As seen first in Footwear News, the disruption to the back-to-school shopping season, combined with the looming holiday period, has created a number of inventory challenges for retailers. A new inventory optimization solution from Oracle Retail is aiming to help those retailers who find themselves unsure of where to direct their merchandise in the coming months.

Inventory planning usually incorporates learnings from previous years, but the unique characteristics of 2020 has left many businesses in the lurch. Without a clear roadmap to adhere to, retailers are tasked with anticipating radically shifting consumer behavior, as well as developments in the retail landscape, which has proven near impossible during this pandemic.
While small or new businesses may be particularly struggling to adapt, even companies with a previously robust merchandising plan may find themselves challenged by the new circumstances. Production is likely to be continually put under pressure, as regions both domestically and internationally experience first and second waves of the pandemic. This may make it difficult to obtain sufficient quantity, especially across a range of sizes.