Case Study
Updated: April 2026
The Problem
Despite shipping in full and on time, a supplier's in-stock rates were consistently falling short of Walmart's 98% in-stock goal, putting the business at risk of lost sales and potential replenishment issues. On paper, everything looked fine. The real issue required digging deeper.
The Solution
OCM conducted a deep dive into the supplier's supply chain data across the full replenishment pipeline to identify the root cause. The analysis revealed that a sharp sales spike several weeks prior had outpaced automated replenishment orders, leaving store-level safety stock significantly depleted.
​
Recognizing that system-generated orders alone wouldn't recover the position fast enough, OCM built a targeted push order recommendation sized to bring every store to a minimum two-week supply on hand and presented it directly to the Walmart replenishment manager for execution.
The Result
In-stock rates recovered to goal, recapturing lost sales and protecting shelf presence across all locations. Beyond the numbers, the proactive approach demonstrated to the Walmart team that OCM operates as a true business partner, not just a vendor, deepening the relationship and building credibility for future conversations.