Retail Allocation

Benefits

Improve inventory

Reduce out of stocks

Vary products by store

Increase sales

Increase product margins

Execute to demand

Allocation to Successfully Execute Assortment Plans and Optimize Inventory

Getting inventory to the right place at the right time is a strategic lever for performance. At RPE, we help retailers implement smarter, more responsive allocation strategies and allocation software solutions that align inventory decisions with demand, improve sell-through, and protect margins.

Whether you’re supporting 50 stores or 500, our team helps you confidently build the systems and processes to allocate and optimize inventory.

Why Retail Allocation Matters

Retail allocation is the discipline of determining how much product to send to each store, channel, or location. This is all based on expected demand, historical performance, and business priorities. It sits at the intersection of planning and execution—turning forecasts into actionable inventory decisions.

Done well, merchandise allocation:

Minimizes out-of-stock and overstock scenarios
Aligns inventory placement with real sales potential
Supports full-price sell-through and margin retention
Enables faster in-season response to changing demand
Reduces costly manual reallocations and store-to-store transfers

In today’s omnichannel environment, factors like digital fulfillment capacity, regional trends, promotional lift, and store-level velocity all influence what inventory should go where—and when.

Allocation That Works

Great allocation strategies rely on documented, repeatable models that guide how inventory is distributed based on performance, location, seasonality, and business analysis.

At RPE, we help clients maximize their allocation software solutions to:

Standardize allocation across categories and business units
Enable faster decision-making during peak or promotional periods
Create transparency for planning, buying, and supply chain teams
Establish rules for store tiers, allocation groups, and channel-specific parameters to support differentiated distribution across formats

Retail Allocation Features and Capabilities

Store Specific Assortments

Using up to date information, translate key consumer insights into pinpointed allocations that fine tune and optimize store-specific assortments across your entire retail organization. Group stores according to demographics, climate, grade, and location.

Scalability

With many allocation systems you can only select one or two items to allocate at a time. Now you can select 20, 40 or even 100 items at a time – or even an entire assortment to allocate and push through in one round.

Configurable Methodologies

Schedule merchandise to be automatically allocated using established allocation methods, allowing for “no touch” execution. You are free to create allocation details without being limited to a prescribed library of calculation methods. Test allocation strategies using a robust “what-if” analysis prior to execution and save allocation methods so that predetermined methodologies can be performed with a single click.

Allocation Accuracy

Allocation and replenishment in retail is the process of utilizing allocation software and data to replenish inventory in a strategic way. Leverage information to make accurate, date-driven decisions during the planning process. Translate insights into strategic inventory movements and replenishments to reduce overall safety stock across your organization. Calculate and execute allocation plans based on sales history, on-hand quantities and assortment plans.

Customizable Allocation Techniques

Retail Allocation software can also be customized for an extensive range of allocation techniques. Control allocations using templates, grading, model stock and minimum and maximum quantities. Allocate multiple styles at the same time and allocate merchandise in bulk or pre-packed formats.

Configurable and Precise

Allocation isn’t a one-size-fits-all process. Whether you want to schedule automated “no touch” allocations or execute test runs using “what-if” scenarios, allocation workflows can match your level of control.

You can allocate one SKU or one hundred with high-volume batch execution, pre-packs, templates, model stock plans, and everything in between. Allocation accuracy is further enhanced with rule sets that factor in historical sales, on-hand quantities, plan targets, and forecasted demand.

The result? Fewer surprises, fewer markdowns, and more confidence at every stage of the cycle.

Flexible Allocation Support

Retail doesn’t stand still—and neither should your allocation process. Allocation software enables teams to design and implement flexible workflows that support real-time visibility and in-season adjustments.

That includes:

Holding back inventory for just-in-time reallocation
Updating store-level forecasts mid-cycle
Aligning allocation with sell-through velocity and local events

These processes allow teams to react without overhauling plans, reducing markdowns and improving overall inventory productivity.

Integrated Retail Solutions

Our allocation consulting services are designed to integrate with your broader planning and replenishment ecosystem. That means cleaner handoffs, fewer manual workarounds, and a smoother experience for end users.

RPE can help retailers:

Select an allocation software platform from requirements definition to final software and hardware selection
Integrate solutions that align with planning and merchandising
Optimize interfaces and data structures
Train users and build institutional knowledge

Our consultants average over 20 years of retail experience, and many come from allocation, planning, or IT leadership roles. We understand what functional teams need—and how to make it work within your technical landscape.

Why RPE

RPE brings a proven framework for smarter allocation, refined through decades of experience with top-tier retailers. Today’s allocation solutions are built to deliver speed, accuracy, and scalability.

Whether you’re working within a new platform or a heavily customized legacy system, we tailor our consulting approach to reflect your business needs and challenges.

A trusted partner to enterprise and mid-sized retailers across North America
Expertise with top-tier retail platforms and IBM servers
100% U.S.-based delivery team—no outsourcing or handoffs
Proven success with specialty, department store, and multi-channel formats
Consultants with real-world retail backgrounds

Whether you’re fine-tuning allocation or need to roll out a new allocation solution across the enterprise, we provide flexible support and services that meet your needs.

Let’s Talk

Ready to improve allocation speed, accuracy, and impact? Our team is here to help—whether you need a quick allocation Health Check diagnostic or an updated allocation solution.

Talk to a Retail Consultant