Retail Resilience is More than Immediate Recovery—It’s Planning Ahead

One of the many things the current situation has taught businesses worldwide is that in addition to consumer dependency, the supply chain is incredibly fragile. And, a global pandemic that interrupts the proper flow of products today will create a different challenge down the road; one that completely devastates the market. In the immediate post-pandemic landscape, a plan to offload excess inventory that accumulated due to store closures is necessary. But what about the rest of the year?

The ‘What If’ of the Supply Chain

Now more than ever, it’s imperative to have a backup plan for excess stock. This will guarantee that retailers and brands have an inventory management system in play, should usual sales channels be affected. There’s a fine line to walk between meeting consumer demand and accounting for extra—and when something out of the norm affects all the stops involved, an alternative is not only nice to have; it can make the difference between company survival or demise. 

The Clearing of the Warehouse

Trends come and go, as does inventory. How do you make room for new arrivals every season? By clearing out your warehouse—and sustainably, at that. In recent months, partnerships have formed between brands all over the globe that cater to taking care of the planet. There’s a whole market ready to be tapped into—one that supports and contributes to the circular economy that extends the lifecycle of millions of products. We call it the secondary market.

The Model that Supports it All

If the last few years showed an upward trend toward earth-friendly initiatives and the growth of the secondary market, the current landscape has likely shown its necessity. With the world watching and options dwindling, now is the best time to enter this exploding market and take advantage of what it has to offer in terms of recovery, velocity, and sustainability. B-Stock works this way. We help retailers and brands offload their excess inventory via a B2B online auction platform on which thousands of vetted business buyers from all over the world purchase goods. We create these auction marketplaces scaled to each company’s needs, allowing them to set the pace at which they sell, and who they sell to—protecting their brand name. It’s why nine out of the top 10 U.S. retailers are currently using our online auction B2B marketplaces to sell their excess and returned goods.

Learn more about how we’re helping the earth, one item at a time, by checking out our recent Earth Day article. And if you’re ready to take advantage of the secondary market for your overstock, request a demo.