Inventory is one of the most challenging areas of retail operations to master, and it only gets harder as a retail chain grows.
As more stores, warehouses, and product categories are added, retailers end up with fragmented visibility, where sales data sits in one system, stock levels in another, and warehouse movements somewhere else entirely. Before long, stock levels drift out of sync across locations, replenishment decisions are made too late, products sell out before they’re restocked, and teams are left working with incomplete or outdated information.
So how do high-performing retailers stay ahead? They make sure teams across locations are working from a clear, real-time view of inventory.
With LS Central, all your data is brought together in one place, giving you visibility into stock levels, product movement, and demand across the entire chain.
Here’s how five leading retailers around the world are getting it right.
1. More accurate and response order fulfillment
VITA is one of Norway’s leading health and beauty retailers, operating hundreds of stores and one of the country’s largest loyalty programs, which supports over 900,000 members. To keep up with demand, VITA has connected warehouse automation directly to sales and inventory data in LS Central. Orders from the company’s online store flow through LS Central and Microsoft Dynamics 265 Business Central to an automated picking system, where 17 robots retrieve and deliver goods to five workstations, following optimized routes across the warehouse grid.
As items are picked, inventory is automatically verified and stock levels are updated instantly in both Business Central and LS Central. This removes the gap between physical movement and system records, ensuring warehouse staff always work from accurate, up-to-date data.
2. Optimal product availability across stores
O’Briens Wine is Ireland's largest family-owned drinks retailer, offering over 1,000 wines alongside a variety of local beers, craft beers, spirits and more. With such a broad assortment, it's crucial for the company to accurately track and replenish products, especially wine vintages and batches.
Instead of relying on periodic checks and manual adjustments, the business uses the Replenishment for LS Central add-on for purchasing and transfer processes, helping them maintain optimal stock levels across stores. Today, the company has successfully reduced stocking errors by 40%, while also minimizing waste.
3. Preventing overstock and stockouts
Alrimaya, Saudi Arabia’s largest outdoor equipment retailer manages over 55+ locations across the country. With LS Central, the company has reduced manual inventory tasks by 30 % and is able to quickly restock high demand products, avoiding missed sales opportunities.
As a result, Alrimaya has also been able to reduce inventory holding costs by 20%, minimizing excess stock while maintaining optimal product availability across its stores.
4. Keeping shelves well stocked with mobile inventory
Bonus, one of Iceland’s largest grocery retailers, knows well the challenge of replenishing fast-moving stock.
With LS Central, store teams can perform stock taking directly on mobile devices, allowing them to pick, receive, or scan products more efficiently. Once completed, the information is uploaded directly to LS Central, reducing the delay between counting and updating records.
“The Mobile Inventory app is an integral part of our processes in the stores, and it helps our staff work faster,” says Steinar Kristjansson, Chief Information Officer at Bonus.
By embedding mobile stock taking into everyday store operations, Bonus has made it easier for store teams to keep shelves consistently well stocked.
5. Support for complex inventory needs
Kaisercraft, an arts, crafts and speciality retail brand operating 110+ stores across Australia, manages a complex inventory flow where products are shipped to stores in assorted boxes containing multiple SKUs, which are only separated once opened in-store.
LS Central supports this process by handling assortment breakdowns across warehouse and store systems. "It allows us to move products through the warehouse and out to stores much more quickly," says Mark Sears, Senior Executive at Kaisercraft.
With the ability to handle complex inventory, Kaisercraft is able to get the right products out to its stores faster, resulting in more efficient stock handling throughout the chain.
Uniting retail inventory operations across the business
When sales. Inventory, and customer data are connected within a single platform like LS Central, retailers gain a more accurate, real-time view of inventory across the entire business. Stockouts become less frequent, shelves stay full with the right products, fulfillment happens faster, and retailers gain a clear understanding of what customers are actually buying.
With this foundation in place, inventory becomes less complex to manage as operations grow. Contact us to learn more about what this could look like for your retail chain.
