Shelf Planner’s Journey Toward Sustainable Inventory Management
From Pilot to Global Impact: Shelf Planner’s Journey Toward Sustainable Inventory ManagementTwo years ago, Shelf Planner started as an ambitious idea: to help small businesses optimize their inventory while reducing waste.
Traditionally, advanced inventory management tools have been expensive and out of reach for small retailers, making it difficult for them to compete with larger businesses. We recognized this gap and developed Shelf Planner as a simple, scalable, and affordable solution that empowers small businesses with the same level of data-driven decision-making as large enterprises.
Today, we are proud to have onboarded nearly 300 small businesses across the world, contributing to a more sustainable and data-driven future. Along the way, we have secured key support, including Vinnova funding, and aligned our mission with the UN 2023 Sustainable Development Goals. Here’s a look at our journey, the milestones we’ve achieved, and what’s next.
The idea: A Solution for Small Business
Inventory management is one of the biggest challenges for small businesses. Overstocking leads to waste, while understocking causes missed sales. Recognizing this issue, we developed Shelf Planner as a smart, automated solution integrated with WooCommerce.
Our goal was simple: to help small retailers make better purchasing decisions, save time, and reduce excess inventory.
With the backing of Vinnova, Sweden’s innovation agency, we were able to refine our technology and expand our reach.
Over the past two years, Shelf Planner has grown from a pilot project to a trusted tool for nearly 300 small businesses worldwide. These businesses, from independent retailers to specialty stores, now rely on our AI-powered forecasting to optimize their purchasing and reduce unnecessary stock.
Making an impact: Supporting the UN 2023 Goals
Shelf Planner is more than just an inventory tool – it’s part of a global movement toward sustainability. Our work directly supports key UN 2023 Sustainable Development Goals:
- Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
By helping businesses optimize inventory, we prevent overproduction and minimize waste.
- Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
Small businesses form the backbone of economies. By improving efficiency, we support their long-term success and growth.
- Goal 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
Shelf Planner promotes digitalization and data-driven decision-making for retailers worldwide.
Together with our customers, we have achieved significant measurable impacts. On average, businesses using Shelf Planner have reduced their inventory by 20%, leading to lower holding costs and less waste. Additionally, our users have seen increased sell-through rates at full price, maximizing revenue while minimizing markdowns.
By streamlining operations and improving purchasing efficiency, we have helped small businesses focus more on growth and customer experience rather than inventory challenges.
What's next?
As we look ahead, our focus remains on innovation, sustainability, and accessibility. We are continuously improving our AI-driven forecasting, expanding our integrations, and ensuring more small businesses can access the tools they need to thrive in an increasingly complex retail landscape.
Thank you to all our users, partners, and supporters who have been part of this journey. The best is yet to come!
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