Umsatzverluste durch blockierte Lager‑ und Ausstellungsfläche für Layaway‑Bestände

Definition

Layaway programs require retailers to reserve the item and mark it as committed in the POS/inventory system, meaning it is no longer available for sale to other customers until the balance is paid.[2] In furniture, Euro Living’s layaway terms guarantee pricing for three months and hold stock until full payment.[4] Australian lay‑by providers advertize very long plans (z.B. 101 Wochen), during which full payment is required before delivery, confirming that stock can be tied up for nearly two years.[5] This capacity tying affects both warehouse and showroom space; as guidance notes, service fees are often charged to cover storage space and labour costs for layaway programs.[2] When high‑demand items are placed on long layaway contracts, stores may run out of immediately sellable stock, missing opportunities to sell at full price to ready‑to‑pay buyers and forcing re‑ordering with longer lead times. In furniture and homewares, where floor space is limited and large items occupy significant cubic metres, even a small number of long‑running layaways can reduce the number of sellable displays and slow inventory turns, effectively reducing annual revenue potential per square metre.

Why This Matters

The Pitch: Retail furniture players in Australia 🇦🇺 verlieren geschätzt 1–3 % des Jahresumsatzes, weil Lagerplatz und Bestseller durch Layaway‑Reservierungen blockiert sind. Automation of inventory‑allocation rules, maximum layaway ratios and dynamic release of uncollected items minimises these lost sales.

Affected Stakeholders

Supply‑Chain‑Leitung, Lagerleiter, Store Manager, Merchandising‑Leitung, CFO/Controlling

Related Business Risks