Specialty retailer brings procurement into a single platform

The Challenge

As a specialty retailer with more than 330 stores in 14 different store formats, this retailer has its work cut out in navigating complex procurement requirements. And, with over half of their stores operating in airports, having inventory arrive on-time and in the correct location is a significant logistical challenge. With disparate procurement systems in place and a sparse number of suppliers, store managers would often buy supplies off-contract at retail prices—costing the company time and money. The variables in play are "tenfold," a VP of Purchasing told BuyerQuest regarding procurement at airports and getting inventory through airport security. Different types of locations—whether it is a full-service bar and restaurant, fashion, gift shop, or retail store—were using different vendors and platforms for procurement, making it difficult to manage and budget. "We were struggling with procuring across multiple platforms. Everybody was able to order, it was a real drain on our controls and a strain on our time when ordering from so many different places." The retailer faced four specific pain points: 1) Lack of purchasing controls allowed employees at their 300+ stores, distribution centers, and corporate offices to place orders. 2) Sparse number of suppliers and catalog options made finding what was needed to run the stores challenging. 3) Existing ordering process was hard to use, hard to manage, and difficult to track. 4) Lackluster pricing and slow deliveries encouraged off-contract and over-budget spending. "There was a real lack of understanding from our team in the field, they didn't know their own budget or how to simply procure an item."