This Black Friday, retailers who typically would just buy more to cover for any disruption to supply or demand are in for a challenge. Tighter margins, increased interest rates, and potential demand disruptions due to the economic outlook can mean that inventory is a very costly safety stock and puts their business in trouble.

Retailers must instead be able to use leading indicators of demand to predict the uplift as well as quickly and cost-effectively modify their plans to respond in real-time to disruptions throughout this singular shopping season.

Through effective decision-making based on visible, extensive, and well-analysed data, retailers can respond to unforeseen changes faster than usual – anything from an increasing supply of certain products to particular regions to planning discounts that direct buyers towards stock they know they need to shift.

Amid what may be the most volatile and uncertain peak retail season for many years, making decisions based on highly insightful tech can keep retailers agile and well-prepared to meet all-important customer expectations.