Breitling, a leading luxury watchmaker since 1884, has reported a 20% increase in online sales in the U.S. following the implementation of Fluent Commerce’s centralized inventory management system. The new system also resulted in an online sales revenue increase of 15% to 30%.
Rajesh Shanmugasundaram, Breitling’s global director of digital technology, data, and business applications, highlighted the challenges the company faced with inventory tracking across its boutiques and online stores. “Customers were often unable to find the desired watch either online or in specific boutiques due to inventory mismatches,” he said.
Breitling’s previous lack of a unified inventory system led to issues in meeting market demands accurately, causing both out-of-stock and overstocking problems. The company aimed to offer an omnichannel view of its inventory to ensure customers could purchase desired products without limitations based on store availability.
To address these issues, Breitling sought a simple, easily integrated platform to unify its global markets. Fluent Commerce was chosen for its user-friendly technology and accelerators that facilitated the integration process. Thomas Hindré, vice president of EMEA Sales for Fluent Commerce, noted that Breitling initially struggled to aggregate stock information from various sources. Fluent Commerce aimed to provide a real-time view of stock availability through a single system.
The implementation took about four months, starting with a pilot program in Switzerland, Breitling’s headquarters. The program was then rolled out in the U.S., Breitling’s largest market. The integration began with individual boutiques and expanded to all Swiss retail markets within six weeks before launching in the U.S.
The results were immediate and significant: online sales of Breitling watches increased by 20% in the U.S. in the first month, and online sales revenue rose by 15% to 30%. Shanmugasundaram emphasized that while progress has been made, there is still work to be done. The ongoing expansion of Fluent Commerce’s system will focus on Europe and China, with plans to integrate the services into new boutiques globally.
Shanmugasundaram expressed his confidence in Fluent Commerce’s platform, stating, “Even if I leave the company, I would want to implement Fluent. The platform flexibility is so great.”
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The Confederation of Indian Textile Industry warned on Tuesday that Bangladesh, which is going through its greatest political crisis since gaining independence in 1971, presents "significant concerns" for the textile and apparel industry in India, especially for businesses that have operations there.
According to the national organization for the textile industry, any interruption in the supply chain in Bangladesh will immediately influence the supply chain and may have an effect on the delivery and production schedules of Indian companies.
"We are closely monitoring the developments in Bangladesh, as the situation there is truly concerning." The subcontinent's trade flows have been strengthened by Bangladesh's impressive rise in the textile industry.
The Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI) Secretary General, Chandrima Chatterjee, stated, "We are hopeful that the situation will improve soon, even though we are concerned about the impact on the supply chain and the potential delays and disruptions it might cause."
As per CITI, Indian enterprises engaged in manufacturing within the nation may encounter difficulties in sustaining their production flow, resulting in market delays and possible scarcity. The supply of products may be impacted by this disruption, and businesses may be forced to look for alternate manufacturing options in order to lessen the effects.
"Amid the uncertainties in Bangladesh, there is already a noticeable shift towards alternative manufacturing hubs, such as a strategic move by companies to diversify their production bases and reduce dependency on a single market," said CITI.
It said that Tirupur, the textile heartland of India, which is well-known for its strong textile and garment manufacturing capabilities, would stand to gain a lot from this change.
With Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina stepping down in the midst of widespread anti-government rallies, Bangladesh is experiencing its biggest political crisis since gaining independence in 1971.
Chief General Waqar-uz-Zaman of the Bangladesh Army declared on Monday that an interim administration would assume the duties.
"These interruptions will also have an impact on a number of significant international brands that depend on Bangladesh for their sourcing requirements. Companies that rely heavily on Bangladesh for parts of their supply chain may face product availability issues and delays. Sales and inventory levels may then be impacted, potentially having a rippling effect on the entire global retail business, according to CITI.
Bangladesh is an important export destination and a powerhouse for the textile industry, making it a vital market for Indian textiles.
"The Indian business aspires for a speedy return to normalcy and expresses serious worry about the current developments. According to CITI, stability in Bangladesh is essential to preserving the efficient running of international trade and production.
bases and reduce dependency on a single market," said CITI.
It said that Tirupur, the textile heartland of India, which is well-known for its strong textile and garment manufacturing capabilities, would stand to gain a lot from this change.
With Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina stepping down in the midst of widespread anti-government rallies, Bangladesh is experiencing its biggest political crisis since gaining independence in 1971.
Chief General Waqar-uz-Zaman of the Bangladesh Army declared on Monday that an interim administration would assume the duties.
"These interruptions will also have an impact on a number of significant international brands that depend on Bangladesh for their sourcing requirements. Companies that rely heavily on Bangladesh for parts of their supply chain may face product availability issues and delays. Sales and inventory levels may then be impacted, potentially having a rippling effect on the entire global retail business, according to CITI.
Bangladesh is an important export destination and a powerhouse for the textile industry, making it a vital market for Indian textiles.
"The Indian business aspires for a speedy return to normalcy and expresses serious worry about the current developments. According to CITI, stability in Bangladesh is essential to preserving the efficient running of international trade and production.
Explore the latest edition of Journal of Supply Chain Magazine and be part of the JOSC Daily News Bulletin.
Discover all our upcoming events and secure your tickets today.
Journal of Supply Chain is a Hansi Bakis Media brand.