#demand-planning
(149 articles)US Retail Sales Hit 12-Month Winning Streak: What It Means for Q4
U.S. retail sales achieved their 12th consecutive month of gains in September 2023, with total sales reaching $745.0 billion (seasonally adjusted) and posting 0.8% sequential growth and 6.3% annual gr
Memory Supply Crisis Reshapes Consumer Electronics Planning
The consumer electronics supply chain faces persistent memory chip supply constraints that are forcing companies to fundamentally reassess their operational strategies. Organizations are responding by
U.S. Container Imports Hit Record September High Amid Port Delays
U.S. containerized imports hit 2.55 million TEUs in September 2026, the highest volume for any September on record and 10.3% higher than September 2025. This growth was driven primarily by increased s
Bed Bath & Beyond Parent Uses AI to Unify Forecasting Across Brands
Neighborhood Intelligence, the parent company of Bed Bath & Beyond, is implementing Relex Solutions AI technology to standardize demand forecasting and replenishment processes across its brand portfol
Transpacific rates surge on robust US demand, Europe weakens
Transpacific container freight rates are maintaining a significant premium over Asia-Europe routes, driven by strong economic conditions and record import volumes in the US versus sluggish European gr
Rethinking 2026 Supply Chain Priorities: What Actually Matters
Supply Chain Dive highlights the need to reconsider conventional supply chain priorities heading into 2026. The article suggests that companies should shift focus from overrated investments to underra
Foot Locker Reports 24% Inventory Drop Due to Port Congestion
Foot Locker has experienced a significant decline in inventory levels, attributing the nearly 24% drop to port congestion. This disruption underscores how maritime bottlenecks continue to strain retai
Amazon Adopts AI-Driven Supply Chain Planning for Optimization
Amazon is adopting AI-driven supply chain planning to enhance demand forecasting and operational decision-making. This strategic shift reflects the growing role of artificial intelligence in modernizi
Nike Imports Plummet 39% as Port Congestion Strains Inventory
Nike has experienced a significant 39% decline in imports as port congestion creates bottlenecks in incoming shipments. The inventory strain signals broader challenges in the retail apparel supply cha
Peak Shipping Season Winding Down After Extended Summer Surge
The National Retail Federation reports that the extended U.S. peak shipping season is moderating after an unusually prolonged stretch of elevated container volumes spanning summer and early fall 2026.
WTO Doubles 2026 Trade Growth to 3.9% on AI Infrastructure Surge
The World Trade Organization has significantly increased its 2026 global trade growth forecast to 3.9%, more than doubling previous expectations. This upward revision is primarily driven by surging de
Container volumes hit record 17.46M TEUs as freight rates surge
Global container shipping volumes reached a record 17.46 million TEUs in August 2026, surpassing July's previous record and marking robust year-over-year growth despite significant operational headwin
SMBs Struggle With Inventory Chaos, Traditional Planning Fails
Small and mid-sized shippers are experiencing unprecedented operational pressure, with inventory movements accelerating and dead stock accumulation becoming a critical challenge. According to Netstock
Pharmaceutical Industry Overhauls Supply Chain Planning Amid Rising Disruptions
The pharmaceutical industry is undergoing a significant shift in supply chain strategy as mounting disruptions force companies to reconsider traditional demand planning approaches. This trend reflects
Cal-Maine: Egg Supply Demand Rebalancing as Flock Adjusts
Cal-Maine Foods, the nation's largest egg producer, signals that the egg market is entering a rebalancing phase as reduced hatching from breeder eggs and intentional U.S. flock reduction ease excess s
Holiday Sales Surge 6.7% but Delivery Delays Won't Follow
Adobe projects a 6.7% increase in US online consumer spending for the upcoming holiday season, yet industry experts forecast no significant surge in parcel volumes or delivery disruptions. This counte
Tariffs Reshape Freight Demand: How Trade Stocks React
Tariff policy announcements continue to create significant headwinds in global freight markets, with trading activity increasingly influenced by headline shifts rather than fundamental demand drivers.
Freight rates surge as trucking capacity tightens amid weak demand
The trucking market is experiencing a paradoxical situation where freight rates are increasing even as overall demand remains weak. This suggests that capacity constraints are becoming the dominant fa
Kinaxis Supply Chain Software Built to Handle Disruption
Kinaxis, a Toronto-listed supply chain software company, has positioned its platform as a solution built specifically to manage the increasing complexity and volatility of modern supply chains. The ar
AI Data Center Boom Reshapes Automotive Logistics Supply Chains
The rapid expansion of artificial intelligence data center construction is creating a structural shift in global logistics and supply chain dynamics that extends far beyond the technology sector. As e
Energy Crisis Threatens Global Supply Chains as Strategic Buffers Decline
McKinsey's latest analysis signals a critical inflection point in global energy markets: strategic energy reserves and supply buffers that have cushioned supply chains are now being depleted. This ero
Supply Chain Risks & Solutions for 2025: Key Challenges Ahead
The supply chain landscape entering 2025 faces mounting complexity driven by geopolitical tensions, climate volatility, labor shortages, and technology gaps. Organizations must adopt a multi-faceted a
Magic: The Gathering Star Trek Box Cancelled, What Retailers Need to Know
Star City Games has announced the cancellation of the Magic: The Gathering Star Trek Beginner Box, a product that was expected to capture crossover demand between two fan communities. This cancellatio
Supply Chain Disruptions Return to 2022 Crisis Levels
Supply chain disruption indices have climbed back to levels not seen since 2022, marking a significant reversal of the stabilization trends that characterized 2023 and early 2024. This resurgence indi
Retail Sales Hit 11-Month High: Supply Chain Demand Surge
U.S. retail sales have reached an 11-month consecutive growth streak through August, signaling robust consumer demand and a critical inflection point for supply chain operators. This sustained upward
