lines, start with vendor, then category, price-point, and style.
The Banking Crisis
We cannot escape the news (and noise) about recent banking issues along with the questions we’re getting from clients about how they should handle their bank balances.
Compared to What?
There has been so much talk about recession, causing what I feel is unfounded worry. This is not to say that you should be planning for sales increases, but that you understand how you might want to compare this year to 2020 & 2021, which were arguably the best performing two years in our industry’s history.
Bottoms Up!
How do you plan and merchandise your inventory? While we have been talking about the four steps of merchandising for nearly 20 years, the impact that 2021 has had on your merchandise assortments requires a more comprehensive analysis of your business. Last year was a welcome surprise, but it was surprising nonetheless, catching many somewhat off guard when it came to proper inventory planning.
The Roaring 20’s
History doesn’t necessarily repeat itself, but it does often rhyme. Having just come off of the best year for retail jewelry sales, perhaps ever, the questions are, how long will this last and how to plan for the rest of this year.
Got Cash? Now What?
The number of retailers who have told us that they have eliminated debt completely is astounding – and is especially notable for those who have never before been debt free.
Fat Man at a Buffet
Having recently completed our final Plexus meeting of the season, one thing was true across the board; everyone is in much better financial shape than they were a year ago.
Planning in a Blender
Under normal circumstances, planning for the 4th quarter is pretty routine. However, nothing is normal this year and we struggle to get our arms around these issues – we struggle to plan.