Seasonality effects in retail supply chains

Seasonality effects play an important role in retail supply chains. Changes in sales velocity need to be accounted for by retail supply chain managers in order to be able to fulfill shopper demand and prevent stockouts. While seasonality effects throughout the year and weeks (e.g. summer holiday sales dip, weekend sales peak) are generally known, little evidence exists on intraday purchasing patterns. This study seeks to explore and connect annual, weekly and intraday demand patterns in retail supply chains in order to improve channel decisions, shelf replenishment and inventory control.