As part of its “Cognitive Solutions” portfolio, Blue Yonder presented new innovations for hardlines and softlines retailers. At the core is a unified system intended to enable fast, precise planning, decision-making and execution. This is supported by closer alignment across forecasting, inventory planning, order execution, customer service and returns. Demand insights are intended to shape not only inventory planning, but also order fulfilment and returns management.

Order management: analytics and network visibility

Poor availability is expensive. According to IHL Group, out-of-stock inventory costs retailers around US$1.2 trillion per year in lost sales. The new release extends order management with predictive fulfilment analytics and visibility across the inventory network. Teams are expected to identify risks, bottlenecks and optimisation opportunities across inventory, sourcing, fulfilment and network operations, with the aim of improving fill rates, service levels and fulfilment efficiency. For retailers, the goal is better availability, fewer missed delivery promises and more informed fulfilment decisions.

Returns: from processes to item-level simulation

Blue Yonder addresses returns with new omni-inventory capabilities for online, warehouse and in-store returns. The enhancements include customised return processes, customer-specific return policies, configurable credit strategies, receiving and receipt verification for returns, inspection and grading workflows, and item-level simulation of disposition outcomes. With Blue Yonder Returns Management, returned items are expected, on average, to be put back into sellable inventory around 25% faster.

Orchestrator and workspace

At an overarching level, Blue Yonder is expanding “Orchestrator” as a unified interaction and orchestration layer for workflows, insights, AI-driven recommendations and actions. In addition, a new unified workspace for customer service and sales-support activities brings together, among other functions, customer identification, product search, inventory overview, pricing, delivery options, payment processing and order management.

Gurdip Singh, Chief Product Officer at Blue Yonder, frames returns not only as a cost factor, but also as a lever to reshape the customer experience, secure sales and optimise inventory. He says the system is designed to go beyond initiating and processing returns by recommending the best next step for each individual item and enabling users to act on those recommendations, from routing and receipt handling through to resale. In this way, the company positions the agent-based approach as a means to take work off teams’ hands and support profit improvements without adding headcount.