Smarter Buying, Stronger Margins: Unlocking the Power of Open to Buy Planning

/ Webinars

For independent retailers, every inventory dollar matters. Whether running a single storefront or managing multiple locations and eCommerce channels, making informed buying decisions is critical to your success and survival. Click the link to learn all about our future webinars and expos where you can find us: https://www.celerant.com/events/

That’s where Open-to-Buy (OTB) planning comes in. In this exclusive webinar, we’ll take a deep dive into how small to medium-sized retailers can leverage OTB as a budgeting tool and as a strategic framework to compete with big-box retailers. We’ll walk through how OTB blends sales forecasting, merchandise planning, and storytelling into one cohesive process, helping you buy with more confidence and less guesswork.

**Key takeaways you’ll learn: **

• Beyond the math: How to use OTB as more than just a formula—think of it as your strategic inventory roadmap
• The storytelling connection: How planning connects to product design, merchandising themes, and even marketing campaigns
• Marrying the past and future: How to analyze historical performance while accounting for trend forecasting and new ideas
• Managing moving parts: Tips for aligning teams, vendors, and internal processes around your OTB plan

Plus Much More!

You’ll walk away with a new understanding of how Open-to-Buy planning can structure your creative process, reduce risk, and help you make proactive, profitable decisions.

Whether you’re just starting or refining an existing process, this webinar will show you how OTB planning gives you the agility to compete—and the insights to grow.

Chapters:

• 0:00 – Introductions to Celerant Technology, ‪Buyer’s Toolbox, Merchandise Metrics, and Dr. Michelle Burton
• 2:09 – About Merchandising Metrics and Co-Founder Jeff Sward
• 3:23 – About Dr. Michele Burton and The Montclaire State University Merchandising Program
• 7:11 – About ANT USA, Founder Dmitry Goyhkman, and Director of Operations Jeff Dillon
• 8:10 – About Celerant Technology and Chief Growth Officer Michele Salerno
• 9:27 – How Do You Build Agility into Your Open to Buy Process?
• 14:30 – Buying Better Starts with Continuous Improvement and Observation
• 16:09 – Learn About the Factors that Impact Your Retail Business and Let the Data Talk
• 22:39 – Data Aside, Do You Have a Process for Listening and Learning?
• 27:28 – Know Your Market Dynamics and Be Aware of Factors Outside of Your Control Using Social Listening
• 36:02 – Plan for Sales in a Timeframe and If Your #InventoryManagement is Optimized
• 41:59 – Solve Retail Challenges with The 5 Rs: Right Product, Price, Place, Time, and Quantity
• 47:59 – Do You Use Weeks of Supply to Make Business Decisions?
• 53:50 – Execute Your Open-to-Buy Strategy with Placing Orders in Time on the Calendar
• 56:28 – Teach and Evolve As New Data Emerges and Adjust Your Plans Accordingly
• 1:00:09 – How Do You Stay On Top of The Competition and What’s Your Strategy?