Insights from Anaplan and Wakefield Research reveal how connected, data-driven planning is helping retailers improve decision-making, resilience, and profitability in today’s volatile market.

Today’s Retail Reality
Retailers face unprecedented challenges: volatile demand, inflation, supply chain disruptions, and the rise of the zero consumer. Many finance teams still operate with siloed tools, outdated forecasts, and incomplete data—leading to costly overbuys, stock-outs, and markdowns.

Key Findings from the Report

1. Faster, More Accurate Decisions Are Essential

  • 86% of retail finance execs say forecasts are outdated by the time they’re presented.

  • 100% have seen negative impacts from decisions based on inaccurate forecasts.

2. A Connected, Data-Minded Culture Is Non-Negotiable

  • 75% struggle to generate organization-wide insights due to silos.

  • 98% say data infrastructure needs improvement before AI adoption.

3. The CFO’s Role Is Expanding

  • Finance leaders now influence supply chain, operations, and innovation strategies.

  • Data gaps are increasing workloads and slowing responses.

“This content is brought to you by Anaplan, a global leader in connected planning. Insights are based on independent research and real-world retail finance strategies, helping organizations unify data, processes, and teams to make faster, more confident decisions that drive profitability and resilience—at scale.”
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