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Q: How is MS Pro better than Microsoft Excel?
A: MS Pro works on a set of patent-pending algorithms in the backend which have been made after years of research on the planning and distribution done by merchandisers. This was achieved by working directly with multiple brands’ merchandising team on MS Pro enterprise and identifying key areas of improving the accuracy of outputs and automation. MS Pro incorporates all those learning and has been made with the vision of making life as simple for merchandisers as possible with high accuracy and speed. Not to mention, all calculations done in MS Pro are at a very granular level – store + product attribute group, which becomes a challenge when done manually in Excel or a similar tool, esp. when the number of stores or product attribute groups are high.
Q: If I already have an ERP system why should I use MS system ?
A: ERP systems are typically designed to manage day-to-day business activities such as accounting, procurement, project management, risk management and compliance, and supply chain operations.
But MS gives you intelligent recommendations basis algorithms built after a lot of R&D
Q: Can you integrate to the partners via API or FTP for data to automatically flow in without the need to upload?
A: No, as of now MS Pro does not support system integrations and inputs must be uploaded directly on the tool before usage.
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Increff Merchandising solution is a predictive system where one day’s data may not be sufficient to give insights. For example, if you are using it for OTBs there can be other constraints like MOQ, etc. which need to be considered when making a decision. The solution consumes daily data to analyze the best use case for running your ARS (Automatic Replenishment System), and for any other analysis, the solution consumes large volumes of data, of weeks to months to years, to accurately predict the optimum demand.
Assortment Planning
Q: How is MS Pro going Q: Why don’t Increff use AI/ML in algorithms?
A:
Merchandising is largely a theory of constraints problem and for that algorithms and statistics give not only highly accurate outcomes, but also explanations for those outcomes. AI/ML cannot give you detailed explanations.
AI/ML cannot realistically learn business constraints or take business decisions - a business leader has to feed those into the system. So there is really not much useful contribution of AI/ML in such areas.
There is nothing new to learn as such, because business constraints and rules are already well understood by the merchandising fraternity .
You do not need AI/ML to do 2+2 ! Algorithms and statistics are near accurate and millions of times faster and compared to AI/ML, for such problems
At a fundamental level, the biggest problems faced by merchandisers are
Inability to store, process and analyze large amounts of data
Making sub-optimal decisions because of the above inability
Increff MS replaces Excel with a tool that helps merchandisers with the above problems
We do not need to replace the art and science of merchandising itself via AI/ML.
Assortment Planning
Q: How is MS Pro going to work for online channels? Is it even useful on that front?
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Q: Are PPV/Conversion Rate considered in planning while planning the buys ?
A: Currently not done: Currently not done
Q: How is the 2D sizes concept handled?
A: This can be taken care with Parent-Child Mapping.
For Example, we will map (30-30) with (30-32) and subsequently is the former is not available the latter will be used to replenish.
Distribution
Q: Tool is quite relevant for brands that have their own EBOs as they can use it for distribution, as they will have complete control on what stocks to send to stores, and if they are doing it manually.
A: Yes, for one’s own store control on execution is 100% but even for external partners, MS Pro is useful to keep a check and validate the allocations and replenishment. It has been helpful in the past to highlight gaps and course correct the stock situation even at partner stores of brands on MS Pro.
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A: No, it consumes planogram capacity/maximum quantity the brand want to stock for each categorycategory.
Q: Can we do distribute for channels separately (online and offline)?
A: Yes, you can create separate project for different channels.
Q: If category is not working in a store, what will the tool do?
A: Based on the store-category performance the tool will lower the prioritization of allocation of styles belonging to that category for that particular store.
Q: Can we do distribute for channels separately (online and offline)?
A: Yes, you can create separate project for different channels.
Q: If category is not working in a store, what will the tool do?
A: Based on the store-category performance the tool will lower the prioritization of allocation of styles belonging to that category for that particular store.
Q: If there is a common inventory pool for offline and online how will MS Pro handle it?
A: As a business call brand can segregate their pool of online or offline inventory before running Distribution module. Also, with the help of MS Pro demand projections it can plan for the inventory.
