ShopKo deepens SAS relationship for integrated merchandise planning

SAS helps retailer differentiate itself from the competition and gain a 'wall-to-wall' view of its business

NRF 96th Annual Convention and EXPO, NEW YORK   (Jan. 15, 2007)  –  ShopKo, a Wisconsin-based discount retailer, has deepened its relationship with SAS, the leader in business intelligence. ShopKo recently completed an upgrade to its merchandise planning capabilities by investing in more pieces of the SAS^® Integrated Merchandise Planning suite. SAS is demonstrating its retail intelligence solutions at NRF booth No. 1327.  

“We’re building up the portfolio of products that we use to take advantage of the suite’s enhanced assortment planning features and financial planning capabilities,” said Matt Lynch, Senior Vice President and CIO of ShopKo Stores Operating Co. LLC. “SAS will help us plan our merchandise assortments more effectively. Utilizing the SAS suite is helping ShopKo balance assortment and space plans to enable sales and margin improvements.” 

A SAS Retail space planning user since the 1990s (previously known as Marketmax), Lynch said, “SAS is enabling ShopKo to internally communicate using common terminology and consistent planning standards. ShopKo’s end-to-end merchandise planning process has improved because of SAS’ combination of more effective planning tools and the use of standards across all merchandise categories. 

“Paul White, ShopKo’s President and Chief Merchandising Officer, has introduced a rigorous approach to merchandising and assortment planning, including the horizontal integration of our private brands. Obviously, product selection remains a critical aspect of merchandising, but ensuring consistency in the early stages with SAS makes execution of downstream process that much easier and more effective,” Lynch explained. 

“I’ve been working with our friends at ShopKo for more than a decade,” said Lori Schafer, Vice President of the SAS Global Retail Practice. “It’s a huge vote of confidence that they’ve chosen to grow with us throughout the years. Customers like ShopKo have helped us realize the promise of our retail intelligence solutions. SAS will continue to help drive ShopKo’s profits and delight its customers.” 

In addition to ShopKo, SAS retail customers include AutoZone, Bakers Footwear, Brooks Brothers, Burger King, Carrefour, Casino, Casual Male, The Children’s Place, Eddie Bauer, Federated Department Stores, Hudson’s Bay Company, JCPenney, Kohl’s, Luxxotica Retail, Mark’s Work Wearhouse, Marks & Spencer, Newport News, Northern Tool & Equipment, Office Depot, Sainsbury’s, Sport Chalet, Staples,  Tesco, Tween Brands,  Williams-Sonoma and 1-800-FLOWERS.COM. 

About ShopKo

ShopKo is a $2.2 billion retailer of quality goods and services headquartered in Green Bay, Wis., with stores located in 13 states through the Midwest, Mountain and Pacific Northwest regions. Retail formats include 135 ShopKo stores, providing quality name-brand merchandise, great values, pharmacy and optical services in mid-sized to larger cities and three ShopKo Express Rx stores, a convenient neighborhood drugstore concept.

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