This August 2025 research report from IHL Group (in cooperation with Zebra Technologies) documents a wide performance divide in retail tied to inventory accuracy. Based on a survey of 300 brands, it shows that inventory inaccuracy is widespread (70% experience problems weekly or monthly) and materially harms sales, allocation, labor and margins. Leading retailers (“Sales Winners” and “Profit Winners”) achieve outsized results by combining strategic sourcing (more US/Mexico sourcing), omnichannel optimization (BOPIS, local delivery, ship-from-store), and technology investments (RFID, AI, 5G, microservices) into integrated execution systems. The report quantifies causes, impacts, and response strategies to tariffs and recommends a four-pillar playbook: technology-first, sourcing diversification, channel mastery, and challenge progression.
Questions this document answers
August 2025
300
70% (36% weekly, 34% monthly)
2.4 months (48% pulled forward 3+ months)
70%