Q: While distributing can MS Pro manage to allocate coordinates (sending top/skirt together)?
A: If at the POS the data is not being captured at a combination level then the algorithm does not support this.
Q: Can brand set up a max limit for SKU Depth in case of New Allocation?
A: Currently the tool handles only minimum sku depth allocating 1 piece at least in new allocation. Max input is not available. But this can be solved by a combination of inputs- Key size over-ride & Category style size quantity.
Q: Can Planogram be dynamically adjusted between Categories in case there is understocking in one Category in the Warehouse and overstocking in the other?
A: No, currently not supported by MS Pro.
Q: If the Brand is not looking at size continuity and only looking at Piece by piece replenishment, how will MS Pro support this?
A: Category Style Size Quantity has to be 1 for those categories and Replenishment Flag needs to be turned off.
Q: While doing replenishment do you consider store stocks?
A: Yes, we consider store stocks & warehouse stocks (goods in transit and open orders can be a part of store stocks depending on when you are running the tool).
Q: How will tool handle stock out situation at Warehouse?
A: Tool will suggests replacements. If the style is out of stock even in the warehouse tool will suggest the next closest replacement by dropping an attribute or rolling up one as per the set hierarchyIf there is a common inventory pool for offline and online how will MS Pro handle it?
A: As a business call brand can segregate their pool of online or offline inventory before running Distribution module. Also, with the help of MS Pro demand projections it can plan for the inventory.
Q: While distributing can MS Pro manage to allocate coordinates (sending top/skirt together)?
A: If at the POS the data is not being captured at a combination level then the algorithm does not support this.
Q: Can brand set up a max limit for SKU Depth in case of New Allocation?
A: Currently the tool handles only minimum sku depth allocating 1 piece at least in new allocation. Max input is not available. But this can be solved by a combination of inputs- Key size over-ride & Category style size quantity.
Q: Can Planogram be dynamically adjusted between Categories in case there is understocking in one Category in the Warehouse and overstocking in the other?
A: No, currently not supported by MS Pro.
Q: If the Brand is not looking at size continuity and only looking at Piece by piece replenishment, how will MS Pro support this?
A: Category Style Size Quantity has to be 1 for those categories and Replenishment Flag needs to be turned off.
Q: While doing replenishment do you consider store stocks?
A: Yes, we consider store stocks & warehouse stocks (goods in transit and open orders can be a part of store stocks depending on when you are running the tool).
Q: How will tool handle stock out situation at Warehouse?
A: Tool will suggests replacements. If the style is out of stock even in the warehouse tool will suggest the next closest replacement by dropping an attribute or rolling up one as per the set hierarchy.
Q: How will you consider stock outs, for computing style performance ranking while distribution?
A: Generally if you look at sales, if a style is selling week-on-week, and a sudden sale drop happens and picks up again next week, this will be smoothened and the software will recognize that was a student stock out.
Q: The store-style ranking happens at what level? Is the category considered?
A: The ranking happens at Store Performance + Attribute Group Performance (Category-Sub Category-Gender- MRP Bucket) + Style Performance.
Q: Does the planogram report indicate overstocking and understocking for quantity and revenue percentage mix both?
A: The report is at quantity level.
Q: Are in-transits included in distribution module ?
A: The in transits and PIP can be added to the store stock file itself.
IST (Inter Store Transfer)
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A: The ideal benchmark for top seller is 25-30%, but if you want to consider more number of styles for IST you can run on 60% and if every style needs to be considered it should be ran on 100% benchmark.
Q: Can we do IBT between 2 stores only?
A: No , any customizable groupings can be done and IBT can be done between as many as stores required.
Regional Utilization
Q: Is depth increment automatically re-adjustable?
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Sell-through excluding warehouse stocks- (Sell-through for stores)
Sell-through including warehouse stocks- (Sell-through for Company)
Sell-through at an Attribute level
Q: Does MS Pro has an article wise ROS report?
A: Yes, the software have the desired reports in the BI dashboards.
Pricing
Q: Is MS Pro/MS Pro Enterprise suited for SMB (Small Medium Businesses)? Do you have pricing for SMB customers?
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