Gartner Research

Manufacturers Must Focus on Retailer and Shopper Responses to Poor Online Availability

Published: 08 February 2019

ID: G00381490

Analyst(s): Simon Bailey

Summary

Supply chain leaders in consumer products should bring the same focus to online availability as they do to on-shelf. As e-commerce sales grow, the high level of online out-of-stocks and voids leads to manufacturers getting hit hard by retailer and shopper reactions.

Table Of Contents
  • Impacts

Analysis

Impacts and Recommendations

  • Out-of-Stocks Online and In-Store Are at Similar Levels, but as E-Commerce Grows the Importance of Online Availability Demands More Attention From Manufacturers
  • Manufacturers Can Be Hard Hit by Voids Because of Data Issues and Retailer Response to Poor Availability
  • Shoppers’ Response to Poor OLA Is Different Than When They Encounter OSA Issues in Store and Hits Manufacturers Harder

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