Giant Eagle to modernize in-store product management across 5 states
Plantensive, a MorganFranklin consulting company, will facilitate a major technology transition and modernization by Giant Eagle.
The effort aims to improve customer experience through strategic category management technology for its 216 supermarkets and 274 GetGo convenience stores in vital heartland states throughout western Pennsylvania, north central Ohio, northern West Virginia, Maryland and Indiana.
Category management is a retail industry concept that has gained importance in recent years, especially amid dramatic shifts in shopping behaviors since the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020.
“More than ever, retailers need to really understand the shopping behaviors and preferences of their local customers – and to adapt when they change,” said Rhonda Stinson, executive director and category management practice lead at Plantensive. “While many stores struggle to access a variety of siloed data, Giant Eagle, by bringing information into a single source of truth, is transforming its ability to give customers what they need.”
The approach will equip the retailer to make informed decisions about which products are placed where within their stores – knowing precisely what customers want and where and how they want to get it.
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Plantensive will help move Giant Eagle to the Blue Yonder Category Management suite. The new system brings powerful new capabilities, including spatially analyzing macro and micro space and tracking product allocation at the store (and even shelf-space) level. This drives efficiency and ensures products align optimally with the individual needs of each store’s customers, the company said.
The new system also enables more effective collaboration between store managers, supply chain managers and merchandising leaders to better meet customer needs.
“Plantensive joined Giant Eagle as an experienced Blue Yonder category management partner which was critical for us in this implementation,” said Scott McNeely, Giant Eagle vice president of merchandising planning, operations and analytics. “We are looking forward to our improved guest experience and increased collaboration with the updated solution as our teams continue partnering to accelerate our category management initiatives.”
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“While exact performance figures can vary, in our experience, retailers begin to see increased margins within the first year of implementation,” Stinson said.