RETHINK RETAIL Retail’s Secret to a Sellout Holiday Season
Nov 14, 2025
Rick Olson, a Consulting Partner at Kyndryl with three decades in retail, shares insights on predictive analytics revolutionizing holiday planning. He discusses how retailers can forecast demand accurately, optimize inventory, and enhance operational efficiency to meet seasonal spikes. Rick highlights the importance of diverse data sources for precise predictions and how AI can streamline staffing and store operations. He also emphasizes reducing markdowns through better forecasting and using generative AI to uncover unique retail opportunities.
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Pilot Predictive Tools Before Postseason
- Start deploying predictive tools now to gather data and learn before postseason.
- Use short pilots this season and measure KPIs to validate value after the holidays.
Blend Internal And External Signals
- Good predictive models combine POS and inventory with external signals like weather and social trends.
- Rick Olson emphasizes pulling omni-channel traffic, promos, competitors, and social data into forecasts.
Stores As Micro-Warehouses
- Omni-channel complexity requires treating stores as micro-warehouses and connecting many fulfillment flows.
- Few retailers have fully solved unified forecasting across store, online, BOPIS and delivery channels.