4 Supply Chain Challenges Retailers Face — And How to Fix Them

Supply chain management for multi-location retailers is often messy. A best-selling item is out at one store. Another location has it in stock. A shipment is delayed. Orders get mixed up. Staff scramble. Customers wait.  

Seemingly small problems can have a fast ripple effect across your entire operation. 

From juggling stock across stores to keeping shipments on track and planning for demand, today’s supply chain challenges hit every part of a retail operation. 

1. Limited Visibility Across Locations

Inventory scattered across locations creates more than frustration. Overstock ties up cash. Stockouts cost sales. And spreadsheets or manual checks just slow everything down. 

Let’s say that a customer comes in and asks for one of your top selling items after seeing it available on your website. But it’s not on the shelves. Staff spend precious minutes tracking it down at another location instead of helping other shoppers. 

Retailers who can see inventory in real time across all locations make faster decisions, move products proactively, and keep shelves stocked. Visibility isn’t just efficiency — it’s confidence for the whole team. 

2. Inefficient Vendor and Order Management

Ever sent an order to the wrong warehouse and only realized it after a customer complained? For retailers juggling multiple vendors, it happens more than you think. 

Some days it’s late shipments. Other days, partial deliveries. Sometimes the paperwork never matches reality. Staff end up spending more time chasing vendors than focusing on customers. 

The trick isn’t relying on manual processes to track every order. It’s having one place to see what’s coming, when, and from which vendor. Suddenly, small errors are being caught early. A delayed shipment no longer causes a scramble. Teams can plan around the hiccups instead of reacting to them. 

Inventory moves smoother. Stress levels drop. Operations feel predictable again. 

3. Rising Shipping Costs and Delivery Delays

Shipping isn’t what it used to be. One week, rates spike. The next, a truck is stuck somewhere unknown. All the while, your customers and team are getting frustrated.. 

You can’t control the carriers, but you can control how you respond. 

Some retailers track shipments in real time, plan allocations ahead, and stagger deliveries to avoid bottlenecks. Small buffers on high-demand items can prevent an empty shelf from turning into a lost sale. 

It’s not about perfection. It’s about foresight, preparation, and keeping operations as predictable as possible when the unexpected happens. 

4. Inaccurate Forecasting and Demand Planning

Guessing what customers will buy is risky. Order too much, and cash sits tied up in storage. Order too little, and shelves are empty when shoppers show up. 

Retailers often treat forecasting like a spreadsheet chore — numbers copied from last year into this year. But demand isn’t static. Promotions, seasonal trends, and location-specific patterns all shift the picture. 

The real fix isn’t guessing better — it’s forecasting with current, connected data. When sales, inventory, and ordering information update together, retailers can spot shifts early and adjust before problems snowball. Forecasting becomes a day-to-day decision tool, not a once-in-a-while spreadsheet exercise. 

The Supply Chain Management Software to Solve These Problems 

Keeping track of your inventory, shipments, vendors, and stores doesn’t have to be so stressful. FieldStack gives you one system to see everything in real time. 

You can automatically move stock between stores, reorder items when needed, and forecast demand, so shelves stay stocked without overbuying. Warehouses run more smoothly, and daily tasks like picking, receiving, and returns happen faster and with fewer mistakes. 

“FieldStack allows us to accurately manage our inventory across all platforms. Much of the ordering and returning is automated, which allows us to focus more of our time and energy on selling.” - Philip Ley, Manager - The Sound Garden 

All your stores, website, and supply chain work together in one place. You can make smarter decisions, fix small problems before they become big ones, and spend less time on manual work. 

Learn more about how FieldStack optimizes your supply chain operations.