The retailer plays a critical role in ensuring the efficiency and accuracy of the supply chain. Ensuring orders are placed on time and reflect forecasted demand is an ongoing task and is key to creating consistently good customer experiences. When variances are noted, adjustments must be made quickly. Hand-in-hand with their supplier partners, retailers must have a full understanding of sales impact, inventory planning, and store shipment from distribution centers.

In all stores, the goal is to ensure that initial orders come in on time and in full. Variations to the expected item quantity may result from:
Unexpected seasonal variations, including weather or economic factors, within or across regions
Issues at the distribution center
Backlog at the supplier