Ace is the place smart about space

Ace Hardware Corp. is making sure that stores contain products local shoppers want, and plenty of them.



Ace is implementing JDA space and category management solutions, including floor planning, category knowledge base, Web publisher, and assortment optimization. This mix of solutions, which will complement an existing JDA footprint that includes space planning, warehouse replenishment, and demand and fulfillment applications, will ensure that the potential of scarce inventory and space assets is maximized.



Ace intends to leverage floor planning technology to replace previous manual assortment and store layout planning processes. This will allow the retailer to more frequently update store plans and assortments, with other new JDA solutions enabling plans to be more precisely targeted.



“Inventory and selling space are scarce yet critical retail assets. To be competitive, you can’t make bad investments in either of them,” said Andy Voelker, director of category management and retail development, Ace Hardware. “While JDA floor planning and space planning will enable us to design plans to help our retailers maximize productivity of their retail space, JDA assortment optimization will improve our precision in selecting locally relevant products that best meet our customers’ varying needs without incurring costly overstocks.”



In addition, Ace will utilize category knowledge base to simplify, support and synchronize category management data, plans and processes. This will enable Ace to improve category management visibility and drive planner productivity, while JDA Web Publisher, will allow Ace to more effectively communicate with stores and distribute plans and revisions.



Having stores adequately stocked with locally relevant merchandise has become a major piece of the seamless retail puzzle. Consumers who research purchases online arrive at stores knowing exactly what they want, and will use mobile devices to quickly find it at a competing retailer if items are not in stock. Ace is helping ensure that customers from all channels can easily obtain the products they want and need.