The days of planning based on history or store volume have gone the way of the buggy whip. It is no longer enough for buyers to arm themselves with a spreadsheet and a prayer. Omni-channel commerce requires companies to re-think their planning processes in order to profit. In this new retail environment, old paradigms have been shaken, replaced by much more complicated planning tools that answer the omni-channel commerce questions that can make or break a business.

You could call inventory and warehouse space the twin evils of the supply chain. Both are big drags on the balance sheet. So it should come as no surprise that the two categories are lagging the recovery - or what's passing for one.