Case Study

Fast Facts

Industry Outdoor Products, Wholesale and Retail

Headquarters Wichita, Kansas

Description As an international leader in the innovation and marketing of outdoor products, The Coleman Company Inc. helps people have fun and make memories by providing the gear integral to their favorite outdoor experiences. The company’s products include its legendary lanterns and stoves, as well as coolers, tents, sleeping bags, airbeds, backpacks, furniture, and grills under its Coleman® and Exponent® brands. The company currently operates eleven stores and one traveling event store under the Coleman Factory Outlet name.

Founder W.C. Coleman

Number of Retail Stores 11

"There has been an immeasurable benefit to our stores’ sales volume directly attributed to JDS’ ability to solve our PO problem."

-Dana Jensen
Manager Retail Merchandise Planning & Allocation
Coleman

Business Benefits

Improved operation efficiencies by 40%
Saved over $100,000 in human resource costs
Faster time to market

Business Challenge

Coleman's purchase order processes were too time-consuming and repetitive. Purchase orders had to be entered one style at a time and across 11 stores! The data then had to be entered into the Manufacturing system for distribution. This wasted tremendous time and resources. Coleman turned to JDS to see what could be done to streamline the process.

Business Solutions

The solution was to implement the PO Import and Export function in WinRetail®, JDS' POS/Retail Merchandising System, for large scale purchase order entries. The PO entry Excel template includes necessary data fields to create a PO Import file. The import file is then imported into WinRetail via a PO Import function. This process allows the purchase order to be exported to the Manufacturing system for fulfillment and POS system for receiving.

Before PO Import

Purchase order entries were done via an all-store entry method (all locations selected for drop-ship), but while the average line items per store would be 200+ those 200+ items were not the same for each location. Typically orders were processed from availability listings that could top 1,200 line items.

The other method of purchase order entry attempted was using a COPY PO function. While this method worked to complete the item selection process, it still caused more unnecessary line items and more entry processing.

After PO Import

Coleman’s large scale purchase order entries are generated by a combination of spreadsheets with product availabilities merging them into a store-level spreadsheet order form. This import file is now imported into WinRetail via a PO Import function that generates a full complete purchase order which includes all PO header information, item selections and quantities.

This data is now sent electronically to our ERP system for the Manufacturing side of the business to fulfill the orders.

An all stores order process can be completed in one day now as opposed to up to three days previously. When time is money, every minute counts! Merchandise can now get to the sales floor faster than ever. Additionally the PO Import eliminates potential item selection errors, quantity errors and shipping errors that can occur during manual order entry.

Bottom Line Impact

Coleman is now saving hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars a month with PO Import and Export. By increasing the speed of PO entry, the speed of getting product to the shelves has dramatically improved as well. PO Import also contributed to the elimination of seasonal administrative positions required for manual order entries. This dramatically reduced the time needed to create a PO and enter it into the Manufacturing system. Further, it increased the accuracy of the PO data at the store.

About JDS Solutions

JDS Solutions has gained its customers' trust, respect, and loyalty by providing excellence customer service, superior products and innovative thinking. In turn, JDS has earned the distinction of declaring 100-percent customer satisfaction throughout its diverse customer base using WinRetail®, its flagship Retail Management and POS System.

Founded in 1990, JDS is headquartered in Carlsbad, California with offices in Colorado, Iowa, Maryland and Michigan. JDS serves mid-market retailers in North American, Asia Pacific and the Caribbean.

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