How Low Decision Confidence at Speed Has Become Retail's Most Expensive Operating Cost

anaplan

Retail has invested heavily in data, dashboards, and AI, but most organizations are still making decisions too slowly. Demand shifts in days, yet the average retailer takes four to twelve weeks to act on a signal. That delay has a name and a measurable price tag: the Latency Tax.

This study surveyed 298 supply chain and merchandise planning executives across North America and EMEA to find out exactly what slow response is costing the industry, and why it keeps happening.

Exclusive findings will be shared in Berlin at World Retail Congress on 27th April, 2026. If your organization knows what needs to change but keeps hitting the same walls.

What this report reveals: 

  • Shows where others have broken through and the value realized when they did
  • Pinpoints where bottlenecks actually exist, from forecast update frequency to whether AI tools inform or act
  • Identifies what separates the top 10% of retailers from the rest
  • Connects those choices to outcomes like full-price sell-through, lost sales, and margin

Sponsored by: 

Anaplan