AKA Brands' Secret to Reducing SKU Count by 50-75% While Maintaining Sales

AKA Brands, a prominent player in the fashion industry known for its portfolio of successful digital native brands, has revolutionized its inventory management strategy and achieved remarkable results since implementing Toolio's integrated inventory management solution. As a company that specializes in acquiring and scaling high-potential fashion brands, AKA Brands understands the importance of efficient inventory management across its diverse portfolio. By leveraging Toolio's advanced demand forecasting and inventory visibility capabilities, AKA Brands has optimized its inventory levels, significantly reduced SKU count, and greatly improved its decision-making process.

Before implementing Toolio, AKA Brands used a fragmented approach to merchandise planning, forecasting, and assortment planning, utilizing tools like Excel, Inventory Planner, and Airtable. This process resulted in a lack of transparency in inventory planning and challenges in identifying opportunities for SKU rationalization. Stacey Schriefer, VP of Inventory Planning at AKA Brands, acknowledged the necessity for a comprehensive, data-driven solution to tackle these issues head-on.

• SKU Count Reduction: Stacey Schriefer highlights, "Toolio was instrumental in showing our merchants that they could have 50-75% less SKU count and do the same amount of sales. It was easy to see where items had opportunity year-over-year and needed to be bought bigger while also showing where the longer tail of SKUs was not required to sustain or grow the business."
• Improved Inventory Management and Forecasting: With Toolio's demand forecasting capabilities, AKA Brands can better identify and invest in top-selling items. Schriefer notes, "We are able to better buy into the items we know are going to be top sellers. This allows us to make smarter bets up front on selected assortments."
• Enhanced Collaboration and Transparency: Toolio has streamlined collaboration and communication among team members. Schriefer emphasizes, "The transparency Toolio provides across the teams is essential. At any time planners and merchants can easily see the available Open to Buy (OTB) and forecasts."
• Expected Cost Savings: By leveraging Toolio's platform, AKA Brands expects to achieve $5M in cost savings and efficiency gains, along with a 5-10 WOS reduction in various categories.

Stacey Schriefer highlights Toolio's pivotal role in transforming AKA Brands' inventory management approach:, "Toolio is an effective out of the box connected planning solution, enabling collaboration and rewarding teams with transparency and efficiency." The platform's robust features, such as the Compare mode in Assortment Planning, have simplified processes and enhanced the company's ability to make strategic decisions quickly.

The adoption of Toolio at AKA Brands has not only optimized their inventory management processes but also empowered the company to thrive in the competitive fashion industry. With Toolio's support, AKA Brands confidently navigates inventory challenges, ensures optimal SKU count, and makes informed decisions to meet consumer demands effectively.