BACKGROUND
Mercator Group is one of the largest corporations in Slovenia and Southeast Europe. It’s primary activity is the retail of everyday household items. Through its grocery stores, Mercator serves more than 640,000 shoppers daily and employs more than 24,000 people.
CHALLENGE
Given the increasing trend in consumers shopping via their smartphone devices, Mercator wanted to provide its customers with a quick and simple shopping experience. With a large proportion of the Slovenian population living outside urban areas, Mercator needed a system that could provide its shoppers with a wider assortment range and an easier way to shop.
We’ve been able to automate and optimize our processes in everything from assortment and shelf replenishment to preparing orders for our customers.
Andrija Derezic, CIO, Mercator
SOLUTION
For over 10 years, Mercator has been using Symphony Retail’s Click and Collect solution to improve the transparency of its inventory process. Click and collect gives Mercator’s shoppers the freedom of when and where to shop.
Mercator identifies customer behavior in real-time and orchestrates its supply chain with demand for products in stores, reducing out-of-stocks. It does this by integrating its online and back office systems together with assortment management, shelf replenishment and order preparation.
Mercator employees benefit from optimized picking paths using store layouts, macro plans and shelf addressing to increase the efficiency of store operations and improve shelf replenishment. Since deploying the SR Click and Collect solution, Mercator has seen an uplift in new customers who prefer the convenience.