Centric Software has announced a new wave of AI-enhanced innovations for its Centric Planning™ platform, offering advanced demand forecasting, competitive benchmarking, and market-specific planning solutions. These upgrades aim to help retailers and brands worldwide make faster, data-driven decisions while boosting margins, reducing waste, and adapting to rapidly changing consumer demands.
AI-Enhanced Demand Forecasting
The new Centric Planning platform harnesses AI/ML-powered forecasting tools connected directly to assortment and product workflows. Retailers can now double operating margins, cut planning cycles by up to 75%, and reduce excess inventory by 50%. By delivering precise, actionable recommendations, Centric enables brands to optimize assortments, streamline budget preparation, and respond rapidly to shifting market conditions.
Competitive Benchmarking and Market Intelligence
One of the most significant upgrades is the introduction of AI-driven competitive benchmarking. Powered by Centric Market Intelligence™, the feature provides live insights into competitor assortments and pricing. This functionality empowers retailers to identify assortment gaps, avoid pricing missteps, and shape more consumer-relevant product offerings—ensuring stronger competitiveness in dynamic global markets.
Localized Replenishment for China
Recognizing the unique supply chain challenges of the Chinese market, Centric has developed a market-specific replenishment algorithm. This enhancement increases store-level accuracy and strengthens supply chain agility, making it particularly valuable for global retailers operating in or expanding into China’s fast-moving retail ecosystem.
Smarter Assortment Planning
To solve long-standing challenges around pre-season buy quantities, Centric Planning introduces AI-powered assortment planning quantification. Leveraging billions of product attributes enriched through Centric Market Intelligence, the tool generates highly accurate recommendations, helping retailers avoid stock imbalances, minimize markdowns, and safeguard margins. This capability sets a new benchmark in precision planning.
Driving Global Retail Transformation
Chris Groves, CEO of Centric Software, emphasized that these innovations reflect the company’s mission to deliver actionable AI within a connected ecosystem. From forecasting to product lifecycle management, Centric continues to enable brands across fashion, luxury, consumer goods, and multi-category retail to make smarter, faster, and more profitable decisions in an increasingly competitive landscape.
