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There are many ways to succeed in retailing, many ways to assert your competitive edge, whether location, pricing, merchandise selection, knowledgeable staff, etc.
But there is only one way that retail businesses fail: they fail financially. So the key to success? Have a competitive edge, and take charge of the financial demands of the business.
As a retailer, navigating your financials can feel overwhelming. That’s why we’ve created a suite of online calculators designed specifically for independent retailers like you. No spreadsheets, no guesswork—just fast, clear insights for your next business decision.
Here’s how and when to use five of our powerful tools:
The question it answers: What would happen if I...?
Start here when you’re facing big-picture questions about your business:
“What will it take to break even?”
“Should I close a store? If so, which one?”
“Can I afford a remodel? What if I need a loan?”
In just minutes, this tool shows you your projected Profit & Loss, Open-to-Buy, and Cash Flow—all in one place. With just a few inputs, you can test different scenarios and see the financial outcomes instantly.
If you’re exploring strategic decisions, this is your go-to calculator to uncover the real impact on your bottom line.
The question it answers: What do our “vital signs” show?
Want to know how your store is really performing? The Key Ratios Calculator delivers fast, accurate metrics like:
Profit %
Gross Margin %
Inventory Turnover
G.M.R.O.I.
Current Ratio
Debt-to-Worth Ratio
Plus, it benchmarks your results against industry standards for your retail segment. Use this tool to evaluate financial health, identify strengths, and address weaknesses. Perfect for quarterly check-ins or when preparing to make big moves.
The question it answers: How resilient is my business?
When sales are up, down, or flat, resilience matters. This tool analyzes trends in your Balance Sheet ratios to reveal the staying power of your business.
Get a 1-to-5 score on key metrics to spot early warning signs or validate your strengths. Use it when planning for the future—or when you just need peace of mind that your business is on solid ground.
The question it answers: Will we make a profit this year?
If you want clarity about your P&L, this tool is a must. Enter what you already know—sales, gross margin %, and expenses by category (use our SPEEDY Expense Analyzer, aka “the Bucketizer”, if needed). In minutes, you’ll see:
A 12-month profit projection
Expense trends as a percent of sales
Immediate insights into trouble spots or opportunities
And if you don’t like what you see? Adjust inputs in real time to explore “what if...?” scenarios. Test different strategies until your plan “pencils out.”
Use it for annual planning, mid-year reviews, or any time you need confidence in your profit outlook.
The question it answers: How much inventory should I buy—and when?
This tool combines the art and science of buying to give you clear monthly buying plans, by department, in minutes. Enter basic info — beginning inventory, expected sales & margins, and planned turns—and you’ll get:
Maximum inventory to bring in each month
Ending inventory targets (the real key number)
Your projected G.M.R.O.I.
Perfect for planning upcoming seasons or refining your buying strategy. Need adjustments? Change sales, margins, or turns and instantly see the impact.
This tool helps you balance buying and selling like a pro while keeping an eye on cash flow and inventory turns.
Well, that depends on your situation!
Big decisions about your business? Start with the 3-in-1 Integrated Calculator.
Need to evaluate financial health? Use the Key Ratios Calculator or Financial Strength Rater.
Planning for profit? Head to the PROFITS Forecaster.
Fine-tuning inventory? Try the Multi-Department Buying Plan Calculator.
Each tool is built for speed, accuracy, and your retail reality. No accountants, no spreadsheets—just you, your numbers, and decisions you can trust.
Let’s get started!
Go here for the Strata:G Calculators. (That’s “strategy.” Every retailer needs one!)
We once knew a lady who steadfastly championed the idea that Labor Day should be considered New Year's Eve, and the Tuesday after Labor Day as the start of the New Year. (Yes, she was ahead of her time in many other ways as well.)
Here's her reasoning about the "real" New Year's Eve: as summer fades away and vacations end, the new school year starts up; the baseball season pennant race is on; football games begin.
As all this happens, she explained, most people take on a renewed sense of energy.
The promise of a fresh start is everywhere. Optimism abounds!
As your stores are able to re-open after the coronavirus shutdowns, how they look tells a powerful story. And for you, a great opportunity. This is no time to try to go back to normal, back to business-as-usual. Nor to simply have all kinds of protective shields in your store. While necessary, how welcoming is that? Instead, this actually IS a second chance to make a good first impression! Take full advantage!
Well, actually, Christmas will be here the same time it always is: December 25.
However, what does change are the cues for the shoppers.
That is, Thanksgiving falls as late as it can this year, on November 28. That means, for those keeping score at home and for the breathless business pundits, there are only 26 shopping days between Thanksgiving and Christmas. This is six days shorter than a year ago, and the shortest since 2019.
That's why some retailers, especially those that are publicly traded, are making mighty efforts to lengthen the shopping season.
But, is there actual value in trying to prompt shoppers to start their Christmas shopping before they have even handed out Halloween candy? Yes, but...
Each year at this time, our thoughts turn to turkeys. No, not the ones that will adorn many dining tables on Thursday. But the "turkeys" lurking amidst your inventory. You know; non-selling, distressed, slow-moving, old, unappealing leftovers among your merchandise. But this year, frankly, our worries extend beyond the turkeys. Here are some of the reasons why.
As a result, in this environment, consumers are scaling back their discretionary purchases, and/or choosing to spend on travel, dining out, or other experiences versus retail merchandise. Not an upbeat prospect for retailers, is it?
In most years, this is the week that is typically a bit of a lull. The first wave of shoppers – Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Shop Local Saturday, Cyber Monday – has crested; the final wave doesn't begin in earnest until this coming weekend. But this year IS different. Shoppers began shopping in earnest much earlier. And they use the internet to do their browsing, and then have an array of choices for receiving their purchases, from delivery to curbside pickup to in-store pickup. So, what better time than this to revisit your returns policy?!
The definition of a good coach is “That person who makes you do the things you don’t want to do, to become the person you want to be.” Given that, we would suggest that the pandemic proved to be a great coach for many retailers. So much so, "Coach P" really deserves being recognized as the Coach of the Year! Think about it. The pandemic forced retailers to do things they had long evaded or delayed (remember “technology laggards?”)
Incredible value! 👀
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