Top Office partners with JDA to optimise local store space

JDA Software Group, Inc., has announced that Top Office, a French retailer of office and school supplies, will implement JDA Category Management solutions to optimise local assortments, maximize revenues and margins, and provide an improved shopper experience. Specific solutions chosen by Top Office include JDA® Space Planning, JDA Floor Planning, JDA Space Automation and JDA Planogram Converter. Cube Solutions, JDA's regional partner in France is managing the implementation.

Founded in 1996 and headquartered in Villeneuve d'Ascq, France, Top Office operates 40 stores that carry a full line of office and school supplies, as well as office furniture, computers and other high-tech equipment. Top Office is aiming to offer more localized assortments and a higher level of customer service in order to compete with online competitors and larger brick-and-mortar retailers. One of Top Office's most ambitious goals is to offer one-hour store pick-up for customer orders. To accomplish this goal profitably, the company needs to create exacting product assortments that match consumer needs at the local level.

"To compete in today's omni-channel environment, we need to have the right products available in every store, at the moment when shoppers are looking for them. Because many of our stores are located in urban areas, they have a small footprint. This means utilizing every square meter of space strategically and getting the product assortment just right," said Rémi Tyteca, sales enablement tools manager for Top Office.

"Historically, we have relied on a subscription service to obtain information about our shoppers' preferences on a regional basis, but we had no way of easily translating that information into highly targeted space plans and floor plans," Rémi Tyteca continued. "With JDA, detailed shopper data will be transformed into intelligent planograms that accurately reflect local consumer preferences. We expect to increase both revenues and profit margins, while also enhancing customer satisfaction, by maximising availability."

According to Rémi Tyteca, Top Office elected to partner with JDA based on the powerful capabilities of its category management solutions. "JDA has a reputation for offering best-of-breed category management software that is used by the world's leading retailers," noted Rémi Tyteca. "We were impressed with the software functionality, along with the seamless integration of the JDA solutions with one another. Our new suite of JDA software meets all our category management needs."

"Like every other retailer today, Top Office is challenged to grow sales and win consumer loyalty in a crowded marketplace," said Andrew Kirkwood, regional vice president, EMEA at JDA. "While the company has formulated an exciting strategy to differentiate itself — including incredibly fast in-store pick-up — Top Office needed advanced technology to bring that vision to life. We are delighted to partner with this innovative retailer to help achieve its ambitious growth plans."