Case Study: Reduce Inventory & Support Warehouse Consolidation Goals

QUICK FACTS

• Consolidated three returns warehouses to one
• Reduced inventory cycle from 40 days to 17
• 8,000+ new buyers

Challenge

As part of its restructuring efforts, a leading integrated retailer needed to consolidate three returns warehouses to one. With pressure mounting to move liquidation inventory fast while protecting recovery, the retailer’s reverse logistics team turned to B-Stock with the following goals:

• Generate a consistent flow of inventory and cash
• Reduce the inventory sales cycle
• Increase demand for specific product categories: shoes, electronics, pantry, etc.
• Help support returns-center consolidation goals

Solution

B-Stock launched a technology-driven, private B2B liquidation marketplace platform, enabling thousands of approved business buyers—interested in products across all categories—to bid directly on merchandise via online auctions. This immediately eliminated dependence on a small group of buyers. What’s more, the auctions generated competition, driving up pricing. Auction and demand-generation strategies were applied to help drive demand.

Results

Since launching its B2B marketplace, the retailer increased its buyer base from around 25 to over 8,000, including adding thousands of category-specific buyers via targeted demand generation campaigns. The automated auction process allowed the retailer to sell large volumes of merchandise quickly and effectively: the inventory cycle was reduced from ~40 days to ~17 and the warehouses are no longer over capacity.

Weekly reporting sessions with B-Stock’s account managers to review data and marketplace activity have allowed the retailer to adjust to the ever-changing secondary market landscape and implement new strategies.

For details and additional Results data, download the PDF.