Buying

What is Open-to-Buy (OTB) planning?

Open-to-Buy (OTB) planning is the process of deciding how much inventory to buy, at what value, and when, so purchases stay aligned with sales targets and financial plans. It calculates the budget available for new purchases as the gap between planned sales, planned stock, and existing inventory — helping brands buy enough to meet demand without overbuying.

What is an ideal buy plan?

An ideal buy plan recommends how many styles (width) and how many units (depth) to buy for each store and cluster, based on revenue targets, current inventory and depletion, rate of sale, buy duration and drops, MOQ, and lead time. It converts a smart assortment plan and revenue targets into an actionable, storelevel buy.

What is a drop plan and why does it matter?

A drop plan phases style launches across the season instead of buying everything upfront, so assortments stay fresh and newness is introduced at the right time. It splits buy quantities across drops based on category and segment ratios, keeping the range relevant and reducing the risk of early markdowns.

How does Increff's Buying connect to financial planning?

Increff connects bottom-up demand signals with top-down, business-level merchandise and financial plans, so buy decisions stay aligned with revenue and margin goals. OTB can run weekly, monthly, or quarterly with override options at store, category, or subcategory levels.