JDA Software Intros New View on Visual Merchandising, Assortment Planning and Transportation Management

Logistics Insight Asia - Technology & Market Trends, 4/2/2008

JDA Software Group announced a “new view” on visual merchandising, assortment planning and transportation management with the next generation of its Enterprise Planning, Space & Category Management, and Transportation & Logistics Management suites available during the first quarter of 2008.
The latest versions of these software suites provide new innovative applications and greater capabilities to respond to customer-centric business environments found in today’s dynamic retail, consumer goods and other business environments. Assortment Planning and Planogram functionality within the Enterprise Planning and Space & Category Management suites will enable retailers to experience optimized product selection and greater visibility into optimal product placement and display. JDA Software’s next-generation Transportation & Logistics Management suite offers enhanced functionality to more effectively manage the complexities of multi-modal, global transportation movements with capabilities that cover the entire spectrum of the logistics process.

Equipping Retailers for Tomorrow’s Opportunities and Competitive Pressures
Escalating consumer expectations, competitive pressures and ever-expanding product ranges combined with evolving local requirements are shaping the landscape of today’s dynamic retail environment.
As part of JDA’s strategic, workflow-driven Enterprise Planning solution suite v7.5, JDA Assortment Planning will enable retailers to effectively plan and execute unique store-level assortments that match local consumer demand.

JDA Assortment Planning software allows retailers to create consumer-centric plans based on product hierarchy or product attribute, including theme, collection, floor-set plans or promotions. This next-generation software application enables retailers to dynamically group store locations into clusters based on calculated data, such as size and type of store, volume of merchandise sold and customer attributes. Additionally, Channel Clustering allows stores to be grouped together based on performance analysis data, which then can be translated into actionable decision-making.

Generating High Volumes of Planograms without Sacrificing Quality
When creating planograms to determine how and where retail products optimally should be displayed, merchants are often forced to choose between quantity and quality. As part of JDA’s next-generation Space & Category Management suite, JDA’s Planogram Generator v7.5 will enable companies to create greater quantities of highly detailed planograms more efficiently. Retailers will benefit from planograms that are both accurate – incorporating attributes such as user-defined merchandising instructions, fixtures and assortment and performance data – and produced at high volumes. Built on JDA Software’s fully integrated, centralized Intactix Knowledge Base, the Planogram Generator automates the often arduous task of producing planograms; this innovative space management solution also provides a competitive advantage – agility. The solution is capable of producing store-level planograms in a matter of seconds, compared with the standard three hours, quickly allowing retailers to adjust product placement based on performance data, market changes and shifting consumer demand.
Managing Complex Transportation Movements through Elongated Supply Chains
With increasing global operations and tightening freight capacity, as well as the rising popularity of offshore manufacturing, today’s organizations must find more cost-effective methods to manage and control their transportation operations. Furthermore, due to constrained network capacity and an increase in service-level expectations, many companies must find ways to break down the silos between their private fleet and third-party carrier operations.

The latest version of the JDA Transportation & Logistics Management suite will enable shippers, carriers and transportation service providers to manage the complexities of a multi-modal logistics network – including ground, rail, ocean and air – like never before. A paradigm shift for transportation managers, JDA’s solutions allow them to plan and execute all transportation needs including company-owned fleets. The suite will also provide enhanced visibility into the movement of product through the elongated supply chain, ensuring that lead cycle times are reduced and goods are delivered on-time and on-budget to the right distribution centers and right stores. JDA® Fleet Management, part of the next-generation Transportation & Logistics Management software suite, provides a single platform to more effectively manage a mixed private fleet and third-party carrier operation, which will enable many companies to realize increased backhaul utilization and reduced freight expense.

JDA Software Group, www.jda.com