Food Inflation May Reach 6.6% by 2027, Report Shows
A recent analysis from Grocery Gazette projects that food inflation could accelerate to 6.6% by 2027, signaling mounting pressure on grocery retailers, food manufacturers, and supply chain operators a
Just in Case Supply Chains Rise as Companies Shift from JIT
The global supply chain landscape is undergoing a fundamental strategic realignment. After decades of optimization around just-in-time (JIT) principles, companies across sectors are deliberately shift
How Supply Chain Disruptions Impact Retail Inventory Risk
Supply chain disruptions present a multifaceted challenge to retail operations, extending far beyond simple logistics delays. When disruptions occur, whether from transportation bottlenecks, supplier
Container Shipping Shows Health Signs With Improved Capacity
The container shipping industry is showing strengthened operational health, with carriers reporting improved capacity utilization and greater flexibility to absorb demand fluctuations. This positive t
HPE Secures Memory Supply Through Multiyear Supplier Deals
Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) is addressing critical memory supply shortages by implementing a dual-pronged strategy: negotiating multiyear supply agreements with key component suppliers and enhanc
Kinaxis Stock Rises on AI Supply Chain Planning Momentum
Kinaxis Inc., a Canadian supply chain software leader, experienced a 4.04% stock price increase driven by growing investor confidence in AI-enabled supply chain solutions. The company's momentum refle
Ocean Peak Season Defies Early End Expectations Through September
The ocean freight industry is experiencing a prolonged peak season that contradicts earlier industry predictions of an early decline. According to the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates
Manufacturers Hit 3-Year Stockpile Peak Amid Supply Disruption
Manufacturers worldwide are aggressively building inventory reserves to unprecedented levels, signaling heightened concerns about near-term supply chain vulnerabilities. This stockpiling trend, the hi
IEA: Hormuz Disruptions Could Cut 4.3M Barrels Oil/Day in 2026
The International Energy Agency (IEA) has issued a critical warning that potential disruptions to the Strait of Hormuz could reduce global oil supply by 4.3 million barrels per day (bpd) in 2026, with
Cargo Airlines Warn Against Over-Reliance on AI Chip Shipments
Air cargo carriers are sounding an important alarm about the industry's growing concentration on semiconductor and AI-related shipments, cautioning that this dependency mirrors the risks that emerged
NRF Raises 2024 Peak Season Import Forecast as September Surges
The National Retail Federation (NRF) has revised its earlier peak season projections upward, now forecasting that September 2024 import volumes will exceed levels previously seen in 2026. This reversa
Rising Temperatures Pose Critical Risk to Global Supply Chains
Rising global temperatures are creating structural vulnerabilities across supply chain networks, particularly for temperature-sensitive sectors including pharmaceuticals, perishables, and electronics.
Q3 2026 Shipper Rate Report: Key Trends & Forecasts
FreightWaves has released its Q3 2026 Shipper Rate Report, a quarterly market intelligence publication developed in partnership with Trimble that leverages SONAR's proprietary transportation datasets
September 2026 Could See Peak U.S. Import Volumes
Port Tracker's latest analysis indicates that September 2026 could represent the peak import month for U.S.-bound cargo, potentially exceeding volumes across all other months of the year. This forecas
Sportsman's Warehouse SKU Cuts Drive Inventory Health Improvements
Sportsman's Warehouse has successfully implemented an inventory optimization strategy combining SKU rationalization and timing adjustments, resulting in measurably improved core in-stock positions and
AI Boom Creates Two-Speed Asian Air Cargo Market
Asia's air cargo export market is entering peak season with starkly divergent dynamics driven by AI infrastructure demand and regulatory headwinds. Taiwan's export orders reached a historic monthly re
August Class 8 Truck Orders Show Mixed Signals for Freight
Preliminary data on Class 8 truck orders for August reveal a mixed picture for the freight transportation market. While orders show year-over-year gains, they declined sequentially from July, indicati
APEC Maintains 2026 Growth Forecast on Tech-Driven Trade Revival
APEC's revised 2026 economic growth forecast signals resilience in the Asia-Pacific region despite global headwinds, with technology sector momentum emerging as a key growth driver. This optimistic ou
Managing Port Disruptions: Critical Strategies for Supply Chain Teams
Port disruptions represent a significant operational challenge for supply chain professionals, particularly in high-traffic maritime hubs where congestion cascades rapidly through distribution network
El Niño Supply Chain Impact: What You Need to Know
A record-strength El Niño weather pattern is creating cascading disruptions across an already-strained global supply chain. This climate phenomenon is driving abnormal weather patterns that disrupt po
UK Ministers Warn of Potential Food Shortages
British government officials have issued warnings about the potential for food shortages, signaling that the nation's food supply chain faces structural vulnerabilities. This alert reflects mounting c
El Niño Weather Triggers Food Stockpiling Alert Across Global Supply Chain
A government minister has publicly warned citizens to stockpile food in preparation for extreme weather expected from El Niño conditions, signaling broader concerns about agricultural disruption and s
AI + Human Judgment: The Future of Retail SKU Planning
The convergence of artificial intelligence and human expertise is reshaping how convenience stores optimize their product assortment decisions. Rather than treating AI as a complete replacement for hu
Manufacturing Growth Slows in August as ISM Warns of Risks
The Institute for Supply Management's August data reveals a deceleration in U.S. manufacturing expansion, signaling potential headwinds for supply chain operations. While the sector remains in positiv
Citrus Export Forecast Cut 5.5%: What Shippers Need to Know
A significant downward revision to citrus export forecasts signals emerging supply constraints in the agricultural logistics sector. The 5.5% reduction in projected export volumes points to a combinat