Pathfinder Ultra 6039 streamlines the markdown process for Desigual

European fashion firm Desigual has seen strong international growth in recent years. To match this rapid expansion the company needed to find a simple, scalable, global solution for cost effective remarking and pricing. Desigual chose Avery Dennisons Pathfinder as the best total solution for their needs. As a result Desigual has not only enhanced the markdown and remarking processes but now has the built in capability to offer percentages of discount depending on sales required. Moreover, the Pathfinder Ultra solution is also able to seamlessly adapt pricing to different currencies across Desiguals global network.
 
Desigual, the fashion company founded in Spain, has seen strong international growth with company revenues increasing ten-fold in the past five years through a network of 7,000 multibrand stores, 200 Desigual exclusive stores, and 500 corners and shop-in-shops. The company provides customers with the latest seasons fashions and therefore has a quick turnaround of large volumes of garments for each new collection, presenting unique pricing and management challenges. Desigual, faithful to its policy of excellence in process management, needed a truly easy and efficient remarking and markdown process.
 
The Business Challenge
Before using the Pathfinder, Desiguals sales clerks had to re-label and stockcheck thousands of garments by hand in a labour intensive manual process. This markdown method was time consuming; it required additional overtime working in the stockroom, which meant having less time to spend helping customers on the shop floor. After evaluating various solutions, Desigual decided on Avery Dennisons new Pathfinder Ultra Platinum for the in-store management and remarking of more than 6 million garments they sold annually.
 
Finding the ideal solution
The Pathfinder Ultra Platinum is the only device on the market that includes a data terminal, scanner and portable printer, all running as a single application on Microsoft Windows CE. It is lightweight and has a user-friendly ergonomic design, which is especially revolutionary for point-of-sale professionals because its technical functions are so easy to use. The Avery Dennison Pathfinder makes it possible for Desigual, in a single operation, to identify a product and then reprint and apply the new label with an adjusted price. This makes it a useful, versatile, reliable, and fast tool for remarking before sales and promotions. Additionally, thanks to the time it saves and how easy the device is to use, re-labelling can be done directly in the store at the shelves.
After evaluating different solutions in the market we chose the Pathfinder because of its ergonomic usable design and productivity. It combines the tools we needed into a single device: a hand-held terminal, portable printer, scanner, and PDA. Its really convenient and easy to use. Toni Snchez Navajas, Information Director at Desigual. The Pathfinder is very simple to use. With a wireless system, the labeler is connected to the counter using the stores Wi-Fi system. As the sales clerk re-labels garments, the price changes take place automatically. There is no need to close the store to start markdown or work overtime to update data. Information is constantly updated, and can be accessed in real time both in the store and from the central office, therefore an optimum inventory management is guaranteed.
 
Optimising business processes
One of the main benefits that Desigual enjoys by using the Pathfinder is the speed and consistency it provides when changing prices on discounted products. With the Pathfinder, these changes can be made easily, allowing the company to respond more quickly and therefore be more competitive. During a markdown sale, for example, Desigual can apply new discounts to garments that are not selling well or draw attention to featured products, while the Pathfinder solution simultaneously updates the inventory. The Pathfinder is also used for remarking garments made in other countries, which are labelled at their origin and must be re-priced for sale in a country with a different currency, such as in the United Kingdom, where the price label needs to be changed from Euro to . This process is now easily made directly at the store in record time.
 
Future Business Relationship
Desigual is already using more than 300 Pathfinder devices, with consumable and custom software that was developed with support and training from Avery Dennison. A second phase roll out programme is likely to support the companys international expansion. Using Pathfinder allows us to streamline the entire labelling process, and we save time when time is especially valuable. David Kervyn, Retail Director at Desigual
 
About Avery Dennison
Avery Dennison provides identification and decorative solutions for businesses and consumers across the globe. Avery Dennison's Printer Systems Division designs and manufactures pressure-sensitive labelling materials; graphics imaging media; retail apparel ticketing and branding systems; RFID inlays and tags; office products; speciality tapes; and a variety of specialised labels for automotive, industrial and durable goods applications. A FORTUNE 500 Company with sales of $6 billion in 2009, Avery Dennison is based in Pasadena, California and has employees in over 60 countries.
 
For more information about the Printer Systems Division of Avery Dennisons Retail Information Services Group, please visit www.monarch.averydennison.com