Improving Purchase Order Visibility and Sourcing for a Seasonal Retail Leader
Clarkston Consulting helped a seasonal retailer improve purchase order (PO) visibility and sourcing so that their supply chain can better support the demands of its seasonal business model. Read a synopsis of the project below or download the full case study.
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The client, a $2B fast-turn seasonal retailer, operates one of the most complex and time-sensitive retail supply chains. Its highly seasonal business model combines compressed selling windows with a global vendor base, requiring close coordination from sourcing and purchase order (PO) creation through production and inbound logistics. As the business grew, increased product complexity and evolving compliance requirements exposed structural limitations across its sourcing and PO lifecycle.
Clarkston partnered with the client as the strategic lead to assess its sourcing workflows and PO lifecycle processes. The client faced limited visibility and fragmented systems, while manual processes affected efficiency and decision-making.
The engagement focused on an end-to-end assessment of the PO lifecycle, from buy initiation through vendor production and inbound logistics. Through cross-functional stakeholder interviews and detailed process mapping, Clarkston identified key pain points, including manual vendor onboarding, lack of workflow automation, inconsistent data across systems, and limited visibility into production and shipment status.
Clarkston also benchmarked the client’s current capabilities against industry best practices, identifying opportunities to strengthen PO pre-season commitments and seasonal portfolio load management. The assessment also highlighted opportunities for exception-based workflow management and stronger vendor collaboration. Based on these insights, the team defined a future-state vision centered on streamlined workflows and reduced compression in the PO lifecycle, supported by stronger vendor management and greater data transparency.
Clarkston developed a prioritized roadmap to guide the client’s transformation journey. Near-term recommendations focused on stabilizing execution through greater process discipline and foundational visibility. Longer-term initiatives introduced structured workflows and vendor collaboration capabilities to support execution at scale.
With a clearer understanding of its current challenges and a structured path forward, the client is now positioned to improve operational efficiency and reduce supply chain risk while better supporting the demands of its seasonal business model. By enhancing visibility and alignment across teams, the organization can drive more informed decision-making and deliver products to market with greater speed and accuracy.
Download the Improving PO Visibility and Sourcing case study, and learn more about our Retail Supply Chain Services by contacting us below.
Human-created: This content was ideated, drafted, edited, and approved by a human. AI use, if any, was limited to incidental support.
