If you’ve ever found yourself shuffling stock between stores and hoping for the best, you’re not alone. Rebalancing has long been the underdog of retail planning, seen more as a last resort than a performance lever. But that perception is overdue for a shakeup.

Rebalancing suffers from the image that it’s a fix for a problem you shouldn’t have, but in reality, this is where we see the fastest, biggest ROI.

What’s the problem with how most retailers approach inventory?

Many retailers, especially those in fashion, still rely on legacy systems or spreadsheets. The larger ones  are locked into outdated, over-customized systems, while smaller brands fear the leap into new tech. 

The result? 

Major stock inefficiencies. Teams focusing on a top handful of SKUs, while the rest of the inventory languishes.

To solve the distribution inefficiencies, many focus solely on optimizing replenishment, following the adage ‘Better prevent than cure’. But even when replenishment is optimized, it's not enough. You can’t just fix replenishment and expect perfect stores. Fashion is different. You need to start the season with full, visually appealing stores. That means upfront allocations often create imbalances that need correcting later. On top, as planning processes get optimized, warehouse buffer stock decreases. This adds on to the need for smart rebalancing.

So how does smart rebalancing fix it?

Traditional rebalancing solutions oversimplify the problem. They move one unit from store A to store B without accounting for size curves, assortment coherence, sell-through, or store performance. 

autone’s approach is different. We look at where to sell, not just where to move. Sometimes the answer isn’t transferring a unit, it’s consolidating the assortment to fewer locations where the product will actually perform. One apparel client saw 30% of rebalanced stock sell within four weeks, that’s stock that would’ve sat idle otherwise. 

From maintaining size curves to preventing gaps in key SKUs, autone’s approach helps retailers turn rebalancing from a pain point into a key performance driver.

Ready to make rebalancing your brand’s unfair advantage?

Join us at our event on July 3 at La Maison, Paris to learn how retailers are unlocking major gains through smarter rebalancing.

Register here → https://lu.ma/wvh9yr2f