Belk Taps SAS® to Optimize Operations, Build Margins

For Department Store Chain, SAS Fits Best for Perfect Local Assortments

CARY, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- For Belk, the Holy Grail is to precisely place the right merchandise assortment in each of its 304 stores. SAS, the leader in business analytics software and services, is helping transform that vision into revenue. The Southern U.S. retail powerhouse chose SAS^® Integrated Merchandise Planning – including SAS^® Size Optimization, SAS^® Demand Forecasting for Retail, SAS^® Merchandise Financial Planning and SAS^® Merchandise In-Season Management – to power an enterprise-wide transformation.

“Belk’s mission has always been to personally connect with customers and provide them with outstanding merchandise and service,” said Tim Belk, Belk Chief Executive Officer. “Our work with SAS will make that mission more productive so our associates are freed up to offer customers the personal attention they deserve.”

“Belk chose SAS for its proven results, retail expertise and analytics strength, which surpassed other available merchandise planning technologies,” said Mike Laurenti, Belk Chief Information Officer. “SAS will help us serve our customers better by allowing us to become more flexible and responsive.

According to Amy Wooden, Belk Executive Vice President of Merchandise Planning, “With SAS demand forecasting and planning we’ll make more productive use of our inventory and reduce supply chain risk. Bottom line, we anticipate our strategic use of SAS will deliver significant annual payback.”

SAS Integrated Merchandise Planning touches the entire retail enterprise, encompassing assortment planning, financial planning; forecasting; and price, size and space optimization. It helps retailers increase margins by optimizing merchandise assortments, reducing markdowns, using store space better – getting the right products to the right stores at the right time, and at the right price.

“Belk will undoubtedly benefit from localized assortments in each of its stores,” said Gene Gsell, Vice President of SAS Retail and Manufacturing. “SAS Merchandise Planning will supercharge Belk by enhancing its ability to forecast demand for specific merchandise characteristics like size, color and style. SAS will help Belk better meet shoppers’ needs through a clearer vision into what’s important to individual consumers. And that should mean a more productive inventory and healthier margins for Belk.”

About Belk

Charlotte, N.C.-based Belk Inc. (www.belk.com) is the nation’s largest privately owned mainline department store company with 304 Belk stores located in 16 Southern states. The company was founded in 1888 by William Henry Belk in Monroe, N.C., and is in the third generation of Belk family leadership. Its belk.com web site offers a wide assortment of fashion apparel, shoes and accessories for the entire family along with top name cosmetics, a wedding registry and a large selection of quality merchandise for the home. To connect with Belk via Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, blog, mobile phone text message or by email, go to: Belk Get Connected.

About SAS

SAS is the leader in business analytics software and services, and the largest independent vendor in the business intelligence market. Through innovative solutions, SAS helps customers at more than 50,000 sites improve performance and deliver value by making better decisions faster. Since 1976 SAS has been giving customers around the world THE POWER TO KNOW^®. SAS and all other SAS Institute Inc. product or service names are registered trademarks or trademarks of SAS Institute Inc. in the USA and other countries. ® indicates USA registration. Other brand and product names are trademarks of their respective companies.Copyright © 2011 SAS Institute Inc. All rights reserved.

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Source: SAS