Lakeland Starts Implementation Of Maple Lake Merchandise Planning Software To Streamline Multi-Channel Business
UK kitchenware retailer cooks up best-sellers with new technology
Lakeland, the UK's leading kitchenware retailer with 57 stores and a fast-growing multi-channel business, has started to implement Maple Lake's merchandise planning solution in a bid to ensure high levels of availability for its customers.
"Expansion and the inherent complexity in managing multiple channels has made us look harder at IT tools that give us more control and visibility in managing stock to sales," says Matthew Canwell, buying director at Lakeland.
The kitchenware retailer, which carries around 4,000 product lines - everything from kitchen appliances to cooking utensils and cleaning products - has always prided itself on high levels of product availability and customer service.
"We are a customer-centric retailer and so ensuring we have the right stock levels to meet customer demand is key to us," says Canwell.
The Maple Lake software gives improved visibility of how different departments are performing and what sells when and where. It can be very time consuming analyzing stock and sales on a daily or weekly basis, but the technology helps by automatically identifying any potential gaps on the shelves and highlighting what customers are wanting and highlighting what exactly to buy more of. The Maple Lake QuickAssortment roll-out will be completed by summer 2012.
"With our pedigree of so many successful deliveries at retail fashion businesses, we're delighted to work with an outstanding housewares brand like Lakeland," says Bob Jolley, group commercial director, Maple Lake.
About Lakeland
Lakeland offers an unrivalled collection of creative kitchenware, practical ideas for the home and garden, and inspiring gifts from all over the world. It sells innovative products that make life easier, are long-lasting and offer great value for money, with every item backed by an unconditional guarantee. A family-owned business, it was founded in the early 1960s, and has the same strong values of quality and customer care now as when it first started. It trades through 57 stores across the UK and three stores in the Middle East, as well as its home shopping business of website and catalogues.
About Maple Lake Ltd.
Maple Lake Ltd. is a software and services provider for specialty retailers worldwide. The company offers QuickAssortment, QuickAllocation and QuickAnalytics, a set of applications that refines assortment management, allocation planning and ‘Open To Buy' efforts for maximum sales and profitability. The company's customers represent 10,000-plus retail locations, including adidas Group, Aeropostale, Arcadia Group, Barneys New York, Columbia, Levi Strauss & Co. and Steve Madden. Maple Lake, a privately-held company formed in July 2000, is based in Markham, Ontario, Canada, with offices in the United Kingdom and Australia. Maple Lake is a certified Microsoft partner. For more information, visit www.maplelake.com.
SOURCE: Maple Lake Ltd.