Industry Challenges
Our apparel and footwear consulting team is prepared to help your company face today’s most pressing challenges.
Inventory Planning
Matching supply and demand has become more of a challenge as omnichannel functions increase the complexity of predicting where inventory should be in order to minimize time to customer. Supply chain strategies and functions are one of the biggest force for successful retailers, who need to ensure that they have the right product in the right place at the right time.
Diverse Competition
DTC-native, subscription, and concierge fashion services continue to steal loyalty amongst traditional retailers. Additionally, pricing challenges emerge as pervasive discounting is eroding profits from even the most loyal customers. To compete, data-driven decision-making has become a priority in order to understand customer preferences and create personalized experiences (ultimately to drive engagement and loyalty).
Technology Modernization
Retail technology continues to move forward at a torrid pace, forcing investments in point-of-sale, omnichannel, merchandising, and eCommerce platforms or risk being left behind. With the consumer’s increasing shift to digital channels, apparel and footwear companies must have a unified, digital experience. Research, social, and e-commerce channels should seamlessly work together to help guide the consumer throughout the path-to-purchase.
Frictionless Experiences & Fulfillments
Contextualized field communications, efficient workforce scheduling, and maximization of staff productivity remain elusive for retailers struggling with aging technology infrastructure. From staffing decisions to product assortments, advanced analytics can drive efficiencies across organizations. Across the industry, technology investments are being made to enable flexible fulfillment options such as in-store or curbside pickup, or same day delivery so consumers can wear their purchases faster than ever.
Ensuring Sustainable Practices
Retailers are seeking to improve their image around sustainability, especially with the rise in purchase power for younger generations who put a premium on environmental protection. Recycling and upcycling materials is an increasing demand for apparel and footwear retailers.
Apparel Industry Trends
Read our annual trends report to stay up-to-date with where the apparel industry is headed.
Download the 2025 ReportCASE STUDY
Footwear Retailer
Point of Sale (POS) Solution Vendor Selection for a Footwear Retailer
This client designs, develops, markets, and distributes footwear for men, women, and children – operating through three segments: domestic wholesale sales, international wholesale sales, and retail sales. Clarkston performed a technology assessment for the client, and the POS (point of sale) system was identified as a foundational system that needed to be modernized for the client to reduce some of their technical debt and increase operational efficiencies.
Secure and scalable code base; Centrally managed promotions
Country packs to ensure fiscal compliance and speed to international deployment
Ease of integration with internal client systems
Featured Clients
