Answer:
Thanks to global competition, faster product development, and increasingly flexible manufacturing systems, an unprecedented number and variety of products are competing in markets ranging from apparel and toys to power tools and computers. Despite the benefits to consumers, this phenomenon is making it more difficult for manufacturers and retailers to predict which of their goods will sell and to plan production and orders accordingly.
As a result, inaccurate forecasts are increasing, and along with them the costs of those errors. Manufacturers and retailers alike are ending up with more unwanted goods that must be marked down—perhaps even sold at a loss—even as they lose potential sales because other articles are no longer in stock. In industries with highly volatile demand, like fashion apparel, the costs of such “stockouts” and markdowns can actually exceed the total cost of manufacturing.