Posted: Wednesday, January 09, 2008, 3:45PM
Jessops reap benefits of tighter supply chain management
Better stock control has helped photographic company Jessops, stem a Christmas sales decline, despite increasing pressure from online retailers.The chain reported a 0.3 per cent in like-for-like sales over the seven weeks to 6 January - a figure that represents a significant improvement on the company's seven per cent fall in profit for the equivalent period the previous year.
Jessops, who appointed a new supply chain director in December, closed 81 stores and shed 550 jobs across the business in 2007 as online competition took its toll, leading to stockpiles of unsold cameras.
However, tighter stock controls over the festive period ensured that the group halved the value of products in its stores.
"We were prepared for a tough Christmas trading environment and managed the business accordingly," the company executive chairman, David Adams, said.
"While there's no doubt it's not an easy market out there, I do believe if you have the right product and product availability, at least you're in the game."
